USAF's C-146A Wolfhound based on British soil
On 4 December 2024, the first C-146A Wolfhound 10-3077 arrived at RAF Mildenhall (UK), to be incorporated into Air Force Special Operations Command's 352nd Special Operations Wing.
The Wolfhound, a derative of the Dornier Do328, is a twin-engine, high-wing aircraft equipped with a configurable cabin capable of various passenger and cargo combinations as well as casualty evacuation missions.
Its primary mission is to provide reliable, responsive, and flexible airlift support to US (special) operations worldwide, often occurring in austere and remote locations not routinely serviced by traditional logistics organisations and aircraft.
In March of this year, US and British officials agreed to activate a Wolfhound unit at RAF Mildenhall to increase US European Command’s special operations capability within Europe. Forward-basing the C-146A at RAF Mildenhall will speed up response times for a variety of missions and provide increased security, disaster response, and emergency airlift capability across Europe.
It is expected that more C-146As will be arriving at Mildenhall in the future. The 352nd Special Operations Wing already operates a mix of MC-130J Commando II and CV-22B Osprey aircraft. At this moment it is unknown to Scramble Magazine if the 353rd Special Operations Wing at Kadena AB (Japan) will also gain some C-146As. Currently, twenty Wolfhounds are in USAF's inventory.
Credit photo: Larry Mc (on Flickr)