AC-130H Spectre

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"Enemy AC-130 above!"

— Multiplayer announcer

"Our AC-130's in the air."

— Multiplayer announcer

File:AC-130U.jpg

An AC-130H Spectre gunship deploying "Angel Flares".

The Lockheed Martin AC-130U Spooky gunship is used by the United States Air Force in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. The AC-130 is powered by four Allison T56 turboprops and has an armament consisting of a GAU-12/U 25mm Gatling gun (AC-130U only), an L60 40mm Bofors cannon, and an M102 105mm howitzer. It has a standard crew of thirteen (Spooky) or fourteen (Spectre) airmen, including five officers (two pilots, a navigator, an electronic warfare officer and a fire control officer) and enlisted personnel (flight engineer, sensor operators, aerial gunners, and a loadmaster). During operations in Vietnam six AC-130s were destroyed.

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 and Cannon AFB in New Mexico, the gunship squadrons are part of the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) which is a component of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM).

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

File:AC-130 MW Death From Above.jpg

The AC-130, as seen in the beginning cutscene for Death From Above.

On the PC and consoles, the AC-130 only appears in the missions Death From Above and Hunted. On the DS, it is in the level "Spectre". 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 Spooky, because the AC-130H Spectre does not have the 25mm cannon, only the 105mm howitzer and the 40mm Bofors cannon.

Using the AC-130

• This video is a good example of how to use the AC-130 in multiplayer effectively.
• 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 with the 40mm or even the 25mm cannons
• The AC-130 can easily destroy other killstreaks including UAVs since it flies at a somewhat high altitude.
• If people are ganging up to shoot down the AC-130, the player should take them out quickly because the AC-130 can only deflect two rockets with its angel flares.
• It is possible to headshot with all armaments on the AC-130.
• If playing an objective game such as Capture the Flag, players should launch 105mm shells at the enemy flag to kill ambushers. It is recommended to watch out for teammates that are attacking the objective on Hardcore modes, as the player can kill a team mate with Friendly Fire, this can force the player to sit out and lose the AC-130.
• Getting an AC-130 killstreak is difficult because it requires 11 kills to acquire, or 10 using hardline, 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.
• The player using the AC-130 will hear a warning siren when a missile is tracking them, 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.
• When the timer in the AC-130 is almost gone (the time left to control the AC-130 is displayed on the bottom right corner of the screen), the player should fire off a 105mm and a few 40mm rounds if the player can, this could result in the player getting another kill, or even kill off an entire group of players, if the player is lucky enough.
• Be very careful using the 105mm on Hardcore, the player could easily kill a teammate with additional splash damage.
• 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 a Stinger Missile launcher. Players should team up with a friend or use Scavenger to destroy the AC-130 with 3 missiles. Sleight of Hand can also be effective for firing two missiles off quickly.
• Walking in open ground is nothing more than suicide for those without Cold-Blooded. Try to remain under solid cover and avoid any openings.
• 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 the player is watching the minimap when the AC-130 is aloft, players may notice a small airplane icon on the outside, that is where the gunship is facing the map. This can give the player a rough idea as to where to hide and when to move if the gunship exploits the players hiding spot. This may not be necessary if the player is in a room deep inside a building, or in the basement of a house where there are almost no openings that could kill the player.
• A Predator Missile can destroy an AC-130, but only if the missile banks hard to the side of the map that the AC-130 is on. In other words, the player would have to be both very lucky and very observant.
• Beware, Cold-Blooded only protects you from showing up on thermals. If you are next to a teammate and the AC-130 fires on the teammate it is very likely that you will also be killed.

Trivia

• If missiles are fired at your AC-130, frantic beeping will be heard. If the Angel Flares were able to misguide the missile you'll hear the Ding-Dong sound.

  

  The AC-130 in Modern Warfare: Mobilized

• 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 2 seconds early.
• After getting the ability to call in an AC-130 it is recommended to switch to another class which has Danger Close Pro enabled.
• If a player uses an EMP after using an AC-130, it'll still fly off the map popping flares.
• People often get confused with the variants of the AC-130. The one in Modern Warfare 2 is an AC-130U Spooky although there are several references to the other variant, the AC-130H Spectre, throughout the game. The AC-130H Spectre armament does not include the 25 mm GAU-12/U Equalizer Gatling gun that is available in the game. Prior to 2003 the Spectre armament included a 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannon but no longer does.
• 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, most likely due to the fact that America is the only nation that owns and uses the AC-130 and its variants, and it is reasonable to assume that an allied force would lend assistance. However, the Russians, Brazilian Militia, and OpFor speak 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.
• 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 obvious 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.
• 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.
• Oddly, if two or more missiles hit an AC-130 in multiplayer, all contributing 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.
• When an emergency airdrop is used, its an AC-130 that drops the packages, not a C-130. This is strange as the AC-130 has no cargo space, while the C-130 is known for airdropping equipment into battle. If the player is observant, one can notice that the Emergency Airdrop plane is intended to be a C-130 with the appropriate markings, paint scheme, and cargo space. However, this "C-130" is simply a retextured AC-130.
• If you are able to go to the AC-130 on spectate you can see that the propellers are actually not moving and that when you fire the guns the round actually comes from behind the plane rather than the gun. Video
• The AC-130H is sold exclusively to the US Air Force; its use by non-US affiliated factions, like the OpFor and Spetsnaz, is completely inaccurate. However, for simplicity's sake, it was added to all teams.
• The usage of this killstreak in game is incorrect. It should not be an AC-130H, but an AC-130U, as although it is much more expensive, AC-130Hs will have been phased out of the US Air Force by this time.
• In the Spec Ops level Overwatch, the player using the AC-130 can actually kill themselves with it. The player's teammate has to shoot the AC-130, and if lucky, the player will get hit by the teammate, causing the sights of the 105mm gun to aim upwards at the wing. If the player shoots the 105mm at the right moment, he will shoot the wing, causing the player to die.
• In hardcore game modes an AC-130 is able to shoot down its teammates' air support.
• In Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer, the AC-130 is the only killstreak that doesn't disappear when it's icon on the mini-map does. It stays longer so you can see it launch the flares and leave the battlefield.

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