The Lockheed AC-130 is a heavily armed ground attack variant of the C-130 transport aircraft. It carries a variety of weapons like guns, cannons, and missiles integrated with advanced sensors to provide precision firepower against targets. The AC-130 has seen several upgrades over the years to improve its weapons and sensors. It is crewed by 13 personnel and can remain airborne for long periods while engaging targets.

1. LOCKHEED AC-130 - HEAVILY ARMED GROUND-ATTACK AIRCRAFT

2. INTRODUCTION
• The Lockheed AC-130 gunship is a heavily armed ground-attack aircraft variant of the C-130
Hercules transport plane.
• The basic airframe is manufactured by Lockheed, while Boeing is responsible for the conversion
into a gunship and for aircraft support.
• The AC-130A Gunship II superseded the AC-47 Gunship I during the Vietnam War.
• The gunship's sole user is the United States Air Force, which uses AC-130H Spectre, AC-130U
Spooky, AC-130J Ghostrider, and AC-130W Stinger II variants for close air support, air
interdiction and force protection.
• Close air support roles include supporting ground troops, escorting convoys, and flying urban
operations.

4. DESIGN
• The AC-130 is a heavily armed long-endurance aircraft carrying an array of anti-ground oriented
weapons that are integrated with sophisticated sensors, navigation, and fire control systems.
• It is capable of delivering precision firepower or area-saturation fire over a target area over a
long period of time, at night or in adverse weather.
• The sensor suite consists of a television sensor, infrared sensor, and radar.
• These sensors allow the gunship to visually or electronically identify friendly ground forces and
targets in most weather conditions.
• The AC-130U is equipped with the AN/APQ-180, a synthetic aperture radar for long-range target
detection and identification.
• The gunship's navigational devices include inertial navigation systems and a Global Positioning
System.

6. UPGRADES
• The Black Crow system was slaved into the targeting computers of the AC-130A/E/H, enabling the
detection of the unshielded ignition coils of North Vietnamese trucks hidden under dense jungle
foliage, typical along the Ho Chi Minh trail.
• It could also detect hand-held transmitter signals of air controllers on the ground to identify and
locate targets.
• The PGM-38/U Enhanced 25 mm High Explosive Incendiary (HEI) round was created to expand
the AC-130U gunships' mission in standoff range and survivability for its 25 mm GAU-12/U gun
system.
• This round is a combination of the existing PGU-25 HEI and a M758 fuze designated as FMU-
151/B to meet the MIL-STD-1316.
• The FMU-151 has an improved arming delay with multi-sensitive range.

8. SPECIFICATIONS
• Crew: 13
• Officers: 5
• 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: 1745.5 ft² (162.2 m²)
• Loaded weight: 122,400 lb (55,520 kg)
• Max. takeoff weight: 155,000 lb (69,750 kg)

10. PERFORMANCE
• Maximum speed: 260 knots (300 mph, 480 km/h)
• Range: 2,200 nm (2,530 mi, 4,070 km)
• Service ceiling: 30,000 ft (9,100 m)

12. REFERENCES
• http://www.airforceworld.com/attacker/eng/ac130-usaf-1.htm
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_AC-130#Avionics

13. THANK YOU