Software engineers with the 402nd Software Maintenance Group at Robins AFB, Ga., have devised the means for AC-130 gunships to fire more than one of their cannons simultaneously at the same target. They developed this “dual-targeting” capability in Robins’ gunship lab based on feedback from gunships aircrews who believed this feature would improve combat lethality. “The way they described it is: ‘We want to be able to shoot the ant hill, and then kill all the ants as they leave the ant hill,'” said Steve Pollard, lead AC-130 test engineer. After successfully testing it in the lab, the new capability in now in use. Pollard said lab engineers consider this achievement their “pride and joy,” since it will likely save the lives of US ground troops. But it is only one of many gunship improvement efforts. (Robins report by Wayne Crenshaw)
After years of describing to lawmakers and Pentagon leaders the nature of that threat and the key role spacepower plays in deterring conflict in the domain and enabling the rest of the joint force, Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman told reporters during AFA’s Warfare Symposium here that the message appears to…