This publication tells the story of the United States Air Force's gunships from their early days in the Vietnam conflict of the 1960s through to the hi-tech versions in use today. Gunships pack huge fire power into the C-130 Hercules airframe and then deliver it with pinpoint accuracy. The publication will describe how gunships work and look at the history of the main operations involving them, from Vietnam, to Grenada, Panama, the 1991 and 2003 Gulf Wars, Somalia, Afghanistan from 2001 to 2021 and other battles. It will then profile the current USAF gunship fleet and units, as well as plans to improve those aircraft.