marks a shift in AFSOC’s gunship operations, as well. The Spooky IIs, which entered service in 1995, are the last of the Air Force’s old school AC-130 gunships with a five-barrel 25mmGAU-12/UGatling cannon, asingle-barrel 40mm Boforscannon, anda 105mm howitzeras their only...
Because of C-130A airframe limitations, a new program was incorporated using the low-time C-130E as the basis for the gunship conversion. Eleven C-130Es were converted featuring the same equipment and armament as the “Pave Pronto” AC-130A, and become known as the “Pave Spectre” AC-1...
The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) developed and installed the modular Precision Strike Package (PSP) for the aircraft. The armament kits under the PSP include a 30mm GAU-23 automatic side firing chain gun, a 105mm cannon, and Standoff Precision Guided Munitions (SOPGM) comp...
GROUND ATTACK CLOSE-AIR SUPPORT AIRBORNE EARLY WARNING RECONNAISSANCE SPECIAL FORCES Recognition Some designs stand the test of time while others are doomed to never advance beyond the drawing board; let history be their judge.