Combat Countdown (2012) s01e11 Episode Script
Weapons of Fear
narrator: in battle, fear will break an army faster than any amount of firepower.
fear is an enormously important weapon.
narrator: the world's most intimidating war machines terrify the enemy because they're unstoppable undetectable dive! dive! or with sheer destructive potential.
man: the enemy knows that we can track him, we can find him, and we can kill him.
narrator: the fear factor can be the difference between victory and defeat.
grice: a scared enemy doesn't fight well.
if he doesn't fight well, then we could take advantage of his weakness and destroy him.
[ gunfire .]
narrator: we're counting down the top 10 most terrifying war machines across every class of weapon system, from the challenger 2 main battle tank to the cutting-edge tiger attack helicopter and the fearsome ac-130 gunship to find out what delivers the fear factor.
man #2: there you go.
there's that target.
get 'em.
track 'em out.
[ gunfire .]
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS English Sbutitles Collected and Modified By: [ ship horn blows .]
narrator: in war, the fastest way to win is to take away the enemy's will to fight.
to win the psychological battle with your enemy is very important.
narrator: intimidating your opponent stacks the odds massively in your favor.
i think fear could be a determining factor in warfare.
if you can tap into it, you can often demoralize an opponent without a single shot being fired.
narrator: with the help of military experts there are some missions that we can talk about, and there are other missions, we just weren't there.
narrator: we're going to count down the top-10 most intimidating weapon systems on the planet.
each machine will be assessed on a balance of service record, versatility, design ingenuity, and rank within their class to determine our definitive top 10.
fire! fire! coming in at number 10, the u.
s.
marine corps cutting-edge attack chopper.
the bell ah-1z cobra.
origin -- usa.
cost -- $27 million.
weight -- 9.
25 tons.
length -- 58 feet.
here at marine corps air station camp pendleton, they have just taken delivery of the most modern attack helicopter in the united states inventory.
the ah-1z viper is a tremendous force multiplier and absolutely critical to our success in the battlefield.
narrator: the cobra wields so much firepower, it's not just lethal to the target.
it withers the enemy's will to fight.
for taking out tough targets, the cobra deploys precision-guided agm-114 hellfire missiles.
and for big-scale destruction, it can carry up to 76 unguided, high-explosive hydra-70 rockets.
the aim-9 i.
r.
-guided sidewinder missiles can take out any enemy aircraft within a 2-mile range.
and the three-barrel 20mm gatling gun can deliver up to 1,500 rounds a minute.
whether that's in armored tanks or troops in trucks or the open, we can defeat it all.
narrator: the weapon load is frightening enough, and don't think you can hide from it.
man: all right, he's sneaking out to the road.
looks like he's tip-toeing out to the road, sneaking.
now he's down in a hole again.
i couldn't imagine being an enemy in the sights of one of these aircraft.
we're gonna lead off with hellfire.
man #2: okay.
roger.
they have sensors that will be able to identify your location from thousands of meters away [ gunshot .]
and are loaded with enough munitions to attack you regardless of where you hide, what you drive, or what you're doing.
narrator: the 12-foot-high chopper is a fearsome opponent because it's one of the toughest gunships in existence, so it can dish out destruction right at the front line.
[ gunshot .]
they are as close to you as the riflemen to your right and to your left, and they are as engaged and committed to the fight as you are.
narrator: lightweight ceramic armor plate, ballistic seats, and plexiglass protect the crew from everything up to .
50-caliber heavy machine guns.
the air frame can withstand direct hits from 23mm high-explosive shells, and the unique rotor design has no hinges or bearings, making it far less vulnerable than the blades on other choppers.
flying this aircraft is absolutely fantastic.
it's the biggest, the strongest, the fastest attack helicopter in the world today.
narrator: you can't hide, and running won't help, because the general electric turbo fans produce an incredible 3,980 horsepower, giving this chopper more muscle than eight corvettes.
with this power, the 24-foot radius rotors drive the chopper to speeds of up to 230 miles per hour.
the cobra's combination of toughness, deadly weaponry, and supreme mobility makes it a machine to fear.
ubbelohde: definitely would not want to be on the business end.
i'd be terrified of a cobra coming to the battlefield with all the ordnance that we have to bear.
the cobra has only seen limited combat service.
the ability to attack targets on the ground or in the air makes this a versatile machine.
everything about the cobra's design is cutting edge.
the cobra is vying for the top position in its class of attack helicopters.
the cobra's strengths win it the number-10 position in our countdown.
at number 9, a twin-engine terminator designed to utterly obliterate any target the panavia tornado.
origin -- europe.
cost -- $27 million.
weight -- 31 tons.
length -- 56 feet.
the tornado causes fear with its proven ability to penetrate air-defense networks and wreak utter destruction.
tornados are frightening to any opponent.
if you've got tornados up against you, they can inflict almost any kind of damage.
that is a remarkable array of capabilities for a single modern aircraft.
narrator: a fully armed tornado is a truly terrifying prospect.
in addition to twin mauser 27mm cannon, it can carry both conventional bombs and smart missiles.
for air-to-air combat -- aim-9 sidewinders or long-range skyflash missiles.
the fearsome ground-attack options include everything from storm shadow cruise missiles to anti-personnel mines and specialist anti-infrastructure munitions.
precision-guided munitions give you great flexibility and accuracy on the battlefield.
you can take out precision targets where and when you wish by day, by night, under any weather condition.
narrator: it's the tornado's ability to deliver destruction deep in enemy territory that gives it the fear factor.
for takeoff with heavy-weapons payloads, its variable-geometry wings spread wide to 25 degrees to enhance lift, but for deep-penetration missions, the pilot can retract them a full 40 degrees to minimize drag and increase speed.
two turbo-union rb199 rolls-royce engines enable a tornado to reach over 1,600 miles per hour -- mach 2.
2.
flying fast and low beneath radar, tornados pose an awesome threat.
they've proven themselves time and time again in combat.
their pilots are extremely aware, and there's almost no combat situation that a tornado hasn't now confronted.
narrator: the tornado can also strike fear into the hearts of the enemy with its recon capabilities, using its laser ranger and target-seeker system to map out enemy positions on the battlefield.
on a full tank, a tornado has a range of over 2,400 miles, but thanks to its midair refueling probe, this can be extended many times over.
in the operation to overthrow libyan dictator muammar gaddafi, royal air force tornados flew 3,000 miles to conduct deadly, long-range bombing missions.
in terms of sheer versatility, there's nothing that beats the tornado.
narrator: the tornado first saw combat in 1991.
it is highly versatile, deadly against air and land targets.
the variable-geometry wings were an innovative design feature in their time.
it topped its class for many years but is set to be surpassed by the next generation of fighters.
overall, the tornado's fearsome offensive capabilities earn it the number-9 position in our countdown.
up next -- the heavy hitters that terrorize the enemy with devastating destructive capabilities.
