98-536: Operation Credible Sport was a joint project of the U.S. military in the second half of 1980 to prepare for a second rescue attempt of the hostages held in Iran . The concept included using a Lockheed C-130 Hercules airlifter modified with the addition of rocket engines to make it a short take off and landing (STOL) capable aircraft able to land on the field within a soccer stadium in Tehran . Operation Credible Sport
196-625: A Doppler radar / GPS tie-in to the aircraft's inertial navigation system . The test bed aircraft (AF serial 74-2065 ) was ready for its first test flight on 18 September 1980, just three weeks after the project's initiation. The first fully modified aircraft ( 74–1683 ) was delivered on 17 October to TAB 1 ( Wagner Field/Eglin AF No. 1 ), a disused auxiliary airfield at Eglin Air Force Base , Florida. Between 19 October and 28 October, numerous flights were made testing various aspects, including
294-406: A Z-Stoff catalytic compound. A parachute pack at the blunt-contour front of the motor's exterior housing was used to slow its fall after being released from the plane, so the system could be re-used. First experiments were held in 1937 on a Heinkel He 111 , piloted by test-pilot Erich Warsitz at Neuhardenberg , a large field about 70 kilometres east of Berlin , listed as a reserve airfield in
392-577: A main "fuel" to the T-Stoff monopropellant still destabilized with the Z-Stoff permanganate for ignition as the oxidizer, tripling the 109-500's thrust figure of 4.95 kN (at 14.71 kN/1,500 kgf) with a burn of 30 second duration. Due to the "hot" system's similar risks demanding similar special fueling and handling procedures to that of the Komet's 509A rocket motor, the 109-501 seems to have remained
490-402: A medical evacuation helicopter dispersed the flame and crash response teams extinguished the fire within eight seconds of the aircraft stopping, enabling the crew to exit the aircraft safely. 74-1683 was dismantled and buried on-site for security reasons, but most of its unique systems were salvaged. 74-1686 was nearly ready for delivery, but the defeat of Jimmy Carter by Ronald Reagan in
588-514: A modified MiG-19 fighter, designated SM-30, launched from a special launcher, and using a nearly identical solid-fueled rocket booster design to that of the EF-84G, but of a much more powerful, 600 kN (64 short ton) thrust level. The F-100 and F-104 were also used for zero-length launch experiments, with similarly powerful drop-away booster units to the Soviets' SM-30 experiments. Also in
686-540: A production Twin Bonanza or used in any instance other than factory test flights. The Boeing 727 had provision for Aerojet JATO assist for use in "hot and high" conditions, particularly at Mexico City and La Paz . A JATO option was available for the Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner to increase take-off weight while maintaining one-engine inoperative climb requirements. In late 1980
784-469: A quartet mounted per airframe for use with the radical Bachem Ba 349 VTO rocket interceptor design in 1945, for its vertical launch needs. The strictly experimental, HWK 109-501 Starthilfe RATO system used a similar bi-propellant "hot" motor to that on the Me 163B Komet rocket fighter, adding a 20 kg mass of a combination of B-stoff hydrazine, mixed with "Br-stoff" ( ligroin hydrocarbon distillate) for
882-683: A single organization. The mission of Army Aviation is to find, fix and destroy any enemy through fire and maneuver and to provide combat support and combat service support in coordinated operations as an integral member of the combined arms team. Major aircraft include the AH-64 Apache , which serves as the Army's attack helicopter, the UH-60 Black Hawk , and the CH-47 Chinook for troop and cargo transport. Army Aviation also flies
980-458: A special operations force, Army Rangers are generally better equipped than standard infantry, utilizing the FN SCAR rifle. Army Special Forces , commonly known as Green Berets after their iconic headgear, are among the most elite soldiers in the Army. Special Forces conduct: Army Special Forces are trained in military free-fall parachuting and combat diver skillsets. They are considered
1078-933: A strictly experimental design, only being used for the test flights of the Junkers Ju 287 V1 prototype jet bomber. In early 1939, the National Academy of Sciences in the United States provided $ 1,000 to Theodore von Kármán and the Rocket Research Group (including Jack Parsons , Frank Malina , Edward Forman and Apollo M. O. Smith ) at the Guggenheim Aeronautical Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology (GALCIT) to research rocket-assisted take-off of aircraft. This JATO research
SECTION 10
#17327805308931176-616: Is led by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , who is the military head of the armed forces and principal advisor to the president and secretary of defense on military matters. Their deputy is the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff . Other members include the chief of staff of the Army , commandant of the Marine Corps , chief of naval operations , chief of staff of the Air Force , chief of space operations , and
1274-521: Is now one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Should it be called into active duty again, it would constitute a seventh branch of the Armed Forces. The United States Space Force was established as an independent service on 20 December 2019. It is the sixth branch of the U.S. military and the first new branch in 72 years. The origin of the Space Force can be traced back to
