Editor’s observe: This story was up to date Nov. 10 at 8:52 p.m. with further data from Air Pressure Particular Operations Command.
The Pentagon has quietly lower procurement of its new AC-130J Ghostrider particular operations gunships, downsizing the fleet from 37 to 30.
U.S. Particular Operations Command initially deliberate to purchase almost 40 Ghostriders to switch three older gunships: the AC-130H Spectre, AC-130W Stinger II and AC-130U Spooky. Every of these 37 plane at the moment are retired.
Relatively than swap out the airframes one-for-one as anticipated, SOCOM desires to finish the decade-long AC-130J acquisition seven in need of the complete program.
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SOCOM tucked mentions of the develop into its fiscal 2023 funds request, writing that it could preserve a complete of 30 AC-130Js. Every airframe prices $165 million apiece, in accordance with an Air Pressure truth sheet.
The navy has bought 31 of the gunships from Lockheed Martin for fight functions, however won’t substitute one which was flown too exhausting throughout testing and is now not airworthy. That aircraft now serves to coach airmen on the bottom.
“There isn’t any purchase deliberate in [fiscal] 2024,” SOCOM mentioned.
The navy opted to pursue a smaller AC-130J fleet as a technique to “higher place [Air Force Special Operations Command] for the longer term struggle,” spokesperson Lt. Col. Becky Heyse mentioned Thursday.
“The C-130Js had been already bought and it was determined to not modify them to turn out to be AC-130J (intensive mods required so as to add the gun and different capabilities),” Heyse mentioned. “The remaining C-130Js are going to the 193rd [Particular Operations Squadron as MC-130Js to recapitalize their fleet.”
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The ultimate AC-130J arrived at Cannon Air Pressure Base, New Mexico, on Nov. 2.
“The airplane and its predecessors have exceeded all our expectations and stored extra People alive than every other airplane on the battlefield,” Air Pressure Particular Operations Command boss Lt. Gen. Jim Slife mentioned on the supply ceremony.
The remaining 30 Ghostriders are stationed at Cannon and Hurlburt Discipline, Florida. The schoolhouse is slated to maneuver from Hurlburt to Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, by October 2023.
AC-130 gunships have been a fight mainstay because the Vietnam Battle and are continuously deployed for typical and particular operations missions all over the world.
Two pilots, one fight programs officer, one weapon system operator, one sensor operator and 4 particular mission aviators comprise the Ghostrider’s crew.
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The most recent J-model is alleged to be essentially the most closely armed gunship in historical past, with the flexibility to tout 30mm and 105mm cannons, AGM-176A Griffin missiles, AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs. It has additionally acted as a testbed for an experimental high-energy laser weapon.
“The AC-130J gives floor forces an expeditionary, persistent direct-fire platform that’s persistent, ideally fitted to city operations and delivers precision low-yield munitions towards floor targets,” in accordance with the Air Pressure.
Spurred partly by the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan final 12 months, the navy is now turning its consideration to {hardware} and software program that would give it the higher hand in competitors towards superior militaries like China.
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That’s led to choices to divest and downsize plane which may be much less helpful in these situations, together with the Air Pressure’s transfer to shrink its fight search-and-rescue helicopter fleet by about 25 airframes.
AFSOC is likewise exploring what the following chapter may appear to be for its elite airmen. Slife has indicated the command may enterprise farther into the area and cyber realms, and determine find out how to adapt conventional missions like shut air assist for a tougher struggle.
“The longer term goes to be completely different than what we’ve got skilled for the final 20 years,” Slife mentioned. “One factor I’m sure of is, this airplane can be related to regardless of the future working atmosphere brings.”
Rachel Cohen joined Air Pressure Instances as senior reporter in March 2021. Her work has appeared in Air Pressure Journal, Inside Protection, Inside Well being Coverage, the Frederick News-Put up (Md.), the Washington Put up, and others.