[ gunfire .]
narrator: counting down the most fearsome weapons on the modern battlefield.
coming in at number 8, a high-speed heavy hitter that strikes fear into the hearts of its enemies with its ability to kill with no warning the caesar self-propelled gun.
origin -- france.
cost -- $2.
3 million.
weight -- 20 tons.
length -- 33 feet.
the caesar is a terrifying weapon because its lethal combo of speed and heavyweight firepower means the enemy will never know where and when it will strike.
the caesar is a new-generation type of gun.
it's very powerful, very accurate.
narrator: the firepower comes from the big 155mm howitzer.
grice: it comes out of nowhere.
there's no warning, and by the time it shows up, there's nothing you can do about it.
narrator: a single caesar can discharge 3 shells in 15 seconds.
a battery of eight can batter an enemy position with over a ton of ammunition in less than a minute, giving the enemy no time to take cover.
dr.
caddick-adams: anything within a few hundred meters is going to be seriously shredded by a single 155 round.
if you drop several in that same area, then it's going to cause complete and total destruction.
narrator: the speed comes from the innovative six-wheel design.
most heavy artillery travels on tracks, which limits its speed, but the caesar easily can hit 60 miles per hour.
powered by a 240-horsepower renault engine, it has a range of 400 miles and is faster than any tank in service.
its cab carries five crew members, protected by armor plating resistant to small arms and shell splinters.
when the time comes to deploy, everything is done at lightning speed.
in less than a minute, it can unleash a range of ordnance from high tech to high explosive.
it's not heavy, it's easily deployable, and it gives you the ability to deploy artillery very, very quickly.
narrator: with a target acquired, onboard computer systems are linked directly to a mobile battery command post.
the caesar's gun can be directed remotely or locally using its own control panels [ gunshot .]
then within 60 seconds of firing, it can be back on the road again.
the caesar is the king of hit and run, designed to inflict maximum damage and maximum terror.
if i were the enemy, i would basically be scared of such guns, because they provide massive support.
narrator: the caesar is feared by the taliban, who've witnessed its punishing capabilities firsthand.
it scores for versatility, operating in many different terrains.
its design is simple, but effective.
it's unsurpassed in its class for ground speed and ease of operation.
overall, the caesar takes the number-8 position.
coming in at number 7 -- the u.
s.
army's number-one low-level air-defense asset the an/twq-1 avenger.
origin -- usa.
cost -- $1.
2 million.
weight -- 5 tons.
length -- 15 feet.
the avenger strikes fear into the hearts of enemy pilots because of its ability to clear the skies of any hostile aircraft within a 3-mile radius.
the avenger system first came to notoriety when it was used to protect the pentagon on the anniversary after the september 11th attacks.
narrator: two quad launchers either side of a gyrostabilized turret carry eight stinger missiles.
the stingers are really good at attacking low-flying aircraft, and it's a great system for protecting assets.
narrator: the gunner can select targets using the optical sight or the forward-looking infrared system, and the turret automatically slues to aim the weapons.
man: there you go.
there's that target.
get him.
track him out.
[ whirring .]
narrator: on launch, the stinger missiles accelerate from zero to 1,400 miles per hour in just two seconds, and the missile hones in on its target using a combination of i.
r.
and u.
v.
imaging to overcome enemy countermeasures.
the avenger's system is absolutely deadly.
narrator: for low-flying enemies, the avenger carries a browning .
50-caliber heavy machine gun, capable of firing 1,100 rounds a minute.
where do you want me, sir? let's go.
pick it up.
grice: knowing, as a ground soldier, that you are not going to be attacked by enemy aircraft gives you so much more flexibility on the battlefield.
narrator: and if they need to take out ground targets at close range, the turret can depress the gun to minus 4 degrees.
[ gunfire .]
if i saw the m3p .
50-caliber machine gun and the avenger weapon system on the battlefield [ gunfire .]
i would go the other way.
narrator: since avenger came into service in 1989, no aircraft has dared to attack one.
the versatile weapon system has been adapted for convoy-defense duties.
the design has evolved continuously.
this is the most feared short-range mobile air-defense system in the world.
outstanding design and firepower earns the avenger the number-7 position in our countdown.
still to come -- the terrifying war machines ramping up the fear factor on the modern battlefield.
narrator: coming in at number 6 in our countdown of the world's most fearsome war machines, a heavy weapon that's guaranteed to instill terror in any opponent the mark 19 grenade launcher.
origin -- usa.
cost -- $14,000.
weight -- 72.
5 pounds.
length -- 43 inches.
from the jungles of vietnam to the deserts of afghanistan, the mark 19 has put fear into the hearts of the enemy with its overwhelmingly destructive firepower.
if you know you're up against an automatic grenade launcher, you should really worry.
and the sheer number of hand grenades that this thing can chuck at you is awesome and extremely frightening.
narrator: ordinary grenades are deadly, but they come one at a time, and their range is limited to throwing distance.
[ gunfire .]
the mark 19 can unleash up to 60 40mm high-explosive rounds every minute.
the 40mm hand grenades come in a variety of forms, whether fragmentation, whether flash [ gunfire .]
or whether smoke.
narrator: and it can launch them nearly a mile and a half.
man: you can fire as many rounds as you want to because the barrel is designed for prolonged firing, and that way it won't overheat.
[ gunfire .]
narrator: its main ammunition is the deadly, high-explosive, dual-purpose m430 grenade.
on detonation, it has a kill radius of 5 yards and a shrapnel zone of 15 yards.
[ gunfire .]
the fragmentation will scatter bits of grenade casing in quite a wide radius, and that's extremely damaging to any infantry.
narrator: the blast from an m430 round is even powerful enough to take out armored vehicles.
the high-explosive dual-purpose is made to penetrate two inches of armor.
narrator: at more than 72 pounds without ammo, the mark 19 is nearly as heavy as it is deadly, so it works best mounted on vehicles.
[ gunfire .]
whether it's used on land or sea, the result is the same -- sheer terror for the enemy.
