The AC-130 is a heavily armed aircraft with side-firing weapons integrated with sophisticated sensors, navigation and fire control systems. Able to loiter for extended periods and lay down precision firepower or saturate an area at night and in adverse weather. Primary missions are close air support, air interdiction and armed reconnaissance. Other missions include perimeter and point defense, escort, landing, drop and extraction zone support, forward air control, limited command and control, and combat search and rescue.
The MC-130P Combat Shadow flies clandestine or low visibility, low-level missions into politically sensitive or hostile territory to provide air refueling for special operations helicopters. Missions are often flown at night to reduce detection. Other mission capabilities include airdrop of small special operations teams, zodiac and combat rubber raiding craft; as well as night-vision goggle takeoffs and landings, tactical airborne radar approaches and in-flight refueling as a receiver.
The MC-130E/H Combat Talon provides global, day, night and adverse weather airdrop and airland capability in support of U.S. and allied special operations forces. The MC-130E also has a deep penetrating helicopter refueling role during special operations missions. The MC-130H conducts infiltrations into politically denied/sensitive defended areas to resupply or exfiltrate special operations forces and equipment. These missions are conducted in adverse weather at low-level and long range.
Rangers
Stationed: HQ and 3rd Bat.: Fort Benning, Georgia, 1st Bat. at
Hunter Army Airfield Georgia, 2nd bat. Fort Lewis Washington. There are also
four Ranger Training Battalions.
Weapons: 84mm RAWS, 60mm Mortars, M240G
Machine Guns, M249 SAW, M16A2 assault rifles
Marine Recon
Stationed:
Active Duty:
Divison Recon Company-1st
Marine Division Camp Pendleton California 1st Force Recon Company, 1st SRIG,
Camp Pendleton, California 2nd Recon Battalion-Camp Lejuene North Carolina(2nd
Force Recon Comapny is now part of this unit) Division Recon Company-3rd Marine
Division, Camp Butler, Okinawa Japan 5th Force Recon Comapny, Camp Butler,
Okinawa Japan Reserve:
3rd Force Recon Company, Mobile Alabama 4th Force
Recon Company, Reno Nevada and Oahu Hawaii 4th Reconnaissance Battalion-San
Antonio Texas, Billings Montana, Albuquerque New Mexico, and Anchorage
Alaska.
Weapons: M16A2, M203, M249 SAW, M9 Beretta Handgun, H&K MP5, M40
sniper rifle, Barret .50 calibre Heavy sniper rifle.
Navy SEALs
Stationed: HQ and Western teams: Coronado Naval Base, San
Diego, California. Eastern teams: Little Creek, Virginia. DEVGRU: Dam Neck,
Virginia.
Weapons:
Army Special Forces
Operations Command
160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR)
'The Night Stalkers' Headquartered at Fort Campbell, Ky., the Night Stalkers
have about 1800 people and fly the world's most sophisticated helicopters. The
160th keeps aircraft ready to deploy on 4 hours' notice from Fort Campbell,
Hunter Army Airfield near Savannah, Ga., and Howard Air Force Base in Panama,
and it routinely fields training detachments of four to 12 aircraft around the
world.
Motto of unit: "Night Stalkers Don't Quit."
