Gunship

This article is about a kind of military aircraft. For the video game, see Gunship (video game). For the synthwave band, see Gunship (band). For small armed watercraft, see gunboat.
An AC-130H gunship from the 16th Special Operations Squadron

A gunship is a military aircraft armed with heavy aircraft guns, primarily intended for attacking ground targets either as airstrike or as close air support.[1]

In modern usage the term "gunship" refers to fixed-wing aircraft having laterally-mounted heavy armaments (i.e. firing to the side) to attack ground or sea targets.[2][3] These gunships are configured to circle the target instead of performing strafing runs. Such aircraft have their armament on one side harmonized to fire at the apex of an imaginary cone formed by the aircraft and the ground when performing a pylon turn (banking turn).[2][3] The term "gunship" originated in the mid-19th century as a synonym for gunboat and also referred to the heavily armed ironclad steamships used during the American Civil War.[4]

The term helicopter gunship is commonly used to describe armed helicopters.

  1. ^ Wragg, David W. (1973). A Dictionary of Aviation (first ed.). Osprey. p. 147. ISBN 9780850451634.
  2. ^ a b Ballard 1982, p. 9.
  3. ^ a b Hamlin 1970.
  4. ^ "Mystery photo unseen for 30 years may show Civil War gunship". Fox News. Associated Press. February 14, 2015.