Lockheed AC-130 Gunship - 'Any Time, Any Place!'

The Lockheed AC-130 gunship is a heavily-armed ground-attack aircraft. The basic airframe is manufactured by Lockheed, and Boeing is responsible for the conversion into a gunship and for aircraft support. It is a variant of the C-130 Hercules transport plane. The AC-130A Gunship II superseded the AC-47 Gunship I in Vietnam.

The gunship's sole user is the United States Air Force, which uses AC-130H Spectre and AC-130U Spooky variants. The AC-130 is powered by four turboprops and has an armament ranging from 20 mm Gatling guns to 105 mm howitzers. It has a standard crew of twelve or thirteen Airmen, including five officers (two pilots, a navigator, an electronic warfare officer and a fire control officer) and enlisted personnel (flight engineer, electronics operators and aerial gunners).

The US Air Force uses the AC-130 gunships for close air support, air interdiction, and force protection. Close air support roles include supporting ground troops, escorting convoys, and flying urban operations. Air interdiction missions are conducted against planned targets and targets of opportunity. Force protection missions include defending air bases and other facilities. Stationed at Hurlburt Field in Northwest Florida, the gunship squadrons are part of the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), a component of United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM).

The AC-130 Gunship first arrived in South Vietnam on 21 September 1967 under the Gunship II program, and began combat operations over Laos and South Vietnam that year. By 30 October 1968, enough AC-130 Gunship IIs arrived to form a squadron, the 16th Special Operations Squadron (SOS) of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW), at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. In Vietnam, gunships destroyed more than 10,000 trucks and participated in many crucial close air support missions.

During the Invasion of Grenada (Operation Urgent Fury) in 1983, AC-130s suppressed enemy air defense systems and attacked ground forces enabling the successful assault of the Point Salines Airfield via airdrop and air land of friendly forces. The AC-130 aircrew earned the Lieutenant General William H. Tunner Award for the mission.

AC-130s also had a primary role during the United States invasion of Panama (Operation Just Cause) in 1989 when they destroyed Panama Defense Force headquarters and numerous command and control facilities. Aircrews earned the Mackay Trophy for the most meritorious flight of the year and the Tunner Award for their efforts.

During Operation Desert Storm, AC-130s provided close air support and force protection (air base defense) for ground forces, and battlefield interdiction. The primary interdiction targets were early warning/ground control intercept (EW/GCI) sites along the southern border of Iraq. The first gunship to enter the Battle of Khafji helped stop a southbound Iraqi armored column on 29 January 1991. One day later, three more gunships provided further aid to Marines participating in the operation. The gunships attacked Iraqi positions and columns moving south to reinforce their positions north of the city.

The military has used AC-130 gunships during Operations Restore Hope and United Shield in Somalia, in the NATO mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and in the 1997 evacuation of American noncombatants in Albania. The United States later used gunships during the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, and the Iraq War. In 2007 US Special Operations forces used the AC-130 in attacks on suspected al-Qaeda militants in Somalia. The AC-130 has the distinction of never having a base under its protection lost to the enemy.

Currently there are eight AC-130H and seventeen AC-130U aircraft in active duty service.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• USA
• US
• Air
• Force
• firepower
• gunship
• gatling
• gun
• Vietnam

[saratoga4fun85]

You can run -But you will only DIE tired

[Cacey72]

the worst weapon in existence. no way to defend yourself against it

[solarflaredragon45]

America the beautiful, also don`t fuck with us.

[lilsupraboy69]

oops our plane just blew up you country lol i wonder how many buildings 10 tons of 105 mm howitzer ammo can destroy

[Airguitarist88]

Anyone know where I can see the AC130's ass kicking potential from a ground POV? Explosions aren't the same in night vision.

[bentancort]

THE BEAST

[mryongmc]

To those mw2 addicts. Go back to mw2 and get a 11 killstreak. =D

[raginroadrunner]

Any enemy combatant in the area of this ship will be well advised to seek total concealment...if you can see it.....it can see you....and if, for some really stupid idea, you should decide to fire on this ship...all the virgins in  the galaxy won't be able to piece yur splattered ass toghether....this is one badasss muthfuc%er...as some of you ignorant bastards found out ...the hard way.....RR

[SoggieCookie]

@sinisha1vids just shut you mouth kid no one wants to here you complain just dont look at the comments then.

[dirty130loadmaster]

@C0SM1CG4TE exactly right, but its mission is not to transport cargo, it is a modification of the c-130 with its primary role for close air support just like the a-10.