DC-130
Encyclopedia
The Lockheed DC-130 is a variant of C-130 Hercules
, designed for drone
control. It could carry four Ryan Firebee
drones underneath its wings.
, many nations' air forces have investigated different means of remotely controlling aircraft. Spurred by the U-2 Crisis of 1960
, the United States Air Force
gained a renewed interest in using unmanned aerial vehicle
s, or drones, to gain intelligence on the SA-2 Guideline Surface-to-air missile
system. Under the code names "Lightning Bug" and "Compass Cookie", Ryan 147A target drone
s were modified for reconnaissance
. The drones were test flown over North Korea
and China
after the Gulf of Tonkin Incident
in August, 1964.
While perfect for reconnaissance, the use of a mere radar van for command, track and control limit the combat ability of the drones. The team controlling the drones was limited to a single, stationary recovery area. In order to improve the range and recoverability of the drones, some C-130As were modified to carry the drones on pylons under the wings and were re-designated as GC-130, MC-130 or DC-130.
The DC-130H project was tested at Hill Air Force Base
, Utah
with the 6514th Test Squadron. The aircraft was designed to carry and deploy up to four drones. In addition to its ability to deploy four drones, it could also provide control for up to 16 drones simultaneously.
(SAC) initially opearted DC-130s assigned to its 100th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
(100 SRW) at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona from 1966 through 1976. In 1976, the 100th's DC-130s and drone assets were transferred to the 432nd Tactical Drone Group of Tactical Air Command
(TAC) at Davis-Monthan AFB. Concurrent with this action, the 100 SRW's U-2
aircraft assets were transsferred to the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
(9 SRW) and merged with the latter's SR-71 aircraft assets at Beale AFB, California. The 100 SRW was then re-designated as the 100th Air Refueling Wing
(100 ARW) and relocated to Beale AFB, operating KC-135 Stratotanker
aircraft.
In the drone carrier role, target or strike (weapons carriers) drones were carried on two pylons located under each wing of the DC-130: one between the engines and one on the outboard of the engines. This allowed the DC-130 to carry and control four drones simultaneously. Strike drones were never deployed operationally and only reconnaissance and electric warfare drone types were used in the field.
DC-130s could launch, track and control the drones. The aircraft contained two launch stations (one for each drone) from which all systems on the drone were activated and checked. From those stations the engines were started, run through their checks and stabilized at the correct power setting for launch. A two-man station, just aft of the flight compartment, contained all the tracking and control functions. Instruments displayed all data transmitted from the drone—such as heading, speed, altitude, power setting and flight attitudes. Navigation and tracking data were fed to a system that plotted the current position of both the drone and DC-130 on a large map board in front of the operators. The planned track of the drone was drawn on the board, which enabled the crew to immediately detect any deviation in the drone's flight path. The drone controllers monitored and recorded video data from drones equipped with television cameras and recorded any other data collected by other special-purpose drones.
The DC-130 was used in Senior Prom
, a program to develop stealthy cruise missile
s in 1978.
Reconnaissance drones were much larger and heavier, meaning the DC-130As could only carry one drone pylon under each wing. Each drone pylon was placed between the engines, replacing the auxiliary fuel tank on earlier models. When a select number of C-130E aircraft were converted to drone carriers as DC-130Es for USAF, they retained the underwing tanks and the drone pylons were installed outboard of the engines. This significantly increased the new DC-130s' capability and endurance. Concurrent with the USAF transition to the DC-130E model, the extant DC-130As were transferred to the US Navy for target drone carrier and control operations in the Navy's Southern California Operating Area (SOCAL OpArea), flying missions from NAS Point Mugu, California.
The Q-2C Firebee target drone was modified for the recon mission and designated the BQM-34A or 147A. Its size was increased to provide greater range and payload. For the low altitude mission, the wing span was increased to 15 feet (4.6 m) and later to 27 feet (8.2 m), but was most successful with the original 13 foot (4.0 m) wingspan. Wing spans of 27 and 33 feet (8.2 and 10.1 m) were used for the high altitude aircraft. The original 1700 pounds-force (7.6 kN) of thrust was increased to 1920 lbf (8.5 kN) and later to 2800 lbf (12.5 kN) for the special high altitude, long range drones. Some models were even equipped with wing-mounted fuel tanks to extend their range.
