These heavily armed aircraft incorporates side-firing
weapons integrated with sophisticated sensor,
navigation and fire control systems to provide surgical
firepower during extended loiter periods, at night and
in adverse weather. Spectre has an impressive combat
history. During Vietnam, gunships destroyed more than
10,000 trucks and were credited with many life-saving
close air support missions. AC-130s suppressed enemy air
defense systems and attacked ground forces during
Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada. This enabled the
successful assault of Point Slines airfield via airdrop
and airland of friendly forces. Gunships had a starring
role during Operation Just Cause in Panama by
destroying Panamanian Defense Force Headquarters and
numerous command and control facilities by surgical
employment of ordnance in an urban environment. As the
only close air support platform in the theater, Spectre
was credited with saving many friendly lives. The AC130U
Spooky gunship has been used extensively during Operation
Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
They have provided pinpoint targeting of the enemy forces
and have conducted close air support missions in support of
coalition special operation forces.
General Characteristics
Primary Function: Close air support, air interdiction and
force protection
Builder: Lockheed/Boeing Corp.
Power Plant: Four Allison T56-A-15 turboprop engines
Thrust: 4,910 shaft horsepower each engine
Length: 97 feet, 9 inches (29.8 meters)
Height: 38 feet, 6 inches (11.7 meters)
Wingspan: 132 feet, 7 inches (40.4 meters)
Speed: 300 mph (Mach .4) (at sea level)
Range: Approximately 1,300 nautical miles;
unlimited with air refueling.
Ceiling: 25,000 feet (7,576 meters)
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 155,000 pounds (69,750 kilograms)
Armament: AC-130H/U: 40mm cannon and 105mm cannon;
AC-130U: 25mm gun
Crew: AC-130U - Five officers (pilot, co-pilot, navigator,
fire control officer, electronic warfare officer)
and eight enlisted (flight engineer, TV operator,
infrared detection set operator, loadmaster, four aerial gunners)
Deployment Date: AC-130H, 1972; AC-130U, 1995
Unit Cost: AC-130H, $132.4 million; AC-130U, $190 million
(fiscal 2001 constant dollars)
Inventory: Active duty: AC-130H, 8; AC-130U, 13;
Reserve, 0; ANG, 0
Mission
The AC-130 Gunship is a basic C-130 modified with side mounted
guns and various sensors that make it highly adaptable to a
variety of special missions. The Gunship can provide sustained
and surgically precise firepower in a variety of scenarios.
Within permissive environments, the AC-l30 is effective in the
following roles:
Close Air Support
Interdiction
Armed Reconnaissance
Point Defense
Escort (Convoy, Naval, Train, Rotary Wing)
Surveillance
Combat Search And Rescue
Landing/Drop Zone Support
Limited Airborne Command and Control
The side-firing gunship delivers ordnance while in a pylon turn
around the target. Targets are visible and can be attacked
throughout the entire orbit and attack run-in headings are
usually not desired. The gunship is particularly effective at
troops in contact fire support.
Weapons
Firing altitude depends on terrain,
threat environment, and weather. Gun
selection depends on target type
and damage desired. To limit
collateral damage, a live-fire area
may be required to boresight weapons
prior to employment. The gunship
weapons do not have a hard-kill
capability against heavy armor or
bunkers. However, the 105mm has
Superquick fuses with both point
detonation and 0.05 sec delay,
concrete penetrators, and proximity
fuses for airburst. All 20mm, 25mm,
and 40mm have point detonate fuses.
Weapons Delivery
Training: No-fire headings may be imposed or
may be established by the aircrew, due to
ordnance ricochet fans when the target is
between the gunship and the friendly position.
Fire No Closer Than:
500 meters with the 20mm/25mm/40mm
650 meters with the 105mm
No Fire Headings Closer Than:
1600 meters with the 20mm
2000 meters with the 25mm
950 meters with the 40mm
700 meters with the 105mm
Combat
The ground forces commander must accept responsibility each time
ordnance is requested inside of the Joint Munitions
Effectiveness Manual (JMEM) Danger Close range.