1372-527: Is the world's 12th-largest maritime force. The history of the U.S. Armed Forces dates back to 14 June 1775, with the creation of the Continental Army , even before the Declaration of Independence marked the establishment of the United States. The Continental Navy , established on 13 October 1775, and Continental Marines , established on 10 November 1775, were created in close succession by
1470-555: Is unique in that it is a military branch specializing in maritime operations and also a law enforcement agency. The United States Army (USA) is the United States Armed Forces' land force and is the largest and oldest service. Originally established in 1775 as the Continental Army , it consists of one million soldiers across the Regular Army, Army Reserve , and Army National Guard . The Army serves as
1568-723: The 10th Mountain Division , 11th Airborne Division , 25th Infantry Division , 82nd Airborne Division , 101st Airborne Division , and 173rd Airborne Brigade have a cavalry squadron equipped with the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle . The Field Artillery's mission is to destroy, suppress or neutralize the enemy by cannon, rocket or missile fire. Rocket systems include the M142 HIMARS and M270 multiple launch rocket system , which are corps-level assets found in field artillery brigades. Towed artillery includes
1666-523: The 11th Airborne Division , 82nd Airborne Division , and 173rd Airborne Brigade are capable of airborne operations, in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force's transport aircraft. Finally, Infantry Brigade Combat Teams assigned to the 10th Mountain Division specialize in mountain warfare . Standard Infantry Brigade Combat Teams are assigned to the 25th Infantry Division , which offers additional training in jungle warfare . Armored Brigade Combat Teams comprise mechanized infantry battalions mounted in
1764-557: The 1980 U.S. presidential election , and the Algerian-negotiated release plan led to the rescue mission plan's cancellation. The hostages were subsequently released concurrent with Reagan's inauguration in January 1981. The remaining airframes were stripped of their rocket modifications and 74-2065 returned to regular airlift duties. 74-1686 , however, retained its other Operation Credible Sport STOL modifications and
1862-400: The 4th Infantry Division . Each Armored Brigade Combat Team also possesses a cavalry squadron equipped with M2 Bradleys for scouting and security. Stryker Brigade Combat Teams from the 2nd Infantry Division , 4th Infantry Division , 11th Airborne Division , 2nd Cavalry Regiment , and 3rd Cavalry Regiment have a cavalry squadron equipped with Strykers . Infantry Brigade Combat Teams from
1960-524: The 75th Ranger Regiment are an elite special operations infantry force in the United States Army Special Operations Command , specializing in air assault and airborne infiltration methods. The three primary missions of the 75th Ranger Regiment are special operations raids , forcible entry operations, such as an airfield seizure to enable the Air Force to bring in more forces, and special reconnaissance . As
2058-749: The Air Force Space Command , which was formed 1 September 1982 and was a major command of the United States Air Force. The U.S. Congressional Research Office annually publishes a List of Notable Deployments of U.S. Military Forces Overseas since 1798. Presidential command over the U.S. Armed Forces is established in Article II in the Constitution whereby the president is named as the " Commander in Chief of
SECTION 20
#17327805308932156-589: The Department of the Navy , which is a military department under the leadership of the secretary of the Navy and the under secretary of the Navy . The U.S. Marine Corps itself is led by the commandant of the Marine Corps and the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps , both generals who are advised by the sergeant major of the Marine Corps . The Marine Corps statutory mission is outlined in 10 U.S.C. § 5063 and as originally introduced under
2254-690: The FIM-92 Stinger man-portable air-defense system , AN/TWQ-1 Avenger for short range air defense , and the counter rocket, artillery, and mortar 20mm gun system. The Iron Dome provides air defense against rockets, artillery, mortars, missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles. The MIM-104 Patriot is capable of defeating a wide range of threats including aircraft, helicopters, UAVs, ballistic and cruise missiles, and Weapons of Mass Destruction. The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense protects strategic critical assets by conducting long-range endo-and-exo-atmospheric engagements of ballistic missiles using
2352-470: The Hawker Hurricane ) off a small ramp fitted to the fronts of merchant ships, known in service as Catapult armed merchantmen (or CAM Ships) , in order to provide some cover against German maritime patrol planes. After firing, the rocket was released from the back of the plane to fall into the water and sink. The task done, the pilot would fly to friendly territory if possible or parachute from
2450-620: The M119 howitzer in infantry brigade combat teams and the M777 howitzer found in both infantry and Stryker brigade combat teams. The M109 self-propelled howitzer is utilized in armored brigade combat teams. During the Cold War, Army field artillery was responsible for the service's ballistic missile programs, including the PGM-11 Redstone , which was the first large ballistic missile in
