Why are the guns on the AC-130 not mounted on the underside of the aircraft? Why must the guns of the AC-130 be on the side forcing the plane to circle the target. Would it not be more practical to have the guns underneath the plane shooting downwards?
By putting the guns on the side, the gunner can direct a continuous stream of bullets at the intended target for as long as the pilot wishes to continue circling it. If the guns were belly-mounted, the pilot would have to make multiple passes at the target zone from different directions, with long pauses between them- long enough for the enemy soldiers to reposition themselves and escape.