Lockheed Martin AC-130

Summary

Description

Developed during the Vietnam War, the AC-130 gunship emerged from the need to improve mission endurance and munitions capacity compared to the Douglas AC-47 Spooky, also known as "Gunship I". The C-130 Hercules was selected for its superior speed, altitude, and loiter time capabilities. In 1967, JC-130A 54-1626 was chosen for conversion into the prototype AC-130A gunship under "Project Gunship II," with modifications performed by the Aeronautical Systems Division at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. These modifications included installing a direct-view night-vision telescope, an early forward-looking infrared device, and fixed miniguns and rotary cannons along the left side, managed by an analog fire-control computer prototype crafted at the USAF Avionics Laboratory. Flight testing took place primarily at Eglin Air Force Base, and by September 1967, the aircraft was certified ready for combat testing, leading to its deployment to Nha Trang Air Base, South Vietnam, for a 90-day test program. Later, the AC-130 was complemented by the AC-119 Shadow ("Project Gunship III"), though the latter proved to be underpowered. In 1968, seven more airframes were converted to the "Plain Jane" configuration, similar to the AC-130 prototype. One aircraft received the "Surprise Package" refit in 1969, featuring the latest 20 mm rotary autocannons and 40 mm Bofors cannon, serving as a test bed for the avionic systems and armament for the AC-130E. In 1970, ten more AC-130As were acquired under the "Pave Pronto" project, and in the summer of 1971, Surprise Package AC-130s were converted to the Pave Pronto configuration, earning the nickname "Thor." Following this, C-130Es were converted into AC-130Es for the "PAVE Spectre" project.

The AC-130 is designed as a heavily armed, long-endurance aircraft, equipped with an array of weapons targeting ground targets. These weapons are integrated with sophisticated sensors, navigation, and fire-control systems. This configuration enables the aircraft to deliver precision or area-saturation fire over a prolonged period, under nighttime conditions, or in adverse weather. The sensor suite includes an electro-optical image sensor, an infrared sensor, and radar, which allow the gunship to visually or electronically identify friendly forces and targets under various weather conditions. The AC-130U is equipped with the AN/APQ-180, a synthetic aperture radar, for long-range target detection and identification, and its navigational devices include inertial navigation systems and a global positioning system.

The AC-130 boasts a diverse array of ground-attack weaponry, tailored to its specific variant and mission requirements. Early models like the AC-130A carried a combination of 7.62 mm GAU-2/A miniguns and 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannons for suppressive fire. Subsequent upgrades, such as the AC-130H Spectre, featured 40 mm L/60 Bofors cannons and 105 mm M102 howitzers, significantly increasing firepower. The AC-130U Spooky replaced the 20 mm cannons with a single 25 mm GAU-12/U Equalizer, along with the 40 mm and 105 mm guns. The AC-130W Stinger II and AC-130J Ghostrider integrate a 30 mm ATK GAU-23/A autocannon and retain the 105 mm M102 howitzer. Additionally, these later models feature the 'Gunslinger' system, capable of launching AGM-176 Griffin missiles and/or GBU-44/B Viper Strike munitions from internal launch tubes, and wing-mounted hardpoints for AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs (SDBs), or GBU-53/B SDB IIs.

The AC-130 gunship first saw operational deployment in South Vietnam on 21 September 1967 under the Gunship II program, commencing combat operations over Laos and South Vietnam that same year. A squadron, the 16th Special Operations Squadron, was formed in June 1968 to support against the Tet Offensive. As the Vietnam War progressed, the AC-130s took on roles in supporting ground troops, escorting convoys, and conducting operations in urban areas. They were also employed in interdiction missions against planned targets and targets of opportunity. During the Cold War era, AC-130s were involved in monitoring activities during the Nicaraguan Revolution and later saw action in Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada in 1983 and the United States invasion of Panama in 1989. In the Gulf War of 1990–1991, both Regular Air Force and Air Force Reserve AC-130s delivered close air support, force protection, and battlefield interdiction. More recently, AC-130 gunships have been used during the humanitarian operations in Somalia, Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti in 1994, and in the NATO missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo during the 1990s. Post 9/11, the aircraft saw heavy usage in both the War in Afghanistan and the Iraq War, as well as operations in Somalia and Libya. The sole operator of the AC-130 has consistently been the United States Air Force.

Main Variants:

• AC-130A Spectre (Project Gunship II, Surprise Package, Pave Pronto): These were conversions of C-130As; 19 were completed, then transferred to the Air Force Reserve in 1975 and retired in 1995.

• AC-130E Spectre (Pave Spectre, Pave Aegis): These were conversions of C-130Es; 11 were completed, and 10 were upgraded to AC-130H configuration.

• AC-130H Spectre: This variant consisted of upgraded AC-130E aircraft, with 8 completed; the last aircraft was retired in 2015.

• AC-130U Spooky: This was the 3rd generation AC-130 gunship, featuring improved technology and capabilities, but the variant was retired in June 2020.

• AC-130W Stinger II (formerly known as the MC-130W Dragon Spear): This variant involved the conversion of 12 MC-130Ws into gunships; it was retired in July 2022.

Technical specifications

Current operating countries

Country		Units
	United States	21

Numbers in parentheses, e.g. '(+5)', indicate units ordered but not yet delivered.

All operators

United States

Photo of AC-130