They were using an A-130 in Faluja today...

[MnFats]

...I think that's the correct title. and I may have missed it but these have not been used commonly in Iraq....they were used in Afghanistan...

These are very large warplanes with lots and lots of guns of all types.....a central computer trains all of the guns on a single target, like a building, and as the plane circles the target, the computer keeps all of the guns on target and firing until the target is turned to dust.

I think this is a significant change in tactics....more indiscriminate and, according to accounts I read of earlier use, utterly terrifying for those on the ground.

[bahrbearian]

1. It is truly sickening.

[G_j]

2. do you have a link by any chance?

this sounds very ominous. As if things weren't nasty enough already.
:-(

[DarkPhenyx]

3. The AC-130 is not an indescriminate weapon system.

It's actually horribly accurate. If I remember it correctly has two gatling guns, a 40mm cannon and a 105 mm artillery tube. They are all direct fire weapons locked onto a single target. It is far more accurate than freefall bombs, even some of the "smart" bombs.

"Puff the Magic Dragon". The only aircraft I might like better then the Warthog.

http://www.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=71

[rinsd]

6. You remember correctly

The only problem is that they are big and slow and are/were vulnerable to SAM fire. Not sure about shoulder fired weapons though.

[DarkPhenyx]

9. Still vulnerable.

I think even a decent shoulder fired wpn will take him out. They have upgraded the ECM and flare systems, but it's still a BST.

[rinsd]

13. I think one was shot down during the Gulf War (nt)

[DarkPhenyx]

14. I think you are right.

But I don't know for sure.

[rinsd]

15. More stuff...

Beeb info:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/1602000.stm

Even so, one AC-130 was shot down in Iraq by a surface-to-air missile. The other recent loss was in Somalia when, it is thought, a round exploded in one of the plane's cannons.

Apprently we also lost one in Somalia.

BTW, I love GOOGLE!

[DarkPhenyx]

16. Thanks!

I was too lazy to "google". Goddess that's sad.

[rinsd]

17. LOL

Well googling does take a little work, lots of chaff.

I was surprised that we had these in Somalia.

[DarkPhenyx]

18. It's almost a standard issue weapon anymore.

It's horribly effective and terribly popular with the troops. As long as you don't have AA in the area that is.

[arcane1]

4. thankfully, our weapons can zero-in on the evil in someone's heart

and thus no innocent Iraqis or children will be harmed by this

:eyes: :puke:

[northzax]

10. well, except for the evil ones

of course.

[Florida_Geek]

5. Puff in Action

I have seen Puff doing his job in Viet Nam. Puff has good points and bad points.

[DarkPhenyx]

8. Bad point.

Puff is a BST. Big Slow Target. If he is flying they don't think there is a chance in hell there is any anti-aircraft fire possible.

[Karenina]

7. Heh?

A-130? Is that 130 Amis KILLED today? :freak:

Nahhhh. Planes? Tactics? Terror?

Heh? :freak:

[northzax]

11. These are the aircraft

that the Generals would not allow the troops to use in Mogadishu, US troops will not go into a hostile urban area again without them, I would think.

[rinsd]

12. Info

http://www.encyclopedia4u.com/a/ac-130-gunship.html

http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/annex/an18.htm

Various pictures:

http://globalspecops.com/gallery/ac130gal.html

According to this they have been used in Kosovo, Afganistan and during the intial combat in Iraq

http://www.worldhistory.com/wiki/A/AC-130-gunship.htm

It's a close ground support aircraft so the change in tactics is that we have infantry on the attack.