The US Air Force's Special Operations Command (AFSOC) has received the first of 37 upgraded Lockheed Martin AC-130J Ghostrider gunships, it was announced on 7 March.
The first Block 30 AC-130J Ghostrider gunship was handed over to AFSOC on 6 March. (US Air Force)
The Block 30 aircraft was handed over to the 4th Special Operations Squadron (SOS) at Bob Sikes Airport in Crestview, Florida, on 6 March. While AFSOC has not disclosed the specifics of the Block 30 upgrade, it noted that the enhancement is primarily focused on the aircraftā€™s software and avionics.
The Block 30 upgrade comprises enhancements to the aircraft's software and avionics. (US Air Force)
As with the AC-130W Stinger II, the AC-130J is equipped with the palletised Precision-Strike Package (PSP), which comprises a single 30 mm Mk44 Bushmaster cannon, precision-guided munitions, and a 105 mm cannon. Precision-guided munitions such as the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) and Raytheon's AGM-176A Griffin missile will also be employed, while AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and high-energy lasers could feature among future armament options (the precise configuration has still to be determined).
AFSOC currently fields 12 AC-130W and 17 AC-130U Spooky gunships, and has received the first of 37 AC-130Js. Once all the AC-130Js have been received by about the mid-2020s, the AC-130Us will be retired to leave the AC-130Ws and AC-130Js as the commandā€™s capital gunship fleet.
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