Lockheed AC-130

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

AC-130 Spectre
Type	Fixed-wing gunship
Manufacturer	Lockheed and Boeing
Maiden flight	1966, AC-130A 1990, AC-130U
Status	Active
Primary user	U.S. Air Force
Number built	43, including all variants
Unit cost	US$190 million as of 2001

The AC-130 gunship is a heavily-armed, ground attack airplane. Manufactured by Boeing and Lockheed, it is a variant of the C-130 Hercules transport plane. The AC-130 Gunship II superseded the AC-47 Gunship I in Vietnam.

The AC-130 Gunship is the only active, fixed-wing gunship in the world. Its sole user is the United States Air Force, which uses AC-130H Spectre and AC-130U Spooky gunships. 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 to thirteen officers (two pilots, a navigator, an electronic warfare officer, and a fire control officer) and enlisted personnel (flight engineer, 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 military facilities. The gunship squadrons are part of the Air Force Special Operations Command.

Contents 1 Equipment 2 Service history 2.1 Current Aircraft 3 Operators 4 Specifications 4.1 AC-130A Project Gunship II 4.2 AC-130A Surprise Package and Pave Pronto and AC-130E Pave Spectre 4.3 AC-130E Pave Aegis and AC-130H Pave Spectre II 4.4 AC-130H/U "Spooky" Gunship 4.5 Upgrades 5 Notes 6 External links 7 Related content

[edit] Equipment

These heavily-armed aircraft incorporate side-firing weapons integrated with sophisticated sensors, navigation and fire control systems to provide precision firepower or area-saturation fire with its varied armament. The AC-130 can spend long periods flying over their target area at night and in adverse weather. The sensor suite consists of a television sensor, infrared sensor, and radar. These sensors allow the gunship to visually or electronically identify friendly ground forces and targets in most weather conditions.

The AC-130U is equipped with the AN/APQ-180, a synthetic aperture radar for long-range target detection and identification. The gunship's navigational devices include the inertial navigation systems and Global Positioning System. The AC-130U employs technologies developed in the 1990s and can attack two targets simultaneously. It also has twice the munitions capacity of the AC-130H.^{[citation needed]}

During the Vietnam era the AC-130 was sometimes equipped with a Magnetic Anomaly Detector (MAD), a highly sensitive passive device which picks up localized deviations in earth's magnetic field and is normally used to detect submerged submarines. The MAD array of the C-130 could detect the ignition coils of enemy trucks hidden under dense foliage, alerting the crew to their presence.

[edit] Service history

The C-130 Hercules was selected to replace the AC-47 Gunship I (known as Spooky or Puff the Magic Dragon) during the Vietnam War, due to its ability to carry more and heavier weapons, and better endurance. 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 II's arrived to form a squadron. The 16th Special Operations Squadron (SOS), of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) were activated on the above date at Ubon AB, Thailand. The AC-130 program had been code named "Pave Pronto", but the aircraft were more commonly referred to from the Squadron's call sign of Spectre. The AC-130 was supplemented by the AC-119 Shadow Gunship III during this time.

By December 1968 most AC-130s were flown under F-4 escort from the 479th TFS (Tactical Fighter Squadron), normally three Phantoms per Gunship. By late 1969, later versions of the AC-130's arrived, under the code name of "Surprise Package." These models were equipped with the latest 20mm Gatling guns and 40mm Bofors cannon.

The first AC-130A loss of the war (Aircraft 54-1629, called The Arbitrator) occurred on 24 May 1969 while on armed reconnaissance (a.k.a. "truck hunting") over Southern Laos. The aircraft, piloted by Lieutenant Colonel W. H Schwehm, was hit by 57mm AAA while orbiting at over 6,000 feet. LTC Schwehm had ordered his crewmen to bail out as they approached the airfield, while he attempted an emergency landing at his Ubon Air Base. As the battle damaged Spectre touched down, the right undercarriage collapsed and the Gunship veered off the runway into an obstacle, catching fire. Eleven crewmen survived, but Staff Sergeants Cecil Taylor and Jack W. Troglen were killed in action.

The second AC-130 Spectre (Aircraft 54-1625, called War Lord) was lost on 22 April 1970 while truck hunting along the southern portion of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, in Laos. While strafing the trucks, the AC-130 Gunship, from the 16th SOS, was hit by 37mm AAA, catching fire. Ten crewmen were listed as KIA, however there is controversy as to their fate. Some returning POW's in 1973 reported seeing Lieutenant Colonel Charles S. Rowley and Major Donald G. Fisher alive in a POW camp. However, no information could be substantiated. Staff Sergeant E. Fields was the only known survivor.

The last four Spectres lost in the Vietnam War were in 1972. On 28 March 1972, an AC-130 Gunship (Aircraft 55-0044, called Prometheus) piloted by Major Irving B. Ramsower, from the 16th SOS, 8th TFW, was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile (SAM) while truck hunting over the Ho Chi Minh Trail. There were no survivors. On 30 March 1972, one of the later models of the AC-130 Gunships was truck hunting along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, when it was hit by 57mm AAA, after confirming the destruction of three "killed" trucks with more gunfire. This time there were no fatalities from the crew, as they all bailed out of the aircraft safely. However, the SAR (Search And Rescue mission) that had been set in motion, turned out to be one of the largest in US history. When it was over, it had involved 7 HH-53s (known as Jolly Green Giants), 8 A-1 Skyraiders, 3 C-130s, ll sorties of ground-attack, jet aircraft, 4 EB-66s (variant of B-66 Destroyer), 6 F-105 Thunderchiefs, 14 NAIL FACs, 3 RAVENs (CIA), 3 Air America Helicopters, 4 AC-130 Spectre Gunships, and an F-4 Phantom Fast FAC. The massive search and rescue operation was eclipsed a few days later by the famous Bat 21 rescue.