JMEM Danger Close Range for the 20mm/25mm/40mm: inside 125 meters
JMEM Danger Close Range for the 105mm: inside 200 meters
Aircraft Comparison
Although the AC-130H and AC-130U use very
dissimilar avionics and other systems, fire
support to the ground party is generally
comparable.The capabilities of the AC-130U
will not be required for most fire support
missions, but provide benefits under certain
circumstances. The following describes some
of the most important employment differences:
The strike radar gives the AC-130U improved
adverse weather capability. The AC-130Us
increased fire control accuracy results in
better hit performance against point targets.
This does not appreciably change the extent
of collateral damage. Dual target attack
allows the AC-130U to service two targets
simultaneously. Fairly restrictive parameters
must be met to employ this technique. Crew
restrictions also apply. The 25mm gun on the
AC-130U can be brought to bear quickly because
it is trainable, and can be employed throughout
much of the gunship flight envelope. The 25mm
is only effective against soft targets.
Portions of the 25mm gun system are still under
development, and this weapon is not as reliable
as a mature system. The pressurization system
on the AC-130U improves deployability and range.
The AC-130U sensor system is still evolving. The
ALLTV is superior to the LLLTV on the AC-130H,
but the IR on the AC-130H is better than the IR
on the AC-130U. Upgrades to the IR on both
aircraft are scheduled to occur within a couple
of years. The AC-130H has already received two
major IR upgrades since 1990. The defensive
avionics on the AC-130U are generally slightly
better than on the AC-130H, but in certain
threat environments the AC-130H is at least
equal. Detailed threat analysis must be
accomplished for specific missions.
Planning Considerations
All missions benefit from face-to-face
briefings, especially fire support missions.
Common imagery, comm-out procedures, charts,
and local operating procedures enhance mission
success. Normal special operations missions
planning-to-execution cycle covers 72 hours,
but may be shortened due to specific mission
constraints. Normal tactical mission planning-
to-execution cycle is approximately 24 hours.
AC-l30 performance is marginal at altitudes
above 15,000 feet MSL due to high gross weights
and aircraft performance limitations. AC-l30
operations from Forward Operating Bases with high
field elevations and/or high density altitudes
require analysis by gunship planners for mission
limitations. Limited number of aircraft and single
home operating location makes covert deployment
difficult. Large crews and extensive support
package contribute to significant mission signature.
Unimproved airfields are not acceptable due to high
gross weights, performance limitations, and
sensitive avionics. Gunship weapons have no hard-kill
capability against heavy, or reactive armor,
reinforced bunkers, etc.
Performance Considerations
Prime Contractor: Lockheed Aircraft Co.
Horsepower: 3,750 equivalent shaft power
Wingspan: 132 ft. 7 in
Length: 97 ft. 9 in
Height: 38 ft. 6 in
Unrefueled range (combat ammo load): AC-130U-2000 NM;
AC-130H-1500 NM
Unlimited with air refueling
Unrefueled combat radius (1 hour loiter): 500 NM
Speed: 250 Knots (True Airspeed) cruise. 300 mph (at sea level)
Maximum gross weight: 155,000 lbs
Emergency gross weight (WAR): 175,000 lbs
Fuel load: 40,000 lbs (Inflight refuelable)
Fuel type: JP-8
Fuel consumption: 6,000 pounds per hour. 6,500 during low level
Aircrew
An AC-130U crew consists of five officers (pilot, co-pilot,
navigator, fire control officer and electronic warfare
officer) and eight enlisted airmen (flight engineer,
TV operator, infrared detection set operator, loadmaster
and four aerial gunners). There are many different
sub-systems on the AC-130U and at least 10 distinct crew
positions that require specialized training.
