Flexible Shaft Applications

AC130 Magazine Drive

The AC130 is considered to be one of the most formidable airborne weapons platforms used today by the US forces. With side firing capabilities, the AC130’s primary mission is to provide close air support and force protection. The AC130’s side firing weapons are integrated with high-level sensor, navigation and fire control systems. It is armed with two M61 @0mm Vulcan cannons, one L60 40mm Bofors cannon, one M102 105mm howitzer and one 25mm GAU-12 Gatling Gun.

An S.S. White Flexible Shaft assembly, one of the largest flexible shafts used on an aircraft, is used as a drive shaft on the 25mm GAU-12 Gatling Gun, feeding the ammunition into the cannon to maintain its 1,800 round per minute firing rate.

JSTARS Random Drive

The JSTARS, Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, is an airborne battle management, command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform. The JSTARS operates to provide ground and air commanders with surveillance to support attack operations of enemy forces. The phased-array radar antenna is encased in a 26-foot canoe-shaped Radome under the forward part of the fuselage. The radar provides all targeting and battle management data to all Joint STARS operators. The S.S. White Flexible Shaft drives a precision encoder to accurately position the Radome for data acquisition.