AC-X Replacement Gunship
In late December 2001 a Department of Defense Program Budget Decision (PBD) called for purchasing at least eight additional AC-130U Spooky gunships, and initiating work on a possible replacement gunship aircraft. The PBD added funding to accelerate and fully fund an Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration for the AC(X) aircraft. The AC(X) could be either a further upgrade to the existing AC-130 an entirely new follow-on system. At that time formal procurement program for the AC(X) was expected to begin in Fiscal Year 2005 (FY05) [this had not happened as of early 2008].
Special operators wanted the new gunship, or AC-X, to be much smaller than a C-130, with fewer crew members. They want it to be stealthy, with the speed and maneuverability of a long-range jet fighter. They want it equipped with directed energy weapons and non-lethal technologies, and it should be able to engage targets from any angle-above and below, front and back.
The USSOCOM Advanced Technology Development program conducts rapid prototyping and Advanced Technology Demonstrations (ATD). It provides a means for demonstrating and evaluating the utility of emerging/advanced technologies in as realistic an operational environment as possible by SOF users. The FY03 plan was to participate in SOF C4I, Mobility, Weapons, and Sustainment ATDs; manage the Advanced Tactical Laser Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD); and continue the AC-X Analysis of Alternatives. Aircraft Experimentation (AC-X) was intended to develop and explore the emerging technologies for the next generation of the AC-130 gunship. The budget request included $55.5 millino for the AC-X Gunship Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD). This effort will initiate an Advanced Tactical Laser ACTD. The overall intent is to understand the military need, provide preliminary concepts of operation for a directed energy weapon on the battlefield to support the warfighter, and assess the military utility based on the ACTD demonstration.
As of 2005 the US Marine Corps was working to develop an advanced Gunship Advanced Combined Arms Weapons Suite [GACAWS] capability that is compatible with any Marine Corps tactical gunship platform. The GACAWS suite will constitute an advanced combined arms firepower capability that integrates a variety of advanced nonkinetic and conventional kinetic weapons (DEW & KEW) capabilities for the flexible and effective application of force in support of the MAGTF across the full spectrum of projected 21st Century conflict.
This included USMC support of work to develop High Energy Laser (HEL) Weapons that generate Ultra Violet (UV), Optical, and Infrared (IR) wavelength ultra-short pulse, short pulse and/or continuous wave (CW) coherent laser energy are needed. This includes HEL sources that focus on all-electric solid state (SS) and high power fiber optic laser (FOL) technologies of 1 KW average power or greater, that are frequency agile, that can alternately produce both high average or high peak power. HEL weapons systems should be scalable and adaptable to various vehicle, tactical gunship and sea-based platforms. Options should include phase-locked fiber optic arrays for platform topological conformity. Conventional optical apertures should all benefit from adaptive optics to optimize atmospheric propagation and maximize energy delivered to target.
