ROCKWELL(LOCKHEED) AC-130U Spectre
ROCKWELL(LOCKHEED) AC-130U Spectre
Role:
Aerial gunship.
PROGRAMME:
Development of new gunship version of Lockheed C-130
Hercules launched 6 July 1987 with $155,233,489
contract to North American Aircraft Operations; last
contract awarded 31 December 1992; total value $523.9
million.
DESIGN FEATURES:
Can deliver loads and parachutists over lowered rear
ramp and parachutists through side doors; removable
external fuel tanks outboard of engines are standard
fittings; cargo hold pressurised. Wing section NACA
64A318 at root and NACA 64A412 at tip; dihedral 2
degrees 30'; incidence 3 degrees at root, 0 degrees at
tip. Leading-edges of wing, tailplane and fin anti-iced
by engine bleed air.
FLYING CONTROLS:
All control surfaces boosted by dual hydraulic units;
trim tabs on ailerons, both elevators and rudder,
elevator tabs have AC main supply and DC standby;
Lockheed-Fowler trailing-edge flaps; provision for two
removable afterbody ventral strakes.
STRUCTURE:
All-metal two-spar wing with integrally stiffened
taper-machined skin panels up to 14.63 m (48 ft 0 in)
long.
LANDING GEAR:
Hydraulically retractable tricycle type. Each main unit
has two wheels in tandem, retracting into fairings
built onto the sides of the fuselage. Nose unit has
twin wheels and is steerable +/-60 degrees. Oleo shock
absorbers. Mainwheel tyres size 56 x 20-20, pressure
6.62 bars (96 lb/sq in). Nosewheel tyres size 39 x
13-16, pressure 4.14 bars (60 lb/sq in). Goodyear
aircooled multiple disc hydraulic brakes with anti-skid
units. Retractable combination wheel-skis available.
Min ground turning radius: C-130H, 11.28 m (37 ft)
about nosewheel and 25.91 m (85 ft) about wingtip;
C-130H-30, 14.33 m (47 ft) about nosewheel and 27.93 m
(90 ft) about wingtip.
POWER PLANT:
Four 3362 kW (4508 shp) Allison T56-A-15 turboprops,
each driving a Hamilton Standard type 54H60 four-blade
constant-speed fully feathering reversible-pitch
propeller. Fuel in six integral tanks in wings, with
total capacity of 26344 litres (6960 US gallons; 5795
Imp gallons) and two optional underwing pylon tanks,
each with capacity of 5146 litres (1360 US gallons;
1132 Imp gallons). Total fuel capacity 36,636 litres
(9680 US gallons; 8060 Imp gallons). Single pressure
refuelling point in starboard wheel well. Overwing
gravity fuelling. Oil capacity 182 litres (48 US
gallons; 40 Imp gallons).
ACCOMMODATION:
Crew of four on flight deck, comprising pilot,
co-pilot, navigator and systems manager (fully
performance qualified flight engineer on USAF
aircraft). Provision for fifth man to supervise
loading. Sleeping bunks for relief crew and galley.
Flight deck and main cabin pressurised and
air-conditioned. Standard complements for C-130H are as
follows: 92 troops, 64 paratroopers, 74 litter patients
plus two attendants. Corresponding data for C-130H-30
are 128 troops, 92 paratroopers, and 97 litter patients
plus four attendants. Air transport and airdrop loads
such as Sheridan light armoured vehicle, 19,051 kg
(42,000 lb) when rigged for airdrop, are common to both
C-130H and the C-130H-30; light and medium towed
artillery weapons, or variety of wheeled and tracked
vehicles and multiple 463L supply pallets (five in
C-130H and seven in C-130H-30, plus one on rear ramp
for each model) are transportable; C-130H-30 is only
airlifter which can airdrop entire field artillery
section (ammo platform, weapon, prime mover, and eight
crew jumping over ramp) in one pass. Hydraulically
operated main loading door and ramp at rear of cabin.
Paratroop door on each side aft of landing gear
fairing. Two emergency exit doors standard; two
additional doors optional on C-130H-30.
AVIONICS:
Standard fit specified by US government comprises dual
AN/ARC-190 HF com, dual AN/ARC-186 VHC com, dual
AN/ARC-164 UHF com, AN/AIC-13 PA system, AN/AIC-18
intercom, AN/APX-100 IFF/AIMS ATC transponder, dual
AN/ARN-118 UHF nav, dual AN/ARN-147 VHF nav,
self-contained navigation system (SCNS), dual DF-206A
ADF, DF-301E UHF direction finder, emergency locator
transmitter (ELT), AN/APN-218 Doppler nav, AN/APN-232
combined altitude radar alt, dual C-12 compass system,
dual FD-109 flight director system, either capable of
coupling with FD-109 autopilot, Sundstrand ground
proximity warning system, Kollsman altitude alerter.
