The Lockheed/Boeing AC-130 gun-ships were first used in combat during the Vietnam War where they are claimed to have destroyed in excess of 10,000 trucks, the AC-130H Pave Spectre and the newer AC-130U Spooky are the gunship versions currently in service with US military forces. The AC-130H Pave Spectre is a joint venture by Lockheed and Boeing, it is based on Lockheed's C-130 Hercules airframe with the addition of heavy side firing armament with fire control by a combination of radar, video and infrared sensors. The AC-130H Pave Spectre is able to supply long duration targeted firepower or area saturation accurate navigation data provided by both inertial navigation and Global Positioning systems. AC-130 gunships have been deployed by the US in Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, Somalia, Bosnia-Herzegovina,
Sarajevo, Albania, Iraq and Afghanistan. AC-130H Pave Spectre Specifications: - Crew: Pilot, co-pilot, navigator, fire control officer, electronic warfare officer, flight engineer, TV operator, infrared detection set operator, loadmaster, four aerial gunners.
- Length: 97 ft 9 in (29.8 m)
- Wingspan: 132 ft 7 in (40.4 m)
- Height: 38 ft 6 in (11.7 m)
- Wing area: 531.824 ft² (162.1 m²)
- Max loaded weight: 155,000 lb (70,308 kg)
- Engines: Four 4,508 shp (3,362 kW) Allison T56-A-15 turboprops
- Maximum speed: 362 mph (583 km/h)
- Range: 2,238 mi (3,600 km)
- Service ceiling: 18,000 ft (5,485 m)
Armament: - Twin 20 mm M61A1 six-barrelled, 6000 rounds per minute, link-less feed Vulcan cannon
- Single L60 40 mm, 120 rounds per minute, Bofors cannon
- Single 105 mm (4.13 in) M102 Howitzer
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