DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
Alli liORCl- OliliRAl'lONS COMMAND

 

2 5 OCT 2011

MEMORANDUM FOR 401 
ATTN: raw

 

 

FROM: 
100 Bartley Street, Command Suite
Hurlburt Field, Florida 32544?5273

SUBJECT: Popular Name Request for AF SOC MC-ISOJ Aircraft

1. Request consideration of and approval to change the current Shadow II tanker
aircraft popular name and assign a new popular name to all AF SOC aircraftSOC received noti?cation that the Department of the Air Force had
approved the ?Combat Shadow as the popular name for the MC-130J tanker aircraft. Since
that time AF SOC has begun the process to acquire additional aircraft to recapitalize
legacy aircraft. AF SOC requests that ?Combat Shadow be replaced with a new
popular name that embodies the broader lineage of special operations force aircra?.

3. AF SOC MC-13OJs will be equipped to ?y various missions and will be called
?Commando This name best re?ects the multimission role of the aircraft and the units that
will ?y them. Other names considered were ?Combat Knife? and ?Combat Arrow.?

4. Request suspense of 15 Dec 11 for approval of the popular name change and new popular

name assignment. Questions may be directed to Imitarm i130?"?"5) I


 

 

 

 

 

 

ERIC E. FIEL
Lieutenant General, USAF
Commander

Attachment:
ASCWISM Concurrenoe Email; DTG 17 Oct 11

AIR PROFESSIONALS

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

From: I
Sent: Monday. October 17, 2011 ?:25 AM

To: (memo use 

Cc: -

 

 

 

Subject: ASCIWISM Concurrence with AFSOC Request to Change Popular Name from
Combat Shadow II to Commando II

so.
Below please find my coordination.
VFL

mum

 



 

 

 

From: HQ 

Sent: 1? Oct 11
TO: ASCIHISM

 

COORDINATION:
Office Action Signature (surname/grade/date)
ASCINISM Concur /4onm  17 Oct 11/!

 

 

A0: IIDJLIEJTID USC I
SUBJECT: Request to change the Popular Name on all AFSOC from Combat Shadow II to
Commando II

 

SUSPENSE: 1? Oct 11

1. PURPOSE: Obtain Concurrence with AFSOC Request to Change Popular Name
from Combat Shadow II to Commando II

2. BACKGROUND: Designating and naming Defense Military Aerospace Vehicles
requires System Program Office concurrence of the popular name on any military aircraft prior
to AFSOCXCC requesting and Air Force approval of a popular name .

3. DISCUSION: will propose the following popular names in order of preference to
for consideration and Air Force for approval:

a. Cemmando II: The known as the Commando was most famous for its operations in the
Far East. The Commando was a workhorse in ?flying The Hump? (over the Himalaya Mountains),
transporting desperately needed supplies from bases in India and Burma to troops in China. A

1

variety of transports had been employed in the effort but only the C-46 was able to handle
the adverse conditions with unpredictable weather, lack of radio aids and direction finding
equipment, engineering and maintenance nightmares due to shortage trained air and ground
personnel and poorly equipped airfields often wipedout by monsoon rains.

b. Combat Knife/Combat Arrow: Combat knife and Combat Arrow were the prOgram names attached
to early variants of the first Combat Talon aircraft in the 19665. Under this program the
Combat Talon aircraft were operated in the European Theater under Combat Arrow and
the operated out of the US under Combat Knife. The MC-13EE Combat Talon I operated out of
Pope AFB, NC were outfitted with the Fulton Surface-to-Air Recovery System. The Combat Knife
unit participated in the Son Tay Raid and later became part of the Special Operations
Ming.

4. RECOMMENDATION: concur with AFSOCICC request to change the MC-13BJ popular name
to Commando II.

 


Chief, Mobility Requirements