Plenty of U.S. combat aircraft strike fear into adversaries on the ground. Those include such warbirds as the A-10 Thunderbolt II, the B-52 Stratofortress, and of course the F-35 Lightning II. All can truly bring hell down from on high. 

Then there is the U.S. Air Force's AC-130J Ghostrider.

The Ghostrider’s primary missions are close air support, air interdiction, and armed reconnaissance. The aircraft is a highly modified C-130J aircraft that contains an advanced two-pilot flight station with fully integrated digital avionics. It is further modified with the Precision Strike Package. That includes a mission management console, robust communications suite, two electro-optical/infrared sensors, advanced fire control equipment, precision-guided munitions delivery capability, as well as a trainable 30mm GAU-23/A Bushmaster autocannon and 105mm cannon. 

All these capabilities make the Ghostrider a true flying fortress, and it has been deployed to hotspots around the world in support of conventional forces and special operations. However, it was reported this month that the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command will consider removing the howitzer-sized 105mm cannon, which is used to carry out punishing strikes on ground targets. The weapon could be removed from the aircraft as early as 2026.

Removing the weapon would seem to limit the capabilities of the aircraft, but the Air Force is rethinking how it will employ its heavily armed gunships as greater focus shifts to near-peer adversaries such as China.

At present, the service has about 30 Ghostriders. It is the only variant of the AC-130 still in service.

Missiles Instead of a Cannon for AC-130J?

Just as the U.S. Navy no longer uses 16-inch Mk7 guns because missiles can strike targets with greater precision, the Air Force may opt to arm the Ghostriders with small cruise missiles for standoff strikes. In addition, it could be equipped with an advanced active electronically scanned array radar for improved tracking of ground targets.

"To field operational concepts and technologies relevant in the current and future strategic competition environments, AFSOC is currently assessing the capabilities of the AC-130J Ghostrider," the Command said in a statement to Defense News. "The goal of this review is to enhance the lethality, versatility and adaptability of the AC-130J in a wide range of operational scenarios while ensuring it remains a vital asset within AFSOC."

There are no plans to remove the 30mm gun.

Why It Might Not Happen

The 105mm cannon will not be removed anytime soon. For one thing, the Command doesn't have the procurement funds to remove the cannon and patch up the hole or replace the weapon. Another issue is that removing the massive cannon from the left side of the aircraft could greatly imbalance its center of gravity. After all, the aircraft was designed with the gun in mind.

The price tag to remove the 105mm gun and address the airframe across the fleet could reach into the millions of dollars. As such, the howitzers won't be removed until 2026 at the very earliest.

Different Missions – Same Firepower

The U.S. Air Force has noted that the AC-130J's close air support missions include troops in contact, convoy escort, and point air defense, while its air interdiction missions are conducted against pre-planned targets or targets of opportunity and include strike coordination and reconnaissance and overwatch mission sets.

"The AC-130J provides ground forces an expeditionary, direct-fire platform that is persistent, ideally suited for urban operations and delivers precision low-yield munitions against ground targets," the service suggested.

In its current configuration, it is operated by two pilots, one combat systems officer, one weapons system operator, one sensor operator, and four special mission aviators. It has a range of 3,000 miles.

Not the Right Aircraft for Future Confrontations?

The Air Force is not rushing into major changes to the Ghostrider fleet, but some experts suggest the service should consider where and when the aircraft could be employed.

John Venable, a former F-16 pilot and a senior defense fellow at the Heritage Foundation think tank, told Defense News he believes the AC-130J would not survive a war against China, and that the Command is right to rethink the Ghostrider’s mission. 

Yet he went on to suggest that the Command should leave the 105mm gun in place on a portion of the fleet to conduct missions in permissive environments including the Middle East.

"We will still need AC-130s to fly top cover in Africa; the same thing with our troops in Syria," Venable explained.

The cannon allows the Ghostrider to strike a specific location, then immediately redirect to fire on another target. It can also be loaded with a variety of ordnance to address specific threats.

The Air Force had planned to test a high-energy laser-directed energy weapon, but that project looks increasingly uncertain, The Drive reported. The laser simply could not go where the 105mm cannon is placed, and it wouldn't be the type of standoff weapon the Command feels is appropriate for the gunship.

For the near future, the Ghostrider will stick with its gun.

Author Experience and Expertise

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu.

Image Credit: An AC-130U Gunship from the 4th Special Operations Squadron jettisons flares over an area near Hurlburt Field, Fla., Aug. 20, 2008. The flares are used as a countermeasure to heat-seeking missiles that can track aircraft during real-world missions. (Air Force photo by Senior Airman Julianne Showalter).