With an operational range of 3,000 miles and the ability to do aerial refueling, the AC-130 can stay over a target for an extended period. The latest iteration of the aircraft, the AC-130J Ghostrider, packs quite a punch, with 30 mm and 105 mm cannons and the ability to launch 'smart munitions,' such as the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb and the AGM-114 Hellfire and AGM-176 Griffin missiles. The AC-130 gunship is beloved because of its arsenal, loiter time, and diverse uses.

The AC-130 gunship's primary mission sets are close air support, air interdiction, and armed reconnaissance, but it can also participate in combat search and rescue and forward air control if needed. Death from above An AC-130 banks near Hurlburt Field, smoke visible from its rotary cannon, during twilight operations, March 1, 1988. Only the -W and -J models remain in service. The aircraft's utility and effectiveness pushed the Air Force to invest more in the platform, beginning a dynasty that has gone through six versions: the AC-130A, -E, -H, -U, -W, and -J.

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