[ gunfire .]
man: if i was on the other end of this mark 19, i would probably drop everything i had and run or i would throw a white flag up and just surrender.
narrator: the mark 19 has proved itself in service for over 40 years.
its versatility enables it to take on hard and soft targets.
the design is deceptively simple.
because it leads its class, it's used by armies all around the world.
overall, delivering destruction at such a high rate of fire earns the number-6 position.
at number 5, an intimidating u.
s.
cruiser that terrifies opponents with its awesome arsenal the ticonderoga class cruiser.
origin -- usa.
cost -- $1 billion.
weight -- 10,000 tons.
length -- 567 feet.
the ticonderoga class isn't just armed to the teeth.
the lethal weapon systems are allied to the most advanced sensor systems in the world -- a terrifying combination.
this is a fantastic ship.
it projects the most maritime firepower in the fleet.
it is an incredibly effective weapons platform.
in the right context, it can be the turning point in a battle.
narrator: a ticonderoga class is fitted with two vertical launching systems that can carry up to 127 munitions from tomahawk cruise missiles to the precision asrock anti-submarine warfare rocket.
we have enough firepower to take down any ship in the world.
ticonderoga class ships are also armed with two powerful 5-inch cannon, which can destroy enemy shipping or obliterate ground forces.
[ gunfire .]
5-inch guns shoot 20 of these per minute, 80 pounds a piece, anything on the other side of this gun is gonna be devastated.
the devastating effect of so many projectiles in such a small space -- that's so much firepower that it's completely overwhelming.
narrator: if the enemy fires back or gets too close, the ticonderoga is equipped with close-in weapons systems to deal with any incoming fire.
we have the ciws, which i think is one of the scariest guns ever made.
75 rounds per second, 6-barrel gatling gun.
to enhance the ticonderoga's devastating destructive capabilities, it employs the multimillion-dollar aegis combat system.
this state-of-the-art computerized command-and-control system is based around the spy-1 radar.
it can assess threats almost in a sequence or an order.
the greatest threat will be the one that is moving the fastest, the one that will approach you soonest.
narrator: the threat assessment is done in fractions of a second, and targeting and tracking info updates every millisecond, giving ticonderoga total command of the battlescape.
the ticonderoga class has been in service since the early 1980s.
it's a versatile ship that can terrorize almost any target.
its groundbreaking design combines state-of-the-art precision with sheer ferocity.
the ticonderoga is a battle-proven leader, the most-feared ship in its class.
overall, the ticonderoga earns the number-4 position in our countdown.
coming up, war machines with a terrifying combination of stealth and firepower.
narrator: at number 4 in the "weapons of fear" countdown, one of the world's most advanced helicopter gunships the eurocopter tiger.
origin -- france.
cost -- $35 million.
weight -- 7.
2 tons.
length -- 48.
5 feet.
whether you're a soldier in hard cover, a tank or even another aircraft the tiger is a fearsome opponent because of the sheer quantity of absolutely devastating weaponry it can bring to bear.
this is an extremely frightening machine.
the enemy are very frightened to see the tiger, 'cause they know the capabilities of this helicopter.
narrator: for flying targets, it carries mistral air-to-air missiles.
but the heavy hitter is the 30mm chain gun, capable of unleashing 750 high-explosive rounds per minute.
that gives it the ability on a modern battlefield to stand off and let rip at a ground target and utterly destroy it.
narrator: and anything too tough for the cannon is targeted with armor-piercing hellfire guided missiles.
the moment you've got a hellfire coming towards you, you should be worried.
[ radio chatter .]
we're talking about 90% destruction rates.
narrator: the key to the tiger's destructive capability is its lightweight frame, made from carbon fiber, titanium, and aluminum.
the fact that the eurocopter is made of carbon fiber mixed with kevlar means its construction is very, very light, which allows it to carry much more weaponry than an equivalent helicopter from other nations.
narrator: but getting that awesome weapons load airborne still takes serious power.
the twin rolls-royce turbo shafts each generate 1,170 horsepower, lifting the chopper at over 2,000 feet per minute and propelling it to nearly 200 miles per hour.
what makes the tiger an even more fearsome proposition for the enemy is the awesome array of sensors, which means there is no place to hide from this hunter.
the tiger gives you a nice edge, because it's got a lot of very good optics and radar on board.
narrator: forward-looking infrared cameras can spot targets up to 3 miles away or map the terrain below to act as a scout for other forces.
northwest of the targets.
with the tiger, we can perform reconnaissance, ground strike, air strike, and ground support.
narrator: the tiger's all-around ability has a massive impact on the battlefield.
every ground-based asset that you can have is rendered, at a stroke, impotent by a single eurocopter.
narrator: the service record includes deployments in afghanistan and libya.
the versatility of this weapons platform is what intimidates opponents.
the lightweight carbon-fiber airframe is a highly innovative design feature.
the tiger is one of the most feared attack helicopters in its class.
overall, the tiger's terrifying destructive potential wins it the number-4 position.
coming in at number 3 in our countdown of the most fearsome war machines on the modern battlefield, one of the world's toughest tanks the challenger 2.
origin -- united kingdom.
cost -- $4 million.
weight -- 69 tons.
length -- 36 feet.
the challenger 2 is a battlefield bully, a heavyweight tank designed to intimidate the enemy into submission.
with its fearsome 120mm gun, it can hit hard, and it's virtually impossible to stop.
an enemy commander who meets a challenger 2 in battle knows he's in for an extremely rough ride.
its reactive armor means it's extremely well-protected, whilst its 120mm main armament will seek and destroy nearly every known adversary in modern warfare.
firepower mobility and armor protection.
it has those three elements in abundance.
[ explosion .]
narrator: once a challenger has the enemy in sight, it's game over.
its 120mm cannon can penetrate up to 16 inches of armor with high-explosive shells.
loaded with depleted uranium rounds, which are 2? times denser than steel, it can punch through virtually anything.
the 120mm gun is radar-guided, and it's also stabilized.
it can take on several independent targets at the same time.
narrator: the tank commander can preselect targets with the roof-mounted sight, and while the gunner is engaging, the commander is already scanning the battlefield for the next victim.
the challenger shrugs off any return fire.
its highly classified chobham armor is more than twice as strong as steel.
in iraq, one challenger took 70 direct hits from anti-tank weapons and carried on fighting.
virtually no challenger 2s have suffered in combat in any way at all.
dunstan: there's no doubt that this armor protection is amongst the best in the world, formidable protection against any type of attack from enemy anti-tank weapons.
narrator: for a heavyweight tank, the challenger is remarkably agile.
its 1,200 brake-horsepower engine provides a top speed of 37 miles per hour, with a 280-mile range.
in addition to its main gun, it's equipped with a 7.
