WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB, Ohio, 2 Dec. 2010. U.S. Air Force officials are looking to the Lockheed Martin Corp. Missiles and Fire Control segment in Orlando, Fla., to upgrade and retrofit five AN/AAQ-39 Gunship Multispectral Sensor System (GMS2) units for the Air Force AC-130U Spooky, a Special Operations ground-attack version of the C-130 four-engine turboprop aircraft.
The Air Force Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, awarded Lockheed Martin a $10 million contract Wednesday to upgrade and retrofit five GMS2 systems. The AC-130U is armed with a 25-millimeter GAU-12 Equalizer five-barrel rotary cannon, which is guided and aimed with the GMS2 multispectral fire-control sensor, for close air support, air interdiction, air missions, bombing raids, and force protection.
The GMS2 integrates third-generation infrared sensing technology with image intensified low-light TV cameras and a suite of lasers to enhance the accuracy of the Boeing AC-130U gunship's powerful 25-millimeter Gatling gun.
The system consists of a large-aperture midwave infrared (MWIR) sensor, two image-intensified television (I2TV) cameras, a near-infrared (NIR) laser pointer, and an eyesafe laser designator/rangefinder. Lockheed Martin integrates these components into a stabilized turret located near the AC-130U's rotary canon.
For more information contact Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control online at www.lockheedmartin.com/mfc, or the Air Force Aeronautical Systems Center at www.wpafb.af.mil/asc.