The drones had numerous navigation systems - including inertial
, Doppler, and LORAN
. They were equipped with an analogue computer which controlled speed, altitude, heading, engine settings, sensors and recovery systems. That system turned all sensors on and off and directed all turns, climbs, dives (as well as the rate of each) and engine power settings. Depending upon their mission, the equipment also included:
Sensors included numerous cameras to satisfy the many different objectives of both low and high altitude sortie
s. The cameras may be fixed, turreted, or scanning horizon-to-horizon film cameras. Some provided fine detail of specific targets while others covered large areas. There were also TV cameras that could be zoomed and panned.
Numerous electronic receivers are also in place. They were designed to intercept communications of all sorts, radars, data links, etc. The intercepted data was then transmitted to other aircraft, ground sites or satellites. Some of the receivers could be tuned by an operator in another airplane or on the ground. The function of some receivers was strictly defensive. When they detected and identified a signal as a threat, they would trigger a jamming signal, dispense chaff
and/or initiate defensive maneuvers.
For recovery, they have a recovery system and receivers that permitted overriding the program and flying it 'by hand'. The recovery sequence was triggered by the flight control computer at the preset position, unless overridden by the Drone Recovery Officer (DRO) in the control vehicle. Normally the drone was picked up by radar as it approached the recovery area and controlled by the DRO. Last minute course corrections were made as necessary and the recovery sequence triggered at the precise point to drop the drone on top of the waiting recovery helicopter. The on-board recovery system consisted of a servomechanism
that shut down the engine, deployed a drag chute (to cause the drone to nose over) and opened the main parachute
at a preset altitude. The recovery helicopter then flew over the main chute engaging a reinforced catch chute with a set of trailing hooks attached to an internal winch. The drone was then winched up to just below the recovery helicopter and flown back to base. An alternative method of recovery allowed the drone to reach the ground under the main chute. On ground impact a sensor operated a charge that severed the chute risers allowing the drone to be recovered. This method had a higher likelihood of damage and was not preferred.
The DC-130 program was eventually closed, as it was deemed too expensive to support. Launching a single drone required the maintenance and support for the DC-130, the drones, and the drone recovery helicopters (HH-3 and/or HH-53
).
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
, designed for drone
Unmanned aerial vehicle
An unmanned aerial vehicle , also known as a unmanned aircraft system , remotely piloted aircraft or unmanned aircraft, is a machine which functions either by the remote control of a navigator or pilot or autonomously, that is, as a self-directing entity...
control. It could carry four Ryan Firebee
Ryan Firebee
The Ryan Firebee was a series of target drones or unmanned aerial vehicles developed by the Ryan Aeronautical Company beginning in 1951. It was one of the first jet-propelled drones, and one of the most widely-used target drones ever built....
drones underneath its wings.
Origin of the Design
Ever since World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, many nations' air forces have investigated different means of remotely controlling aircraft. Spurred by the U-2 Crisis of 1960
U-2 Crisis of 1960
The 1960 U-2 incident occurred during the Cold War on May 1, 1960, during the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower and during the leadership of Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, when a United States U-2 spy plane was shot down over the airspace of the Soviet Union.The United States government at...
, the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
gained a renewed interest in using unmanned aerial vehicle
Unmanned aerial vehicle
An unmanned aerial vehicle , also known as a unmanned aircraft system , remotely piloted aircraft or unmanned aircraft, is a machine which functions either by the remote control of a navigator or pilot or autonomously, that is, as a self-directing entity...
s, or drones, to gain intelligence on the SA-2 Guideline Surface-to-air missile
Surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
system. Under the code names "Lightning Bug" and "Compass Cookie", Ryan 147A target drone
Target drone
A target drone is an unmanned, remote controlled aerial vehicle, usually used in the training of anti-aircraft crews.In their simplest form, target drones often resemble radio controlled model aircraft...
s were modified for reconnaissance
Surveillance aircraft
A surveillance aircraft is an aircraft used for surveillance — collecting information over time. They are operated by military forces and other government agencies in roles such as intelligence gathering, battlefield surveillance, airspace surveillance, observation , border patrol and fishery...
. The drones were test flown over North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
after the Gulf of Tonkin Incident
Gulf of Tonkin Incident
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident, or the USS Maddox Incident, are the names given to two incidents, one fabricated, involving North Vietnam and the United States in the waters of the Gulf of Tonkin...
in August, 1964.
While perfect for reconnaissance, the use of a mere radar van for command, track and control limit the combat ability of the drones. The team controlling the drones was limited to a single, stationary recovery area. In order to improve the range and recoverability of the drones, some C-130As were modified to carry the drones on pylons under the wings and were re-designated as GC-130, MC-130 or DC-130.
