During the first Gulf War, western media thought it both amusing and sad that Iraqi soldiers were surrendering to weaponless drones…
During the first Gulf War, western media thought it both amusing and sad that Iraqi soldiers were surrendering to weaponless drones…
Specter is a pretty formidable weapon in the right circumstances.
Very nasty hot metal raining down without warning to a very focused area.
Bet they didnt know what hit them……
Now get ready for the report by the AP claiming the victims were women and infants.
“…and when Spooky was working, everything stopped while that solid stream of violent red poured down out of the black sky.”
Dispatches, Michael Herr
Here’s hoping that they got ’em!
It may have been amusing and sad to western media, however I am sure that if they had witnessed the results of Hellfire missiles fired from UAV(s) and then were being orbited by said UAV(s), they too would likely surrender.
It may have been amusing and sad to western media, however I am sure that if they had witnessed the results of Hellfire missiles fired from UAV(s) and then were being orbited by said UAV(s), they too would likely surrender.
“The AC-130 gunship is capable of firing thousands of rounds per second, and sources say a lot of bodies were seen on the ground after the strike, but there is as yet, no confirmation of the identities.”
“… the mission was assigned to the AC-130 gunship operated by the U.S. Special Operations command.”
…-
cbs via free republic
Maz2 – did you not notice that was the link this entry leads to?
The AC-130, when used properly, is just what needs to be used whenever possible against thugs running amok. The sensors and optics on that machine can idendify and target individuals, not harming innocents….it can see perfectly in the dark, aim and shoot at one person standing in a crowd. I’ve seen video of that kind of precision….so it needs to be used anywhere there are people trying to cause trouble in the M.E. Orbiting over Bahgdad watching for those planting IED’s is a perfect mission for the AC-130…USE it! build more….
Slightly off topic but this article by a US soldier asking if he should return to Iraq is a must read. Its from townhall this weekend.
http://townhall.com/columnists/JBSmith/2007/01/05/a_soldiers_thoughts
The AC-130, when used properly, is just what needs to be used whenever possible against thugs running amok. The sensors and optics on that machine can idendify and target individuals, not harming innocents….it can see perfectly in the dark, aim and shoot at one person standing in a crowd. I’ve seen video of that kind of precision….so it needs to be used anywhere there are people trying to cause trouble in the M.E. Orbiting over Bahgdad watching for those planting IED’s is a perfect mission for the AC-130…USE it! build more….
arctic….
you mean like this? from over 4 km away…
spooky is right.
The AC-130, when used properly, is just what needs to be used whenever possible against thugs running amok. The sensors and optics on that machine can idendify and target individuals, not harming innocents….it can see perfectly in the dark, aim and shoot at one person standing in a crowd. I’ve seen video of that kind of precision….so it needs to be used anywhere there are people trying to cause trouble in the M.E. Orbiting over Bahgdad watching for those planting IED’s is a perfect mission for the AC-130…USE it! build more….
“Operation Enduring Freedom – Horn of Africa is the official name used by the US government for a component of its response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. Unlike other operations contained in Operation Enduring Freedom, OEF-HOA does not have a specific terrorist organization as a target. OEF-HOA instead focuses its efforts to disrupt and detect terrorist activities in the region and to work with host nations to deny the reemergence of terrorist cells and activities…”
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Enduring_Freedom_-_Horn_of_Africa
my bad, i read the comments….that was an apache…..this is “spooky”
notice the perpetual left turn
There should be a big thank you to the Ethiopians for putting the run on them.
spookyhttp://www.ndu.edu/nwc/nwcCLIPART/US_AIR_FORCE/Equipment/Attack-Fighter_Aircraft/AC-130/aAC130HSpectre07.jpg
“The AC-130 gunship is capable of firing thousands of rounds per second…”
Umm, no. That should be “per minute”.
we should be sending money and equipment to Ethiopia ASAP….religion aside, they are probably our best hope for long term stability in that region….I think they have shown it would be money well spent…a family member just returned from some aid work, and the country is progressing considerably compared to 10-20 years ago…let’s email our mp’s lobbying for these guys….GO ETHIOPIA!
btw…I saw a ac-130(we called it the warthog)in action at a firepower demonstration in Petawawa…..AWESOME
Sorry to go OT, but I see Ali Khameini has just said that Iran will close the Strait of Hormuz if the U.S. and its allies don’t back down on Irans nuclear program.
