Night Hunters: The AC-130s and Their Role in US Airpower

5. Expansion of the AC-130 Fleet: It Really Was a Surprise Package

78 The Terry, Krause, and Wolverton meeting was highly significant . Terry had played a vital role in the birth of both the AC-47 and the AC-130A, and the others had major supportingroles .Soitisnotsurprisingthattheymadesuchanimportant impact on the future of the AC-130 fleet. The direct result of their meeting was an agreement to reconfigure another JC-130, specifically T/N 56–0490, into the Surprise Package or Night Stalker. Constructed under a program known as Pave Pronto, the new gunship was, in fact, the eighth production model AC-130A. Ultimately, Pave Pronto would also lead to the reconfiguration of ten more A models nicknamed Plain Jane. While some called all of these eleven planes Surprise Package, the original aircraft was unique enough that it was in reality the only Surprise Package.1 The aircraft the group conceived had increased standoff range, better night targeting equipment, two 20mm Gatling guns, two 40mm Bofors antiaircraft-type guns to replace the 7.62mm miniguns, improved LLLTV and infrared radar, a more powerful 2-killowatt illuminator to pinpoint tactical targets, and the new Pave Way I laser designator. Officials designated an eighth JC-130A for this upgrade, and rather than award a contract to a private company, Reamer recommended to AFSC commander Gen. James Ferguson that Surprise Package be built in the ASD shops as a highpriority project. Ferguson approved the proposal, as did the Air Staff and PACAF and TAC commanders. So popular was the proposal that the CINCPACAF asked that the aircraft be available by November 15, 1969. On September 2, 1969, Air Force Chief of Staff General Ryan directed Ferguson to begin the program. He declared: “Your engineers are to be 5 Expansion of the AC-130 Fleet It Really Was a Surprise Package EXPANSION OF THE AC-130 FLEET | 79 commended for evolving an inventive and unique proposal to counter a potentially serious threat to our gunship operations.”2 Concurrently, Ryan also expressed his concern over enemy AAA threats and declared that he favored the addition of the 40mm Bofors to the AC-130s so they could fire from higher altitudes. Ultimately, officials projected the program cost at $1.5 million. Most believed it was a bargain at any price.3 Throughout the life of the program, making and keeping to deadlines proved much more difficult than anyone expected. Considering past tardiness with regard to all but the first gunship conversion program, perhaps no one should have been surprised at future delays. In the end, ASD personnel worked day and night shifts to keep the project as close to schedule as possible. Wolverton had daily meetings with subcontractors; Krause spearheaded the integration of the infrared radar, LLLTV, and other high-tech components , while Terry directed the engineers and ASD shop personnel regarding all the subsystems.4 One of the thorniest issues proved to be the installation of the 40mm guns. Originally built as naval AAA prior to World War II, they had never been designed to fire downward or in an airplane flying at four thousand to twelve thousand feet. Engineers had to completely redesign gun mounts from ones that had held 20mm Gatling guns to ones that would hold the much heavier 40mm cannons. Once that was accomplished, they took the aircraft to Eglin Surprise Package. 80 | CHAPTER 5 AFB, Florida, for initial testing. The firing tests on the ground caused a crack to form under the left wing. Eventually experts discovered this only occurred on the ground, and once airborne, the problem did not replicate itself. This proved to be a great relief, especially for designers and schedulers.5 By October 27, 1969, the aircraft was ready for systems testing, which was scheduled to last from October 28 to November 15, 1969. It was delayed by severe bad weather at Eglin AFB and slow equipment deliveries. Once testing began, the results were better than expected, and General Ferguson recommended to General Ryan that Surprise Package be deployed as soon as a crew could be gathered. On November 17, Ryan directed that the new AC-130 be sent to Southeast Asia for combat evaluation. In the end, the modification program was an overall success, producing an extremely lethal weapon system . For his part Major Terry received the Dr. Harold Brown Award of 1969 for “professional leadership, skill, and energy which played such an important part in making the deployment possible.”6 On November 25, 1969, Surprise...