[vyper]

http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,65817,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_1

I wonder where they got the idea of using a passenger liner as a weapon from?

[Corsair]

Interesting concept...I agree with them, I think it probably is about time to retire the P-3.

[Clave]

It's unusual but not unheard of to make military aircraft from an airliner.  The Nimrod AEW is based on the old Comet airliner: http://website.lineone.net/~redgoose/history.htm

[Corsair]

The article vyper posted mentions the Nimrod.

[phreak]

Originally posted by vyper
http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,65817,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_1

I wonder where they got the idea of using a passenger liner as a weapon from?

He-111

[Petrarch of the VBB]

There's a whole line of military aircraft based on the 707, after all.
Loads of AWACS, AEW, and whatnot.

[Flipside]

Theres also a Boeing 737 with enormous machine guns mounted along the sides iirc?

[Petrarch of the VBB]

That's a Herc. AC-130.

Modified Lockheed Hercules with a ****load of guns down one side.

Unless they've done the same to a 737, of course.

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by Flipside
Theres also a Boeing 737 with enormous machine guns mounted along the sides iirc?

Isn't that a C-130?

EDIT; AC-130a Spectre it's called, apparently;


(see gatling gun, etc, on RHS of picture)

EDIt; other piccy; http://www.airventure.de/historypics/ac_130gunship.jpg

There's also apparently a video from the guncam of one of these in Afghanistan.

[Flipside]

You may be right with the Herc, I'll have a look around though

[aldo_14]

Aha.  Boeing make the AC-130U gunship, so you're half-right.

[Petrarch of the VBB]

IIRC, they have 2 x 20mm miniguns, 2 x 40mm Bofors, 1 x 105mm howitzer.

[Knight Templar]

Indeed. You all remember that first "Afghani-nightvision vision video of death", right? T'was from a Spectre Gunship.

[vyper]

The AC130 (variants regardless) are scary as ****.

I wouldn't like to be around when one opens up.

[diamondgeezer]

There are two Hercybird gunship variants - Spectre and Spooky. The difference is in the weapons config, but don't ask me which is which...

[Lynx]

Nothing beats the good old DC-3 gunship with the five 7,62mm minicannons....at least in coolness.

[Bobboau]

http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/factfile/missiles/wep-harp.html

hey these things are real!

[Shrike]

Originally posted by Bobboau
http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/factfile/missiles/wep-harp.html

hey these things are real!

....

The Harpoon is only one of the most common antishipping missiles in the world, possibly the most.

As for the herc gunships, they're talking about putting lasers on them now.  That's the ****.

[Bobboau]

it was a joke, you know harpoon missles, what this comunity is founded on...

[Nuke]

the airborn laser system is already being fitted to a pair of 747s. should roll out soon after the f-22. mind you they have already tested, and successfully i might add, a prototype airborne laser system built inside a 707. advances in computerised targeting and more powerfull lasers should make them quite deadly. however if i was a the military, id fit the engines with halfnium reactors and integrate nuke launch capability, then you can keep the things airborne for  about 4 months at a time. kinda like nuclear submarines, but faster and higher.