AC-130U Spooky
Continuing the distinguished combat history of side-firing AC-130 gunships, the new AC-130U Spectre gunship was fielded as a replacement for the AC-130A aircraft and to supplement the AC-130H gunship fleet. Its mission is to support conventional and joint special operations forces any time, any place. The AC-130U Gunship program initially consisted of 13 [later 17] new Lockheed C-130H airframes, modified by Boeing, which assumed responsibility for the AC-130U contract when it merged with the Rockwell Corporation, the original contractor on the program. The modifications allow the aircraft to perform the full range of special operations and conventional gunships missions. It provides surgical firepower, night and adverse weather operations, and extended loiter time on target in Special Operations Forces (SOF) and conventional roles. The AC-130U is named for the AC-47D and has the "Spooky" nickname rather than the "Spectre" nickname used by all other AC-130 gunships.
The AC-130U was armed with a 25mm Gatling-gun (capable of firing 1800 rounds per minute), a single-barrel, rapid-fire 40mm Bofors cannon, and a 105mm Howitzer. The AC-130U replaced the two 20mm cannon used on the AC-130H with one trainable 25mm cannon while retaining the other weapons. The AC-130U employs the latest technologies and can attack two targets simultaneously.
The U-model gunship is one of the most complex aircraft weapon systems in the world today, containing more than 609,000 lines of software in its mission computers and avionics systems. Although it still uses the venerable Lockheed C-130 airframe, the AC-130U incorporates the latest sensor technology, along with an entirely new fire-control system, to substantially increase the gunship's combat effectiveness. The fire control system offers a dual-target attack capability, whereby two targets up to one kilometer apart can be simultaneously engaged by two different sensors, using two different guns. All light-level television, infrared sensors, and the Hughes APQ-180 radar (also found on the F-15E Strike Eagle) provide night and adverse weather capability. The strike radar provides the first gunship capability for all weather/night target acquisition and strike.
The AC-130U is an excellent platform for working at night. The pilots are proficient with NVGs and the AC-130 carries various systems for working in the dark including FLIR, and LLTV. It has an LST and two laser designators, although these systems cannot be cued to each other. The APQ-180 fire control radar gives the AC-130 an adverse weather capability. They orbit at approximately 5,000-10,000? AGL around a target area in a 5 nm arc. AC-130U strengths include an excellent loiter time of up to 4 ½ hours. It is a superior platform for Troops in Contact (TIC), and is best used at night to optimize all of its sensors. It also has a superior communications suite. AC-130U weaknesses include decreased maneuverability and survivability in a high tech surface-to-air threat environment. It is a large target with slow speed and should not be used in a high threat environment in daylight. It also has a wide orbit pattern.
All weapons can be slaved to sensors which permit night or adverse weather operations. The AC-130U is a highly integrated weapons system. Within the AC-130U resides the Battle Management Center (BMC) where crew coordination is critical to the success of their missions. This BMC consists of five crew stations which are the Navigator (Nav), Fire Control Officer (FCO), Electronic Warfare Officer (EWO) and two Sensor Operators who control the Infrared Detection Set (IDS) and the All Light Level Television (ALLTV) systems.
To enhance survivability, emphasis has been placed on increasing the stand-off range of the gunship's weapons system and improving first-shot accuracy. In addition, a set of electronic countermeasures has been installed to help defend the AC-130U against modern threats. The AC-130U gunship airframe is integrated with an armor protection system (APS).
The 16th Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field received two AC-130U aircraft in mid-1996, giving the Wing a total of 12 AC-130U aircraft. This resulted in an increase of 87 full-time military manpower authorizations.
In August 1998 elements of the 4th Special Operations Squadron from a deployment in the Bosnia-Herzegovina area of operations. During the deployment, the AC-130U Spooky gunships, flown by the 4th SOS, completed more than 230 flights, providing close air support, interdiction and reconnaissance for U.S. and NATO troops implementing the Dayton Peace Accords.
Two 4 SOS AC-130U Spectre gunships arrived at Taegu AB, South Korea, 24 October 1997, following a 36-hour nonstop mission from Hurlburt Field, Florida. The mission brought members of the 4 SOS to participate in Foal Eagle 1997, an annual Joint Chiefs of Staff exercise held throughout South Korea. Members of the 6 SOS, the FID squadron, also participated.
Throughout 1998 AFSOC maintained a constant CSAR alert posture as part of Operation JOINT GUARD, with aircraft and personnel rotating from the 16 SOW and 352 SOG to San Vito, Italy on a routine basis. This role increased significantly in March 1999 during the crisis in Kosovo and Operation ALLIED FORCE. Operation ALLIED FORCE witnessed the employment of the AC-130U to provide armed reconnaissance. All told, AFSOC’s special operators and aircraft played a significant role in bringing the conflict in Kosovo to an end.