The DC-130H project was tested at Hill Air Force Base
Hill Air Force Base
Hill Air Force Base is a major U.S. Air Force Base located in northern Utah, just south of the city of Ogden, and near the towns of Clearfield, Riverdale, Roy, Sunset, and Layton. It is about north of Salt Lake City. The base was named in honor of Major Ployer Peter Hill of the U.S. Army Air...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
with the 6514th Test Squadron. The aircraft was designed to carry and deploy up to four drones. In addition to its ability to deploy four drones, it could also provide control for up to 16 drones simultaneously.
Operational use
The Strategic Air CommandStrategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
(SAC) initially opearted DC-130s assigned to its 100th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
100th Air Refueling Wing
The 100th Air Refueling Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe Third Air Force. It is stationed at RAF Mildenhall, England. It is also the host wing at RAF Mildenhall....
(100 SRW) at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona from 1966 through 1976. In 1976, the 100th's DC-130s and drone assets were transferred to the 432nd Tactical Drone Group of Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
(TAC) at Davis-Monthan AFB. Concurrent with this action, the 100 SRW's U-2
Lockheed U-2
The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed "Dragon Lady", is a single-engine, very high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated by the United States Air Force and previously flown by the Central Intelligence Agency . It provides day and night, very high-altitude , all-weather intelligence gathering...
aircraft assets were transsferred to the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
9th Reconnaissance Wing
The 9th Reconnaissance Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Eighth Air Force. It is stationed at Beale Air Force Base, California...
(9 SRW) and merged with the latter's SR-71 aircraft assets at Beale AFB, California. The 100 SRW was then re-designated as the 100th Air Refueling Wing
100th Air Refueling Wing
The 100th Air Refueling Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe Third Air Force. It is stationed at RAF Mildenhall, England. It is also the host wing at RAF Mildenhall....
(100 ARW) and relocated to Beale AFB, operating KC-135 Stratotanker
KC-135 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype. The KC-135 was the US Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratotanker...
aircraft.
In the drone carrier role, target or strike (weapons carriers) drones were carried on two pylons located under each wing of the DC-130: one between the engines and one on the outboard of the engines. This allowed the DC-130 to carry and control four drones simultaneously. Strike drones were never deployed operationally and only reconnaissance and electric warfare drone types were used in the field.
DC-130s could launch, track and control the drones. The aircraft contained two launch stations (one for each drone) from which all systems on the drone were activated and checked. From those stations the engines were started, run through their checks and stabilized at the correct power setting for launch. A two-man station, just aft of the flight compartment, contained all the tracking and control functions. Instruments displayed all data transmitted from the drone—such as heading, speed, altitude, power setting and flight attitudes. Navigation and tracking data were fed to a system that plotted the current position of both the drone and DC-130 on a large map board in front of the operators. The planned track of the drone was drawn on the board, which enabled the crew to immediately detect any deviation in the drone's flight path. The drone controllers monitored and recorded video data from drones equipped with television cameras and recorded any other data collected by other special-purpose drones.
The DC-130 was used in Senior Prom
Senior Prom
Senior Prom is a still-classified United States Air Force program to develop a stealth unmanned aerial vehicle for reconnaissance purposes , designed to be launched from a Lockheed DC-130, B-52 Stratofortress, or B-1 Lancer.-Origin and development:The program began in the late 1970s after the...
, a program to develop stealthy cruise missile
Cruise missile
A cruise missile is a guided missile that carries an explosive payload and is propelled, usually by a jet engine, towards a land-based or sea-based target. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhead over long distances with high accuracy...
s in 1978.
Reconnaissance drones were much larger and heavier, meaning the DC-130As could only carry one drone pylon under each wing. Each drone pylon was placed between the engines, replacing the auxiliary fuel tank on earlier models. When a select number of C-130E aircraft were converted to drone carriers as DC-130Es for USAF, they retained the underwing tanks and the drone pylons were installed outboard of the engines. This significantly increased the new DC-130s' capability and endurance. Concurrent with the USAF transition to the DC-130E model, the extant DC-130As were transferred to the US Navy for target drone carrier and control operations in the Navy's Southern California Operating Area (SOCAL OpArea), flying missions from NAS Point Mugu, California.
The drones
The drones had numerous navigation systems - including inertial
Inertial navigation system
An inertial navigation system is a navigation aid that uses a computer, motion sensors and rotation sensors to continuously calculate via dead reckoning the position, orientation, and velocity of a moving object without the need for external references...
, Doppler, and LORAN
LORAN
LORAN is a terrestrial radio navigation system using low frequency radio transmitters in multiple deployment to determine the location and speed of the receiver....
