5 Most Secret Military Cover-Ups

After Operation Eagle Claw failed during the Iran hostage crisis, US helicopters were deemed inadequate for a rescue, and project Honey Badger was organized to develop new extraction capabilities that overcame the critical weakness.

Special ops planners determined that a new Super Short Takeoff and Landing airplane was needed to land in a stadium near the US Embassy.
Under the name Credible Sport, the secret mission modified 3 C-130H vehicles with 30 forward and rear-facing rockets.

The Lockheed C-130 Hercules was a four-engine turboprop airplane capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landing.

It was primarily intended to serve as a troop, medevac, reconnaissance, and cargo transport vehicle. Still, the airframe could be easily modified to fit more aggressive roles that converted it into a powerful AC-130 gunship.

As a gunship, it could conduct assault ops, search and rescue missions, maritime patrols, and aerial firefighting.

The modified aircraft did not live up to the objective the project sought. Although the 30 acceleration rockets tactically located in the plane in sets of fives earned takeoff records, one of the prototypes crashed and ignited the test airplane.

Credible Sport was paused months later with the triumph of President Ronald Regan. An end to the situation with an Algerian-negotiated release plan led to the cancellation of the project.

The hostages were released in January 1981 without the need for the rescue mission. Subsequently, the wreckage of the AC-130 prototype was buried on-site in secrecy.

In 1988, one of the modified airplanes was placed on display at the Museum of Aviation at Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins, Georgia.

The other aircraft is still in use by the US Military.

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