2548-671: The M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle . Divisions with Armored Brigade Combat Teams include the 1st Infantry Division , 3rd Infantry Division , 4th Infantry Division , 1st Armored Division , and 1st Cavalry Division . Stryker Brigade Combat Teams are centered around Stryker infantry battalions operating out of the Stryker . Divisions with Stryker Brigade Combat Teams include the 2nd Infantry Division , 4th Infantry Division , 11th Airborne Division , 2nd Cavalry Regiment , and 3rd Cavalry Regiment . United States Army Rangers with
2646-712: The MQ-1C Gray Eagle drone. A specialized unit within Army Aviation, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) serves as a special operations unit and operates modified variants of the MH-60 Black Hawk, MH-47 Chinook, and the MH-6 Little Bird . The U.S. Army is organized into four major Army Commands, nine Army Service Component Commands which serve as the Army component and joint force land component commanders for
2744-534: The Marine Corps Reserve . The Marine Corps maintains a very close relationship with the U.S. Navy, its sister service in the Department of the Navy. Although the Marine Corps has previously operated as an independent land force alongside the Army, its primary purpose is to serve as part of a unified naval service alongside the Navy in the maritime domain. The U.S. Marine Corps is organized under
2842-609: The National Security Act of 1947 , with its three primary areas of responsibility including: JATO JATO ( acronym for jet-assisted take-off ) is a type of assisted take-off for helping overloaded aircraft into the air by providing additional thrust in the form of small rockets . The term JATO is used interchangeably with the (more specific) term RATO , for rocket-assisted take-off (or, in RAF parlance, RATOG , for rocket-assisted take-off gear ). In 1927
2940-817: The Second Continental Congress in order to defend the new nation against the British Empire in the American Revolutionary War . These forces demobilized in 1784 after the Treaty of Paris ended the Revolutionary War. The Congress of the Confederation created the current United States Army on 3 June 1784. The United States Congress created the current United States Navy on 27 March 1794 and
3038-474: The Soviet research and development laboratory Gas Dynamics Laboratory developed solid-propellant rockets to assist aircraft take-off and in 1931 the world's first successful use of rockets to assist take-off of aircraft were carried out on a U-1 , the Soviet designation for a Avro 504 trainer, which achieved about one hundred successful assisted takeoffs. Successful assisted takeoffs were also achieved on
Operation Credible Sport - Misplaced Pages Continue
3136-820: The Tupolev TB-1 . and Tupolev TB-3 Heavy Bombers. The official test of the Tupolev TB-1 in 1933 shortened the takeoff by 77% when using the rockets. Early experiments using rockets to boost gliders into the air were conducted in Germany in the 1920s ( Lippisch Ente ), and later both the Royal Air Force and the Luftwaffe introduced such systems in World War II . The British system used fairly large solid fuel rockets to shoot planes (typically
3234-554: The chief of the National Guard Bureau . The commandant of the Coast Guard is not an official member of the Joint Chiefs, but sometimes attends meetings as one of the military service chiefs. The senior enlisted advisor to the chairman is the most senior enlisted member in the United States Armed Forces. Leadership of the Armed Forces, to include the president of the United States, the secretary of defense ,
3332-560: The de Havilland DH 106 Comet , included a design provision to carry two hydrogen peroxide –powered de Havilland Sprite booster rockets intended to be installed for " hot and high " conditions from airports such as Khartoum and Nairobi. These were tested on thirty flights, but the de Havilland Ghost jet engines alone were considered powerful enough and some airlines concluded that rocket motors were impractical. Nevertheless, Sprite fittings were retained on production Comet 1s but were rendered unnecessary with subsequent engine upgrades. In
3430-533: The deputy secretary of defense , deputy secretary of homeland security , and vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff . Military leadership, including the secretary of defense, the secretary of Homeland Security, and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff also sit on the National Space Council . Unified combatant commands are joint military commands consisting of forces from multiple military departments, with their chain of command flowing from
3528-603: The joint force land component , Navy components are typically dual-hatted as the joint force maritime component , and Air Force components are typically dual-hatted as the joint force air component , with the theater special operations command dual-hatted as the joint force special operations component, and Space Force component typically dual-hatted as the joint force space component. Combat support agencies are Department of Defense agencies with combat support missions that service operating forces planning or conducting military operations. This includes support during conflict or in
3626-558: The secretary of Homeland Security and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are members of the United States National Security Council , which advises the president on national security, military, and foreign policy matters. The national security advisor , the homeland security advisor , and the deputy national security advisor may also be members of the United States Armed Forces. The National Security Council Deputies Committee also includes