| Asset | Type | Function | Capabilities | |
| MC-130E/H (Combat Talon I/II) | Aircraft | Special Ops | ||
| MC-130P (Combat Shadow) | Aircraft | Refueling of Special Op Helicopters | ||
| AC-130H/U (Spectre / Spooky II) | Aircraft | Gunship | ||
| EC-130E (Commando Solo) | Aircraft | PSYOP and EW | Broadcast in AM, FM, HF, TV and military communications bands | |
| EC-130H (Compass Call) | Aircraft | Jamming / disruption of enemy command and control systems | ||
| MH-47 Special Operations Aircraft (SOA) | Helo | SOAR's long-distance, heavy-lift helicopter equipped w/ aerial refueling and a fast-rope rappelling system | ||
| MH-53J Pave Low III | Helo | Low-level, long-range, penetration into denied areas, day or night, in adverse weather, for infiltration, exfiltration and resupply of special op forces | ||
| MH-60G Pave Hawk | Helo | medium-lift helicopter operated by the Air Force Special Operations Command | ||
| MH-60L Direct Action Penetrator (DAP) | Helo | Escort, Fire support, CSAR / MEDEVAC | ||
| AH-6 Little Bird | Helo | Escort | ||
| MH-6 Little Bird | Helo | Insertion | ||
| Global Hawk | UAV | |||
| Predator | UAV | |||
| Pioneer | UAV | |||
| Hunter | UAV | Recon |
| Type | M40A1 Sniper Rifle |
| Manufacturer | Specially trained armorers at Quantico, Virginia |
| Length | 44 inches (111.76 centimeters) |
| Barrel length | 24 inches (61 centimeters) |
| Weight | 14.5lb (6.58 kg) |
| Bore diameter | 7.62mm (.308 inches) |
| Maximum effective range | 1000 yards (914m) |
| Muzzle velocity | 2550ft (777m) per second |
| Chamber pressure | 50,000 psi |
| Magazine capacity | 5 rounds |
| Unit Replacement Cost | $2,105 |
| Features |
| Type | M82A1A .50 Caliber Special Application Scoped Rifle |
| Manufacturers | Barrett Firearms Manufacturing, Inc. and Unertl |
| Length | 57 inches (144.78 centimeters) |
| Barrel length | 29 inches (73.67 cm) |
| Weight | 32.5lb (14.75 kg) (unloaded) |
| Bore diameter | 12.7mm (.50 Caliber) |
| Maximum effective range* | 1800m |
| Muzzle velocity | 2800ft (854m) per second |
| Magazine capacity | 10 rounds |
| Unit Replacement Cost | $6,000 |
| Features: |
| Type | H&K PSG-1 |
| Manufacturer | Heckler and Koch |
| Caliber | 7.62 x 51mm NATO (.308 Win) |
| Magazine | 5 or 20 round detachable box |
| Barrel | 25.59" (650mm), Heavy, 4 grooves, right hand twist |
| Overall length | 47.56" (120.8 cm) |
| Total Weight | 17.81lb (8.10kg) |
| Scope | Hendsoldt 6x42, with reticle illumination. 6 settings from 100 to 600m |
| Cost | about $9000 |
| Features |
| Type | MP-5N Heckler and Koch 9mm Submachine Gun |
| Manufacturer | Heckler and Koch |
| Length Collapsed stock Extended stock |
19.29 inches (49 centimeters) 25.98 inches (66 centimeters) |
| Weight | 7.44lb (3.38 kg) (w/30 round magazine) |
| Bore diameter | 9mm (.355 inches) |
| Maximum effective range | 328.1ft (100m) |
| Rate of fire | 800 rounds per minute |
| Unit Replacement Cost | $894 |
| Features |
| Type | M16A2 5.56mm Rifle |
| Manufacturer | Colt Manufacturing and Fabrique Nationale Manufacturing Inc. |
| Length | 39.63 inches (100.66 centimeters) |
| Weight, with 30 round magazine | 8.79lb (3.99 kg) |
| Bore diameter | 5.56mm (.233 inches) |
| Maximum effective range Area target Point target |
2,624.8ft (800m) 1,804.5ft (550m) |
| Muzzle velocity | 2,800ft (853m) per second |
| Rate of fire Cyclic Sustained Semiautomatic Burst |
800 rounds per minute 12-15 rounds per minute 45 rounds per minute 90 rounds per minute |
| Magazine capacity | 30 rounds |
| Unit Replacement Cost | $586 |
| Features |
| Type | M4 Carbine |
| Manufacturer | Colt Manufacturing and Fabrique Nationale Manufacturing Inc. |
| Caliber | 5.56mm (.223 Rem) |
| Capacity | 30 rounds |
| Barrel Length | 14.5" with Step Cut* |
| Overall Length | 29.8"" to 33" |
| Weight | 5.65lb(empty) |
| Cycle Rate | 700-950 rpm |
| Front Sight | Adjustable |
| Rear Sight | Integrated M16A2 target style sight adjustable for windage/elevation to 600m |
| Cost | ? |
| Features | more compact, four-position buttstock version of the M16A2 |
| Type | M9 Semiautomatic Pistol |
| Manufacturer | Beretta and Beretta USA |
| Length | 8.54 inches (21.69 centimeters) |
| Width | 1.50 inches (3.81 centimeters) |
| Height | 5.51 inches (14 centimeters) |
| Barrel length | 4.92 inches (12.5 centimeters) |
| Weight fully loaded | 2.55lb (1.16 kg) |
| Bore diameter | 9mm (approximately .355 inches) |
| Maximum effective range | 152.5ft (50m) |
| Magazine capacity | 15 rounds |
| Muzzle velocity | 1200ft (365m) per second |
| Unit Replacement Cost | $263 |
| Features |