62mm chain gun a further turret top machine gun, and a smokescreen device.
whether it's blasting you from 1,500 yards away or getting right in your face, the challenger is an archetypal weapon of fear.
the challenger 2 tank is phenomenally frightening.
for ground troops, the challenger 2 is indestructible.
narrator: the challenger 2 has been terrifying the enemy for almost 15 years.
the versatility of the main gun means challenger can perform a range of battlefield roles.
the pioneering design of the composite-layered armor makes it intimidatingly hard to stop.
its battle record proves its the toughest tank in its class.
overall, the challenger's fearsome capabilities win the number-3 position.
still to come -- the top-2 most terrifying weapon systems in modern warfare.
narrator: taking the runner-up position in the "weapons of fear" countdown, the most destructive warship of all time the ohio-class submarine.
origin -- usa.
cost -- $2 billion.
weight -- 18,750 tons.
length -- 560 feet.
the ohio-class sub carries within its hull enough firepower to alter the course of history.
dive! dive! [ horn blares .]
that deterrent capability is one of the most successful uses of fear in military history to date.
thomas: a single ohio-class boat has more combat power than all of the aircraft in world war ii by a factor of times almost an indescribable number.
torpedo evasion.
sight glass is dry.
huston: one of those submarines with its icbms and its trident missiles and its independently targeted reentry vehicles -- just breathtaking power and capability, scary.
narrator: each of the u.
s.
navy's 14 ohio-class subs is armed with 24 trident ii d-5 ballistic missiles.
costing $29 million a piece, they carry 12 warheads and have a range of 4,600 miles.
traveling at 20,000 feet per second, it would take a matter of minutes to reach its target.
the ability to strategically launch weapons from an ohio-class submarine is unprecedented.
narrator: it's not just distant targets that have something to fear.
secure from general emergency.
ohio-class submarines are armed with mark 48 torpedos, capable of taking out hostile craft up to 30 miles away.
man: set.
2, 2, 2.
fire.
[ explosion .]
an ohio-class boomer is nearly the length of two football fields and as high as a four-story building.
its nuclear reactor is powerful enough to propel this huge craft at 12 knots on the surface and 25 knots underwater.
[ sonar pinging .]
for their fearsome deterrent effect, the boomers must be totally undetectable, so each ohio stays at sea, only coming to port to alternate every 77 days between 2 complete crews of 155 men.
those ships are always at sea, they're always there, they're always capable, and they're almost impossible to find or destroy.
narrator: the u.
s.
operates subs in each of the world's oceans.
but running silent 1,000 feet down, no one knows where they are.
if you can't detect a submarine or an unseen vessel, then there's no way to prosecute it, track it, and kill it.
narrator: with a fleet of 14 ohio-class submarines carrying 50% of the united states nuclear deterrent, the ohio-class have awesome responsibility and awesome power.
it is the most powerful weapon system in the world.
narrator: the overwhelming threat from the ohio-class has been essential to the u.
s.
strategic deterrent for 30 years.
it is versatile enough to take on hostile submarines or perform covert ops.
everything about the design is optimized to instill fear in the enemy.
continual redevelopment has kept it at the top of its class.
only the fact that its weapon systems have never been deployed stops the ohio from taking the number-1 position.
whether you're going toe-to-toe with an armored division conducting deadly, low-level bombing runs or bombarding an enemy beyond visual range fear is always a decisive factor in war.
and one weapon system's terrifying destructive capabilities put all other war machines in its shadow.
at number 1, the fiercest gunship in the world the ac-130 spectre.
origin -- usa.
cost -- $208 million.
weight -- 77 tons.
length -- 98 feet.
the ac-130h spectre is a deadly hybrid a customized hercules transport plane that uses its phenomenal heavy-lift capability to carry firepower instead of cargo.
this is the plane that destroyed 10,000 trucks in the vietnam war, and gunships with names like grim reaper and exterminator still strike fear into the taliban today.
i know firsthand that the enemy are petrified of the ac-130 aircraft.
if they're being attacked by an ac-130, they don't walk away.
the enemy knows that we can track them, we can find them, and we can kill them.
you don't want to be on the receiving end of what we deliver.
man: good night.
man #2: direct.
narrator: two of the most powerful guns ever fitted on a plane make the ac-130 the fiercest gunship in the air today.
fully loaded with over 350 high-explosive rounds, spectre brings astonishing firepower to the fight.
up front, the 40mm bofors cannon, firing 100 rounds a minute.
loaded with armor-piercing rounds, it's a potent tank-buster.
loaded with high-explosive shells, it's ideal for close air support.
[ explosion .]
it can put so much firepower so accurately on the battlefield that it's really just unmatched in the damage it can cost.
narrator: for ultimate firepower, the ac-130 carries the biggest gun ever mounted on an aircraft -- the massive 105mm howitzer.
its 33-pound shells punch clean through armor and reinforced concrete from up to 2 miles away.
as it circles its target, firing from above, the enemy has nowhere to hide.
we have a saying, "you can run, but you'd just die tired," and that is a true statement.
capps: i don't even understand how the physics work that you're putting a 105mm cannon out the side of a plane and it doesn't tilt the plane away, but they've managed to make it work, and it's just awesome.
it's a flying tank.
narrator: spectre's side-mounted stabilized platform assembly contains a high-resolution, low-light video camera and laser range-finder -- powerful enough to pick out individuals 5 miles away.
a gimbal mounted thermal-imaging camera gives it night-vision capabilities.
together these systems provide rock-steady live video, following the opposition's every step as spectre comes in for the kill.
man #2: you're clear to engage 105 air burst.
target locked, ac-130's computer calculates the firing solution.
compensating for distance and air speed, spectre's gun control automatically adjusts the weapon for the perfect shot.
standing by to come back on the trigger.
man: clear.
get ready.
[ explosion .]
copy that.
you're going hot -- 105.
it's like a waterfall of munitions being just dumped on the target area.
narrator: a fast jet only has seconds over the target to make its attack but the ac-130 utterly terrifies the enemy because it can take its time to take you apart.
fire 5 and 6.
5 and 6 armed.
confirmed.
it can remain on target, building situational awareness and delivering hellish destruction for several hours with its load of hundreds of rounds of high-explosive ammo.
working in tandem with special forces or hunting independently, the spectre is a lethal angel of death.
there are some missions that we can talk about, and there are other missions, we just weren't there.
narrator: the ac-130 has fought with distinction in every u.
s.
war from vietnam to afghanistan.
with its 40mm and 105mm guns, this versatile aircraft is deadly against any target.
getting an artillery piece airborne takes incredible design ingenuity.
there is nothing like the ac-130.
it's in a class of its own.
the spectre is fear, and that's why it's number 1.
fear has been a decisive factor since the very beginning of war, and in this countdown, we've analyzed the most intimidating war machines on the planet.
from the cutting-edge tiger attack helicopter to the planet-destroying power of the ohio-class subs, there are strong contenders [ gunfire .]
