The AC-130U “Spooky” gunships’ primary missions are close air support, air interdiction and armed reconnaissance. Close air support missions include troops in contact, convoy escort and point air defense. Air interdiction missions are conducted against preplanned targets or targets of opportunity and include strike coordination, reconnaissance and armed overwatch mission sets. Features These heavily armed aircraft incorporate side-firing weapons integrated with sophisticated sensor, navigation and fire control systems to provide surgical firepower or area saturation during extended loiter periods, day or night and in adverse weather. The sensor suite consists of multispectral television sensors, high definition infrared sensors and radar. These sensors allow the gunship to visually or electronically identify friendly ground forces and targets anytime, anywhere. The AC-130U employs synthetic aperture strike radar for long-range and adverse weather target detection and identification. The AC-130's navigational devices include inertial navigation systems and global positioning systems. The AC-130U’s capability to track and engage two targets simultaneously with different levels of ordnance is an invaluable asset to special operations forces on the ground. Background The Spooky is the third generation of C-130 gunships. All gunships evolved from the first operational gunship, the AC-47, to the AC-119, and then the AC-130A which was the basis for the modern C-130 Hercules gunship. The AC-130H “Spectre” gunships were fielded in 1972 and retired in 2015. The last AC-130U was flown to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, June 26, 2020, for retirement.
AC-130 ABOVE!!!