Crew rest: 12 hours
Tactical crew duty day: 12 hours. (16 hours with augmentation)
Crew complement may vary depending on the mission type
and duty day.
Crew requirements for ferrying are less.
Minimum tactical crew: AC-130U - 13; AC-130H - 14
Maximum crew: 21
Time on Station
Unless continuous surveillance is required,
the AC-130 holds outside the target area to
limit exposure of the aircraft and the
ground party. Vulnerability increases with
time spent over target, as the element of
surprise is lost and chance for
acquisition by the enemy increases.
Weather Capability
The AC-130U has a good capability to deliver
ordnance during adverse weather using the
APQ-180 radar. The AC-130H has limited
adverse weather capability using its
electronic sensors. A ground controller may
be present to correct the AC-130U gunfire for
target, range, and magnetic bearing from the
location of a beacon or reference point due
to adverse weather. A ground controller is
required for AC-130H adverse weather delivery.
Visual sensors are seriously degraded by weather
to include fog, haze, smoke, and clouds.
Marking Devices
Marking devices can expedite identification of
friendly forces, improving fire support
responsiveness and limiting the exposure
time for the gunship. Beacons provide a rapid
means to identify and update the friendly position.
During instrument meteorological conditions beacons
are the only way for the AC-130H to locate friendly
positions. Radar reflective items may also be used
with the AC-130U radar. These are line-of-sight
methods, and are normally used with OFFSET firing
mode. Beacon/reference point offsets should not
normally exceed 1500 meters (1000 meters for Dual
Target Attack - AC-130U only). Offset firing is not
as accurate as direct mode of fire and are normally
used in poor weather conditions with the ground
commander or team leader calling misses and
corrections to the aircraft. As a rule, the shorter
the offset distance, the more accurate the weapon.
The AC-130U can track the PPN-19 and SST-181 beacons
using the strike radar. The AC-130H can track the
PPN-19, SST-181, PRD-7880 (TEMIG) and personal
locator system beacons, but TEMIG and PLS are poor
for offset firing.
Other Marking Devices
Strobe Light
Flashlights And Vehicle Lights
Fire Flies
"Chem" Lights
Reflective Tape
Pen Gun Flares
Signaling Mirrors
Laser pointers (LPL-30, GPC-1a, etc.)
Tracer Fire
Mortar/Artillery Marking Rounds
Mission Briefing
FRIENDLY LOCATION - Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM),
range in meters, magnetic bearing from reference point,
etc.Include all friendly locations.
FRIENDLY MARK - Beacons, IR strobe lights, flares, etc.
TARGET LOCATIONS - UTM coordinates, range and bearing
from observer,
Target Reference Point (TRP), etc.
TARGET DESCRIPTIONS - Number and type.
TARGET MARKING - Sparkle (i.e. LPL-30), tracer, etc.
SPECIFIC EMPLOYMENT
Close Air Support and Troops in Contact
The AC-l30 is an excellent low threat,
night CAS platform.The gunship can
provide surgical fire support with
limited collateral damage, and it can
remain on station for extended periods
of time. The visual sensors and radar
(AC-130U) provide real-time
reconnaissance of the employment area.
Unlike other fixed-wing aircraft, CAS
assets which must have qualified forward
area controllers for ordnance delivery
in proximity to friendlies, the AC-130
self-FACs, so ordinance delivery can be
controlled by fire support officers,
team leaders, etc. Since the AC-130
delivers ordnance through a pylon turn,
the target is usually visible and may
be engaged throughout the entire orbit.
As a result, run-in headings are not
appropriate. The first consideration for
CAS missions is to positively identify
the friendly position. Various marking
devices may be used by friendly forces
to expedite acquisition. Radio contact
with the ground forces will be maintained
at all times during firing, unless
preplanned comm-out procedures are
coordinated in advance. The following CAS
guide is a briefing guide designed
specifically for the gunship. To reduce
communications during preplanned missions,
coordinate as much of this information as
possible in advance. The J-Fire "nine-line"
briefing may be used, but it is inefficient
and less desirable.
