AC-130 Gunship info

[LRU-6.9]

Didn't mean to fire for effect, but hey, herbivores make easy targets.

herbivore

[okienav]

T2's give us in the T1 community a bad name.

[LJ Driver]

T2's give us in the T1 community a bad name.

Umm, you guys do that pretty damn well by yourselves.

[LJ Driver]

ClearedHot was on target direct!

The T2 is a navigators airplane if ever we had one. Yes, the pilot gets to do alot of low-level and assault training, but that's mostly directed by the navigator and the system. The AC-130 is a carnivore; a strike aircraft led by the pilot with one mission, kill bad guys. Of course, the T2 has done some very worthy things during the GWOT, but they are few and far between. When was the last time anyone heard a ground team say "if we just had one more Talon II?" They say that every night about the gunships.

If you wanna drive Snapple and MREs around theater, chose a T2. If you want to kill bad guys and help win the GWOT, fly Spectre or the U-Boat.

Didn't mean to fire for effect, but hey, herbivores make easy targets.

So do Gunship drivers with theirs heads in their asses.

Congratulations on being an idiot and clearly knowing nothing about GWOT.

As it has been since 9/11 and previously, Gunships make headlines because you shoot and kill. That's some great shit and you guys do it better then anyone else. Considering my brother was one of the shooters on the ground you were helping in Iraq for the last 15 months, let me pass on my thanks and his praise for your actions there.

Having said that, Talons (I and II) are constantly called upon to do things that others can't and won't do in GWOT. You're simply not paying attention or aren't in the loop on such matters if you think otherwise. Either way, it's an ignorant statement to say that the worthy things Talons are doing in GWOT are few and far between. There are hundreds of recent examples that aren't appropriate for this forum. Airdrop resupply to A-teams that are low on ammo and being overrun in a hot dz comes to the front of my mind (dropping HSLLADS and CDS at 250'-500', not orbiting at 10,000'). There are tons more. I don't need Foxnews to tell me that Talons are kicking ass and saving lives in GWOT. For that matter, slicks are doing so also.

The point of my original post was that Talons are a pilots airplane. They are navigator centric because of the systems on the airplane and what we do with those systems. Low-level at 250 feet in the mountains and IMC at night takes a steady hand and a quick mind. Assaults to 3000' dirt strips in the middle of nowhere on a moonless night are a close second. Turning left? Sorry, not so much.

[Guest Safe&Clear]

Ouch! I'm with you LJ. I'm a former gunship driver myself but always appreciated the Talon mission and the boys flying it. I have many friends in the 15th and the 8th.

I don't think "Spectre 514" has been in AFSOC long enough to understand you guys yet, so cut him some slack. I'm betting he's a new co-piglet who's just super proud to be Spectre...

As far as being "Nav-o-centric", the gunship is very much so as well-- if the AC allows it to be that way. I'm sure the Talon community is much the same. Always put the weaker ACs with the superstar navigators and vice versa and things generally get done right.

[Murph]

Airdrop resupply to A-teams that are low on ammo and being overrun in a hot dz comes to the front of my mind (dropping HSLLADS and CDS at 250'-500', not orbiting at 10,000').

That is, of course, until 2 of the bundles miss the dz completely.

[LJ Driver]

That is, of course, until 2 of the bundles miss the dz completely.

Miss? Since when is there a defined dz when our guys are in gunfight? I've had dz's change coords 3-4 times inside the 20 because our guys are moving forward or back. Did you get your shit and use it to kill others and defend a position? Yes? Then it's on the dz.

[FireMission]

Seems like someone hit a nerve with Talon bashing. Don't forget that everyone does their own part. Snapple stories and missing the DZ are just horrible 5th hand, or even 20th hand rumors that get blown out of proportion.

[M2]

Instead of starting a new thread, I thought I would just tack this on to the most recent thread on the Spectre...

Cheers! M

Gunship Sensor Delivered: Lockheed Martin said last week it has handed over the first Gunship Multispectral Sensor System production unit for the Air Force's 17-aircraft AC-130U gunship fleet and expects to supply three more of them by year's end. Lockheed is providing the GMS2, which is the AC-130U's new turreted electro-optical/infrared fire control system, to Boeing for integration on the gunships. Without divulging details, Lockheed said in a release Oct. 1 that GMS2 "will broaden the range of options" available on the gunships to fulfill not only traditional missions, but also non-traditional combat operations. Lockheed said delivery of the production units comes on the heels of successful flight testing of the GMS2 in its engineering and manufacturing development configuration in July. "Our primary focus is to take the demonstrated capability of the EMD flight test system over the last two years and turn it into a very high performing production system," said Mike Inderhees, Lockheed's director of Turreted Systems.

[discus]

THREAD REVIVAL!!! FCO Info on AC-130H

Soooo, the call came down, and I sent a simple E-Mail back saying "Yes, I would be interested in being an H model FCO, and willing to take both Cannon and the July CSD to accomplish this".

