Whether you call it Spooky or Spectre, the AC-130 is just one of my favorite aircraft that combines old school major firepower and high tech targeting systems in a way like no other. Since the early days in Viet Nam, the venerable Herky bird has been steadilyAC-130 upgraded to provide the ultimate in maximum fire support.

The US Military has conducted ongoing efforts that improve the performance and increase the lethality of the AC-130 gunships operated by US Air Force Special Operations Command. The work could also provide these and other C-130 Hercules models with greatly expanded capabilities generally referred to as ‘Killer Herc’. Late in the 1980’s, the Air Force decided that it needed to upgrade the capacities of the AC-130, and the AC-130U project was begun. The weapons were changed somewhat, with the twin 20mm vulcan cannons being dropped in favor of a GAU-12 25mm rotating cannon.

However, the biggest change to the AC-130 airframe was in it’s electronics and avionics. AN AN/APG-180 radar (derived from the same ground and air radar that the Air Forces F-15E uses) was added to allow tracking of targets and rounds for adjustment as was an ALLTV (All Light Level TV) for operations at night or daytime, when the crew wants to keep their radars off the avoid alerting enemy forces or giving anti-radar missiles a target to home in on.

With these systems, the AC-130U can operate at night and in bad weather, engaging multiple targets simultaneouslyy. The AN/APG radar allows the targeting crew in the control booth to follow rounds all the way to the ground and make live corrections without having to wait for ground troops to spot and report back. The larger 25mm gun has a longer range and more power, allowing the AC-130U to stay higher and farther away from ground threats, and its 1,800 rounds per minute firing rate can decimate anything from enemy formations to light armored vehicles. All of the weapons are now fixed on hydraulically actuated, computer trainable mounts, so that the new AC-130U can attack two targets over half a mile apart at the same time.

The World War II-era 40mm Bofors cannon is being replaced on the entire fleet of AC-130Us with a 30mm Bushmaster MK44 cannon to improve accuracy and to take advantage of modern munitions. The 30mm cannon is much more effective as an area weapon to keep people’s heads down in an engagement or to put down a barrage of fire to take out the enemy in a certain area with munitions that are available today. Companies like Alliant Techsystems offer a wide range of 30mm munitions, with airburst capabilities and specialized anti-armor characteristics, giving spec ops airmen a wide range of ammo choices to meet particular missions.

The design simplicity of the MK44, its positive round control, ease of maintenance and constant velocity ammunition feed make it the low-risk, proven weapon system the Air Force can rely on for effective fire support. The weapon system fires 30mm rounds up to 250-rounds per minutes and will enhance the aircraft’s ability to destroy enemy armored vehicles by significantly increasing its stand-off distance while providing more firepower on target. Where else can you find an aircraft that combines all weather, night vision flying that can apply 105mm howizter, 30 or 40mm cannon and chain gun fire for sustained steel rain from above? Rock on Spooky!

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