[C19fan]

Nice to have a gunship that can carry that much ammo.

[Yo-Yo]

Nice to have a gunship that can carry that much ammo.

And fuel.

[allendale]

Simply put: You never ever want to mess with the United States Air Force.

[jazminerose]

Must we learn all about this from the foreign press?

[oh8eleven]

... likened to Iwo Jima
Almost 7000 Marines died on Iwo Jima.
Not. Even. Close.

[agere_contra]

Nine hours of left-hand pylon turns. They must be dizzy.

[Pollster1]

The A-10 and AC-130 are incredible aircraft. I’m disgusted with the Air Force for trying so hard to ignore that mission. When it comes to air-to-mud ordinance on target, it’s hard to imagine anything better than the AC-130.

[treetopsandroofs]

Hmm, they’ve provided enough info at the article to be able to determine just how much materiel can (at least on paper) be brought to bear in nine hours.

Just the Howitzer fires 20 kg 10 times per minute, 60 minutes per hour for 9 hours = 108,000 kg, 238,099.243 pounds.

Can they really carry enough for 9 hours, even if the barrel wouldn’t overheat?

Cool news, guess they didn’t need a backup gunship.

[Ouchthatonehurt]

[E. Pluribus Unum]

[Starboard]

The crew were up in the air for nine hours and managed to suppress enemy fire during the evacuation of 15 wounded soldiers

************

Impressive military feat but let’s not forget the human cost. Fifteen more of America’s Best wounded in an area that will never be anything other than a backward tribal enclave.

[IronJack]

I hope the gunship made a lot of ISIS hamburger that day. Worms need to eat too.

[HP8753]

Operation Smouldering Turban !

[trebb]

I guess “Spooky” sounds good, but I miss the days of “Puff the Magic Dragon” in reference to the 130 gunships...

[prophetic]

It’s one very impressive aircraft. I was recently watching some old videos of it on YouTube and how it rained horrors on the nva in Name. Btw I’m laughing on how they call the night vision optics as night vision Radar!

[fproy2222]

Somebody owes the crew in the back a drink or two. Humping ammo to load ammo and clear brass for 9 hours is hard work.

[Jumpmaster]

Nice to have a CiCthat can say something other than “Stand down.”

[RideForever]

Is this the crew that has the hot looking gunner that any man would die for to take to the prom? Serious intent with a playful smile. What’s not to like?

[ought-six]

The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is one of my all-time favorite aircraft. Loud as sin inside, though.

[DariusBane]

So many things went right that day. Congratulations to everyone involved it could have been very bad. But these airmen and soldiers trained hard and fought hard.

Respect

[NormsRevenge]

Glad to hear not all AC-130s are gathering dust..