The Air Force has awarded L-3 Communications a $61 million contract to add a weapons package to eight MC-130W Combat Spear special-mission aircraft to give them a gunship-like attack capability. Under the terms of the deal, L-3 will provide the weapons kits, which are called “precision strike packages,” for installation on the aircraft at Warner Robins Air Logistics Center in Georgia. MC-130Ws fitted with the weapons will be known as Dragon Spears. Air Force Special Operations Command is arming these aircraft to relieve the relentless operational demands on its regular AC-130 gunships until new AC-130Js enter the fleet. (See DOD’s Sept. 21 list of contracts; L-3 deal is the first Air Force entry.)
Members of the Air Force Reserve’s 920th Rescue Wing helped save 11 airplane crash survivors off the coast of Florida on May 12. The Reserve Airmen were flying an HC-130J Combat King II and an HH-60W Jolly Green II on a routine training flight when a Coast Guard call diverted…