Maybe we’ll see another front open up soon. How thin can the U.S. stretch its military resources?
dmorris,
depends on the kind of fight
if all out then they are better off…..the constrained containment strategy, while appropriate is expensive in time and doesnt really do anything to the enemy.
iran wont do anything like that without being attacked first
the video available of the work the AC-130 can do is both frightening and comforting to us…..
The bad guys fear it, the home crowd can cheer it because it can be so discriminating as to who it can get. its not like a bomb that kills everybody near-by….it selectively picks, via a human at the controls who can pick, choose, or ask for guidance from superiors…..all in real-time. a live data-link to HQ allows an operator to get confirmation before pulling the trigger….what better way to limit collateral damage?
Bad guys need to be made dead. period. Being able to select them carefully, properly, with proper over-sight, is a win-win situation……except to the bad guys. Yes, it is a scary weapon…but not to us…just the bad guys
This is the AC130 in action in afghanistanhttp://www.factsofisrael.com/blog/archives/000560.html
The AC130Spectre/Spooky is not to be confused with the A10Warthoghttp://www.defencetalk.com/military_videos/air_force_videos/a-10_thunderbolt_ii_warthog_20060830.php
kingstonlad – Warthogs (A-10’s) are heavily armored tank-killers. They fire 30mm cannons through their nose, fast enough to slow the speed of the airframe.
The very different Lockheed AC-130, aka “Puff’s” fire various arms from their port/starboard sides.
In the orignal, Vietnam era “Puff’s”, each of three Gatling guns (aka “mini-guns”) were capable of firing 100 rounds per second.
That’s 6,000 rounds per minute PER GUN and there were 3 guns.
I grew up next to the Ernest Harmon Air Force Base. Up until recently the Georgia Reserve used to do airshows there. The A10 Warthog was a favorite of mine as well as the Galaxy. While I was growing up in the 60’s flights of F102’s and tankers were as common as cars driving down the street. A young boys dream.
CBCPravda refers to the terrorists fleeing Somalia as “al Qaeda suspects” (not militants) when in fact we know that the “suspects” (terrorist sympathizers) work for the CBC.
Please voice your views to these traitors of western civilization.
Howard Larsonsaid: “Now get ready for the report by the AP claiming the victims were women and infants.”
Al-Reuters is onto its pro-Muslim terrorist script. Next: Green Helmet Guy and Louise Arbour with a full report from Ban-UN, who/which will send in a rape unit from UNIFIL/UNESCO. Taliban Jack is writing a press release condemning Harper/Mckay/Bush.
Notice that Reuters cites a ” a Somali government source”, first. Then, upgrades the source to “the senior source”. Next source for Reuters will be Kofi Annan and Stephen Lewis, UN Special Envoys.
…-
U.S. warplane strikes Somali Islamists, “many dead”
Reuters (excerpt)
MOGADISHU, Jan 9 (Reuters) – Many people died in a U.S. air strike on a southern Somali village occupied by Islamists believed to be sheltering at least one al Qaeda suspect, a Somali government source said on Tuesday.
“I understand there are so many dead bodies and animals in the village,” the senior source told Reuters. …-
free republic
The ones fleeing are AQ. The ones standing still are well disciplined AQ.
Jim in Calgary,
The ones fleeing are indeed Al Qaeda…but the ones not moving are dead Al Qaeda. Way to go, AC-130s!
Which is fine with everyone except the Islamofascists, the UN, much of the Democratic Party, Al-Reuters, Al-CBC, Al-NYTimes, Al-BBC, etc. All of The Usual Suspects.
How about this quote in the article:
“Ethiopia’s prime minister said in an interview published Tuesday that suspected terrorists from CANADA, Britain, Pakistan and elsewhere have been among those taken prisoner or injured in the military operations in Somalia.”
It was widely reported that one Somalia warlord (Saiid) (sp) had shipped 3 of his 7 wives to London Ontario and put them on the dole, during the last US invasion.
Reaping time perhaps for Canada.
Oh and half of Lebannon is populated by Canadians it seems, so they were probably just dual citizenship Canadian families vacationing over the Christmas holidays in Somalia, and got stuck at the border.
I’m losing sleep worrying about those loyal Canadians getting hosed with a stream of hot metal, like the rest of them.
Not ; Hose On!
Yesterdays front page headline in the Star said, “Top Islamist ponders T.O. return.” One of the fascist ringleaders of the Islamic Courts is a prodigal son. “Since he’s a Canadian citizen, there would be no impediment to his return, according to a Foreign Affairs Department spokesperson.”
“Weaponless drones” nicely describes some chattering-class metrosexual people I know…