. They were equipped with an analogue computer which controlled speed, altitude, heading, engine settings, sensors and recovery systems. That system turned all sensors on and off and directed all turns, climbs, dives (as well as the rate of each) and engine power settings. Depending upon their mission, the equipment also included:
- Rivet Bounder - a system to jam the SAM's guidance signal
- TWT - a traveling wave tubeTraveling wave tubeA traveling-wave tube is an electronic device used to amplify radio frequency signals to high power, usually in an electronic assembly known as a traveling-wave tube amplifier ....
to give it the return of a U-2Lockheed U-2The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed "Dragon Lady", is a single-engine, very high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated by the United States Air Force and previously flown by the Central Intelligence Agency . It provides day and night, very high-altitude , all-weather intelligence gathering...
or even larger aircraft - CRL - a system to suppress contrailContrailContrails or vapour trails are artificial clouds that are the visible trails of condensed water vapour made by the exhaust of aircraft engines...
s to reduce visual detection - HIDE - a system to reduce the aircraft's radar reflectivity
- HEMP - a system to detect interception by enemy fighters and initiate evasive actions
- HATRAC - a system for high altitude flights to detect intercept by either fighter aircraftFighter aircraftA fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
or surface-to-air missileSurface-to-air missileA surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
s and take evasive actions
Sensors included numerous cameras to satisfy the many different objectives of both low and high altitude sortie
Sortie
Sortie is a term for deployment or dispatch of one military unit, be it an aircraft, ship, or troops from a strongpoint. The sortie, whether by one or more aircraft or vessels, usually has a specific mission....
s. The cameras may be fixed, turreted, or scanning horizon-to-horizon film cameras. Some provided fine detail of specific targets while others covered large areas. There were also TV cameras that could be zoomed and panned.
Numerous electronic receivers are also in place. They were designed to intercept communications of all sorts, radars, data links, etc. The intercepted data was then transmitted to other aircraft, ground sites or satellites. Some of the receivers could be tuned by an operator in another airplane or on the ground. The function of some receivers was strictly defensive. When they detected and identified a signal as a threat, they would trigger a jamming signal, dispense chaff
Chaff (radar countermeasure)
Chaff, originally called Window by the British, and Düppel by the Second World War era German Luftwaffe , is a radar countermeasure in which aircraft or other targets spread a cloud of small, thin pieces of aluminium, metallized glass fibre or plastic, which either appears as a cluster of secondary...
and/or initiate defensive maneuvers.
For recovery, they have a recovery system and receivers that permitted overriding the program and flying it 'by hand'. The recovery sequence was triggered by the flight control computer at the preset position, unless overridden by the Drone Recovery Officer (DRO) in the control vehicle. Normally the drone was picked up by radar as it approached the recovery area and controlled by the DRO. Last minute course corrections were made as necessary and the recovery sequence triggered at the precise point to drop the drone on top of the waiting recovery helicopter. The on-board recovery system consisted of a servomechanism
Servomechanism
thumb|right|200px|Industrial servomotorThe grey/green cylinder is the [[Brush |brush-type]] [[DC motor]]. The black section at the bottom contains the [[Epicyclic gearing|planetary]] [[Reduction drive|reduction gear]], and the black object on top of the motor is the optical [[rotary encoder]] for...
that shut down the engine, deployed a drag chute (to cause the drone to nose over) and opened the main parachute
Parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
at a preset altitude. The recovery helicopter then flew over the main chute engaging a reinforced catch chute with a set of trailing hooks attached to an internal winch. The drone was then winched up to just below the recovery helicopter and flown back to base. An alternative method of recovery allowed the drone to reach the ground under the main chute. On ground impact a sensor operated a charge that severed the chute risers allowing the drone to be recovered. This method had a higher likelihood of damage and was not preferred.
The DC-130 program was eventually closed, as it was deemed too expensive to support. Launching a single drone required the maintenance and support for the DC-130, the drones, and the drone recovery helicopters (HH-3 and/or HH-53
MH-53 Pave Low
The Sikorsky MH-53 Pave Low series is a long-range combat search and rescue helicopter for the United States Air Force. The series was upgraded from the HH-53B/C, variants of the Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion. The HH-53 "Super Jolly Green Giant" was initially developed to replace the HH-3 "Jolly...
).
Specifications
- Crew: Air Force: 6 officers: pilot, co-pilot, navigator, remote control officer, and 2 launch control officers, and 2 enlisted: flight engineer and MCGS (microwave control guidance system) operator; eight Navy crew.