AC-130H Spectre

"Enemy AC130 above!"

- Multiplayer announcer when an opposing AC130 is called in.

The Lockheed AC-130 gunship is used by the United States Air Force in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. The AC-130 is powered by four turboprops and has an armament ranging from 25 mm gatling guns to 105 mm howitzers. It has a standard crew of twelve or thirteen Airmen, including five officers (two pilots, a navigator, an electronic warfare officer and a fire control officer) and enlisted personnel (flight engineer, electronics operators and aerial gunners).

The US Air Force uses the AC-130 gunships for close air support, air interdiction, and force protection. Close air support roles include supporting ground troops, escorting convoys, and flying urban operations. Air interdiction missions are conducted against planned targets and targets of opportunity. Force protection missions include defending air bases and other facilities. Stationed at Hurlburt Field in Northwest Florida, the gunship squadrons are part of the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), a component of United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM).

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
On the DS, it is in the level "Spectre". On the PC and consoles, the AC-130 only appears in the missions Death From Above and Hunted. The gunship is armed with a 105mm cannon, with a very wide blast radius, but it must reload after each shot. It has the widest angle view, making it good for spotting targets. The 40mm Bofors autocannon creates small explosions and is fully automatic, though the firing rate is comparably slower to what some players consider "fully automatic". The 25mm Gatling gun is an automatic rapid-fire weapon with the highest zoom and least splash damage, making it very useful when friendlies and enemies are close to each other. The in-game plane is still the AC-130U Spectre, because the AC-47 Spooky only has two mini guns on its sides.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
The AC-130 returns in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 as an unlockable, optional killstreak reward. It is an 11 (10 with the Hardline perk) kill streak reward and lasts forty seconds, but leaves the player vulnerable while they control the aircraft remotely with a laptop computer. The main 105mm cannon can be switched to the 40mm and 25mm weapons by using the change weapon button. If the player is killed while in control of the AC-130, they still get to finish using the AC-130 before respawning (unless the player suicides due to incurring a Friendly Fire penalty in Hardcore Team Deathmatch). The entire field will appear in black-and-white as in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, though with the addition of red squares showing enemy positions (though this may be avoided with the perk Cold-Blooded). Enemy helicopters and harriers can also be shot down easily with the 40mm.

The AC-130 has two flare countermeasures to disrupt homing missile. The Stinger missile has only 2 missiles, so one person cannot shoot it down (Unless said player resupplies using Scavenger or has Sleight of Hand to reload the stinger quick enough to shoot it down before the AC-130 can shoot flares again), so usually more than one person is needed to shoot it down. Although a Javelin missile will also miss due to the countermeasures, the missile will hit a location on the ground near the gunship.

In Spec Ops, the AC-130 is in the level Overwatch. The second player controls the AC-130 and can see targets marked by the player on the ground with a laser. All three weapons are available to the player with the difference of having more shots and quicker reload times and being fully automatic in Spec Ops.

However, unlike in Call of Duty 4 (though not entirely accurate, as you have no other allies on the ground at the same time) the rounds fired from the cannon and the Bofors make a distinctive whistling sound as they near impact, giving the enemy a small window of escape, though very hard to utilize. Also, differing from Call of Duty 4, in Modern Warfare 2 the 40mm weapon has to be reloaded, while it is not required to be reloaded in Call of Duty 4.

Calling in an AC130 gives 350 XP. Shooting down an AC-130 will give you 400 XP, or 4,000 XP in the Search and Destroy game type if someone happens to have one.