Interdiction
Air Interdiction is defined as air operations
conducted to destroy, neutralize, or delay the
enemy's potential before it can be brought to
bear effectively against friendly forces. At
such distances that detailed integration of
each air mission with the fire and movement of
friendly forces is not required. The gunship is
best suited to strike small targets in a
permissive environment where limited collateral
damage is required. The gunship's accuracy, low
yield munitions, and target identification
capability reduces the risk of collateral damage.
However, the gunship lacks both great hitting
power and area coverage capability, which limits
the potential for damage to hardened or large
area targets.
Armed Reconnaissance
Armed Reconnaissance is flown with the primary
purpose of locating and attacking targets of
opportunity (i.e. enemy material, personnel, and
facilities) in assigned or general areas or along
assigned lines of communication, and not for the
purpose of attacking specific briefed targets. The
gunship can effectively search LOCs, however the
narrow field of view of the sensors limits the
gunship's ability to search large areas. The time
required to perform armed reconnaissance must be
considered with respect to the threat.
Helicopter, Landing Zone, and Drop Zone Support
The gunship can provide escort, LZ/DZ security, and
fire support for helicopter operations. Mission
accomplishment is achieved through a joint pre-brief
of route, special procedures, and establishment of
a communications net (fire support coordination net).
The gunship can assist helicopters in search and
rescue missions as necessary. Helicopter use of beacons
greatly aids in vectoring. The gunship can provide LZ/DZ
weather and threat updates to all participating aircraft.
The gunship can also destroy unrecoverable loads that
have landed off a DZ and should not fall into enemy hands.
Fighter Escort Operations
Fighters can operate with the gunship as part of a
strike package. Fighter assets provide additional
strike capability with greater standoff, hard-target
kill capability, and larger area suppression weapons.
Fighters can also provide real time threat suppression
in the target area and during enroute portions of the
mission. Operations with fighter aircraft require
effective teamwork between the dissimilar aircraft and
increases the complexity of crew coordination on the
gunship. Flexibility and situational awareness must be
maintained at all times. The gunship normally acts as a
Forward Air Controller for its fighter escort, and may
be used to control other strike aircraft. The gunship's
FAC capabilities include:
Marking targets with aircraft weapons (sparkling).
Using natural references such as providing information
from visible terrain features, ground markers, or
easily distinguished fires in the area.
Designate targets using laser target designator.
Provide strike aircraft with Battle Damage Assessment.
SPECIALIZED MISSIONS
Point Defense
This mission is essentially a preplanned CAS mission.
The situation may allow for in-depth planning and
coordination, but procedures are the same as for any
CAS scenario.
Escort
Another version of CAS is escort. The gunship can
provide convoy, naval, train, helicopter escort/
vectoring surveillance and limited protection of
friendlies from enemy ambush. Communications with
the supported commander are essential. Mission
accomplishment is achieved through a joint brief
of route, special procedures, and establishment
of a communications net. Ground parties using
electronic beacons greatly aid in force vectoring.
Reconnaissance
The night capabilities of the gunship, combined
with its range and endurance make the gunship a
viable reconnaissance platform. The gunship has
the capability to record all the sensors, with
audio and video imagery. The gunship is more
vulnerable to enemy threats than other tactical
reconnaissance platforms.
Combat Recovery
The gunship can support combat recovery
operations in a permissive environment. These
missions include combined operations with
helicopters and fighters. Because of the
potential complexity of these missions, thorough
mission planning is essential.
Limited Airborne Command and Control
The gunship can be used to relay information
between ground parties, or as a ground-to-air
or air-to-air liaison on a limited basis.
Planners must realize that any planned use of
the gunship in this capacity could adversely
affect the gunship's tactical mission and
therefore must be weighed carefully."
(Excerpt from the JCS SOF Reference Manual)
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