Discussion: The Spear Podcast - Aloft in the Atmosphere: Specter Unveiled

In the valleys of Afghanistan in 2007, a US Army Special Forces team found themselves under intense enemy fire. The AC-130H Spectre gunship, a unique platform for providing close-air support, was standing by at a nearby base.

Lt. Col. Michael Murphy, the commander of the US Air Force's 16th Special Operations Squadron, was a copilot on the AC-130H Spectre gunship during that operation. Equipped with a 40-millimeter cannon and a 105-millimeter howitzer, the Spectre gunship launched to provide overwatch for the Special Forces team.

The two-and-a-half-hour operation saw the Spectre gunship engaging enemy targets multiple times. Lt. Col. Murphy, in an interview on the series The Spear released in October 2020, recounted the events of that day.

The conversation can be listened to below, and it is also available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, TuneIn, or your favorite podcast app. The image credit for this article is from Senior Airman Alexxis Pons Abascal, US Air Force.

It's important to note that the AC-130H Spectre gunship is flown by Air Force special operations personnel and often operates closely with special operations forces on the ground. This close coordination was evident during the 2007 operation in Afghanistan, as the Spectre gunship provided critical support to the Special Forces team under fire.

The AC-130H Spectre gunship's role in this operation demonstrates its unique capabilities in providing close-air support. This article provides information about an event that occurred in Afghanistan in 2007 involving a US Army Special Forces team and the AC-130H Spectre gunship.

Lt. Col. Michael Murphy, who was a co-pilot on the AC-130H in Afghanistan in 2007, was interviewed in October 2020 on the series The Spear. The podcast episode was originally released in October 2020.