On June 1972, a 16th SOS AC-130 Gunship (Aircraft 55-0043, name unknown) was operating approximately 25 miles southwest of Hue, South Vietnam, when a SA-7 struck its number 3 engine, tore off the wing, and caused an explosion. Three crewmen bailed out, but there were no other survivors. The last Spectre lost in the Vietnam War was during the Linebacker II campaign. While the B-52s of Linebacker II were pounding North Vietnam, the Spectres continued their war against the truck convoys along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. On 21 December 1972, AC-130 Gunship pilot Captain Harry R. Lagerwall was attacking three trucks at nearly 8,000 feet, when he was struck by 37mm AAA. The Spectre (Aircraft 56-0490, called Thor) exploded into flames and only two crewmen managed to safely bail out; the remaining 14 crewmen perished.

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 Lt. Gen. 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. 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. Despite the threat of SAMs and increasing visibility during the early morning hours of 31 January 1991, one gunship opted to stay to continue to protect the Marines. Unfortunately, a surface to air missile (SAM) shot down aircraft #69-6567, call sign Spirit 03. All 14 crew members perished.^[1]

The military has used 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. On March 15, 1994 over the Indian Ocean (off the coast of Kenya, near the town of Malindi), aircraft 69-6576 (then known as Preditor but previously called both Bad Company and Widow Maker) was lost, taking the lives of eight crewmembers. Gunships also were part of the buildup of U.S. forces in 1998 to convince Iraq to comply with U.N. weapons inspections. The United States later used gunships later 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.[1][2].

[edit] Current Aircraft

The AC-130H is produced at a cost of US$132.4 million, and the AC-130U is produced at a cost of US$190 million (fiscal 2001 constant dollars). Currently there are eight AC-130H and thirteen AC-130U aircraft in active duty service. [3] The AC-130 gunship series is expensive to maintain due to the wide variety of equipment installed. The heat signature reduction components alone are a cause of consternation to aircraft mechanics and have become almost legendary among maintenance personnel for their inability to properly diffuse engine exhaust temperatures without warping or cracking.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Operators

 United States

• United States Air Force
  • Air Force Special Operations Command

[edit] Specifications

General characteristics

• Crew: 13
  • Officers: 5 (pilot, copilot, navigator, fire control officer, electronic warfare officer)
  • Enlisted: 8 (flight engineer, TV operator, infrared detection set operator, loadmaster, four aerial gunners)
• Length: 97 ft 9 in (29.8 m)
• Wingspan: 132 ft 7 in (40.4 m)
• Height: 38 ft 6 in (11.7 m)
• Wing area: 531.824 ft² (49.4 m²)
• Max takeoff weight: 155,000 lb (69,750 kg)
• Powerplant: 4× Allison T56-A-15 turboprops, 4,910 shp (3,700 kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 260 knots (300 mph, 480 km/h)
• Range: 2,200 nm (2,530 mi, 4,070 km)
• Service ceiling: 30,000 ft (9,100 m)

[edit] AC-130A Project Gunship II

• 4× 7.62 mm GAU-2/A miniguns
• 4× 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannon

[edit] AC-130A Surprise Package and Pave Pronto and AC-130E Pave Spectre

• 4× 7.62 mm GAU-2/A miniguns
  

  

  20 mm Vulcan cannon ammo belt
• 2× 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannon
• 2× 40 mm (1.58 in) L60 Bofors cannon

[edit] AC-130E Pave Aegis and AC-130H Pave Spectre II

• 2× 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannon
• 1× 40 mm L60 Bofors cannon
• 1× 105 mm (4.13 in) M102 howitzer

[edit] AC-130H/U "Spooky" Gunship

• 1× 25 mm (0.984 in) GAU-12/U Equalizer gatling gun
• 1× 40 mm L60 Bofors cannon
• 1× 105 mm M102 howitzer

or

• 2× 30 mm Bushmaster II cannon^[2]
• 1× 105 mm M102 howitzer

[edit] Upgrades

A new program has been initiated to upgrade the armament of existing AC-130s still in service. The 25 mm GAU-12/U and 40 mm Bofors are to be replaced with two Mk 44 Bushmaster II 30 mm cannons.^[3] The first aircraft is completed, with three more to join the fleet by December 2007, and fleetwide modifications complete by 2010. There are also plans to look into replacing the M102 howitzer with a breech-loading 120 mm mortar, and to give the AC-130 a standoff capability using either the AGM-114 Hellfire missile, the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (based on the Hydra 70 rocket), or the Viper Strike glide bomb.^[4]

[edit] Notes

1. Hobson, Chris. "Vietnam Air Losses, USAF/USN/USMC, Fixed-Wing Aircraft Losses In Southeast Asia 1961-1973." 2001. ISBN 0-85780-1156.

[edit] External links

• "Gunship History" from the Spectre Association website.
• AC-130A aircraft names, tail numbers and current locations (if applicable), also from the Spectre Association website.
• Air Force Factsheet: the AC-130H/U GUNSHIP on which this article was originally based.
• FAS.org: AC-130H Spectre/AC-130U Spooky
• Executive summary from US investigation exonerating AC-130 crews who caused civilian casualties in Afghanistan—Headquarters United States Central Command
• AC-130 on GlobalSecurity.org
• "Powerful Gunships Prowl Iraq, and Limits Show" from All Things Considered

[edit] Related content

Related development

• Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Comparable aircraft

• A-10 Thunderbolt II
• AC-119 gunship

Designation sequence

• Project Gunship I - II - III

Related lists

• List of military aircraft of the United States
• List of active military aircraft of the United States
• List of Lockheed aircraft