I thought it was a shot in hell, as I do not have TOS here at Tinker...The next thing I know, my DO called me into the office and told me I have a very, VERY good chance of getting the assignment. (He says 90%) and I am now just awaiting orders.

This being said, are there any other FCO's on here who can give me the long and short of the job, and also maybe some "What to expect" stuff? My first question is "Would I attend school at Herbie TDY en-route to Cannon, or are they moving the school house to Cannon before July?

All the normal questions apply as well (Deployment rates, what the school is like, etc.).

Thanks in advance!

EDIT: Cut and paste

Edited May 27, 2009 by discus

[nsplayr]

Thanks in advance!

I've got a buddy that's about 1/2 way finished with the H-model FCO schoolhouse now and will be moving to cannon after checking out. PM me if you want his email and I'll ask him if he knows when the schoolhouse is gonna move out west.

[Guest flpanfan]

Does anyone know what the deployments are like at Hurlburt? I just got picked up for U's and was wondering if they were 4 on, 4 off like AMC?

Thanks

[stract]

discus, good luck!

and it's Hurbie with a U, as in Hurlburt. ;)

[discus]

discus, good luck!

and it's Hurbie with a U, as in Hurlburt. ;)

Noted! Thanks, Stract. Getting pretty pumped about the new gig.

[BQZip01]

Noted! Thanks, Stract. Getting pretty pumped about the new gig.

eventually looking to cross train into the AC. Anyone have any tips as to how to "get in"

[magnetfreezer]

eventually looking to cross train into the AC. Anyone have any tips as to how to "get in"

Most times if someone is trying to "get in to the AC" while crosstraining he could be reported to OSI (unless he is Navy)

[BQZip01]

Most times if someone is trying to "get in to the AC" while crosstraining he could be reported to OSI (unless he is Navy)

ha ha...

[OverTQ]

By kris osborn

Published: 29 Jul 2009 16:13

A U.S. Air Force C-130 incinerated a dummy ground target by firing a megawatt-class chemical oxygen iodine laser at White Sands Missile Range, N.M, during a June 13 test of the service's Advanced Tactical Laser (ATL), Boeing officials said.

"We fired the laser in-flight. We hit a target board on the ground," said Gary Fitzmire, vice president of Boeing's directed energy systems.

The test flight originated from nearby Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.

The ATL - configured to deploy on a C-130 - is designed to destroy ground targets while moving with little or no collateral damage, Fitzmire said.

"We were able to conduct many ground tests to build confidence of the system and the laser itself. Last summer, we conducted an integrated ground test. Our targets are ground-based tactical targets such as a fuel tank, vehicle or communications node," Fitzmire said.

The roughly $200 million ATL program began in late 2002. Several more flight tests are planned for this summer, Fitzmere said.

Sharks with freaken laser beams.

[Guest Safe&Clear]

eventually looking to cross train into the AC. Anyone have any tips as to how to "get in"

"Cross train" from what? That's the key.

Things may have changed, but in my day, it was actually easier to crossover from *completely* unrelated platforms (KC-135, C-9, C-141, C-21, C-27, etc) than it was for traditional Slick Herc drivers. Of course this practice didn't make much sense, but it's AFPC we're talking about...

Current Gunpig guys: speak up if this has changed.

Hasta!

Edited July 31, 2009 by Safe&Clear

[ucf_motorcycle]

"Cross train" from what? That's the key.

Things may have changed, but in my day, it was actually easier to crossover from *completely* unrelated platforms (KC-135, C-9, C-141, C-21, C-27, etc) than it was for traditional Slick Herc drivers. Of course this practice didn't make much sense, but it's AFPC we're talking about...

Current Gunpig guys: speak up if this has changed.

Hasta!

I can only speak for the U-model but the H is probably very similar. But your going to get all your training done at the 19th to get mission qualed as a gunship copilot. Expect to wait for a training date but once it starts its about a 6 month program. Then you will spend 18-24 months typically as a Co before you can upgrade to AC.

As far as how to get in. I dunno thats an AFPC thing. Easier when you are already in AFSOC but there are a couple AMC and ACC guys in the squadron.

Edited August 7, 2009 by ucf_motorcycle

[Fozzy Bear]

What is the runway length for an intersection takeoff from taxiway Charlie?

[Whitman]

What is the runway length for an intersection takeoff from taxiway Charlie?

Hey anyone know the name of that burger joint in Florida that serves fries too?

[TarHeelPilot]

Hey anyone know the name of that burger joint in Florida that serves fries too?

In-N-Out

[brabus]

In-N-Out

Neil trap

[dream big]

For slick aircraft commanders who cross flow into the gunship, do they upgrade faster to an AC once in the gunship? Or do they spend significant time as a copilot learning the new mission?