The Fairchild C-26 "Metroliner" is the designation for the
Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner series twin
turboprop
A turboprop is a turbine engine that drives an aircraft propeller.
A turboprop consists of an intake, reduction gearbox, compressor, combustor, turbine, and a propelling nozzle. Air enters the intake and is compressed by the compressor. Fuel ...
aircraft in the service of the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
military. It was not officially named by the US Armed Forces, but is unofficially known by the same name as its civilian counterpart. The C-26A is the military version of the Model SA227-AC Metro III; the C-26B is the military version of the Model SA227-BC Metro III and Model SA227-DC Metro 23; and UC-26C is the military designation for the Model SA227-AT Merlin IVC.
Design and development
The
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
bought eleven C-26A aircraft based on the SA227-AC,
[Turboprop Production Lists Home Page]
Metro production list accessed via this site 25 August 2007.
two of these being supplied to the
Venezuelan Air Force. The first three C-26Bs were procured later in the 1980s, two for the
US Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
and one for the USAF. These three had been built as SA227-BC models. Later C-26Bs were the military equivalent of the Metro 23 and the USAF took delivery of 37 examples. Some of these were transferred to the
Peruvian Air Force and the US Army, while six were transferred to the
US Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage of ...
as C-26Ds.
The US Army also took a second-hand Merlin IVC and operated it as the solitary UC-26C.
![147th Fighter Wing RC-26B Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance aircraft](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/147th_Fighter_Wing_RC-26B_Intelligence_Surveillance_Reconnaissance_aircraft.jpg)
A Metro III, c/n AC-614, was modified as the Fairchild Aircraft/Lockheed Multi Mission Surveillance Aircraft, featuring a
Lockheed phased array
In antenna theory, a phased array usually means an electronically scanned array, a computer-controlled array of antennas which creates a beam of radio waves that can be electronically steered to point in different directions without moving th ...
radar
Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, w ...
in a long pod under the fuselage. Several aspects of the MMSA aircraft were incorporated on some USAF C-26s redesignated as the RC-26B, operated by the
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia of each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the ter ...
(ANG) in various states. These aircraft have been primarily used for Department of Defense reconnaissance mission support to various agencies of the
Department of Homeland Security
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the U.S. federal executive department responsible for public security, roughly comparable to the interior or home ministries of other countries. Its stated missions involve anti-terr ...
such as the
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mult ...
(USCG) and
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in the
War on Drugs
The war on drugs is a Globalization, global campaign, led by the United States federal government, of prohibition of drugs, drug prohibition, military aid, and military intervention, with the aim of reducing the illegal drug trade in the Unite ...
, and to USCG and/or the
Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), initially created under President Jimmy Carter by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978 and implemented by two Exec ...
(FEMA) in the wake of natural disasters. The RC-26B aircraft were originally configured with a belly pod containing a sensor turret and a data recorder. Recently, this pod has been removed and a sensor turret has been added to the belly of the aircraft. Some of the RC-26Bs were operated for a time with civil registrations. On 4 February 2019, a contract for
Elbit Systems of America
Elbit Systems Ltd. is an Israel-based international defense electronics company engaged in a wide range of programs throughout the world. The company, which includes Elbit Systems and its subsidiaries, operates in the areas of aerospace, land ...
to provide an avionics upgrade to the Air National Guard's RC-26Bs was announced.
[Pittaway ''Air International'' March 2019, p. 31.]
The US Navy operates several C-26D aircraft, modified for range support, at the
Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands in Hawaii.
Variants
; C-26A
: Military version of the Metro III (Model SA227-AC).
; C-26B
: Military version of the Metro III (Model SA227-BC) and Metro 23 (Model SA227-DC).
; RC-26B
: C-26B modified with electronic surveillance equipment for drug interdiction missions. Ten remain in service with the Air National Guard as of March 2019.
; UC-26C
: Was a used 1983-built Merlin IVC operated for several years as 89-1471.
[
Baugher, Joe]
"USAF FY1989 Serial Number list"
USAF Aircraft. Retrieved: 11 June 2011.
