Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders   AC-130W Stinger IIA U.S. Air Force AC-130W Stinger II returns from a training mission during Red Flag-Alaska 19-3 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Aug. 9, 2019. RF-A is a Pacific Air Forces-directed field training exercise for U.S. and international forces flown under simulated air combat conditions. It is conducted at the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex with air operations flown out of Eielson Air Force Base and JBER. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Westin Warburton)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        AC-130W Stinger IIAn AC-130W Stinger II assigned to the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., receives fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to McConnell AFB, Kan., Aug. 6, 2013, over the plains of New Mexico. The AC-130W provides reconnaissance over friendly positions and precision ordnance to targets in support of ground forces across the globe. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Victor J. Caputo)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        AC-130WThe AC-130W Stinger II primary missions are close air support and air interdiction. The aircraft is a highly modified C-130H featuring improved navigation, threat detection, countermeasures, and communication suites. All AC-130W aircraft are modified with a precision strike package to perform the gunship mission. (U.S. Air Force photo)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
 AC-130W Stinger II**Mission**
The AC-130W Stinger II primary missions are close air support and air interdiction. Close air support missions include troops in contact, convoy escort and point air defense. Air interdiction missions are conducted against preplanned targets or targets of opportunity and include strike coordination and reconnaissance. The AC-130W Stinger II Precision Strike Package modification provides ground forces an expeditionary, persistent direct-fires platform that delivers precision low-yield munitions, ideally suited for close air support and urban operations.**Features**
The aircraft is a highly modified C-130H featuring improved navigation, threat detection, countermeasures and communication suites. All AC-130W aircraft are modified with a precision strike package to perform the gunship mission.
Modifications to the AC-130W include a mission management console, robust communications suite, two electro-optical/infrared sensors, and synthetic aperture radar, advanced fire control equipment, precision guided munitions delivery capability as well as trainable 30mm and 105mm weapons. The mission management system fuses sensor, communication, environment, order of battle and threat information into a common operating picture.**Background**
Lessons learned from overseas contingency operations have modified the near-term needs of U.S. Special Operations Command and Special Operations Forces fire support requirements. In July 2007, the USSOCOM commander declared the need to grow the gunship fleet. The commander's intent was not to replace current AC-130s, but rather to augment existing combat capability.

AC-130W Stinger IIA U.S. Air Force AC-130W Stinger II returns from a training mission during Red Flag-Alaska 19-3 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Aug. 9, 2019. RF-A is a Pacific Air Forces-directed field training exercise for U.S. and international forces flown under simulated air combat conditions. It is conducted at the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex with air operations flown out of Eielson Air Force Base and JBER. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Westin Warburton)
            
            
            Photo Details /
                Download Hi-Res
    
    AC-130W Stinger IIAn  AC-130W Stinger II assigned to the 73rd Special Operations Squadron fires a burst of rounds during a live-fire training mission on Range 10, Feb. 3, 2016, Melrose Air Force Range, N.M. This was the first time live munitions had been fired at Range 10 in 45 years. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Manuel J. Martinez)
            
            
            Photo Details /
                Download Hi-Res
    
    AC-130W Stinger IIA maintainer assigned to 16th Expeditionary Operations Squadron communicate with pilots on board a AC-130W Stinger II during pre flight start up and checks before a mission at an undisclosed location in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, Southwest Asia, July 23, 2018. The AC-130W Stinger II primary missions are close air support and air interdiction. Close air support missions include troops in contact, convoy escort and point air defense. Air interdiction missions are conducted against preplanned targets or targets of opportunity and include strike coordination and reconnaissance (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Keith James)
            
            
            Photo Details /
                Download Hi-Res

In May 2012, the MC-130W Dragon Spear was renamed the AC-130W Stinger II. The AC-130W Stinger II Project was developed to increase the precision fire capacity available for overseas contingency operations. USSOCOM used proven rapid acquisition principles and combat-proven technology to field the Precision Strike Package on the AC-130W Stinger II. It took less than 18 months from the first flight of a prototype modified aircraft to deployment to Operation New Dawn. AC-130W gunships have since been employed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Inherent Resolve.**General characteristics****Primary Function:** Close air support and air interdiction with associated collateral missions**Contractor:** Lockheed Martin**Power plant:** Four Allison T56-A-15 turboprops**Thrust:** Thrust 4,300 shaft horsepower per engine**Speed:** 300 knots**Ceiling:** 28,000 feet**Maximum takeoff weight:** 155,000 pounds**Range:** 2,500 nautical miles; limited by crew duty day with air refueling**Crew:** Two pilots, two combat system officers, flight engineer, two special mission aviators**Armament:** Precision Strike Package with 30mm and 105mm cannons, and Standoff Precision Guided Munitions (GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb and AGM-176 Griffin missile)**Date deployed:** MC-130W with PSP November 2010**Unit cost:** AC-130W, $122 million**Inventory:** Active duty, 7
(Current as of March 2021)
   MORE FACT SHEETS
        Aircraft
        AC-130J Ghostrider
                    
                    AC-130J Ghostrider
                
                AC-130W Stinger II
                    
                    AC-130W Stinger II
                
                C-32
                    
                    C-32
                
                CV22
                    
                    CV-22 Osprey
                
                C-40C
                    
                    C-40B/C
                
                A U.S. Air Force C-37 taxis after landing
                    
                    C-37A/B
                
                C-130 Hercules
                    
                    C-130 Hercules
        RSS
    
    Major Commands
        Air Force Special Operations Command Rotator
                    
                    Air Force Special Operations Command
                
                Air Force Global Strike Command Rotator
                    
                    Air Force Global Strike Command
                
                Air Combat Command Rotator
                    
                    Air Combat Command
                
                Air Force Materiel Command Rotator
                    
                    Air Force Materiel Command
                
                Air Education and Training Command Rotator
                    
                    Air Education and Training Command
                
                Air Mobility Command Rotator
                    
                    Air Mobility Command
        RSS
    
    Weapons
        The Air Force Distributed Common Ground System (AF DCGS), also referred to as the AN/GSQ-272 SENTINEL weapon system, is the Air Force’s primary intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) collection, processing, exploitation, analysis and dissemination (CPAD) system. 
(U.S. Air Force photo)
                    
                    Air Force Distributed Common Ground System
                
                LGM-30G Minuteman III
                    
                    LGM-30G Minuteman III
                
                Sniper Pod
                    
                    Sniper Pod
                
                LITENING ADVANCE TARGETING
                    
                    LITENING ADVANCE TARGETING
                
                Guardian Angel
                
                Massive Ordnance Penetrator
                
                The AN/ASQ-236 Radar Pod contains synthetic aperture radar that provides detailed maps for surveillance, coordinate generation and bomb impact assessment purposes.  It will be operational on the F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo)
                    
                    AN/ASQ-236 Radar Pod
        RSS  Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil