Editing Lockheed AC-130 (section)

===Origins===
During the Vietnam War, the [[Lockheed C-130 Hercules|C-130 Hercules]] was selected to replace the [[Douglas AC-47 Spooky]] gunship (Project Gunship I) to improve mission endurance and increase capacity to carry munitions. Capable of flying faster than helicopters and at high altitudes with excellent [[Loiter (flight) |loiter]] time, the use of the pylon turn allowed the AC-47 to deliver continuous, accurate fire to a single point on the ground.<ref name="USAF Nat Museum">{{Cite web |title=Lockheed AC-130A |url=http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3216 |type=fact sheet |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141011171113/http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3216 |publisher=[[National Museum of the United States Air Force]] |archive-date=11 October 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Douglas AC-47D |date=23 October 2009 |url= http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3211 |type=fact sheet |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141011174350/https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3211 |publisher=[[National Museum of the United States Air Force]] |archive-date=11 October 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:An air-to-air front view of a AC-130 Hercules aircraft in-flight near Hurlburt Field DF-ST-89-00413.jpg|thumb|left|AC-130H Spectre near Hurlburt Field, Florida in 1988]]
In 1967, JC-130A 54-1626 was selected for conversion into the prototype AC-130A gunship (Project Gunship II). The modifications were done at [[Wright-Patterson Air Force Base]] by the Aeronautical Systems Division. A direct-view [[Night vision device|night-vision telescope]] was installed in the forward door, an early [[forward-looking infrared]] device was placed in the forward part of the left wheel well, with miniguns and rotary cannons fixed facing down and aft along the left side. The [[Analog computer|analog]] [[fire-control computer]] prototype was handcrafted by Wing Commander Tom Pinkerton at the USAF Avionics Laboratory at Wright-Patterson AFB. Flight testing of the prototype was performed primarily at [[Eglin Air Force Base]], followed by further testing and modifications. By September 1967, the aircraft was certified ready for combat testing and was flown to [[Nha Trang Air Base]], [[South Vietnam]], for a 90-day test program.<ref name="USAF Nat Museum" /> The AC-130 was later supplemented by the [[Fairchild AC-119|AC-119 Shadow]] (Project Gunship III), which later proved to be underpowered.

Seven more airframes were converted to the "Plain Jane" configuration like the AC-130 prototype in 1968,<ref>{{Citation |title=Lockheed AC-130A "Plain Jane" |url=http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3220 |df=dmy-all |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090705235558/http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3220 |publisher=[[National Museum of the United States Air Force]] |access-date=5 April 2009 |archive-date=5 July 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and one aircraft received the "Surprise Package" refit in 1969.<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 January 2009 |title=Lockheed AC-130A "Surprise Package" |url=http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3221 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110914075833/http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3221 |archive-date=14 September 2011 |access-date=5 April 2009 |website=[[National Museum of the United States Air Force]] |url-status=deviated}}</ref> The Surprise Package upgrade included the latest [[20 mm caliber|20&nbsp;mm]] rotary autocannons and [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|40 mm Bofors cannon]], but no 7.62&nbsp;mm close-support armament. The Surprise Package configuration served as a test bed for the avionic systems and armament for the AC-130E. In 1970, 10 more AC-130As were acquired under the "Pave Pronto" project.<ref name="Pave Pronto">{{Cite web |title=Lockheed AC-130A "PAVE Pronto" |url=http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3222 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090705235603/http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3222 |archive-date=5 July 2009 |access-date=5 April 2009 |website=[[National Museum of the United States Air Force]]}}</ref> In the summer of 1971, Surprise Package AC-130s were converted to the Pave Pronto configuration and assumed the new nickname of "Thor". Conversion of C-130Es into AC-130Es for the "PAVE Spectre" project followed.<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 January 2009 |title=Lockheed AC-130E "PAVE Spectre" |url=http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3224 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110914204403/http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3224 |archive-date=14 September 2011 |access-date=5 April 2009 |website=[[National Museum of the United States Air Force]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=23 October 2009 |title=Lockheed AC-130E "Pave Aegis" |url=http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3225 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110914205747/http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3225 |archive-date=14 September 2011 |access-date=5 April 2009 |website=[[National Museum of the United States Air Force]]}}</ref> Regardless of their project names, the aircraft were more commonly referred to by the squadron's call sign, Spectre.{{fact|date=November 2023}}