Tuesday, August 21, 2007

AC-130H 'Spectre' gunship

The AC-130H Spectre gunship is one of my favourite military aircraft. I just love the concept! Combination of artillery and aircraft!

First some data:

Primary

Function:
Close air support, air interdiction and force protection
Builder: Lockheed/Boeing Corp.
Power Plant: Four Allison T56-A-15 turboprop engines
Thrust: 4,910 shaft horsepower each engine
Length: 97 feet, 9 inches (29.8 meters)
Height: 38 feet, 6 inches (11.7 meters)
Wingspan: 132 feet, 7 inches (40.4 meters)
Speed: 300 mph (Mach .4) (at sea level)
Range: Approximately 1,300 nautical miles; unlimited with air refueling.
Ceiling: 25,000 feet (7,576 meters
Maximum Take-off Weight: 155,000 pounds (69,750 kilograms)
Armament: AC-130H: 40mm and 105mm cannons; AC-130U: 40mm and 105mm cannons and 25mm Gatling gun. AC-130Us are being retrofitted with 30mm Mk-44 single barrel cannons in place of the 40mm cannon and the 25mm Gatling gun.
Crew: AC-130U - Five officers (pilot, co-pilot, navigator, fire control officer, electronic warfare officer) and eight enlisted (flight engineer, TV operator, infrared detection set operator, loadmaster, four aerial gunners)
Deployment Date: AC-130H, 1972; AC-130U, 1995
Unit Cost: AC-130H, $132.4 million; AC-130U, $190 million (fiscal 2001 constant dollars)
Inventory: Active duty: AC-130H, 8; AC-130U, 17; Reserve, 0; ANG, 0


Here is a picture:
Here is a video:



This is the kind of firepower you would want to call in, if you have irritating neighbours. This baby can flatten stuff from miles away in the air, that too quite neatly. No messy bombs required. Its 105 mm canon firing from such height gives the round large amounts of kinetic energy. If more precise targeting is required then one can always use the Gatling guns (firing about 600 rounds a minute) with its 25mm calibre or the 40mm canon.

Brings water to my mouth! :D

Check out the video for a demonstration of its fire-power.


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