"Puff", The magic dragon...

alledan

The AC-130 'Spectre'October 16, 2001 Posted: 9:12 AM EDT (1312 GMT) The AC-130 carries some of the most formidable firepower at the Air Force's disposal (CNN) -- The AC-130 'Spectre' aircraft, which the Pentagon says was used in Afghanistan for the first time Monday night, is one of the most devastating ground attack aircraft in the U.S. arsenal. The four-engine, turbo-prop gunship is a modified heavily armed version of the C-130 'Hercules' transport aircraft, fitted with a formidable array of side-firing cannon positioned along the length of the fuselage. Its primary role is to provide close air support and armed reconnaissance from a low-flying and relatively slow moving airborne platform capable of concentrating heavy firepower on ground targets such as enemy troop concentrations. The aircraft are part of the Air Force's special operations division, normally stationed at Hurlburt Field in Florida. It is unclear where the aircraft used over Afghanistan were based. Rapid fire RESOURCES U.S. Air Force: AC-130 Fact Sheet The AC-130 is armed with a 40-mm Bofors cannon and a 105-mm Howitzer cannon. Newer models also mount a 25-mm gun, used to saturate a target area with extremely rapid fire. Backing up the heavy armaments are sophisticated sensor, radar and navigation systems operated by a crew of up to 14. Its fire control system is designed to be extremely precise, placing munitions with what is described as "first round accuracy". The aircraft also carries a wide array of defensive countermeasures including chaff and flares to counter radar and infrared-guided anti-aircraft missiles. The latest versions of the aircraft are designed to operate accurately in all weather and light conditions The latest version, the AC-130U is equipped with an armor protection system, as well as more advanced electronic warfare equipment and high resolution All Light Level Television for night operations. A radar system enables the gunship to identify and hit targets in virtually all weather and light conditions and from a considerable distance. Long historyThe earliest version of the AC-130 was first deployed in 1967 during the Vietnam War, providing close air support for ground-based troops and inflicting heavy damage on North Vietnamese troops and equipment. Reports at the time credited gunship crews with destroying more than 10,000 enemy vehicles. In 1989, the aircraft played a critical role in the U.S. intervention in Panama, destroying the national Defense Force Headquarters and several command and control facilities. Two years later during the 1991 Gulf War, AC-130s, once again played a key role, providing support for ground troops and assisting the defense of desert air bases. More recently, the aircraft was employed in combat operations in Somalia in 1993 -- the last time U.S. forces were sent on a manhunt -- when an AC-130 was used to level the house of Somali warlord Mohammed Farah Aidid. They were also used in the NATO mission over Bosnia-Herzegovina, providing air interdiction against key targets in areas around the city of Sarajevo.

mudge

GOOOOD MORNIN' Afganistan. I LOVE IT!!!! I doubt they the diaper heads have ever seen that kind of firepower.Put "paradise" in overload mode!!!

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I can't come to work today. The voices said, STAY HOME AND CLEAN THE GUNS!

alledan

The AC-130 That I saw a few yeara ago at wright-Patterson airforce base and museum had a artillery piece mounted in the door way and the rest of the left side of the plane was nothing but mini guns. I loved that plane!There was enough firepower there to stitch a whole lot of ragheads up in a New York minute! i didn't get to see the inside but it appeared that the mini's were .308. I doubt if they would use those G.E. six packs in .223

Lowrider

Some buddies of mine who were in VietNam have nothing but good stuff to say about these planes and the boys who fly them.Said watching them workout at night, with the tracers flying, is one of the best lightshows you'll ever see. So many tracer rounds firing they look like laser beams.A welcome sight to see coming when you're pinned down and outnumbered.

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She was only a fisherman's daughter,But when she saw my rod she reeled.

Patrick Odle

It does one hell of a job on troop concentrations and can probably be surpassed only by nuclear. but who among you remember it's predesessor the lowly gooney bird the first puff gatling gun and all.

mlincoln

Aren't they vulnerable to the Stingers and AAA guns the Taliban has? They fly pretty low and slow?

badboybob

It's called "puff" because of the sound their miniguns make. When they cut loose at 6,000 rounds per minute they truly do make a dragon sound. Their predicessors(sp?) were C-47's with just one mini-gun and an optical sight for the pilot.

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So many guns to buy. So little money.

Txs

We haven't used .308 miniguns on fixed wing gunships in a long time, due to the requirement to fly low enough for this round to be effective/accurate. With the quality of sensors onboard now, they can engage from 3-4 miles up. The gunners have to use walk-around air bottles and wear arctic cold weather gear when working, even while flying over the tropics. I've heard that a good crew can keep 3 rds. from their 105 howitzer in the air at a time from these altitudes, with each accurate enough that tanks are one shot stops. This ain't your daddy's gunship anymore!AC's are vulnerable to Stingers and triple-A at low altitude, but not in the dark. Anyone foolish enough to power up a targeting radar against them for night engagement will get a VERY quick meeting with Allah. Their resupply of heavy weapons is non-existent and we're probably baiting them to expose them.The fact that AC's are now flying missions over their capitol tells me that we're about to completely own their air.

bradf111

If I am not mistaken, several of those mini-guns are 20mm like the A10 Warthog uses and also 40mm cannon.I think they also darn near have capability to shoot down most anti-puff fired weapons that their electronics can't evade. Do they have high cover flying over them for added protection?

idsman75

So I've been told...one of these babies can put a piece of lead in every square inch of a football field in a matter of seconds.

ED P

There was one shot down during the Gulf war, they were longer on their mission than planned, and were flying back when the sun was just coming up.They use them for close air support of ground troops quite a bit, from what I understand.[This message has been edited by ED P (edited 10-16-2001).]

bfair

http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/research/attack/a6/a6-29.htm

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Home of the Blue Angels, P'colaSemper Paratus

ed in il.

kinda makes me think that some of the tax money we've been paying has been going for a good cause.....for once.....earmark my tax money for bigger and better weapons not $75 hammers or $200 toilet seats..........

Lowrider

Hey! Just a damn minute. Never let it be said that the US military buys cheap junk. Those toilet seats were 700 bucks.

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She was only a fisherman's daughter,But when she saw my rod she reeled.

landis

I wonder if I will be able to pick up one of these babies as government surplus in a decade or so, for target practice purposes of course, or maybe to start a business as a prarie dog exterminator.

.250Savage

I heard somewhere (could be wrong) that when all the guns lit up at once, it moved the aircraft sideways in the sky...

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I may disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.--Voltare

mlincoln

Good graphic in yesterday's Washington Post about these. Lists as weapons a modified 105 mm howitzer, a 40 mm bofors gun, and a 25 mm gatling-style gun. I have a feeling, though, that the really cool stuff would the the electronics and technology. Quite a leap when you consider the first gunship targetting device was a crosshair drawn with a grease pencil on one of the cockpit's windows.