[ gunshot .]
but there's no doubt about the winner -- the ac-130 gunship.
fear is an enormously important weapon.
narrator: the world's most intimidating war machines terrify the enemy because they're unstoppable undetectable dive! dive! or with sheer destructive potential.
man: the enemy knows that we can track him, we can find him, and we can kill him.
narrator: the fear factor can be the difference between victory and defeat.
grice: a scared enemy doesn't fight well.
if he doesn't fight well, then we could take advantage of his weakness and destroy him.
[ gunfire .]
narrator: we're counting down the top 10 most terrifying war machines across every class of weapon system, from the challenger 2 main battle tank to the cutting-edge tiger attack helicopter and the fearsome ac-130 gunship to find out what delivers the fear factor.
man #2: there you go.
there's that target.
get 'em.
track 'em out.
[ gunfire .]
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS English Sbutitles Collected and Modified By: [ ship horn blows .]
narrator: in war, the fastest way to win is to take away the enemy's will to fight.
to win the psychological battle with your enemy is very important.
narrator: intimidating your opponent stacks the odds massively in your favor.
i think fear could be a determining factor in warfare.
if you can tap into it, you can often demoralize an opponent without a single shot being fired.
narrator: with the help of military experts there are some missions that we can talk about, and there are other missions, we just weren't there.
narrator: we're going to count down the top-10 most intimidating weapon systems on the planet.
each machine will be assessed on a balance of service record, versatility, design ingenuity, and rank within their class to determine our definitive top 10.
fire! fire! coming in at number 10, the u.
s.
marine corps cutting-edge attack chopper.
the bell ah-1z cobra.
origin -- usa.
cost -- $27 million.
weight -- 9.
25 tons.
length -- 58 feet.
here at marine corps air station camp pendleton, they have just taken delivery of the most modern attack helicopter in the united states inventory.
the ah-1z viper is a tremendous force multiplier and absolutely critical to our success in the battlefield.
narrator: the cobra wields so much firepower, it's not just lethal to the target.
it withers the enemy's will to fight.
for taking out tough targets, the cobra deploys precision-guided agm-114 hellfire missiles.
and for big-scale destruction, it can carry up to 76 unguided, high-explosive hydra-70 rockets.
the aim-9 i.
r.
-guided sidewinder missiles can take out any enemy aircraft within a 2-mile range.
and the three-barrel 20mm gatling gun can deliver up to 1,500 rounds a minute.
whether that's in armored tanks or troops in trucks or the open, we can defeat it all.
narrator: the weapon load is frightening enough, and don't think you can hide from it.
man: all right, he's sneaking out to the road.
looks like he's tip-toeing out to the road, sneaking.
now he's down in a hole again.
i couldn't imagine being an enemy in the sights of one of these aircraft.
we're gonna lead off with hellfire.
man #2: okay.
roger.
they have sensors that will be able to identify your location from thousands of meters away [ gunshot .]
and are loaded with enough munitions to attack you regardless of where you hide, what you drive, or what you're doing.
narrator: the 12-foot-high chopper is a fearsome opponent because it's one of the toughest gunships in existence, so it can dish out destruction right at the front line.
[ gunshot .]
they are as close to you as the riflemen to your right and to your left, and they are as engaged and committed to the fight as you are.
narrator: lightweight ceramic armor plate, ballistic seats, and plexiglass protect the crew from everything up to .
50-caliber heavy machine guns.
the air frame can withstand direct hits from 23mm high-explosive shells, and the unique rotor design has no hinges or bearings, making it far less vulnerable than the blades on other choppers.
flying this aircraft is absolutely fantastic.
it's the biggest, the strongest, the fastest attack helicopter in the world today.
narrator: you can't hide, and running won't help, because the general electric turbo fans produce an incredible 3,980 horsepower, giving this chopper more muscle than eight corvettes.
with this power, the 24-foot radius rotors drive the chopper to speeds of up to 230 miles per hour.
the cobra's combination of toughness, deadly weaponry, and supreme mobility makes it a machine to fear.
ubbelohde: definitely would not want to be on the business end.
i'd be terrified of a cobra coming to the battlefield with all the ordnance that we have to bear.
the cobra has only seen limited combat service.
the ability to attack targets on the ground or in the air makes this a versatile machine.
everything about the cobra's design is cutting edge.
the cobra is vying for the top position in its class of attack helicopters.
the cobra's strengths win it the number-10 position in our countdown.
at number 9, a twin-engine terminator designed to utterly obliterate any target the panavia tornado.
origin -- europe.
cost -- $27 million.
weight -- 31 tons.
length -- 56 feet.
the tornado causes fear with its proven ability to penetrate air-defense networks and wreak utter destruction.
tornados are frightening to any opponent.
if you've got tornados up against you, they can inflict almost any kind of damage.
that is a remarkable array of capabilities for a single modern aircraft.
narrator: a fully armed tornado is a truly terrifying prospect.
in addition to twin mauser 27mm cannon, it can carry both conventional bombs and smart missiles.
for air-to-air combat -- aim-9 sidewinders or long-range skyflash missiles.
the fearsome ground-attack options include everything from storm shadow cruise missiles to anti-personnel mines and specialist anti-infrastructure munitions.
precision-guided munitions give you great flexibility and accuracy on the battlefield.
you can take out precision targets where and when you wish by day, by night, under any weather condition.
narrator: it's the tornado's ability to deliver destruction deep in enemy territory that gives it the fear factor.
for takeoff with heavy-weapons payloads, its variable-geometry wings spread wide to 25 degrees to enhance lift, but for deep-penetration missions, the pilot can retract them a full 40 degrees to minimize drag and increase speed.
two turbo-union rb199 rolls-royce engines enable a tornado to reach over 1,600 miles per hour -- mach 2.
2.
flying fast and low beneath radar, tornados pose an awesome threat.
they've proven themselves time and time again in combat.
their pilots are extremely aware, and there's almost no combat situation that a tornado hasn't now confronted.
narrator: the tornado can also strike fear into the hearts of the enemy with its recon capabilities, using its laser ranger and target-seeker system to map out enemy positions on the battlefield.
on a full tank, a tornado has a range of over 2,400 miles, but thanks to its midair refueling probe, this can be extended many times over.
in the operation to overthrow libyan dictator muammar gaddafi, royal air force tornados flew 3,000 miles to conduct deadly, long-range bombing missions.
in terms of sheer versatility, there's nothing that beats the tornado.
narrator: the tornado first saw combat in 1991.
it is highly versatile, deadly against air and land targets.
the variable-geometry wings were an innovative design feature in their time.
it topped its class for many years but is set to be surpassed by the next generation of fighters.
overall, the tornado's fearsome offensive capabilities earn it the number-9 position in our countdown.
up next -- the heavy hitters that terrorize the enemy with devastating destructive capabilities.
