AC-130 Gunship question

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - AC-130 Gunship question

Posted: 10/8/2007 5:01:47 PM EDT

What altitude do they actually fire/ attack from? If this is classified, let the thread die.

I was just curious, one would think that firing from their ceiling of 25,000 feet would be less accurate than they are, so I'm assuming they go lower to actually attack.

Posted: 10/8/2007 5:05:38 PM EDT

[#1]

Higher than anti-aircraft guns!

Posted: 10/8/2007 5:10:27 PM EDT

[#2]

The published attack envelope is between 5500 and 10500 ft, but I sure wouldn't want to bet my ass on those numbers if I was a AAA gunner.

Posted: 10/8/2007 5:54:20 PM EDT

[#3]

Hey Nlinc. I flew on the AC-130U Spooky Gunships in the USAF, best damn fun I ever had.

The answers to the questions you ask are not "Classified" but deal with OPSEC, Operational Security and as such don't need to be revealed here or anywhere else on the net. "Loose lips sink ships" still applies today as much as it did in WWII.

I will tell you this, if the bad guys are out there on the ground in the night and are breathing/have a pulse my friends still flying the AC-130U and AC-130H will find them and kill them, no matter what their working altitude may be. Our Squadron motto was "You can run but you'll only die tired."

Posted: 10/8/2007 7:03:00 PM EDT

[#4]

The AC-130 scene was probably my favorite part of Transformers. Bring the rain

Posted: 10/8/2007 7:04:55 PM EDT

[#5]

Silence, that is by FAR the sweetest picture i have ever seen!

Posted: 10/8/2007 7:06:53 PM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
The capabilities and exact specs of the AC-130U are classified.

Just out of curiousity, why do you want to know?

He was on another website

some kinda damned motorcycle site (FYYFF)

Posted: 10/8/2007 7:45:46 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
Higher than anti-aircraft guns!

4 AC-130's have been shot down by AAA fire, three by SAMs

6 in Vietnam and 1 in Desert Storm

\/\/ interesting fact: I believe the first C-130 off the line in '56 retired in the 90's.
ETA: I was right, and she was converted to be a AC-130A.

Posted: 10/8/2007 7:47:29 PM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Everybody loves to rag on the USAF, but strangely enough, everybody gets maximum wood from our toys...

Well, duh. Every armchair commando should have the same toys the chairforce has.

I think its mostly because your toys are visible, and new. The navy's coolest toys tend to be, well, underwater. The army's coolest toys are fundamentally unchanged for decades. The marines don't get new toys, they just get handmedowns from the army and navy -- oh, and a new flying machine that can't decide if it wants to be a plane or a helicopter, and in its indecision, tends to kill quantities of our people instead of the enemy.

Nothing says cutting edge and new as an aircraft designed in the early 1950's...!

...

Posted: 10/9/2007 3:24:42 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Higher than anti-aircraft guns!

4 AC-130's have been shot down by AAA fire, three by SAMs

6 in Vietnam and 1 in Desert Storm

\/\/ interesting fact: I believe the first C-130 off the line in '56 retired in the 90's.
ETA: I was right, and she was converted to be a AC-130A.

My BIL died on the one in Desert Storm. The pilot got a medal. If he had survived, he would have been probably court martialed.

Posted: 10/9/2007 3:39:58 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
The AC-130 scene was probably my favorite part of Transformers. Bring the rain

Except they called an AC-130H "Spooky". That pissed off all the AC-130H guys.

Posted: 10/9/2007 4:11:29 AM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
www.military.cz/usa/air/in_service/aircraft/ac130h/AfghaniTornado.jpg

That's a photo of AC-47 fire in Vietnam.

Posted: 10/9/2007 4:18:40 AM EDT

[#12]

When I did land survival at Eglin AFB way back in...ahem...1991, the Specters were night firing every night we were out there.

They were high enough that there was a definite pause between the brrrpppp of firing and the fppppttt thuds of the impacts. Motivating and scary as hell at the same time.

Posted: 10/9/2007 4:22:08 AM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:

Quoted:
The capabilities and exact specs of the AC-130U are classified.

