AC-130 (killstreak)

The AC-130, also called Gunship, is a Killstreak reward featured in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Call of Duty Online, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, a pointstreak reward in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, a Hero Skill in Call of Duty: Heroes, a Scorestreak in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and Call of Duty: Mobile and a Killstreak and Scorestreak in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III. It was cut from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and Call of Duty: Black Ops.
==Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare==
The AC-130 was originally going to be in Modern Warfare's multiplayer, however, it was cut from the final release. Several files can be found (ac130_25mm_mp, ac130_40mm_mp, ac130_105mm_mp).
==Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2==
The AC-130 is available for unlock as early as level 10. It takes 11 kills to obtain or 10 with Hardline. The AC-130, due to its amazing firepower, high altitude flight path, and its two angel flares, is a force to be reckoned with in almost any situation.
When called in, the player will start with a thermal view from the AC-130 which gives a clear overhead view of the map from the 105mm cannon. Each cannon has a different zoom amount, with the 105mm having the least and the 25mm having the most. On its own, it is arguably one of the deadliest killstreaks in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and in tandem with Danger Close Pro, its lethality is further increased. Due to the AC-130 flying higher than any other aerial killstreak, it can't be hit with bullets and it is able to shoot down helicopters and Harriers.
While difficult, it is possible to destroy an AC-130 with the Predator Missile and RPG-7. If using lock-on launchers, it will take at least three rockets due to the AC-130 having two flares. The AC-130 should be taken out as quickly as possible if the enemy has deployed one, as the player using it may have a Tactical Nuke as their last reward.
The explosive damage on the AC-130 is affected by Danger Close, being able to maximise the blast radius of its explosive rounds.
===Gallery===
AC-130 HUD MW2.jpg|The AC-130's HUD.
AC-130 reloading 105mm MW2.png|Reloading the 105mm cannon.
AC-130 40mm MW2.png|The 40mm cannon.
AC-130 25mm MW2.png|The 25mm cannon.
AC-130 dropping flares Afghan MW2.png|AC-130 dropping flares.
AC-130 flying over Afghan MW2.png|AC-130 flying over the map Afghan.
AC-130 overlay 105mm MW2.png|The overlay for the 105mm.
AC-130 overlay 40mm MW2.png|The overlay for the 40mm.
AC-130 overlay 25mm MW2.png|The overlay for the 25mm.
===Video===
MW2 Predator Missile vs. AC-130|center|Taking down an AC-130 with a Predator Missile in Modern Warfare 2.
===Team announcers announcing enemy AC-130===
* - Task Force 141
* - Spetsnaz
* - U.S. Army Rangers
* - OpFor
* - U.S. Navy SEALs
* - Brazilian Militia
==Call of Duty: Black Ops==
AC-130 was planned as a killstreak, which can be seen in game files (_ac130.gsc, ac130_overlay_105mm, ac130_overlay_grain). It was going to appear as the same model plane as the C-130, but it was cut from the final game.
==Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3==
The AC-130 is a 12-point (11 with Hardline) Strike Chain reward, which is part of the Assault Strike Package in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.
The AC-130 is in the air for forty seconds. It works just like in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, but it now keeps track of the number of shots in each weapon before reloading, as well as the max capacities: One 105mm howitzer shell, four 40mm cannon shells, and twenty 25mm Vulcan rounds. It is also possible to switch between thermal and enhanced color vision at will. It will appear as 1:1, 4:4, and 20:20 respectively on the HUD, with the number on the left representing the ammo left before reloading.
=== Advantages ===
The AC-130 is very good on small, open maps like Village, Dome, and Mission. Additionally, the 105mm cannon is so powerful that a single round will generally destroy any aerial killstreak including the Osprey. A single round will kill any player regardless of perks or even if they have Juggernaut armour. The aircraft has 2 flares, meaning that any one player will never be able to destroy it since a total of 3 shots are required to bring it down.
=== Limitations ===
The AC-130 does not appear on the Wii version due to RAM limitations. It is also less effective on maps with large amounts of overhead cover such as Arkaden. Players can be killed while operating it unlike the Predator missile, which is already falling when activated. Furthermore, the AC-130 is unable to target the Counter UAV, UAV, and the Reaper, as they all fly higher than the gunship. An EMP will instantly bring it down, regardless of whether the user employs Assassin Pro.
===Gallery===
Reaper and AC-130 MW3.jpg|A Reaper (top) and an AC-130 (bottom).
AC-130 old menu icon MW3.jpg|An old killstreak icon for the AC-130.
=== Video ===
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 AC-130 Attack Demo|Attack Demonstration
==Call of Duty Online==
The AC-130 returns in Call of Duty Online as the Airborne Gunship. It is unlocked at Level 63 and available for use by getting 11 kills without dying.
The Airborne Gunship is very similar to the AC-130 in Modern Warfare 2. The guns now cycle 105mm to 25mm to 40mm and the user is given nine 40mm shots.
===Gallery===
AC130 CoDO.png|The Airborne Gunship as seen through a sniper scope.
AC130 105mm CoDO.png|The Airborne Gunship firing its 105mm cannon.
Airborne Gunship Model CoDO.png|The Airborne Gunship's model.
===Video===
My First AC130 in Call of Duty Online|The AC130 as it appears in Call of Duty Online.
==Call of Duty: Heroes==
The AC-130 appears as the Gunship. It is exclusive to Ghost. It has a 25mm gun with 30 ammo and 12 damage, a 40mm cannon with 11 ammo, 50 damage, and a damage range of 3, and a 105mm cannon with 1 ammo, 700 damage, and a damage range of 7.5.
==Call of Duty: Black Ops 4==
The Gunship returns in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 as a Scorestreak and is similar to its Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 predecessor, but with two 105mm shots instead of one.
==Call of Duty: Modern Warfare==
The Gunship returns in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare as a Killstreak and is similar to the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 predecessor, but with five 40mm shots and thirty 25mm shots instead of four and twenty respectively.
It can be used to shoot down nearly any other aerial killstreak including the Chopper Gunner, VTOL Jet, and Personal Radar, among others.
none|thumb|A gunship from Modern Warfare being used on Scrapyard.
==Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War ==
The Gunship returns in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War as a Scorestreak.
==Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II==
The Gunship returns in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II as both Killstreak and Scorestreak functioning similarly to the previous games.
The major change with the gunship is that the 105mm howitzer has been replaced with a laser tracking missile. The missile functions similarly to the Reaper or Lodestar missiles, where it will follow the player's reticule until it hits. Should the player change weapons after firing the missile, it will lose it's tracking ability and continue to home in on it's last aim point.
==Call of Duty: Mobile==
The Gunship returns in Call of Duty: Mobile as a Scorestreak. It was added in November 2023 as part of the Season 10: 4th Anniversary update. It is identical to its Modern Warfare version, but with forty 25mm shots instead of thirty.
It has two standard flare charges which automatically deploy upon a tracking missile, such as the FHJ-18, are fired upon it. However, when an EMP is deployed the Gunship will be instantly destroyed.
==Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III==
The Gunship returns in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III as both Killstreak and Scorestreak functioning identically to its Modern Warfare II version.
==Trivia==
===Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2===
*Getting the final kill with the AC-130 will reward the player with the "Death From Above" title, referencing to the level of the same name in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.
*If the player is flashed while controlling an AC-130, they will be affected while controlling the AC-130.
*The AC-130 cannot be locked-on to or destroyed while it is leaving the battlefield, even though it is visible.
*If multiple players fire missiles at the AC-130, all of the contributing players will receive points and credit for destroying it.
*It is possible to get a headshot with any of the weapons from the AC-130.
*Killing oneself with the AC-130 will result in a comment from the AC-130 pilot.
*Despite the apparent large size of the AC-130, it's actually the same size as the MQ-1 Predator UAV . It looks massive because of the illusion the distance from the ground the plane is. In spectator mode, a player can fly up to a AC-130 and UAV that are next to each other and see clearly they are almost identical in size. 
===Call of Duty: Online===
*The aircraft model used for the AC-130 killstreak is in fact not an AC-130 at all, but a Russian Antonov-type aircraft instead, regardless of faction in control of it.
===Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War===
*When activating the Gunship killstreak, if the player is to exit out of it, instead of leaving, an AI will instead take control of the ship and attack enemy players with it.
===Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II===
*When the player enters the gunship, they will enter control through the view of the NPCs within the gunship itself. When the gunship is then destroyed, a short cutscene plays through the eyes of personnel operating the gunship, who briefly look at each other, briefly floating into the air as the ship loses altitude and then explodes. A scream can also be heard as the explosion plays out.
*During the Multiplayer Open Beta, the laser tracking missile was designated as the "LTM-114." In the release, it is now designated simply as the "LTM."
===Call of Duty: Mobile===
*The description erroneously referred to 105mm Howitzer as a laser tracking missile which it does not follow the reticule.
*Before Season 11: Siren Song update, the Gunship was banked to the right despite the weapons are being placed on the left side.
Category:Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Cut Killstreak Rewards
Category:Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Killstreak Rewards
Category:Call of Duty: Black Ops Cut Killstreak Rewards
Category:Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Pointstreak Rewards
Category:Call of Duty Online Killstreaks
Category:Call of Duty: Heroes Hero Skills
Category:Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Scorestreaks
Category:Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) Killstreaks
Category:Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Scorestreaks
Category:Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II Killstreaks and Scorestreaks
Category:Call of Duty: Mobile Scorestreaks
Category:Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III Killstreaks and Scorestreaks