Operation Credible Sport

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Part of a series on the
Iran hostage crisis
Topics Timeline Background The Interim Government Islamic Republic
Hostage leaders Ruhollah Khomeini Mohammad Mousavi Khoeiniha
Parties and organizations Student Followers of the Imam's Line People's Mujahedin of Iran Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization
Events Canadian Caper Operation Eagle Claw Operation Credible Sport
v t e

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 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.^[1]

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 the YMC-130 prototype for the MC-130H Combat Talon II.