View Full Version : The 1st AC-130U Spooky gunship
Snaquebite
02-01-2007, 21:21
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123039626
2/1/2007 - HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. (AFNEWS) -- Spooky is about to get a little scarier.
Crews at Hurlburt Field have put the finishing touches on the first AC-130U Spooky gunship armed with the 30 mm Bushmaster cannon. The rearmed Spooky retains its 105 mm cannon but replaces the 25 mm and 40 mm guns with Bushmasters......
x SF med
02-02-2007, 07:51
Sweet!! Both Spooky and Spectre will be rearmed. Good news for our guys on the ground, not so good news for the Bad guys on the ground.
I'm glad to see they've kept the Spooky name. I have photos of the original Spooky - an AC-119 Flying Boxcar I saw at Bien Hoa Air Force Base in 1972, complete with FLIR dome, a pair of 40mm and a trio of 7.62mm pointing out the left side. I'll look and see if I can find the pics and post them here.
CPTAUSRET
02-02-2007, 08:39
Saw a lot of "Spooky's" in Viet Nam, mid 60's, we would sometimes respond to the same Americans in distress calls...a few times we would relieve each other on station, awesome amount of firepower!
Roguish Lawyer
02-02-2007, 08:51
I had a great time checking out the old aircraft at Hurlburt a while back. There is a thread somewhere on here with pics . . .
Here is the thread:
http://www.professionalsoldiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3056
Sionnach
02-02-2007, 10:07
The Marine Corps is looking at a 30 mm airburst round that could possibly be a good capability for us sometime in the future
It would be nice if they could refit the M2/3 IFV's with this. Airburst would play hell with troops in the open, and would be a nice option for the Mech Daddy types. :lifter
The Reaper
02-02-2007, 10:20
It would be nice if they could refit the M2/3 IFV's with this. Airburst would play hell with troops in the open, and would be a nice option for the Mech Daddy types. :lifter
It might if the M2/M3 had a 30mm gun.
TR
Sionnach
02-02-2007, 10:44
Roger, TR, I wasn't very clear in my statement.
I meant to question if it is possible to refit the 25mm gun currently in the M2/M3 with the 30mm gun to take advantage of the new rounds being developed. It's my understanding that the 30mm is derived from the 25mm Bushmaster, and according to navweaps.com, "[t]he larger 30 mm Bushmaster II incorporates 70 percent of the logistic parts used in the 25 mm M242 Bushmaster."
I like the idea of standardizing on weapons systems where it makes sense in order to simplify supply chain management and to take advantage of economies of scale.
incommin
02-02-2007, 11:14
Airborne Gun Ships have come a long way from the mid 60's AC-47's called Puff....
Jim
BMT (RIP)
02-02-2007, 12:07
You would be surprised the number of VN era callsign's still used by the AF.
BMT
There was program on the military channel about the AC-130. Obviously, watching on tv is nothing like seeing it in action; never the less, I was impressed right down to my toes.
It's going to be repeated on 2.27 @ 10AM
CDRODA396
02-02-2007, 15:53
I hope that this isnt a case of fixing something that isnt broken...the 40mm is pretty darn accurate and effective!
If its an improvement, look out! If it's someone's better idea, not completely thought out and tested, evaluated for its performance, not whose congressional district the gun is built in, it would be a bad thing.