AC-130 Spectre Specifications
Primary Function:
Close air support, air interdiction and armed reconnaissance
Contractor:
Lockheed Aircraft Corp.
Crew:
Fourteen -- five officers (pilot, co-pilot, navigator, fire control officer, electronic warfare officer); nine enlisted (flight engineer, loadmaster, low-light TV operator, infrared detection set operator, five aerial gunners); only eight enlisted for AC-130U version
Unit Cost:
$46.4 million (1992 dollars) -- AC-130H $72 million -- AC-130U
Powerplant
Four Allison T56-A-15 turboprop engines rated at 4,910 horsepower each
Dimensions
Length:
97 feet, 9 inches (29.8 meters)
Wingspan:
132 feet, 7 inches (40.4 meters)
Height:
38 feet, 6 inches (11.7 meters)
Weights
Empty:
75,743 lb (AC-130U)
Maximum Takeoff:
175,000 lb (AC-130U)
Performance
Speed:
300 mph (Mach 0.40) (at sea level)
Ceiling:
25,000 feet (7,576 meters) -- AC-130H 30,000 feet -- AC-130U
Range:
Approximately 1,300 nautical miles; unlimited with air refueling; 2,200 nm for AC-130U Spooky
Armament
Two 7.62mm mini-guns, two 20mm guns, two 40mm cannons, and one 105mm cannon (AC-130H) One 25mm Gatling gun, one 40mm and one 105mm cannon (AC-130U Spooky)
Service Life
First Flight:
August 13, 1954 (YC-130A) December 20, 1990 (AC-130U)
End of Service:
N/A
Number Built:
AC-130A (19) + AC-130E (11) + AC-130H (10) + AC-130U (13) [53 total