Just out of curiousity, why do you want to know?

I was just curious, the AC-130 is such a cool weapon system

Quoted:
Hey Nlinc. I flew on the AC-130U Spooky Gunships in the USAF, best damn fun I ever had.

The answers to the questions you ask are not "Classified" but deal with OPSEC, Operational Security and as such don't need to be revealed here or anywhere else on the net. "Loose lips sink ships" still applies today as much as it did in WWII.

I will tell you this, if the bad guys are out there on the ground in the night and are breathing/have a pulse my friends still flying the AC-130U and AC-130H will find them and kill them, no matter what their working altitude may be. Our Squadron motto was "You can run but you'll only die tired."

That's what I meant by classified, it's just easier to type and less secretive sounding than a more descriptive alternative.

Aaaaaahuh...

Everybody loves to rag on the USAF, but strangely enough, everybody gets maximum wood from our toys...

There's nothing an operator likes more than having a gunship orbiting, particularly when in contact. SEALs, SF, you name it... they all love the AC-130. Combine that weapon system with a competent JTAC, and you have a thing of great beauty.

Nobody kills people like we do, folks... believe it.

Posted: 10/9/2007 4:50:56 AM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Higher than anti-aircraft guns!

4 AC-130's have been shot down by AAA fire, three by SAMs

6 in Vietnam and 1 in Desert Storm

\/\/ interesting fact: I believe the first C-130 off the line in '56 retired in the 90's.
ETA: I was right, and she was converted to be a AC-130A.

My BIL died on the one in Desert Storm. The pilot got a medal. If he had survived, he would have been probably court martialed.

Merlin, what's the story on that?...If you'd care to tell.

Posted: 10/9/2007 5:05:58 AM EDT

[#15]

I was one of the fortunate few that got to call Spectre for fire many times (13F, peace time, 2nd Ranger Batt). Whenever they came on station they flew at different altitudes. I would hate to be on the receiving end of anything Spectre delivered. We even got to tour one, very impressive, very professional crews.

Sua Sponte,
Prib
(Brewery 40)

Posted: 10/9/2007 6:36:07 AM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Everybody loves to rag on the USAF, but strangely enough, everybody gets maximum wood from our toys...

Well, duh. Every armchair commando should have the same toys the chairforce has.

I think its mostly because your toys are visible, and new. The navy's coolest toys tend to be, well, underwater. The army's coolest toys are fundamentally unchanged for decades. The marines don't get new toys, they just get handmedowns from the army and navy -- oh, and a new flying machine that can't decide if it wants to be a plane or a helicopter, and in its indecision, tends to kill quantities of our people instead of the enemy.

Sigh.
More bullshit.
USMC gets it's own toys and gets to use the Navy's aviation funds.
They have is so rough.

Posted: 10/9/2007 7:38:35 AM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Higher than anti-aircraft guns!

4 AC-130's have been shot down by AAA fire, three by SAMs

6 in Vietnam and 1 in Desert Storm

\/\/ interesting fact: I believe the first C-130 off the line in '56 retired in the 90's.
ETA: I was right, and she was converted to be a AC-130A.

My BIL died on the one in Desert Storm. The pilot got a medal. If he had survived, he would have been probably court martialed.

Merlin, what's the story on that?...If you'd care to tell.

IIRC the pilot ignored an order to leave the area as the sun started to come up. Once it got light the Iraqis could see it and put a SAM into it.

Posted: 10/9/2007 8:52:13 AM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:

Quoted:
My BIL died on the one in Desert Storm. The pilot got a medal. If he had survived, he would have been probably court martialed.

Merlin,
I was flying on an AC-130U Spooky Gunship that did a memorial service for Spirit-03. We were orbiting over Kafji at the exact time and date that Spirit-03 was shot down, I believe that we did this in 1999, I'm not sure. It was was eerie to be there as the sun came up, we all felt very exposed. Our deployed Mission Commander made a speech and read the names of the crew on board Spirit-03. As soon as the time arrived that they'd been shot down a bagpiper on board started playing Taps and our Loadmaster and Lead Gunner threw a wreath out of the back of our Gunship.