[ gunfire .]
narrator: counting down the most fearsome weapons on the modern battlefield.
coming in at number 8, a high-speed heavy hitter that strikes fear into the hearts of its enemies with its ability to kill with no warning the caesar self-propelled gun.
origin -- france.
cost -- $2.
3 million.
weight -- 20 tons.
length -- 33 feet.
the caesar is a terrifying weapon because its lethal combo of speed and heavyweight firepower means the enemy will never know where and when it will strike.
the caesar is a new-generation type of gun.
it's very powerful, very accurate.
narrator: the firepower comes from the big 155mm howitzer.
grice: it comes out of nowhere.
there's no warning, and by the time it shows up, there's nothing you can do about it.
narrator: a single caesar can discharge 3 shells in 15 seconds.
a battery of eight can batter an enemy position with over a ton of ammunition in less than a minute, giving the enemy no time to take cover.
dr.
caddick-adams: anything within a few hundred meters is going to be seriously shredded by a single 155 round.
if you drop several in that same area, then it's going to cause complete and total destruction.
narrator: the speed comes from the innovative six-wheel design.
most heavy artillery travels on tracks, which limits its speed, but the caesar easily can hit 60 miles per hour.
powered by a 240-horsepower renault engine, it has a range of 400 miles and is faster than any tank in service.
its cab carries five crew members, protected by armor plating resistant to small arms and shell splinters.
when the time comes to deploy, everything is done at lightning speed.
in less than a minute, it can unleash a range of ordnance from high tech to high explosive.
it's not heavy, it's easily deployable, and it gives you the ability to deploy artillery very, very quickly.
narrator: with a target acquired, onboard computer systems are linked directly to a mobile battery command post.
the caesar's gun can be directed remotely or locally using its own control panels [ gunshot .]
then within 60 seconds of firing, it can be back on the road again.
the caesar is the king of hit and run, designed to inflict maximum damage and maximum terror.
if i were the enemy, i would basically be scared of such guns, because they provide massive support.
narrator: the caesar is feared by the taliban, who've witnessed its punishing capabilities firsthand.
it scores for versatility, operating in many different terrains.
its design is simple, but effective.
it's unsurpassed in its class for ground speed and ease of operation.
overall, the caesar takes the number-8 position.
coming in at number 7 -- the u.
s.
army's number-one low-level air-defense asset the an/twq-1 avenger.
origin -- usa.
cost -- $1.
2 million.
weight -- 5 tons.
length -- 15 feet.
the avenger strikes fear into the hearts of enemy pilots because of its ability to clear the skies of any hostile aircraft within a 3-mile radius.
the avenger system first came to notoriety when it was used to protect the pentagon on the anniversary after the september 11th attacks.
narrator: two quad launchers either side of a gyrostabilized turret carry eight stinger missiles.
the stingers are really good at attacking low-flying aircraft, and it's a great system for protecting assets.
narrator: the gunner can select targets using the optical sight or the forward-looking infrared system, and the turret automatically slues to aim the weapons.
man: there you go.
there's that target.
get him.
track him out.
[ whirring .]
narrator: on launch, the stinger missiles accelerate from zero to 1,400 miles per hour in just two seconds, and the missile hones in on its target using a combination of i.
r.
and u.
v.
imaging to overcome enemy countermeasures.
the avenger's system is absolutely deadly.
narrator: for low-flying enemies, the avenger carries a browning .
50-caliber heavy machine gun, capable of firing 1,100 rounds a minute.
where do you want me, sir? let's go.
pick it up.
grice: knowing, as a ground soldier, that you are not going to be attacked by enemy aircraft gives you so much more flexibility on the battlefield.
narrator: and if they need to take out ground targets at close range, the turret can depress the gun to minus 4 degrees.
[ gunfire .]
if i saw the m3p .
50-caliber machine gun and the avenger weapon system on the battlefield [ gunfire .]
i would go the other way.
narrator: since avenger came into service in 1989, no aircraft has dared to attack one.
the versatile weapon system has been adapted for convoy-defense duties.
the design has evolved continuously.
this is the most feared short-range mobile air-defense system in the world.
outstanding design and firepower earns the avenger the number-7 position in our countdown.
still to come -- the terrifying war machines ramping up the fear factor on the modern battlefield.
narrator: coming in at number 6 in our countdown of the world's most fearsome war machines, a heavy weapon that's guaranteed to instill terror in any opponent the mark 19 grenade launcher.
origin -- usa.
cost -- $14,000.
weight -- 72.
5 pounds.
length -- 43 inches.
from the jungles of vietnam to the deserts of afghanistan, the mark 19 has put fear into the hearts of the enemy with its overwhelmingly destructive firepower.
if you know you're up against an automatic grenade launcher, you should really worry.
and the sheer number of hand grenades that this thing can chuck at you is awesome and extremely frightening.
narrator: ordinary grenades are deadly, but they come one at a time, and their range is limited to throwing distance.
[ gunfire .]
the mark 19 can unleash up to 60 40mm high-explosive rounds every minute.
the 40mm hand grenades come in a variety of forms, whether fragmentation, whether flash [ gunfire .]
or whether smoke.
narrator: and it can launch them nearly a mile and a half.
man: you can fire as many rounds as you want to because the barrel is designed for prolonged firing, and that way it won't overheat.
[ gunfire .]
narrator: its main ammunition is the deadly, high-explosive, dual-purpose m430 grenade.
on detonation, it has a kill radius of 5 yards and a shrapnel zone of 15 yards.
[ gunfire .]
the fragmentation will scatter bits of grenade casing in quite a wide radius, and that's extremely damaging to any infantry.
narrator: the blast from an m430 round is even powerful enough to take out armored vehicles.
the high-explosive dual-purpose is made to penetrate two inches of armor.
narrator: at more than 72 pounds without ammo, the mark 19 is nearly as heavy as it is deadly, so it works best mounted on vehicles.
[ gunfire .]
whether it's used on land or sea, the result is the same -- sheer terror for the enemy.
