The USAF has recently shelved its plans to build a gunship version of the C-27J due to funding, and instead will be be giving some MC-130s gunship capability and converting a number of C-130J airframes to AC-130s to replacing aging aircraft.
Since LIC/CI warfare seems to be with us for the forseeable future, I'm curious to here people's opinions on the future of fixed wing gunships.
Will we see a replacment for the AC-130? Are directed energy weapons likely to make an apperance as gunship armament any time in the near future? What about UACV gunships? Do any other nations have interest in developing fixed wing gunship capability?
Adrian
The first fixed-wing gunship, the AC-47, aka 'Spooky' or 'Puff the Magic Dragon' had its first appearance over 40 years ago. Since then, other gunship versions (AC-119 and now AC-130) have appeared, but the basic mission has not changed, namely saturation and area suppression fire.
I do not foresee DEW being able to replace the current armament on a gunship any time soon, particularly since we are still having problems developing a reliabe and efficient one in the first place. Never mind a DEW capable of high volume or large area fire support.
I also do not think at UAVs would be used in a gunship role any time soon either, unless a cargo-carrier UAV was developed or an existing gunship was converted into a UAV. While many UAVs do have a characteristic of the gunships, namely long loiter times, I am unaware of any UAV that has a payload capacity approaching any of the gunships. Even the old AC-47s had ~7,000 lbs available to carry the 7.62 mm mini-guns and the belted rounds for them. If a large UAV gets developed which can fly at low level (for a UAV at least) and has a large enough cargo capacity and space/volume, then perhaps a UAV gunship might get developed.
As for other nations developing a gunship... I have my doubts. Largely because the gunship has been in service for over four decades and no other country (AFAIK) has had one enter service as yet. This could be due to limited or specialist tactical use which other countries just do not see often enough, or just that the US military is large enough to be able to afford all the special 'toys' that it wants and needs.
As for possible replacements for the AC-130, three potentials come to mind. These would be ACH-47, AC-27, or AV-22. Essentially gunship versions of the CH-47 Chinook helicopter, the C-27 Spartan, or the V-22 Osprey.
As I understand it, one thing which has been (or perhaps is being) looked at is rationalizing the weapons calibers used on the AC-130 which depending on which might include 20 mm, 25 mm, 40 mm, 105 mm howitzer rounds or 120 mm mortar rounds. If the weaponry could be standardized around one round, then it could reduce the logistical burden the aircraft creates.
Potential advantages using the other aircraft I mentioned are for the C-27, smaller/lighter so potentially less expensive vs. an AC-130, also should have improved STOL performance which assist in operating from forward areas.
For the CH-47 and V-22, being VTOL can take off & land in small areas, also the potential to hover over a target area while proving CAS. This could be beneficial compared to the current practice were gunships have to make slow, banking turns because all the guns fire out from one side of the aircraft (port/left side IIRC).
There had been mention of an AC-X programme to develop a gunship for SOCOM. The specifications were for a smaller, faster, more manueverable LO platform which would fire lethal and non-lethal weaponry, including DEW to either side and above or below the platform. Supporting research was to be done to develop an Advanced Tactical Laser to support the AC-X, but given the power levels, it was to be using a chemical laser. Given the inherent toxicity of chemical lasers, as well the likely limitations on the number/volume of 'shots' compared with using conventional weaponry, I am uncertain that such a platform got further than a tech demontrator. Particularly due to the level of funding required for the R&D to overcome what are IMO significant technological challenges.
As a side note, there was a twin rotary helicopter gunship which saw service during Vietnam. I do not recall if it was adapted from a CH-47 Chinook, or a CH-46 Sea Knight, though it have also been a variant of the H-21 'Flying Banana'. This gunship, however had machine guns and rocket pods which fired in a forward arc like the 'Huey' gunship or later AH-1 Cobra or AH-64 Apache gunships.
-Cheers