Somewhere at my house I have a copy of the ceremony on video, I can send you a copy if you'd like. It may take a little while as I'm currently deployed overseas, maybe 4 to 5 weeks.

This is exactly why Arfcom kicks ASS compared to other gun site forums!

Posted: 10/9/2007 10:40:19 AM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Higher than anti-aircraft guns!

4 AC-130's have been shot down by AAA fire, three by SAMs

6 in Vietnam and 1 in Desert Storm

\/\/ interesting fact: I believe the first C-130 off the line in '56 retired in the 90's.
ETA: I was right, and she was converted to be a AC-130A.

My BIL died on the one in Desert Storm. The pilot got a medal. If he had survived, he would have been probably court martialed.

Merlin, what's the story on that?...If you'd care to tell.

IIRC the pilot ignored an order to leave the area as the sun started to come up. Once it got light the Iraqis could see it and put a SAM into it.

Posterchild, what Spade wrote is what I recall what my father and mother told me several years ago. They were pretty angry because the pilot had a very similiar reputation to the Fairchild B-52 pilot (everyone here remembers that one, right?). He violated a direct order and made one more pass and they got shot down. The difference being that this occured during a war and more people died.

When they finally recovered the bodies (the plane was shot down near the start and recovered after it was over (several weeks/months later?)) all they recovered was several ounces of material.

I never met my BIL and heard all this years later.

Posted: 10/9/2007 10:41:13 AM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:

Quoted:
My BIL died on the one in Desert Storm. The pilot got a medal. If he had survived, he would have been probably court martialed.

Merlin,
I was flying on an AC-130U Spooky Gunship that did a memorial service for Spirit-03. We were orbiting over Kafji at the exact time and date that Spirit-03 was shot down, I believe that we did this in 1999, I'm not sure. It was was eerie to be there as the sun came up, we all felt very exposed. Our deployed Mission Commander made a speech and read the names of the crew on board Spirit-03. As soon as the time arrived that they'd been shot down a bagpiper on board started playing Taps and our Loadmaster and Lead Gunner threw a wreath out of the back of our Gunship.

Somewhere at my house I have a copy of the ceremony on video, I can send you a copy if you'd like. It may take a little while as I'm currently deployed overseas, maybe 4 to 5 weeks.

Yes, I would like a copy very much. I have a place where I can put it on the web for you and for my sister and Mom.

Thanks,

Merlin

ETA: PM sent, thanks.

Posted: 10/9/2007 11:20:13 AM EDT

[#21]

I've had the pleasure of seeing the beast in action up close and personal here in Iraq. Got to witness one bring down hell from the 105s for about 10 minutes. Even through my M1114 with CVCs on the concussion as each shell landed shook the truck. It feels like a barrage of daisy-chained IEDs going off continuously. I always get excited when I hear we have one on station.

Posted: 10/9/2007 12:06:10 PM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
I've had the pleasure of seeing the beast in action up close and personal here in Iraq. Got to witness one bring down hell from the 105s for about 10 minutes. Even through my M1114 with CVCs on the concussion as each shell landed shook the truck. It feels like a barrage of daisy-chained IEDs going off continuously. I always get excited when I hear we have one on station.

I would have loved to have seen that! The whole concept of 105s direct fired from an airplane just intrigues me.

Posted: 10/9/2007 1:27:20 PM EDT

[#23]

I've been up in the platform while firing, but I've never seen the results from the ground. It's pretty impressive even from up there.

A friend of mine was a AFSOC JTAC, and served in Iraq. He's not easily impressed, and even he spoke of how intimidating/impressive it was to be on the ground, danger-close, and having Spooky open up.

He had to do call them in one time from a rooftop in an urban area. The fire from the gunship saved their ass, but even he admitted it was damned hairy (not to mention nearly deafening) to be sitting there, heads down, and having the 130 tear up everything around them. It was intimidating... and they weren't even the target.

As far as close-air-support goes, the precision, armament, and loiter time of the AC-130 are basically unmatched.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - AC-130 Gunship question

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