3724-410: The sergeant major of the Army . The Army's primary responsibility is to conduct prompt and sustained land combat as part of the joint force. Army landpower focuses on destroying an enemy's armed forces, occupying its territory, and breaking the will of an adversary. The five core competencies of the Army are: The thirteen specified functions of the Army are: The Infantry Branch forms the core of
3822-541: The unified combatant commands , and thirteen direct reporting units. The United States Marine Corps (USMC) serves as the U.S. Armed Forces' naval land force, responsible for executing amphibious warfare and operating in the maritime littorals in support of the U.S. Navy. Originally established in 1775 as the Continental Marines , the Marine Corps consists of the Regular Marine Corps and
3920-521: The "weak link" in the previous plan, the heavy lift helicopter. The Credible Sport concept called for a modified C-130 Hercules cargo plane to land in the Amjadien Stadium across the street from the U.S. Embassy and airlift out Delta Force soldiers and the rescued hostages. The aircraft would then be flown to and landed on an aircraft carrier for immediate medical treatment of an expected 50 wounded. (A U.S. Marine Corps KC-130 on loan to
4018-492: The 1950s the JATO Junior was an attempt by Aerojet Engineering to introduce smaller JATO units to small commercial aircraft, but was blocked by the U.S. Navy Bureau of Aeronautics. Aerojet claimed that the smaller JATO bottle, delivering 250 pounds of thrust for 12 seconds could help a light private plane, that normally requires almost 900 ft (270 m) of runway to clear a 50 ft (15 m) high obstacle, could do
Operation Credible Sport - Misplaced Pages Continue
4116-491: The Air Force through its Air and Missile Defense Commands and the Space Force through Army Space and Missile Defense Command, given their shared missile defense and space roles. In 1962, Air Defense Artillery achieved the first intercept of a ballistic missile with a nuclear-tipped Nike Zeus and operated the Nike Zeus as an anti-satellite weapon after completing a successful intercept in 1963. Army Aviation, distinct from
4214-416: The Armed Forces principal land service, responsible for conducting land warfare operations. The U.S. Army is organized under the Department of the Army , which is a military department under the leadership of the secretary of the Army and under secretary of the Army . The U.S. Army itself is led by the chief of staff of the Army and vice chief of staff of the Army , both generals who are advised by
4312-593: The Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States." The United States Armed Forces are split between two cabinet departments, with the Department of Defense serving as the primary cabinet department for military affairs and the Department of Homeland Security responsible for administering the United States Coast Guard . The military chain of command flows from
4410-452: The C-130 in the required space. The U.S. Navy's Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake organization was then brought into the project to provide expertise on existing rocket motor power. Lockheed proceeded with work to structurally reinforce the C-130 airframe to withstand rocket forces and to develop a passenger restraint system for 150 persons. The resulting XFC-130H aircraft were modified by
4508-629: The Department of Defense's military departments. The United States Coast Guard is nominally under the Department of Homeland Security , but may be transferred to the Department of Defense's Department of the Navy (which is the civilian entity that oversees the coequal U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy) at the direction of the President or Congress. With the exception of the Coast Guard, the military services only organize, train, and equip forces. The unified combatant commands are responsible for operational control of non-service retained forces. Each of
4606-674: The Joint Test Directorate (JTD), was established to assist and support the Office of Secretary of Defense Directorate (OSD) joint planning staff. Under the name "Honey Badger", the JTD conducted a series of large-scale joint-force exercises and projects to develop and validate a variety of capabilities that would be available to OSD when mission requirements were identified. JTD trained a large and diverse force of U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force special operations and aviation units, but
4704-425: The Navy. The Air Force conducts air operations. The Space Force conducts space operations. The Coast Guard is unique in that it specializes in maritime operations and is also a law enforcement agency. From their inception during the American Revolutionary War , the U.S. Armed Forces have played a decisive role in the country's history . They helped forge a sense of national unity and identity through victories in
4802-512: The President of the United States to the secretary of defense (for services under the Defense Department) or secretary of homeland security (for services under the Department of Homeland Security), ensuring civilian control of the military . Within the Department of Defense, the military departments ( Department of the Army , United States Department of the Navy , and Department of the Air Force ) are civilian led entities that oversee
