How does the AC-130 work?

The AC-130 relies heavily on visual targeting at low altitudes and punishes enemy targets while performing pylon turns around a fixed point on the ground during attack. The Air Force is the only operator of the AC-130 and the gunship has been providing close air support for special operators for the last 50 years.

What does an AC-130 fire?

The AC-130 “Spooky II” gunship is a standard C-130 transport aircraft engineered for close-air support combat. Its 105mm gun, called a M102 Howitzer, fires 33-pound high explosive shells at a firing rate of 10-round a minute, according to a report in Popular Mechanics.

How many c130 shot down?

Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. More than 15 percent of the approximately 2,350 Lockheed C-130 Hercules production hulls have been lost, including 70 by the US Air Force and the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War.

Is the AC-130 still in service?

The AC-130U returned from its final combat deployment on 8 July 2019; the final AC-130U was retired in August 2019.

What does the AC-130 fire?

When was the last time an AC 130 was shot down?

On January 29, 1991, over 2000 Iraqi troops under the direction of Saddam Hussein streamed into the Saudi Arabian city of Khafji in an attempt to draw American, British, and Saudi forces into a costly urban battle which would tie up Coalition troops until the Iraqi military had time to reorganize and get themselves …

What made the AC-130 Spectre special?

The upgraded AC-130U Spooky has a single 25 mm GAU-12 Equalizer cannon in place of the Spectre’s two 20 mm cannons, an improved fire-control system, and increased ammunition capacity.

What is an AC-130 gunship?

The A-model gunship was the first AC-130 model. The aircraft is 97 feet 9 inches long and 38 feet 3 inches tall. It has a wingspan of 132 feet 7 inches and a wing area of 1,745 sq. feet. Initially, the C-130 had a maximum speed of 384 mph and an un-refueled range of 2,450 miles with maximum load.

Is the AC-130 the Air Force’s equivalent of a flying howitzer?

The U.S. Air Force promised its the nexy generation of the beloved AC-130 gunship would basically be the equivalent of a flying Howitzer. It appears the service is making good on its promise.

What kind of weapons does a Lockheed AC-130 have?

Lockheed AC-130. The Lockheed AC-130 gunship is a heavily armed, long-endurance ground-attack variant of the C-130 Hercules transport fixed-wing aircraft. It carries a wide array of anti-ground oriented weapons that are integrated with sophisticated sensors, navigation, and fire-control systems.

How many missiles can an AC-130 carry?

As it stands now, the AC-130W’s wing pylons can only carry eight SDBs or Hellfires, though crews can reload the aircraft’s Griffin missile launcher in flight. And cannon shells and artillery rounds are just cheaper than precision guided munitions.