"A hail from heaven": how does the "flying artillery" of the USA work

Aircraft Lockheed AC-130 Specter is a real "flying artillery battery." Its main function is the direct support of ground forces.

In total, almost 100 of various modifications of the AC-130 were developed, which differ from each other in the set of weapons and EW systems. At the moment, the US Army has a 21 unit of such aircraft. All of them are assigned to the Special Operations Command.

Of these, 8 airplanes are AC-130H, each of which is armed with two 20-mm Vulcan type guns, 40-mm L60 gun, and also 105-mm M102 gun. Three more aircraft version of the AC-130U equipped with the same weapons, with the exception of "Volcanoes". Instead, they installed one 25-mm air cannon GAU-12 / U.

AC-130 is equipped with a variety of locators and sights, allowing you to strike at any time of the day.

Comments

[NF68]

Of these, 8 airplanes are AC-130H, each of which is armed with two 20-mm Vulcan type guns, 40-mm L60 gun, and also 105-mm M102 gun. Three more aircraft version of the AC-130U equipped with the same weapons, with the exception of "Volcanoes". Instead, they installed one 25-mm air cannon GAU-12 / U.

Not armed Papuans drive at all?

[Igar]

They took the "Vagnerovtsy" Papuans called them ...

[NF68]

Quote: IGAR

They took the "Vagnerovtsy" Papuans called them ...

Wagnerites may have MANPADS. Or perhaps something even more serious than MANPADS. If the Americans will famously strike at low altitudes, then not only small arms, but also RPGs can be used.

[Igar]

In the sense of "may"? Why talk about what could be if this was not?
By the way, the effective altitude for the AC-130 is just 1,5 km. But about the RPG is certainly funny)

[NF68]

Quote: IGAR

In the sense of "may"? Why talk about what could be if this was not?

Have you personally been with the Wagnerites if you unequivocally affirm what was not there?

[Igar]

I, as well as you, are based on data in the network. Have you heard of the use of MANPADS during events?

[bulvas]

Can anyone still doubt that the USA is a colonial empire?

US weapons are primarily designed to keep colonies in check

[NF68]

Quote: IGAR

I, as well as you, are based on data in the network. Have you heard of the use of MANPADS during events?

I know from press reports that the use of MANPADS by terrorists cannot be ruled out and I completely agree with this assumption.

[3danimal]

AC-130 can operate from a height above 3 km, invulnerable to MANPADS. Replacing the 20mm Vulcan with the 25mm GAU-12 contributes to this.
And the infantry without serious self-propelled air defense systems becomes targets in the sight of the thermal imager.

[Vard]

Weapons against the Papuans ... Slowly flying in an arc ... At a low altitude ... If you wish, you can shoot down without really bothering ...

[Thunderbolt]

For 20 of this, no one has succeeded so far, although it is actively used in Afghanistan and the BV.

[Flies]

Where does such confidence in this wunderwaffle come from?
For starters, at least it would be worth opening a Wikipedia.
Downed from the ground: 5 in Vietnam and 1 in Kuwait. Plus non-combat ..

[bulvas]

Quote: Thunderbolt

For 20 of this, no one has succeeded so far, although it is actively used in Afghanistan and the BV.

It seems that your knowledge of history does not go deeper than Afghanistan in this century.

In Vietnam, their use was limited after the USSR delivered air defense systems there, several of these cars were shot down, and the Americans felt that the losses were too expensive

Although you are right, in countries without normal weapons, these machines are very useful.
For this, they were created by the US colonial empire

[tchoni]

Quote: bulvas

Quote: Thunderbolt

For 20 of this, no one has succeeded so far, although it is actively used in Afghanistan and the BV.

It seems that your knowledge of history does not go deeper than Afghanistan in this century.

In Vietnam, their use was limited after the USSR delivered air defense systems there, several of these cars were shot down, and the Americans felt that the losses were too expensive

Although you are right, in countries without normal weapons, these machines are very useful.
For this, they were created by the US colonial empire

Nevertheless, they did not completely abandon the ganships. Even after the losses. For there is a niche where ganships are irreplaceable - it is patrolling and limiting the enemy’s re-supply. They would have found work both in Ichkeria at the time, and in Syria, I think, they would have been nice to restrict the movement of barmales in the desert at night.

[andrew42]

As for Ichkeria, I would not get excited. Rugged mountainous terrain. moreover, with forest vegetation - a good help for ambushes with MANPADS - it’s more difficult to detect at times.

[3danimal]

An S-75 was shot down in Vietnam. For a second, there is no doubt about the ability of this complex to shoot down Ganship. What about MANPADS and RPGs at flight altitudes above 3 km?

[3danimal]

At an altitude of 3 km from an RPG ??

[Micfoster]

Well, why only the Papuans. He can shoot a fighter from his entire arsenal. Two seconds. Probably.

[NF68]

Quote: Micfoster

Well, why only the Papuans. He can shoot a fighter from his entire arsenal. Two seconds. Probably.