4900-489: The U.S. Air Force and its predecessors, began as part of the field artillery in 1942. Small spotter planes were used to spot for artillery and naval bombardment, as well as to perform observation. These few aircraft formed the core of Army Aviation once the U.S. Air Force gained independence. In 1983, the Army created the Aviation Branch, for the first time since the Air Force's independence consolidating aviation under
4998-497: The U.S. Navy had been previously landed on the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal (CVA-59) in November 1963 as part of a Naval Air Systems Command demonstration.) Three MC-130 Combat Talon crews (all were Operation Eagle Claw veterans) were assigned to fly the three aircraft, drawn from the 463rd Tactical Airlift Wing , with the concept plan calling for the mission of two aircraft (one primary and one spare) to originate in
SECTION 50
#17327805308935096-733: The U.S. arsenal, the MGM-31 Pershing , and the Pershing II . In 2023, the Army is intending to field the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon and has reestablished larger artillery formations like the 56th Artillery Command . The Air Defense Artillery is responsible for defending geopolitical assets and providing maneuver forces with the freedom to move on the battlefield by deterring the enemy and destroying aerial threats, missile attacks, and surveillance platforms. Weapons employed by Air Defense Artillery include
5194-521: The U.S., reaching Iran by five in flight refuelings , and penetrate at low altitude in the dark to evade Iranian air defenses. Three C-130s were modified under a top secret project at Eglin Air Force Base Auxiliary Field #1 ( Wagner Field ), Florida. The contract called for two to be modified to the proposed XFC-130H configuration within 90 days, and the third to be used as a test bed for various rocket packages blistered onto
5292-583: The United States is the United States Armed Forces' commander-in-chief . The United States Coast Guard traces its origin to the formation of the Revenue Cutter Service on 4 August 1790, which merged with the United States Life-Saving Service on 28 January 1915 to establish the Coast Guard. The United States Air Force was established as an independent service on 18 September 1947; it traces its origin to
5390-410: The United States military operation plan Operation Credible Sport was intended to rescue hostages held by Iran using C-130 cargo planes modified with rocket engines to enable a very short take off and landing. The plan was canceled after an accident occurred during a test landing when the forward-facing JATO units designed to slow the aircraft fired before the downward-facing units (designed to cushion
5488-687: The YMC-130 prototype for the MC-130H Combat Talon II . Within two weeks of the failure of Operation Eagle Claw , an attempted rescue of the hostages in Iran, the Pentagon began planning for a second mission. The first mission failed due to equipment and coordination problems, culminating in the crash of an RH-53D Sea Stallion helicopter into a parked C-130 Hercules in the Iranian desert , killing eight servicemen. A new organization,
5586-509: The YMC-130H to stock airlift configuration was more than its value, and it never flew again. In 1988, 74–1686 was placed on display at the Museum of Aviation at Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins, Georgia . As of February 2008, the other surviving Operation Credible Sport aircraft, 74-2065 , was assigned to the 317th Airlift Group, 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force, at Dyess Air Force Base , Texas, in gray scheme with blue tail band. In mid 2018, tail number 74-1686 transferred and
5684-399: The act merged the cabinet-level departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force into the DoD. The president of the U.S. is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and forms military policy with the DoD and Department of Homeland Security (DHS), both federal executive departments , acting as the principal organs by which military policy is carried out. The U.S. Armed Forces are one of
5782-423: The chase helicopter, but nowhere near the 300 mph (500 km/h) reported in the original story, and failed to become airborne. The myth was revisited in 2007, using a different configuration of rockets in an attempt to make the car fly; it exploded before reaching the end of its launch ramp. The myth was again revisited in 2013 in the 1st episode of Mythbusters Season 12, as a celebration of their 10th year on
5880-410: The coequal military service branches organized within each department. The military departments and services are responsible for organizing, training, and equipping forces, with the actual chain of command flowing through the unified combatant commands . The Joint Chiefs of Staff , although outside the operational chain of command, is the senior-most military body in the United States Armed Forces. It
5978-509: The conduct of other military activities related to countering threats to U.S. national security. This mission is focused on providing support to echelons at the CCMD level and below and may not encompass the full scope of the CSA's mission. The United States Armed Forces is composed of six coequal military service branches. Five of the branches, the United States Army , United States Marine Corps , United States Navy , United States Air Force , and United States Space Force , are organized under
SECTION 60
