The story
The MC-12W Liberty is a Beechcraft King Air 350 packed with surveillance sensors, rushed into service in 2009 to watch over troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Air Force handed the fleet to the Army, special operations and other government agencies by 2015, and Air Force Special Operations Command retired its last Liberties in 2025.
The Liberty fleet flew 400,000 combat hours across 79,000 combat sorties in barely six years of Air Force service.
Quick answers
How do you identify a MC-12W Liberty?
A military-gray King Air 350 with a sensor ball under the belly and antennas along the spine. Easily mistaken for a commuter plane until you spot the turret.
What does a MC-12W Liberty sound like?
Twin PT6A turboprops — the familiar King Air buzz. Nothing about the sound says surveillance aircraft, which was the point.
How fast is the MC-12W Liberty?
Top speed is 312 kts.
How many people does the MC-12W Liberty carry?
Typical configuration: 2 pilots + 2 sensor operators.
How far can the MC-12W Liberty fly?
Range is about 2,400 nmi.
How big is the MC-12W Liberty?
It is 46 ft 8 in long and 57 ft 11 in across the wings.
When did the MC-12W Liberty first fly?
Its first flight was in 2009.
How many MC-12W Libertys have been built?
42 built.
How rare is a MC-12W Liberty in Bogey?
RARE. A good day. Most spotters go weeks between sightings of something this rare. Your first MC-12W Liberty catch is worth 250 points.