As compared to Chopper Gunner

 * The AC-130 orbits the battlefield, providing a clear view of most of the map; however when circling some large portions of the map cannot be aimed at, most apparent on the Derail map. Chopper Gunner's has an AI pilot who moves the craft around to expose enemies, but does not have a complete overview of the map.
 * The AC-130 can shoot down other killstreaks. Chopper gunners can only destroy Harriers, although this is extremely difficult.
 * Chopper Gunner can be shot down by a Harrier unless it is quickly destroyed. The AC-130 is impervious to all killstreaks except an incredibly lucky hit from the Predator Missile, an EMP or a Tactical Nuke.
 * The AC-130 can evade guided missiles using up to two bursts of Angel Flares, after ten seconds after deploying a flare, it reloads two more flares. The Chopper Gunner is more vulnerable with only one flare.
 * The AC-130 is invulnerable to gunfire from players. Chopper Gunners can be shot down by sustained gunfire.
 * The AC-130 can fire explosive shells thus giving it the ability to hit enemies in cover or inside buildings if the explosion is close enough to doorways. However, these rounds have a rather long reload time, making it necessary to switch weapons when one needs reloading. Like Chopper Gunner, AC-130 rounds will travel through some thin materials. Chopper Gunner however, lacks the 105mm and 40mm and only uses 25mm rounds which have a small explosive radius.
 * The AC-130's 105mm and 40mm rounds are far more powerful than Chopper Gunner's 25mm gun, almost always insuring 1 hit kills to anyone unlucky enough to be caught in the blast radius. Chopper Gunner takes a few seconds to kill, allowing its targets a small amount of time to get to safety.
 * The Chopper Gunner has the pilot avoiding gunfire, causing bumpy movements making it difficult for the player to aim while this happens. The AC-130 never wavers giving the player a steady aim.
 * The three different weapons on the AC-130 have different zoom effects, while Chopper Gunner has a fixed zoom.
 * The AC-130 has no aim assist, while the Chopper Gunner has extremely limited aim assist.
 * The AC-130's weapons have a noticeable flight time between firing and hitting the ground, unlike the Chopper Gunner. Therefore moving targets must be lead. AC-130 operators must also cycle through weapons to maintain a continuous barrage.
 * The AC-130 can be called in as long as no other AC-130 is aloft. Chopper Gunner requires the airspace to be clear of all other attack helicopters (Care Package Little Birds don't matter) before launching.
 * The AC-130 remains in the air for a shorter period of time. While both last for 40 seconds, the Chopper Gunner's timer doesn't start until it reaches the airspace above the battlefield. The AC-130's timer starts immediately after being called in, and the player is ejected two seconds early. The Chopper Gunner's timer will end when it begins flying outside of the map, provided it hasn't been shot down first.
 * The AC-130 sounds a beeping alarm when an enemy is targeting it with a homing missile, and makes a 'ding-bong' noise similar to the 'fasten seat belts' light on a passenger aircraft when flares are deployed. In a Chopper Gunner, you might see the only flare spent, but it is launched behind the chopper.
 * The announcer shows more fear towards the AC-130, often screaming "Enemy AC-130 above!", with the exception of ever-calm TF 141 announcer Ghost. There can be confusion when the announcer anounces an incoming Chopper Gunner, as sometimes they say "Enemy helicopter inbound.". With this announcement, players might not know if it's a Chopper Gunner or attack helicopter but most of the time are able to determine which one is which by looking at the top right of the screen or the radar, Chopper Gunners will have a large arrow at the front while the regular helicopter has no markings on it.

It is a matter of whoever prefers what, it could be someone just feels better and works better with a Chopper Gunner. It also depends on the map and the game. A Chopper Gunner might be better to use on smaller maps like Sub Base, Highrise and Estate. The AC130 is better used on Quarry, Wasteland and Afghan.

While the Chopper Gunner is faster and allows more kills because of its rapid fire gun, it can be easily shot down and interupted by rockets. The AC-130 is much more durable and likely to finish its term before leaving.

Using the AC-130
This video is a good example of how to use the AC-130 in multiplayer effectively.