[ gunfire .]
man: if i was on the other end of this mark 19, i would probably drop everything i had and run or i would throw a white flag up and just surrender.
narrator: the mark 19 has proved itself in service for over 40 years.
its versatility enables it to take on hard and soft targets.
the design is deceptively simple.
because it leads its class, it's used by armies all around the world.
overall, delivering destruction at such a high rate of fire earns the number-6 position.
at number 5, an intimidating u.
s.
cruiser that terrifies opponents with its awesome arsenal the ticonderoga class cruiser.
origin -- usa.
cost -- $1 billion.
weight -- 10,000 tons.
length -- 567 feet.
the ticonderoga class isn't just armed to the teeth.
the lethal weapon systems are allied to the most advanced sensor systems in the world -- a terrifying combination.
this is a fantastic ship.
it projects the most maritime firepower in the fleet.
it is an incredibly effective weapons platform.
in the right context, it can be the turning point in a battle.
narrator: a ticonderoga class is fitted with two vertical launching systems that can carry up to 127 munitions from tomahawk cruise missiles to the precision asrock anti-submarine warfare rocket.
we have enough firepower to take down any ship in the world.
ticonderoga class ships are also armed with two powerful 5-inch cannon, which can destroy enemy shipping or obliterate ground forces.
[ gunfire .]
5-inch guns shoot 20 of these per minute, 80 pounds a piece, anything on the other side of this gun is gonna be devastated.
the devastating effect of so many projectiles in such a small space -- that's so much firepower that it's completely overwhelming.
narrator: if the enemy fires back or gets too close, the ticonderoga is equipped with close-in weapons systems to deal with any incoming fire.
we have the ciws, which i think is one of the scariest guns ever made.
75 rounds per second, 6-barrel gatling gun.
to enhance the ticonderoga's devastating destructive capabilities, it employs the multimillion-dollar aegis combat system.
this state-of-the-art computerized command-and-control system is based around the spy-1 radar.
it can assess threats almost in a sequence or an order.
the greatest threat will be the one that is moving the fastest, the one that will approach you soonest.
narrator: the threat assessment is done in fractions of a second, and targeting and tracking info updates every millisecond, giving ticonderoga total command of the battlescape.
the ticonderoga class has been in service since the early 1980s.
it's a versatile ship that can terrorize almost any target.
its groundbreaking design combines state-of-the-art precision with sheer ferocity.
the ticonderoga is a battle-proven leader, the most-feared ship in its class.
overall, the ticonderoga earns the number-4 position in our countdown.
coming up, war machines with a terrifying combination of stealth and firepower.
narrator: at number 4 in the "weapons of fear" countdown, one of the world's most advanced helicopter gunships the eurocopter tiger.
origin -- france.
cost -- $35 million.
weight -- 7.
2 tons.
length -- 48.
5 feet.
whether you're a soldier in hard cover, a tank or even another aircraft the tiger is a fearsome opponent because of the sheer quantity of absolutely devastating weaponry it can bring to bear.
this is an extremely frightening machine.
the enemy are very frightened to see the tiger, 'cause they know the capabilities of this helicopter.
narrator: for flying targets, it carries mistral air-to-air missiles.
but the heavy hitter is the 30mm chain gun, capable of unleashing 750 high-explosive rounds per minute.
that gives it the ability on a modern battlefield to stand off and let rip at a ground target and utterly destroy it.
narrator: and anything too tough for the cannon is targeted with armor-piercing hellfire guided missiles.
the moment you've got a hellfire coming towards you, you should be worried.
[ radio chatter .]
we're talking about 90% destruction rates.
narrator: the key to the tiger's destructive capability is its lightweight frame, made from carbon fiber, titanium, and aluminum.
the fact that the eurocopter is made of carbon fiber mixed with kevlar means its construction is very, very light, which allows it to carry much more weaponry than an equivalent helicopter from other nations.
narrator: but getting that awesome weapons load airborne still takes serious power.
the twin rolls-royce turbo shafts each generate 1,170 horsepower, lifting the chopper at over 2,000 feet per minute and propelling it to nearly 200 miles per hour.
what makes the tiger an even more fearsome proposition for the enemy is the awesome array of sensors, which means there is no place to hide from this hunter.
the tiger gives you a nice edge, because it's got a lot of very good optics and radar on board.
narrator: forward-looking infrared cameras can spot targets up to 3 miles away or map the terrain below to act as a scout for other forces.
northwest of the targets.
with the tiger, we can perform reconnaissance, ground strike, air strike, and ground support.
narrator: the tiger's all-around ability has a massive impact on the battlefield.
every ground-based asset that you can have is rendered, at a stroke, impotent by a single eurocopter.
narrator: the service record includes deployments in afghanistan and libya.
the versatility of this weapons platform is what intimidates opponents.
the lightweight carbon-fiber airframe is a highly innovative design feature.
the tiger is one of the most feared attack helicopters in its class.
overall, the tiger's terrifying destructive potential wins it the number-4 position.
coming in at number 3 in our countdown of the most fearsome war machines on the modern battlefield, one of the world's toughest tanks the challenger 2.
origin -- united kingdom.
cost -- $4 million.
weight -- 69 tons.
length -- 36 feet.
the challenger 2 is a battlefield bully, a heavyweight tank designed to intimidate the enemy into submission.
with its fearsome 120mm gun, it can hit hard, and it's virtually impossible to stop.
an enemy commander who meets a challenger 2 in battle knows he's in for an extremely rough ride.
its reactive armor means it's extremely well-protected, whilst its 120mm main armament will seek and destroy nearly every known adversary in modern warfare.
firepower mobility and armor protection.
it has those three elements in abundance.
[ explosion .]
narrator: once a challenger has the enemy in sight, it's game over.
its 120mm cannon can penetrate up to 16 inches of armor with high-explosive shells.
loaded with depleted uranium rounds, which are 2? times denser than steel, it can punch through virtually anything.
the 120mm gun is radar-guided, and it's also stabilized.
it can take on several independent targets at the same time.
narrator: the tank commander can preselect targets with the roof-mounted sight, and while the gunner is engaging, the commander is already scanning the battlefield for the next victim.
the challenger shrugs off any return fire.
its highly classified chobham armor is more than twice as strong as steel.
in iraq, one challenger took 70 direct hits from anti-tank weapons and carried on fighting.
virtually no challenger 2s have suffered in combat in any way at all.
dunstan: there's no doubt that this armor protection is amongst the best in the world, formidable protection against any type of attack from enemy anti-tank weapons.
narrator: for a heavyweight tank, the challenger is remarkably agile.
its 1,200 brake-horsepower engine provides a top speed of 37 miles per hour, with a 280-mile range.
in addition to its main gun, it's equipped with a 7.