#17327805308936076-427: The critical factor remained extracting the rescue team and freed hostages from Tehran . The Credible Sport project, a joint undertaking of the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy , and Lockheed-Georgia , was created within Honey Badger to develop a reliable extraction capability. The Credible Sport project team was tasked to create a large "Super STOL " fixed-wing aircraft to extract the rescue team and hostages and overcome
6174-415: The current United States Marine Corps on 11 July 1798. All three services trace their origins to their respective Continental predecessors. The 1787 adoption of the Constitution gave Congress the power to "raise and support armies," to "provide and maintain a navy", and to "make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces", as well as the power to declare war . The President of
6272-401: The different military services is assigned a role and domain. The U.S. Army conducts land operations, while the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps conduct maritime operations, with the Marine Corps specializing in amphibious and maritime littoral operations in support of the Navy. The U.S. Air Force conducts air operations, while the U.S. Space Force conducts space operations. The U.S. Coast Guard
6370-400: The double-slotted flaps system, which enabled the C-130 to fly at 85 knots on final approach at a very steep eight-degree glide slope. All aspects worked flawlessly, and a full profile test was scheduled for 29 October. The test's takeoff phase was executed flawlessly, setting a number of short takeoff records. The Lockheed test crew then assessed that the computer used to command the firing of
6468-471: The early-19th-century First and Second Barbary Wars . They played a critical role in the territorial evolution of the U.S. , including the American Civil War . The National Security Act of 1947 created the modern U.S. military framework, establishing the National Military Establishment (later the Department of Defense or DoD) headed by the secretary of defense and creating both the U.S. Air Force and National Security Council ; in 1949, an amendment to
6566-423: The eight uniformed services of the United States , along with the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps . Each of the different military services is assigned a role and domain. The Army conducts land operations. The Navy and Marine Corps conduct maritime operations, the Marine Corps specializing in amphibious and maritime littoral operations primarily for supporting
6664-402: The event of war. Other German experiments with JATO were aimed at assisting the launch of interceptor aircraft such as the Messerschmitt Me 262 C, as the Heimatschützer special versions, usually fitted with either a version of the Walter HWK 109-509 liquid fuelled rocket engine from the Me 163 Komet program either in the extreme rear of the fuselage or semi-"podded" beneath it just behind
6762-401: The final configuration resulted in significant improvements in design, avionics, and equipment, and that the Combat Talon II design was ready for production. The 1st Special Operations Wing attempted to have the test bed transferred to operational duty as an interim Combat Talon II until production models became available, but Headquarters, Tactical Airlift Command disagreed. The cost of returning
6860-453: The force around the world, including around 800 military bases outside the U.S. The U.S. Air Force is the world's largest air force, followed by the U.S. Army Aviation Branch . The U.S. Naval Air Forces is the fourth-largest air arm in the world and is the largest naval aviation service, while U.S. Marine Corps Aviation is the world's seventh-largest air arm. The U.S. Navy is the world's largest navy by tonnage . The U.S. Coast Guard
6958-400: The formation of the Aeronautical Division, U.S. Signal Corps , which was formed 1 August 1907 and was part of the Army Air Forces before being recognized as an independent service in the National Security Act of 1947. The United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps was formerly considered to be a branch of the United States Armed Forces from 29 July 1945 until 3 July 1952, and
7056-600: The forward and aft fuselage, which theoretically enabled the aircraft to land and take off within the sports arena's confines. (A fourth aircraft, an EC-130 ABCCC, was used as the interior mockup airframe for simulator training.) After Lockheed was requested on 27 June 1980, to begin preliminary engineering studies on an STOL Hercules, the use of JATO units was explored, since these had previously been used to power takeoffs. Lockheed reported on 16 July that 58 JATO bottles (more than seven times greater than normal) would be required and that arresting gear would be insufficient to stop
7154-558: The installation of 30 rockets in multiple sets: eight forward-pointed ASROC rocket motors mounted around the forward fuselage to stop the aircraft, eight downward-pointed Shrike rockets fuselage-mounted above the wheel wells to brake its descent, eight rearward-pointed MK-56 rockets (from the RIM-66 Standard missile) mounted on the lower rear fuselage for takeoff assist, two Shrikes mounted in pairs on wing pylons to correct yaw during takeoff transition, and two ASROCs mounted at
7252-407: The landing) did, causing the aircraft to crash-land. JATO became largely unnecessary as the take-off thrust of jet engines improved and is now rarely used even when operating heavily laden from short runways or in "hot and high" conditions. It is occasionally used in exceptional circumstances, on specially equipped, mostly military, aircraft. The JATO Rocket Car is an urban legend that relates
