Politics & World • Military Aircraft

AC-130

The AC-130 is a heavily armed, long-endurance ground-attack variant of the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft used by the United States Air Force.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

The AC-130 is a heavily armed, long-endurance ground-attack variant of the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft used by the United States Air Force. It is configured as a gunship for close air support, air interdiction, and armed reconnaissance, with sensors, navigation, fire-control systems, and a large weapons suite integrated for night and precision attacks. The aircraft was developed during the Vietnam War under Project Gunship II and remains in service with the U.S. Air Force.

Development and history

The AC-130 was developed during the Vietnam War as Project Gunship II and replaced the earlier AC-47 Spooky gunship. Its long combat history began in Southeast Asia and later expanded to other conflicts.

Design and armament

The aircraft is based on the C-130 airframe but modified into a side-firing gunship carrying sensors, navigation, fire-control systems, and a variety of cannon and precision weapons. Its design supports persistent attacks on ground targets, especially at night.

Operational use

The AC-130 is used for close air support, air interdiction, and armed reconnaissance. It is especially suited to supporting troops in contact, convoy escort, and other direct-fire missions.

Variants

The AC-130 family has included multiple variants, with the AC-130J Ghostrider serving as the current fifth-generation gunship. Earlier versions included the AC-130A, AC-130H, AC-130U, and AC-130W.

Key facts

The AC-130 is a gunship version of the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft.
It is operated exclusively by the United States Air Force.
The aircraft carries weapons and targeting systems designed for sustained attacks on ground targets.
The AC-130 was developed during the Vietnam War under Project Gunship II.
The current operational variant is the AC-130J Ghostrider.

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Canadian context

The AC-130 is relevant to Canadian readers mainly as a major example of U.S. military airpower and a platform often discussed in NATO and coalition operations, but it has no known Canadian service as an operational aircraft.

Frequently asked questions

What is an AC-130?

An AC-130 is a heavily armed gunship derived from the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft and used by the U.S. Air Force for ground attack and support missions.

What missions does the AC-130 perform?

Its primary missions are close air support, air interdiction, and armed reconnaissance, with additional roles such as convoy escort and point air defence.

Who operates the AC-130?

The United States Air Force is the only operator of the AC-130.

What is the current AC-130 variant?

The current operational version is the AC-130J Ghostrider.

When was the AC-130 developed?

It was developed during the Vietnam War under a program known as Project Gunship II.

References

Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_AC-130
Supports: General description, base aircraft, operator, development history, and current variant.
U.S. Air Force — https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/467756/ac-130j-ghostrider/
Supports: Current AC-130J missions, characteristics, crew, armament, and replacement of earlier gunship variants.
National Museum of the U.S. Air Force — https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/197558/lockheed-ac-130a-hercules/
Supports: Historical context for the AC-130A and the C-130 family background.
Central Intelligence Agency — https://www.cia.gov/library/abbottabad-compound/3A/3AC462D933EE22F4D8B4D32E19DDCF11_AC%20130%20research.pdf
Supports: Primary mission set and additional mission roles of the AC-130 gunship.