Westinghouse low power colour radar (LPCR 130-1)
replacing Sperry radar from March 1993, AN/APN-169C
station keeping equipment, A-100A cockpit voice
recorder, flight data recorder, AN/AAR-47 missile
warning system, provisions for AN/ALE-47 flare and
chaff dispensing system, provisions for AN/ALQ-157
infrared countermeasures system, provisions for KY-58
secure voice, provisions for microwave landing system
(Canadian Marconi CMSLA system ordered for C-130 fleet
retrofit, 1991), provisions for USTS Satcom system.
ARMAMENT:
Consists of (front to rear) General Electric GAU-12/U
25 mm six-barrel Gatling gun with 3000 rounds, Bofors
40 mm gun, and a 105 mm gun based on US Army howitzer;
addition of Rockwell Hellfire ASMs under consideration
1992; guns can be slaved to Hughes AN/APQ-180 (modified
AN/APG-70) digital fire control radar, Texas
Instruments AN/AAQ-117 FLIR or GEC-Marconi
all-light-level television (ALLTV), for night and
adverse weather attack on ground targets;
sideways-facing HUD for visual aiming. Attack method is
to circle target at altitude firing into apex of turn
on ground, but guns can now be trained, relieving pilot
of absolute precision flying; flight path is also less
predictable; can fire on two targets simultaneously.
Contains IR countermeasures; total of 300 chaff bundles
and 90 MJU7 or 180 M206 flares in three AN/ALE-40
launchers under fuselage; ITT Avionics AN/ALQ-172
jammer in base of fin; Loral AN/ALR-56M RWR; AN/AAR-44
IR warner; QRC-84-2 IRCM and AN/APR-46 threat avoidance
system; other equipment includes combined INS and GPS,
triple MIL-STD-1553B digital databuses and Spectra
ceramic armour protection.
DIMENSIONS: EXTERNAL:
Wingspan: 40.41 m (132 ft 7 in)
Wing chord: at root: 4.88 m (16 ft 0 in)
mean: 4.16 m (13 ft 8{1/2} in)
Wing aspect ratio: 10.1
Length overall:
all except HC-130H and C-130H-30:
29.79 m (97 ft 9 in)
C-130H-30: 34.37 m (112 ft 9 in)
Height overall: 11.66 m (38 ft 3 in)
Tailplane span: 16.05 m (52 ft 8 in)
Propeller diameter: 4.11 m (13 ft 6 in)
WEIGHTS AND LOADINGS:
Operating weight empty:
C-130H: 34,686 kg (76,469 lb)
C-130H-30: 36,397 kg (80,242 lb)
Max fuel weight: internal: 20,108 kg (44,330 lb)
external: 8255 kg (18,200 lb)
Max payload: C-130H: 19,356 kg (42,673 lb)
C-130H-30: 17,645 kg (38,900 lb)
Wing loading at max normal T-O weight:
434.5 kg/m/2 (89 lb/sq ft)
Power loading at max normal T-O weight:
5.23 kg/kW (8.6 lb/shp)
PERFORMANCE: (C-130H at max normal T-O weight, unless
indicated otherwise):
Max cruising speed: 325 knots (602 km/h; 374 mph)
Econ cruising speed: 300 knots (556 km/h; 345 mph)
Stalling speed: 100 knots (185 km/h; 115 mph)
Max rate of climb at S/L: 579 m (1900 ft)/min
Service ceiling at 58970 kg (130000 lb) AUW:
10,060 m (33,000 ft)
Service ceiling, OEI, at 58,970 kg (130,000 lb) AUW:
8075 m (26,500 ft)
Range with max fuel, incl external tanks, 7081 kg
(15,611 lb) payload, reserves of 5% initial fuel plus
30 min at S/L: 4250 nm (7876 km; 4894 miles)
LENGTH (m): 34.37
HEIGHT (m): 11.66
WINGSPAN (m): 40.41
MAX T-O WEIGHT (kg): 79,380
MAX WING LOAD (kg/m{2}): 434.50
SERVICE CEILING (m): 10,060
T-O RUN (m): 1091
LANDING RUN (m): 518
MAX RATE CLIMB (m/min): 579