7350-797: The late 1950s, zero-length launch experimental programs for launching fighter aircraft were carried out by the United States Air Force , the German Air Force and the Soviet Air Forces using high-thrust, short-burn duration booster designs of similar appearance and function. The USAF used a modified Republic F-84 , designated EF-84G, which used the MGM-1 Matador cruise missile's Aerojet General–designed, 240 kN (26 short ton) thrust-level solid fuel booster of two second thrust duration. The Soviet VVS used
7448-496: The lower pairs could only be fired after the aircraft was on the ground, with the descent-braking rockets also firing during the sequence. The flight engineer, blinded by the firing of the upper deceleration rockets, thought the aircraft was on the runway and fired the lower set early. The descent-braking rockets did not fire at all. Later unofficial disclaimers allegedly made by some of the Lockheed test crew's members asserted that
7546-401: The lower rockets fired themselves through an undetermined computer or electrical malfunction, which at the same time failed to fire the descent-braking rockets. As a result, the aircraft's forward flight was immediately reduced to nearly zero, dropping it hard to the runway and breaking the starboard wing between the third and fourth engines. During rollout, the trailing wing ignited a fire, but
7644-685: The most versatile special operations force in the entire world, operating as a multi-purpose force since 1952. The Armor Branch traces its history back to the United States Cavalry and are responsible for tank and cavalry reconnaissance operations. The U.S. Army fields the M1 Abrams main battle tank in Armored Battalions as part of Armored Brigade Combat Teams across the 1st Armored Division , 1st Cavalry Division , 1st Infantry Division , 3rd Infantry Division , and
7742-650: The plane, hopefully to be picked up by one of the escort vessels. Over two years the system was only employed nine times to attack German aircraft with eight kills recorded for the loss of a single pilot. The Luftwaffe also used the technique with both liquid-fueled units made by the Walter firm and BMW – and solid fuel, themselves made both by the Schmidding and WASAG firms – as both firmly attached and jettisonable rocket motors, to get airborne more quickly and with shorter takeoff runs. These were used to boost
7840-438: The president, to the secretary of defense, to the commanders of the combatant commands. Each service organizes, trains, and equips forces that are then presented to the unified combatant commands through service component commands. Special Operations Command and Cyber Command also present theater special operations commands or joint force headquarters – cyber to other combatant commanders. Army components are typically dual-hatted as
7938-600: The propeller, attached six JATO units under the wings, and Boushey was thrust into the air for a short flight, the first American to fly by rocket power only. Both armed services used solid fuel JATO during the war. After World War II JATO was often used to overcome the poor thrust of early jet engines at low speeds or for assisting heavily loaded aircraft to take off. For example, the propeller engined Avro Shackleton , when heavily laden with fuel for long maritime surveillance flights, relied on Armstrong Siddeley Viper turbojets for takeoff. The world's first jet airliner ,
8036-481: The rear of the tail to prevent it from striking the ground from over-rotation. Other STOL features included a dorsal and two ventral fins on the rear fuselage, double-slotted flaps and extended ailerons , a new radome, a tailhook for landing aboard an aircraft carrier , and Combat Talon avionics, including a Terrain Following/Terrain Avoidance radar, a defensive countermeasures suite, and
8134-496: The rockets during the landing sequence needed further calibration, and elected to manually input commands. The reverse-mounted (forward-facing) eight ASROC rockets for decelerating the aircraft's forward speed were situated in pairs on the fuselage's upper curvature behind the cockpit, and at the midpoint of each side of the fuselage beneath the uppers. Testing had determined that the upper pairs, fired sequentially, could be ignited while still airborne (specifically, at 20 feet), but that
8232-485: The same with 300 ft (91 m) of runway with a JATO Jr unit. JATO Junior bottles mounted to the engine nacelles were briefly offered as a factory option on the Beechcraft Twin Bonanza ; they were promoted not as a takeoff aid, but rather as a means to extend glide distance during a forced landing in unfavorable terrain. However, it is not known whether the bottles were ever actually installed on
8330-780: The service's land combat power. U.S. Army infantry are generally equipped with the M4 carbine and M249 light machine gun , which will be replaced by the XM7 rifle and XM250 . Infantry is a core part of the Army's Brigade Combat Teams . The most numerous variant, the Infantry Brigade Combat Team, comprises light infantry battalions who fight on foot. Infantry Brigade Combat Teams of the 82nd Airborne Division are air assault capable, with infantry soldiers being transported by U.S. Army Aviation UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopters. Infantry Brigade Combat Teams of