At the same time, the fighter pilot should be completely stupid to substitute. And for a fighter, this fat man will be a very good target.

[Simon]

I wonder how these batteries will fight against our C-400? I think that this crowd of loaders will not have time to reload their guns. In principle, we reload all the machines do

[Prometey]

Quote: Simon

I wonder how these batteries will fight against our C-400?

And why should they go head-on in air defense? S-400 will be crushed by other aircraft.

[NF68]

Quote: Simon

I wonder how these batteries will fight against our C-400? I think that this crowd of loaders will not have time to reload their guns. In principle, we reload all the machines do

Not so many Americans are fools so that under the C-400 mlm even under the C-300 they substitute their transporters. It’s one thing to drive Papuans with bows and spears from one palm to another and it’s quite another thing if the same Papuans will be able to use small arms and even RPGs even without any MANPADS.

[3danimal]

It sounds too harmless "from one palm to another."
What happens to the former Karpov beret, who was recruited into a PMC and sent under fire from Ganship, when a 40mm shrapnel shell explodes near him? Or 105mm in a group of 5 people? The same as with everyone.

[3danimal]

These aircraft work against infantry and armored vehicles, with air supremacy and missing / suppressed air defense.

[BISMARCK94]

Smart device

[inkass_98]

And then. Especially in movies, it looks good in video games.

[inkass_98]

If the link does not work, then here is the result:

[Lind]

And what kind of movie?)

[inkass_98]

"Olympus Has Fallen".
Music, of course, is not from there, it is amateur performances.

[Vivan]

The Americans first used the AC-130 “flying artillery” in Vietnam and South Laos in 1971 to destroy North Vietnamese trucks transporting military cargo to South Vietnam at night on the so-called “Ho Chi Minh trail”. At first, the Americans achieved tangible results, the North Vietnamese began to build detachments of suicide bombers, and while the AS-130 were chasing separate cars, the bulk of the trucks went along other routes. During 1972, the North Vietnamese managed to shoot down 4 AS-130s (2 with 37 mm anti-aircraft guns, 1 with the S-75 Dvina missile system and 1 with the Igla portable missile system):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCR2YDVb3bs

[Vard]

In Afghanistan, when landing, one was shot down from an anti-tank gun ...

[bratchanin3]

At first glance, it’s a great idea to fight with shepherds at night, but even shepherds can have MANPADS or TORs from Russia.

[3danimal]

We read the characteristics of the main MANPADS in terms of target height restrictions.

[andrew42]

Machine "firing squad." These are all said.

[Ilya_Nsk]

Drive this thing only Papuans .. Simple "Shilka" from it sieve for 3 km. will do, and even “tunguska” even more so .. From a pair of “Eagles” (“Arrows”) catharsis will happen to him.

[Charik]

and he cannot work on Shilka with a caliber?

[iggrimnir]

Quote: Prometey

Quote: Simon

I wonder how these batteries will fight against our C-400?

And why should they go head-on in air defense? S-400 will be crushed by other aircraft.

Are they directly suppressed? Hmm .. I wonder what? Do not forget that no one will allow anyone to approach the S-400. The air defense there is represented not only by the S-400, but also the S-300, Buk, Tor, Armor, MANPADS of the latest modifications, electronic warfare systems, well, keep in mind that NOBODY will slip even into our official positions. Believe me. Never snoops directly. And not directly - it won’t work out, or rather it’ll come out, but sideways.

[3danimal]

The S-400 has a critical vulnerability to the curvature of the Earth (it is not flat). As well as in front of several dozen PRR launched from fighters that emerged for a few seconds from behind the radio horizon.

[iggrimnir]

Quote: Charik

and he cannot work on Shilka with a caliber?

And when Shilka works, there is already nobody and there will be nothing to press buttons, and what are you talking about Shilki, Tunguska and Armor, But in general, what are you all about ?? Do you think the Americans are completely chtol? In the Pentagon, maybe in Washington, which, and the military generals on the ground are quite normal. They have their own goals, we have our own, they perfectly understand the failure of their "invisibles", and they will not throw their "airplanes" on our systems :))
If this happens, it will be reconnaissance in battle, and the American pilots will definitely not be there, there will be allies. And such intelligence will be preceded by quite serious military operations, but believe me - it will be immediately everywhere, not only in Syria. And that will be the beginning of the end.

[iggrimnir]

Auto moderation cuts out prepositions and even "Yes" didn’t like something .. How to write comments?

[3danimal]

Those. Whoever shoots first will win, at least?
Shilka does not work on targets flying over 3 km.
Against the Tunguska there is an AGM-65 Maverick with a range of 10+ km, used with A-10 and multirole fighters.

[tun5t]

We will keep them on the ground with missiles with poison and hypersound. We’ll soon scare that only passengers will fly to the sky

[3danimal]

An important point: all critics of this aircraft forget that the RF Armed Forces would have come in handy in the Chechen campaigns, as well as in Syria.