62mm chain gun a further turret top machine gun, and a smokescreen device.
whether it's blasting you from 1,500 yards away or getting right in your face, the challenger is an archetypal weapon of fear.
the challenger 2 tank is phenomenally frightening.
for ground troops, the challenger 2 is indestructible.
narrator: the challenger 2 has been terrifying the enemy for almost 15 years.
the versatility of the main gun means challenger can perform a range of battlefield roles.
the pioneering design of the composite-layered armor makes it intimidatingly hard to stop.
its battle record proves its the toughest tank in its class.
overall, the challenger's fearsome capabilities win the number-3 position.
still to come -- the top-2 most terrifying weapon systems in modern warfare.
narrator: taking the runner-up position in the "weapons of fear" countdown, the most destructive warship of all time the ohio-class submarine.
origin -- usa.
cost -- $2 billion.
weight -- 18,750 tons.
length -- 560 feet.
the ohio-class sub carries within its hull enough firepower to alter the course of history.
dive! dive! [ horn blares .]
that deterrent capability is one of the most successful uses of fear in military history to date.
thomas: a single ohio-class boat has more combat power than all of the aircraft in world war ii by a factor of times almost an indescribable number.
torpedo evasion.
sight glass is dry.
huston: one of those submarines with its icbms and its trident missiles and its independently targeted reentry vehicles -- just breathtaking power and capability, scary.
narrator: each of the u.
s.
navy's 14 ohio-class subs is armed with 24 trident ii d-5 ballistic missiles.
costing $29 million a piece, they carry 12 warheads and have a range of 4,600 miles.
traveling at 20,000 feet per second, it would take a matter of minutes to reach its target.
the ability to strategically launch weapons from an ohio-class submarine is unprecedented.
narrator: it's not just distant targets that have something to fear.
secure from general emergency.
ohio-class submarines are armed with mark 48 torpedos, capable of taking out hostile craft up to 30 miles away.
man: set.
2, 2, 2.
fire.
[ explosion .]
an ohio-class boomer is nearly the length of two football fields and as high as a four-story building.
its nuclear reactor is powerful enough to propel this huge craft at 12 knots on the surface and 25 knots underwater.
[ sonar pinging .]
for their fearsome deterrent effect, the boomers must be totally undetectable, so each ohio stays at sea, only coming to port to alternate every 77 days between 2 complete crews of 155 men.
those ships are always at sea, they're always there, they're always capable, and they're almost impossible to find or destroy.
narrator: the u.
s.
operates subs in each of the world's oceans.
but running silent 1,000 feet down, no one knows where they are.
if you can't detect a submarine or an unseen vessel, then there's no way to prosecute it, track it, and kill it.
narrator: with a fleet of 14 ohio-class submarines carrying 50% of the united states nuclear deterrent, the ohio-class have awesome responsibility and awesome power.
it is the most powerful weapon system in the world.
narrator: the overwhelming threat from the ohio-class has been essential to the u.
s.
strategic deterrent for 30 years.
it is versatile enough to take on hostile submarines or perform covert ops.
everything about the design is optimized to instill fear in the enemy.
continual redevelopment has kept it at the top of its class.
only the fact that its weapon systems have never been deployed stops the ohio from taking the number-1 position.
whether you're going toe-to-toe with an armored division conducting deadly, low-level bombing runs or bombarding an enemy beyond visual range fear is always a decisive factor in war.
and one weapon system's terrifying destructive capabilities put all other war machines in its shadow.
at number 1, the fiercest gunship in the world the ac-130 spectre.
origin -- usa.
cost -- $208 million.
weight -- 77 tons.
length -- 98 feet.
the ac-130h spectre is a deadly hybrid a customized hercules transport plane that uses its phenomenal heavy-lift capability to carry firepower instead of cargo.
this is the plane that destroyed 10,000 trucks in the vietnam war, and gunships with names like grim reaper and exterminator still strike fear into the taliban today.
i know firsthand that the enemy are petrified of the ac-130 aircraft.
if they're being attacked by an ac-130, they don't walk away.
the enemy knows that we can track them, we can find them, and we can kill them.
you don't want to be on the receiving end of what we deliver.
man: good night.
man #2: direct.
narrator: two of the most powerful guns ever fitted on a plane make the ac-130 the fiercest gunship in the air today.
fully loaded with over 350 high-explosive rounds, spectre brings astonishing firepower to the fight.
up front, the 40mm bofors cannon, firing 100 rounds a minute.
loaded with armor-piercing rounds, it's a potent tank-buster.
loaded with high-explosive shells, it's ideal for close air support.
[ explosion .]
it can put so much firepower so accurately on the battlefield that it's really just unmatched in the damage it can cost.
narrator: for ultimate firepower, the ac-130 carries the biggest gun ever mounted on an aircraft -- the massive 105mm howitzer.
its 33-pound shells punch clean through armor and reinforced concrete from up to 2 miles away.
as it circles its target, firing from above, the enemy has nowhere to hide.
we have a saying, "you can run, but you'd just die tired," and that is a true statement.
capps: i don't even understand how the physics work that you're putting a 105mm cannon out the side of a plane and it doesn't tilt the plane away, but they've managed to make it work, and it's just awesome.
it's a flying tank.
narrator: spectre's side-mounted stabilized platform assembly contains a high-resolution, low-light video camera and laser range-finder -- powerful enough to pick out individuals 5 miles away.
a gimbal mounted thermal-imaging camera gives it night-vision capabilities.
together these systems provide rock-steady live video, following the opposition's every step as spectre comes in for the kill.
man #2: you're clear to engage 105 air burst.
target locked, ac-130's computer calculates the firing solution.
compensating for distance and air speed, spectre's gun control automatically adjusts the weapon for the perfect shot.
standing by to come back on the trigger.
man: clear.
get ready.
[ explosion .]
copy that.
you're going hot -- 105.
it's like a waterfall of munitions being just dumped on the target area.
narrator: a fast jet only has seconds over the target to make its attack but the ac-130 utterly terrifies the enemy because it can take its time to take you apart.
fire 5 and 6.
5 and 6 armed.
confirmed.
it can remain on target, building situational awareness and delivering hellish destruction for several hours with its load of hundreds of rounds of high-explosive ammo.
working in tandem with special forces or hunting independently, the spectre is a lethal angel of death.
there are some missions that we can talk about, and there are other missions, we just weren't there.
narrator: the ac-130 has fought with distinction in every u.
s.
war from vietnam to afghanistan.
with its 40mm and 105mm guns, this versatile aircraft is deadly against any target.
getting an artillery piece airborne takes incredible design ingenuity.
there is nothing like the ac-130.
it's in a class of its own.
the spectre is fear, and that's why it's number 1.
fear has been a decisive factor since the very beginning of war, and in this countdown, we've analyzed the most intimidating war machines on the planet.
from the cutting-edge tiger attack helicopter to the planet-destroying power of the ohio-class subs, there are strong contenders [ gunfire .]
[ gunshot .]
but there's no doubt about the winner -- the ac-130 gunship.