8428-668: The story of a car equipped with JATO units that is later found smashed into a mountainside. This story is often given as an example of a Darwin Award ; it appears to be apocryphal, with no basis in fact. The legend has been examined several times on the Discovery Channel show MythBusters . For the first attempt, in a 2003 pilot episode, the crew replicated the scene and the thrust of the JATO with some commercially available amateur rocket motors. The car did go very fast, outrunning
8526-464: The takeoff performance of their medium bombers, and the enormous 55-meter wingspan Gigant , Messerschmitt Me 321 glider, conceived in 1940 for the invasion of Britain, and used to supply the Russian front. The enormous Me 321s originally had air tow assistance from up to three Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighters in a so-called Troika-Schlepp arrangement into the air with loads that would have made
8624-433: The takeoff run too long otherwise, but with much attendant risk of aerial collision from the trio of vee-formation Bf 110s involved in a simultaneous towplane function, meant to be greatly eased with the substitution of the trio of Bf 110s with a single example of the unusual, twin-fuselage Heinkel He 111Z purpose-designed five-engined towplane. The use of rocket-assisted takeoff methods became especially important late in
8722-429: The war when the lengths of usable runways were severely curtailed due to the results of Allied bombing. Their system typically used jettisonable, self-contained Walter HWK 109-500 Starthilfe ("takeoff-help"), also known as "Rauchgerät" – smoke generator, unitized liquid-fuel monopropellant rocket booster units whose engines driven by chemical decomposition of " T-Stoff ", essentially almost pure hydrogen peroxide , with
8820-538: The wide variety of aircraft types that the HWK-designed Starthilfe modular liquid monopropellant booster designs were tested with, seeing some degree of front-line use; the aforementioned solid-fueled RATO booster designs from both the Schmidding and WASAG firms remained almost strictly experimental in nature, with the Schmidding 500 kg thrust solid-fueled booster units intended to see service,
8918-571: The wing's trailing edge, to assist its Junkers Jumo 004 turbojets, or a pair of specially rocket-boosted BMW 003R combination jet-rocket powerplants in place of the Jumo 004s, so that the Me 262C Heimatschützer interceptors could reach enemy bomber formations sooner. Two prototypes of the Heimatschützer versions of the Me 262 were built and test flown, of the three designs proposed. In contrast to
9016-410: The world's largest military forces in terms of personnel. They draw their personnel from a large pool of professional volunteers . The U.S. has used military conscription , but not since 1973. The Selective Service System retains the power to conscript males, requiring the registration of all male citizens and residents of the U.S. between the ages of 18 and 25. The U.S. Armed Forces are considered
9114-506: The world's largest air-transportable X-band radar. The Ground-Based Midcourse Defense is an anti-ballistic missile system operated by Army Space and Missile Defense Command to defend the United States homeland against an intercontinental ballistic missile attack. Major Air Defense Artillery units include the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command and Army Space and Missile Defense Command's 100th Missile Defense Brigade . Air Defense Artillery has an extremely close relationship with
9212-495: The world's most powerful military, especially since the end of the Cold War . The military expenditure of the U.S. was US$ 916 billion in 2023, the highest in the world, accounting for 37% of the world's defense expenditures . The U.S. Armed Forces has significant capabilities in both defense and power projection due to its large budget, resulting in advanced and powerful technologies which enable widespread deployment of
9310-712: Was moved by truck from Robins AFB to the Empire State Aerosciences Museum in Glenville, NY (on the grounds of Schenectady County Airport , near Albany, NY ). United States Armed Forces The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States . The armed forces consist of six service branches : the Army , Marine Corps , Navy , Air Force , Space Force , and Coast Guard . All six armed services are among
9408-675: Was sent to Robins Air Force Base , Georgia . There, in July 1981, it was designated YMC-130H as the test bed for the MC-130 Combat Talon II's development, under the project name Credible Sport II . Phase I was conducted between 24 August – 11 November 1981, to test minor modifications to improve aerodynamics, satisfy Combat Talon II prototype requirements on STOL performance, handling characteristics, and avionics, and to establish safety margins. Phase II testing began on 15 June 1982, continued through October 1982, and determined that
9506-463: Was terminated when on 2 November, the Iranian parliament accepted an Algerian plan for release of the hostages , followed two days later by Ronald Reagan 's election as the U.S. president . The concept of a large military transport STOL aircraft was carried forward in 1981–1982, with the follow-up Credible Sport II project. The project used one of the original Operation Credible Sport aircraft as
9604-463: Was the first rocket research to receive financial assistance from the U.S. government since World War I when Robert H. Goddard had an Army contract to develop solid fuel rocket weapons. In late 1941 von Kármán and his team attached several 50-pound thrust, solid fuel Aerojet JATOs to a light Ercoupe plane, and Army Captain Homer Boushey took off on test runs. On the last run they removed
#892107