APPENDIX 5 (AC - 130 GUNSHIP FIRES) TO ANNEX D (FIRE SUPPORT) TO XVIII AIRBORNE CORPS FIELD SOP 1. Purpose. procedures.

2. General. To establish AC-130 Gunship call for fire

a. The AC-130 is a modified C-130 with significant weapon and sensor platforms. Within permissive environments, it is especially effective in close air support (CAS), interdiction, and armed reconnaissance missions. It also has the capability to assist in perimeter defense, escort (ground/air), surveillance, search and rescue (SAR), infiltration/exfiltration, illumination, landing/drop zone operations, and a limited airborne command and control capability. b. Prior to its arrival into the operational area, the AC130 requires the following initial mission information: (1) (2) (a) (b) (c) or TRP. (3) (4) (5) location). (6) Threats to gunship (AAA, SAMS, etc). Current ground situation. Beacons (type/location) (e.g., TEMIG at my TGT elevation/type elevation. AC-130 Close air AIRCRAFT = A12 D-5-1 Location of friendly positions Enemy location. UTM coordinates Reference to readily identifiable terrain feature. Range/bearing (polar plot) from friendly location

c. AC-130 call for fire formats: support/troops in contact. Explanation: FO = B33:

APPENDIX 5 (AC - 130 GUNSHIP FIRES) TO ANNEX D (FIRE SUPPORT) TO XVIII AIRBORNE CORPS FIELD SOP Step #1. Observer ID and warning order (FO calls AC-130, IDs himself; and warns AC that a mission is coming). AC asks FO to authenticate. FO: AC: A12 this is B33. Fire Mission, Over. B33 this is A12, Fire mission, Authenticate , over.

Step #2. Friendly position/marking (FO needs to mark his position in one of several ways: IR strobes, VS17 panel, tracers, etc). FO tells AC how his position is marked. FO: This is marked with AC: This is out. -orFO: Marking AC: This is B33, I authenticate . My location is . Can you identify, Over? A12, Roger, see your position marked with target with tracers, over. A12, Roger I see the target, out. , ,

Step #3. Target location/description. FO sends degrees/distance in meters and selects type of munitions to be used. FO: This is B33, from my location degrees for meters, 3 BMPs in the open, can you identify, request (2omm, 40mm,105mm) over. AC: This is A12, from your location, degrees for meters, 3 BMPs in the open, out. Step #4. Clear AC HOT (FO waits until AC positively Ids the TGT before he clears him HOT). (After 1st round impacts, FO can adjust). (FO can attack different targets by giving cardinal direction/distance from old target). FO: This is B33, you are cleared hot, over AC: This is A12, cleared hot, out. FO: This is B33, move west meters from last impact, over. AC: A12, west meters, out. FO: This is B33, fresh tgt. From last Tgt move for meters, trucks, over. AC: A12, for meters, trucks, out. D-5-2

APPENDIX 5 (AC - 130 GUNSHIP FIRES) TO ANNEX D (FIRE SUPPORT) TO XVIII AIRBORNE CORPS FIELD SOP Step #5. FO: AC: EOM and BDA (FO gives EOM and BDA to the AC)

This is B33, EOM, target destroyed, over. A12, EOM, out. ** AC-130 IR illumination**

Step #1. Adjusting IR illum (when using IR illum, initial warning order is the same) FO: A12 this is B33, Fire mission, over. AC: B33 this is A12, Fire mission, authenticate , over. FO: This is B33, I authenticate , my location is marked with , can you identify? AC: This is A12, Roger, I see your position marked with , out. Step #2. The FO sends degrees/distance from his position and instructs the AC to "Burn Target." FO: This is B33, from my location, degrees for meters, Burn target, over. AC: This is A12, Roger, Burn Target, out. a. To continue to guide the burn to the target, a box is the shape of the illuminated area. FO: This is B33, move one box west, over. AC: This is A12, roger. b. To stop the burn. FO: This is B33, stop burn, over. AC: This is A12, roger. c. To turn off the IR illumination FO: This is B33, freeze burn, over. AC: This is A12, roger, freeze burn, out. NOTE: Once the target is illuminated, the FO may conduct a standard fire mission to destroy the enemy, for example: Step #3. FO describes the target in relation to the burn. FO: This is B33, your target, far west corner of burn, 3 BMPs, can you identify? AC: This is A12, roger, out. FO: This is B33, (20mm, 40mm, 105mm) you are cleared hot, D-5-3

APPENDIX 5 (AC - 130 GUNSHIP FIRES) TO ANNEX D (FIRE SUPPORT) TO XVIII AIRBORNE CORPS FIELD SOP over. AC: This is A12, roger, out.

Step #4. EOM and BDA. FO: This is B33, EOM, target destroyed, over. AC: A12, EOM, out.

D-5-4