{"id":45477,"date":"2017-10-10T21:02:42","date_gmt":"2017-10-10T21:02:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2017\/10\/10\/the-air-forces-newest-deadliest-gunship-just-hit-a-major-milestone\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T20:45:28","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T20:45:28","slug":"the-air-forces-newest-deadliest-gunship-just-hit-a-major-milestone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/2017\/10\/10\/the-air-forces-newest-deadliest-gunship-just-hit-a-major-milestone\/","title":{"rendered":"The Air Force\u2019s newest, deadliest gunship just hit a major milestone"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The AC-130J Ghostrider \u2014 the latest in the Air Force\u2019s line of heavily-armed gunships \u2014 marked a major developmental milestone Sept. 30 when it was declared to have reached initial operational capability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Air Force Special Operations Command spokeswoman Capt. Amanda Farr said in a Tuesday email that its commander, Lt. Gen. Brad Webb, made that determination after six Ghostriders were delivered, and a formal training unit, or schoolhouse had been established.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the gunship still has a long way before it reaches full operational capability and is ready to deploy to the battlefield. Farr said that it will likely be fully operational sometime in fiscal 2023, when 37 fully-configured gunships are delivered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farr said that ongoing fighting, high operational tempos and frequent deployments of AFSOC\u2019s gunship crews, which are stretching those airmen thin, are making it difficult to switch to a new weapons system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHowever, this is a huge step for the gunship and the modernization of our C-130 fleet,\u201d Farr said.
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