Gunships Unleashed
Joint Forces Quarterly | Robert J. Seifert | July 02, 2007
Slayer 74, an AC-130U side-firing gunship, was en route to Fallujah, Iraq, on October 5, 2003, to work with a joint terminal air controller (JTAC) from the 82nd Airborne Division on a routine counter-mortar mission. Approximately 5 minutes from Fallujah, the pilot, equipped with night-vision goggles, noticed surface-to-surface fire through the small window by his left foot. He immediately rolled into a 20-degree left bank and talked his infrared and all low light level television sensor operators onto the tracers. In less than 30 seconds, they had identified stationary U.S. military vehicles and several suspicious individuals fleeing the area.

more here: http://www.military.com/forums/0,152...l?ESRC=army.nl

Very interesting article. Suggests that changes in doctrine and employment are needed.

AC-130 is probably enemy's worst nightmare.

Changes in doctrine might help make it a "shoot to kill" aircraft, rather than a insurgent chaser. Combat aircraft doing Air Control? Odd, that sounds like something a command chopper would spool up for. Not a huge Combat aircraft, Kinda expect a modified Electronic warfare C 130 to have all the NV gizmos on board.

I'm not familiar with the US military tactics, but I thought that the helicopter gunships were used for this sort of thing?

I saw a long show about this nice bird on military channel last night. Did any one else notice it too?

The Specter is one hell of a fighting platform. They can stay in the air much longer than a helicopter, hence why they now do area combat patrol. Also they back a much bigger punch.

Loved them when I was in the service. Seeing a Specter in the air meant that you're safe.

Originally Posted by 5.56X45mm

The Specter is one hell of a fighting platform. They can stay in the air much longer than a helicopter, hence why they now do area combat patrol. Also they back a much bigger punch.

Loved them when I was in the service. Seeing a Specter in the air meant that you're safe.

Did Clinton's administration deny the troops this aircraft during Black Hawk Down incident? Do you know any thing about that?

If I remember correctly that commie bastard did deny our troops the power of the specter.

i fail to see how the spectre would have been any help at all in this sort of urban environment

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...7,0.006518&t=k

The Spectre is effective in any environment because it has the ability to modify said environment in seconds.