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

Contents

List of Illustrations viii Preface ix Introduction 1 1 The Origins of the US Fixed-Wing Gunships in Vietnam 5 2 The AC-119G/K Gunship Program: An Overview 16 3 A Wondrous Variety: Moving Towards the Spectre 29 4 Final Production and Deployment; Operations in Vietnam 55 5 Expansion of the AC-130 Fleet: It Really Was a Surprise Package 78 6 Development and Deployment of the New AC-130s 94 7 The War Grinds On 113 8 Linebacker I and II: America’s Involvement Winds Down 131 9 “Goodbye Vietnam!”: The AC-130s Transition 143 10 AC-130s and the Birth of US Special Operations Command 168 11 The Early 1990s: The Persian Gulf to Somalia 182 12 The Late 1990s: Repair, Upgrade, and a New Model 207 13 AC-130s on the Fringes: Kosovo and Operation Allied Force 221 14 Operation Enduring Freedom 236 15 Operation Iraqi Freedom 251 16 Recent Events, Modifications, and Policy Decisions 270 Conclusion: Some Final Thoughts about the Night Hunters 293 Notes 311 Glossary of Acronyms 361 Bibliography 367 Index 397 Contents ...