Lockheed AC-130
Date Gunship model Unit Cause of loss / remarks
24 May 1969 AC-130A 16th Special Operations Squadron Downed by 37 mm antiaircraft artillery ( AA ) at 6,500 feet while on reconnaissance for enemy trucks
22 April 1970 AC-130A 16th SOS Downed while truck hunting by 37 mm AA
28 March 1972 AC-130A 16th SOS Downed while truck hunting along the Ho Chi Minh Trail by a SA-2 surface-to-air missile ( SAM ) , nose art named Prometheus
30 March 1972 AC-130E 16th SOS Downed while truck hunting by 57 mm AA at 7,500 feet : The E model was armed with a 105 mm howitzer . This search and rescue mission was overshadowed by the Bat-21 rescue mission
18 June 1972 AC-130A 16th SOS Downed by a SA-7 shoulder-fired SAM which struck the number-three engine and blew off the wing
21-22 December 1972 AC-130A 16th SOS Downed while truck hunting along the Ho Chi Minh trail at 7,800 feet by 37 mm AA
Operational history -- Vietnam War
An AC-130 in Southern Laos circa 1970 The AC-130 gunship first arrived in South Vietnam on 21 September 1967 under the Gunship II program and began combat operations over Laos and South Vietnam that year . In June 1968 , AC-130s were deployed to Tan Son Nhut AB near Saigon for support against the Tet Offensive . By 30 October 1968 , enough AC-130 Gunship IIs arrived to form a squadron , the 16th Special Operations Squadron of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing , at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base , Thailand . At this time , the C-130A gunship was designated the AC-130A . On 18 August 1968 , an AC-130 gunship flying an armed reconnaissance mission in Vietnam 's III Corps was diverted to support the Katum Special Forces Camp . The ground commander quickly assessed the accurate fire and capabilities of this weapons system and called for fire on his own perimeter when the Viet Cong attempted to bridge the wire on the west side of his position . By December 1968 , most AC-130s flew under F-4 Phantom II escort ( to protect the gunship against heavy and concentrated antiaircraft fire ) from the 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron , normally three Phantoms per gunship . On 24 May 1969 , the first Spectre gunship was lost to enemy fire . [ 52 ] In late 1969 , under code name `` Surprise Package '' , 56-0490 arrived with solid-state , laser-illuminated , low light-level TV with a companion YAG laser designator , an improved forward-looking infrared ( FLIR ) sensor , video recording for TV and FLIR , an inertial navigation system , and a prototype digital fire-control computer . The remaining AC-130s were refitted with upgraded similar equipment in the summer of 1970 , and then redeployed to Ubon RTAFB . On 25 October 1971 , the first `` Cadillac '' gunship , the AC-130E , arrived in Vietnam . On 17 February 1972 , the first 105 mm cannon arrived for service with Spectre and was installed on Gunship 570 . It was used from mid-February until the aircraft received battle damage to its right flap . The cannon was switched to Gunship 571 and was used until 30 March when the aircraft was shot down .
The Lockheed AC-130 gunship is a heavily armed, long-endurance, ground-attack variant of the C-130 Hercules transport, fixed-wing aircraft. It carries a wide array of ground attack weapons that are integrated with sophisticated sensors, navigation, and fire-control systems. Unlike other modern military fixed-wing aircraft, the AC-130 relies on visual targeting. Because its large profile and low operating altitudes of approximately 7,000 feet (2,100 m) make it an easy target, its close air support missions are usually flown at night. The airframe is manufactured by Lockheed Martin, while Boeing is responsible for the conversion into a gunship and for aircraft support. Developed during the Vietnam War as Project Gunship II, the AC-130 replaced the Douglas AC-47 Spooky, or Gunship I. The sole operator is the United States Air Force, which uses the AC-130U Spooky and AC-130W Stinger II variants for close air support, air interdiction, and force protection, with the upgraded AC-130J Ghostrider entering service. Close-air-support roles include supporting ground troops, escorting convoys, and urban operations. Air-interdiction missions are conducted against planned targets and targets of opportunity. Force-protection missions include defending air bases and other facilities. AC-130Us are based at Hurlburt Field, Florida, while AC-130Ws are based at Cannon AFB, New Mexico; gunships can be deployed worldwide. The squadrons are part of the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), a component of the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM).