1 - The Black Vault

PROJECT HONEY BADGER AND CREDIBLE SPORT
USAF Photo
Credible Sport aircraft 74-1683 performs a rocketassisted
short-field takeoff on 29 October 1980. From
brake release to liftoff, the aircraft traveled 150 feet.
USAF Photo
With all eight ASROC rockets fired, the aircraft’s forward
flight vector was reduced to near zero, resulting
in rapid descent to the runway. The right wing broke
between the number three and number four engines.
The aircraft is traveling down the runway just after
impact.
USAF Photo
Aircraft 74-1683 begins its rocket-assisted maximumeffort
landing. The top four reverse-mounted ASROC
rockets have fired to slow the aircraft’s forward flight
vector.
USAF Photo
The Credible Sport aircraft comes to a stop still on the
runway. Within eight seconds, crash response teams
were on the scene to extinguish the fire. Most of the
program-unique systems were salvaged from the aircraft
prior to its complete destruction.
USAF Photo
The lower four ASROC rockets have been fired manually
from the cockpit. Note the altitude of the aircraft
above the runway.
unique Credible Sport equipment was salvaged
from the aircraft.* 27
The second Credible Sport aircraft (74-1686)
was nearing completion of its modifications when
the 29 October accident occurred. Events in Iran
and the results of the November presidential elections
spelled the end of the program. On 31 October
Tehran announced an Algerian-brokered plan
to release the hostages. On 2 November the Iranian
Parliament endorsed the plan but stipulated
that certain conditions had to be met before the
release of the hostages. With the election of
Ronald Reagan and the pending release of the
__________
*For security reasons, the hulk was demolished by US Navy SEALs, and the remains were buried on the Eglin AFB range complex so that the
existence of the unique capability would not be revealed to anyone outside the tightly controlled Credible Sport program.
245