USAF Special Ops Sends Last MC-130H to the 'Boneyard'

The tanker used for special operations infiltration and resupply flew its last flight Sunday.

Tuesday, April 04, 2023 at 01:33 PM ET

Verified

On Sunday, April 2, members of the Talon community gathered at Hurlburt Field to see MC-130H, Tail Number 89-0280, take off for the last time. [Courtesy: U.S. Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. Air Force has retired its MC-130H Combat Talon II special operations tanker fleet after more than three decades of service.
These aircraft were crucial for special operations, including infiltration, exfiltration, resupply, and air refueling, and played vital roles in conflicts like Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The MC-130J Commando II will replace the MC-130H in performing these critical special operations missions.
The retired MC-130Hs are being sent to the "Boneyard" in Arizona for preservation and potential future service.

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The U.S. Air Force’s special operations tanker, the MC-130H Combat Talon II, took off for the last time from Hurlburt Field, Florida, over the weekend. Its destination: retirement.

The aircraft with Tail Number 89-0280 was flown to the “Boneyard”—the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. There, it—along with 17 other MC-130Hs—will undergo regular maintenance, including anti-corrosion maintenance, in case it needs to one day return to service, USAF said.