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

16. Recent Events, Modifi cations, and Policy Decisions

270 As America’s role as occupier and rebuilder evolved in both Iraq and Afghanistan, the Spectre and the Spooky II, or “U-Boat,” both faced new challenges on the battlefield, most notable increasingly sophisticated and mobile SAMs. This problem led the Air Force to initiate programs to upgrade not only the survival systems and tactics but also the armament of both variants. One of the primary changes was the replacement of the 20mm Gatling guns with a single 25mm GAU-12 Gatling gun capable of firing eighteen hundred rounds per minute. While the 40mm M2A1 Bofors cannon remained, its gun mount and other ancillary components were upgraded to provide an increased life cycle and improved firing rate. The M137A1 105mm cannon, originally derived from the Army’s M1A1 howitzer, was also enhanced in the same manner to again improve its reliability and maintainability.1 The main reason for these changes, especially the replacement of the 20mm, came from the need to fly at higher altitudes in order to survive attacks by enemy antiaircraft weapons. At higher altitudes it was harder to hit the AC-130s. With their better sensors and weapons, they could still fire withrelativeaccuracyandeffectiveness.However,the25mm rounds still have destructive power when they hit a target from high altitudes, whereas the 20mm round was often spent by the time it did. This was significant, since the 20mm guns had been removed from the AC-130Hs in the 1990s because from higher altitudes their rounds also tumbled, which affected proper aiming and detonation of the projectile . Of course, the U-Boats came with the 25mm already on them.2 According to the JCS’s SOF reference manual, the AC-130 16 Recent Events, Modifications, and Policy Decisions RECENT EVENTS | 271 gunships still operate pretty much as they always have. Today, the U model is manned by thirteen crew members, including the pilot, copilot, navigator, fire control officer, EW officer, flight engineer, loadmaster, all light-level TV (ALLTV) sensor operator, IR detection sensor operator, and four gunners. The H model has the same crew except for an additional gunner. The H has a lowlight -level TV (LLLTV) instead of the more modern ALLTV. The H has a range of thirteen hundred nautical miles, and the U, twenty-two hundred. Standard operating procedures call for the gunships to fly outside the target area or lethal envelope to reduce exposure to enemy ground antiaircraft weapons unless they are providing continuous surveillance. They become increasingly vulnerable the longer they spend over the target, since they lose the element of surprise and risk the chance that the enemy might accidentally gain target acquisition on them. The AC-130U, employing its APQ-180 radar, can reliably deliver its ordnance during adverse weather, while the AC-130H has a more limited adverse weather capability. Under ideal circumstances, if a ground controller is present, the crew can correct the AC-130U gunfire for target , range, and magnetic bearing, while a ground controller is almost always necessary to help the AC-130H during poor weather. Their visual sensors are most negatively affected by fog, haze, smoke, and clouds.3 During most standard operations, marking devices help identify friendly forces, improve fire support responsiveness, and limit the time the gunship is exposed to enemy acquisition. During instrument meteorological conditions, beacons become the only way for the AC-130H to locate friendly positions. On the other hand, radar-reflective items may be used with the AC-130U radar. These are line-of-sight methods and are generally employed when using offset firing modes. These beacon and reference point offsets extend 800–900 miles. Offset firing is not as accurate as direct firing, so it is usually used in poor weather conditions with the ground commander or team leader calling misses and corrections to the aircraft. Naturally, the shorter the offset distance , the more accurate the weapon. The AC-130U can track the PPN-19 and SST-181 beacons using the strike radar. The AC-130H can track the PPN-19 and SST-181 and also the PRD-7880 tactical electromagnetic impulse generator (TEMIG) and personal locator system beacons.4 The AC-130s remain the best low-threat, night CAS weapon system in the Air Force inventory. They provide surgically accurate fire support with minimal collateral damage and are capable of remaining on station for extended periods of time. Their visual sensors and radar provide real-time reconnaissance over the target area, and unlike other fixed-wing aircraft, the...