 * If from a care package or used after dying, it doesn't count toward your killstreak.
 * Don't rely on just the 105mm, it takes a while to reload and ticks off precious seconds that could be used to score another kill.
 * The AC-130 can easily destroy other killstreaks including UAVs since it flies at a somewhat high altitude.
 * Cycle through your weapons so that you don't have to wait for a weapon to be functional again.
 * The AC-130 launches flares when a rocket is locked on, it can have up to 2 flares and gets new flares every ten seconds, making you virtually impervious to locked on missiles unless three people launch missiles at the gunship at once, or one player has Scavenger.
 * If people are ganging up to shoot down your AC 130, take them out quickly because your flares can only deflect two rockets.
 * The 40mm launches about 4 to 5 shells before reloading. Launch them semi automatic to cover maximum area and kill as many opponents as possible.
 * If you are playing an objective game such as CTF, launch heavy shells at the enemy flag to kill ambushers, be sure to watch a teammate who takes the flag, especially on Hardcore, when Friendly fire you can easily kill a teammate accidentally.
 * The 105mm can sometimes go off course exploding on a nearby area and your victims will not be killed, but merely hurt. Lead your 105s so that they get consumed by the massive blast.
 * You can use the AC-130 as long as there is no other AC-130 in the air, enemy or friendly. So it is rare not to be able to call in an unlocked AC130.
 * Getting an AC-130 killstreak is quite a challenge, and the percentage of an AC-130 in a Care Package and/or Emergency Airdrop is not even 8%.
 * Its not a good idea to use an AC-130 on a map like Skidrow because of the portion of the map located indoors, where the explosion might not hit a player, taking cover in a building.
 * You will hear a warning siren when a missile is tracking you, if the missile is diverted there will be a beeping sound similar to one onboard an airplane, when flares are launched.
 * For large groups, use the 105mm or the 40mm. When dealing with lone people, it is generally better to use the 25mm Gatling gun.
 * If you see that your time in the AC-130 is almost gone (the time that you have left to control the AC-130 is displayed on the bottom right corner of your screen), be sure to fire off some 105mm and 40mm rounds if you can, just for that extra 2 or 3 kills.
 * Be very careful using the 105mm on hardcore, it could easily kill a teammate with additional splash damage.
 * If there are harmful killstreaks, like an enemy Chopper Gunner, it is recommended that you destroy the Chopper before massacring enemies.
 * A direct hit from the 40mm Bofors inflicts enough damage to destroy any hostile killstreaks.

Against an AC-130

 * If an enemy AC-130 is in the air, switch to a class with cold-blooded and stinger missiles. Team up with a friend or use scavenger to destroy the AC-130 with 3 missiles.
 * Walking in open ground is nothing more than suicide. You may have to stay indoors for the minute it is around.
 * Avoid calling in helicopters or harriers because the AC-130 gunner can and probably will destroy them. Airstrikes and Stealth Bombers can be called in as the enemy gunner will likely not be ready when the aircraft arrives.
 * If you are watching your minimap when the AC-130 is aloft, you may notice a small airplane icon on the outside, that is where the gunship is facing the map. It can give you hints on where to hide and when to move if the gunship exploits your hiding spot.
 * A Predator Missile can destroy an AC130, but only if the missile banks hard to the side of the map that the AC130 is on. In other words, you'll have to be both lucky and observant.