Modified with an integrated sensor package including forward-looking infrared and high resolution radar.
; C-26D
: C-26Bs transferred from USAF inventory and modified with new navigation equipment for the US Navy, four used for rapid response cargo and passenger transportation in Europe.
; EC-26D
: One range support aircraft operated by the US Navy's
Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands.
; RC-26D
: Two range support aircraft operated by the US Navy's Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands with installed radar units.
; C-26E
: Upgrade of 11 C-26B aircraft including an improved Rockwell Collins Proline 21 Electronic Flight Instrument System.
Use for surveillance of protests
In early June 2020, the US National Guard deployed an RC-26B to El Dorado Hills near Sacramento, California, apparently in response to a walking tour by young black entrepreneurs.
The deployment occurred without the knowledge or approval of
Gavin Newsom
Gavin Christopher Newsom (born October 10, 1967) is an American politician and businessman who has been the 40th governor of California since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 49th lieutenant governor of California fr ...
, the Governor of California.
Three more RC-26Bs were used to observe demonstrators in Minneapolis, Phoenix and Washington, D.C.
Operators
;Barbados
*
Barbados Air Wing
The Barbados Defence Force (BDF) is the name given to the combined armed forces of Barbados. The BDF was established 15 August 1979, and has responsibility for the territorial defence and internal security of the island. The headquarters for th ...
–
Regional Security System 2 C-26A
;Colombia
*
Colombian Air Force
*
Colombian National Police
The National Police of Colombia (Spanish: ''Policía Nacional de Colombia'') is the national police force of the Republic of Colombia. Although the National Police is not part of the Military Forces of Colombia (Army, Navy, and Air Force), it c ...
;Mexico
*
Mexican Air Force - 2 as of December 2018.
[Hoyle ''Flight International'' 4–10 December 2018, p. 49.]
;Peru
*
Peruvian Air Force - 3 as of December 2018.
[Hoyle ''Flight International'' 4–10 December 2018, p. 52.]
;Trinidad and Tobago
*
Trinidad and Tobago Air Guard
The Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF) is the military organization responsible for the defence of the twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It consists of the Trinidad and Tobago Regiment, the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard, the Tr ...
- 2 as of December 2018.
[Hoyle ''Flight International'' 4–10 December 2018, p. 57.]
;United States
*
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
[Hoyle ''Flight International'' 4–10 December 2018, p. 58.]
*
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
[Hoyle ''Flight International'' 4–10 December 2018, p. 59.]
*
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
;Venezuela
*
Venezuelan Air Force - 1 as of December 2018.
[Hoyle ''Flight International'' 4–10 December 2018, p. 60.]
Specifications (C-26A)
See also
References
Bibliography
* Donald, David, general editor. ''Encyclopedia of World Aircraft''. Etobicoke, ON: Prospero Books, 1997. .
* Endes, Günter. "Fairchild (Swearingen) Metro/Merlin". ''The Illustrated Directory of Modern Commercial Aircraft''. St. Paul, Minnesota: MBI Publishing Company, 2001. .
* Frawley, Gerard. "Fairchild Dornier Metro II, III & 23". ''The International Directory of Civil Aircraft''. Canberra: Aerospace Publications Pty. Ltd., 1997. .
* Hoyle, Craig. "World Air Forces Directory". ''Flight International''. 4–10 December 2018, Vol. 194, No. 5665, pp. 32–60. .
* Palmer, Trisha, ed. "Swearingen Metro and Metro II/III". ''Encyclopedia of the World's Commercial and Private Aircraft''. New York: Crescent Books, 2001. .
* Pittaway, Nigel. "Elbit to upgrade Condors". ''
Air International
''AIR International'' is a British aviation magazine covering current defence aerospace and civil aviation topics. It has been in publication since 1971 and is currently published by Key Publishing Ltd.
History and profile
The magazine was fir ...
'', March 2019, Volume 96, No. 3. p. 31.
External links
US Navy C-26 Fact File
{{US transport aircraft
C-026
Swearingen aircraft
1970s United States airliners
Twin-turboprop tractor aircraft