On Mon, 16 Feb 2004 02:27:57 GMT, "Thomas Schoene"
wrote:

Les Matheson wrote:
(boy, top-posting is a pain)

Because they are going to use the same airframe, I'm pretty sure of
that.

Perhaps. If so, there's no reason the AC and MC replacement scould not use
different fuselage lengths. All the important systems are common.

OTOH, they might decide not to use the same airframe if they adopt an exotic
design for an MC-103 replacement (quad tiltrotor, tilt-wing, etc).

Something to add to the mix - the USAF is testing the launching of
Viper Strike (BAT with an additional laser seeker) from C-130s, with a
view to replacing the 105mm on the AC-130 fleet. The idea being a
105mm round is about the same size, so you get more stored kills
without the single point of failure of the gun itself.

Peter Kemp