Trivia

 * If rockets are fired at your AC-130, frantic beeping will be heard. If the Angel Flares were able to misguide the rocket you'll hear the Ding-Dong sound.AC-130_Mobilized.jpg
 * In multiplayer, when an enemy AC-130 is called in, the multiplayer announcer will announce this with a terrified voice. This is easier to hear on the Spetsnaz team. Only the Task Force 141 announcer (Ghost) will remain calm, this video, shows all the factions reactions to an enemy AC-130 Spectre.
 * In multiplayer, the AC-130 has a countdown to when you're back on the ground. However, it takes you out of AC-130 mode 3 seconds early.
 * After getting the ability to call in an AC-130 it is recommend to switch to another class which has Danger Close Pro enabled.
 * Occasionally in multiplayer, firing at an enemy AC-130 with a normal weapon will cause it to deploy one of its flare payloads. This is very rare and is likely a bug, but it will help you or your team take it down as one less rocket will be required.
 * People often get confused with the variants of the AC-130. The one in Modern Warfare 2 is an AC-130H Spectre. The other variant is the AC-130U Spooky.
 * In Multiplayer, regardless of whether you play as the U.S. Army Rangers/Navy SEALs, or the International TF141, the crew of the AC-130 will always speak in an American accent. However, Russian, Brazilian Militia, and OpFor crew talks in their native languages.
 * When the AC-130 is leaving the battlefield it is still visible but cannot be locked-on or destroyed by any of the launchers. This is signaled by the gunship repeatedly launching flares until it leaves.
 * It is possible to shoot down your own killstreak rewards with the AC-130 if you aren't careful, as they are hard to distinguish on its thermal.
 * You can shoot the AC-130 with a primary weapon and hear a metal "cling" sound, but it will not damage it.
 * While inside the AC-130, the American/TF141 crew uses the same comments as in Call of Duty 4 - Death From Above: e.g: "We got a runner...there he is!", "Yup, there's a lot of little pieces down there." etc.
 * One way of getting an AC130 is to have the killstreak loadout Predator Missile, Harrier Strike, and then the AC130.
 * Though a rare glitch, there was a glitch that gave all players infinite ammunition (the glitch was fixed by patch 1.07). Should someone be lucky enough to get the AC130 then the 105mm round is infinite and does not need to reload. Amusingly this means that one could pepper the whole map continuously leaving no room for any player to escape the AC130's attack while out in the open, making the infinite 105mm round one of the most devastating attacks within the game.
 * The armament of the AC-130s used in Call of Duty 4 and Modern Warfare 2 is actually that of the AC-130U "Spooky". The AC-130H "Spectre" carries two 20mm M61 Vulcan cannons, not the 25mm GAU/12 Equalizer Gatling gun.
 * If a player gets a game winning killcam with an AC-130 regardless of which gun, they earn the title, Death from Above. An obvoius reference to the COD 4 level.
 * To shoot an AC-130 down with a Predator Missile, the AC-130 must be lined up with the predator drone when the missile is launched. However, on a small map like Rust, a player can take out an AC-130 with a Predator Missile by pulling up on the Left Analogue stick (or equivalent) and gaining height. The user can then look for an AC-130 and dive down on the plane. NOTE: this will not work if the user applies the afterburners as the missile will not be able to turn quick enough to catch the AC-130.
 * For some reason, on Rust, Stinger missiles will not hit the AC-130, only AT-4s will (this has only been proven on split screen).
 * When the OpFor or the Militia get the hold of the AC-130, they sound as if they do not know how to actually use the plane, but keep the positive comments when a player manages to kill enemies.
 * Contrary to rumours, it is possible to get head shots with all calibers on the AC-130, although the difficulty increases with the size of calibre, here is some rare footage of a 105mm head shot. in first person.
 * Oddly, if two missiles hit an AC-130 in multiplayer, both players will get points and credit for destroying it.
 * The AC-130 can only release two sets of flares to protect it from lock-ons, but it releases many more sets of flares upon leaving. This is most likely for dramatic effects.
 * How the poorer factions such as the Militia and OpFor obtain the killstreak is unknown, as each gunship will cost between $130,000,000 to $190,000,000 and that only 43 have ever been built.
 * The AC-130 is based on the C-130 Hercules, the only difference is that the C-130 Hercules is a transport aircraft and have bigger cargo space while the AC-130 is a ground support aircraft and have only weapons onboard and no cargo space.
 * When an emergency airdrop is used, its an AC-130 that drops the packages, not a C-130. This makes it strange, as like mentioned above, the AC-130 has no cargo space, while the C-130 is known for airdropping equipment into battle.