Air Force reporting on Jan. 9, 2007 said AC-130 gunships struck al Qaeda targets in southern Somalia near Ras Kamboni on Jan. 8, 2007; the article notes that the details came from press reports and Pentagon officials did not comment.
Aircraft & UAVs
AC-130 gunship
Also known as
- AC-130J Ghostrider
- AC-130U Spooky
- AC-130H Spectre
- AC-130W Stinger II
- Spectre gunship
- Spooky gunship
- Ghostrider gunship
The AC-130 gunship is a side-firing C-130 derivative built for persistent close air support, air interdiction, armed reconnaissance, and special-operations overwatch. Modern AC-130U, AC-130W, and AC-130J aircraft pair trainable cannon armament with electro-optical/infrared sensors, fire-control systems, communications suites, and standoff precision munitions so crews can support ground forces from extended loiter or overwatch positions.
Role in Conflicts
- Side
- NATO
U.S. Air Force AC-130U gunships deployed in April 1999 to support NATO-led Operation Allied Force over Kosovo; the deployment was the U-model's first combat mission.
U.S. AC-130 gunships were used in post-2015 Afghanistan for close air support, precision fires, and overwatch of U.S., coalition, and Afghan partner forces, including documented AC-130U actions near Kunduz in 2016, a 2018 Ranger-Afghan special operations ambush, a 2019 Nangarhar mission, and AC-130W overwatch during the 2021 Kabul evacuation.
Role details- Side
- United States
Open-source defense reporting documented at least two U.S. AC-130J Ghostrider gunships arriving at RAF Mildenhall while U.S. forces pursued and prepared for possible interdiction of the Venezuela-linked Marinera tanker in the North Atlantic; accessible reporting does not separately prove the gunships fired or provided armed overwatch during the boarding.
During 2014 Operation Inherent Resolve, AC-130W Stinger II gunships worked alongside conventional and special operations forces to drive the Islamic State out of Iraq and Syria, providing close air support, direct fire, and air interdiction.
Role details
Direct sources document AC-130 use across several pre-2015 conflicts grouped here because they do not have dedicated catalog pages, including Urgent Fury, Just Cause, Desert Storm, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Odyssey Dawn.
Profile / Specs
Profile
- Origin
- United States
- Built by
- Lockheed Martin
- Type
- Heavily armed fixed-wing gunship
- Service note
- Vietnam War-era gunship lineage; AC-130U/W/J variants remained in combat use during post-2015 Afghanistan operations
- Designer
- Lockheed Martin and U.S. special operations aviation integration programs
- Designed
- AC-130J Ghostrider was officially named in May 2012; the first AC-130J gunship test flight was on January 31, 2014.
- Unit cost
- AC-130J: about $165 million
- Produced
- AC-130J deliveries ran from 2015 through November 2022.
- Number built
- 31 AC-130J aircraft delivered to the U.S. Air Force
- Developed from
- C-130 Hercules airframe and earlier AC-47, AC-119, and AC-130A gunship lineage
Specifications
- Primary function
- Close air support, air interdiction, and armed reconnaissance
- Crew
- AC-130J: 2 pilots, 2 combat systems officers, and 4 special mission aviators
- Armament
- AC-130J Precision Strike Package with trainable 30 mm and 105 mm weapons plus standoff precision-guided munitions such as GBU-39, GBU-69, AGM-114 Hellfire, and AGM-176 Griffin
- Mission systems
- Mission management console, robust communications suite, two electro-optical/infrared sensors, advanced fire-control equipment, and precision-guided munition delivery capability
- Date deployed
- July 2019
- Inventory
- Active duty, 37 by FY24
- Maximum takeoff weight
- 164,000 lb for AC-130J
- Range
- About 3,000 miles; operational endurance limited by crew duty day and extendable with aerial refueling
- Powerplant
- Four Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 turboprops rated at 4,700 shaft horsepower each
- Dimensions
- Wingspan 132 ft 7 in; length 97 ft 9 in; height 39 ft 2 in
Variants
The AC-130 variants listed here are C-130-based side-firing gunship branches rather than carried weapons or external launch platforms; Air Force material traces the line from earlier AC-47, AC-119, and AC-130A gunships into later H, U, W, and J models.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
| AC-130H Spectre | Second-generation Spectre gunship | The Air Force AC-130U fact sheet says AC-130H Spectre gunships were fielded in 1972 and retired in 2015. Sources: AC-130U Fact Sheet |
| AC-130U Spooky | Third-generation Spooky gunship | The AC-130U was an upgraded H-model successor with side-firing trainable 25 mm, 40 mm, and 105 mm guns; the last AC-130U went to Davis-Monthan for retirement in June 2020. Sources: AC-130U Fact Sheet |
| AC-130W Stinger II | Precision Strike Package / Dragon Spear branch | Cannon Air Force Base says the Precision Strike Package was fielded on the MC-130W Dragon Spear before the aircraft was renamed AC-130W Stinger II in May 2012. Sources: AC-130W Static Display Unveiled |
| AC-130J Ghostrider | Fifth-generation gunship | AFSOC identifies the AC-130J Ghostrider as the fifth-generation gunship that replaced AC-130U/W aircraft, reached initial operational capacity in 2017, and received its final delivery in November 2022. Sources: AFSOC AC-130J Ghostrider Fact Sheet, AFSOC receives final AC-130J |
Carried Munitions
The AC-130J Ghostrider carries air-delivered precision munitions as part of its standoff loadout, including guided bombs and missiles used alongside its trainable guns.
| Carried item | Item type | Carriage evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Air-launched missile | AFSOC's Ghostrider fact sheet lists the Griffin in the Precision Strike Package, and 2024 Alaska training documented AC-130J crews firing Griffin missiles during live-fire drills. Sources: AFSOC AC-130J Ghostrider Fact Sheet, 919th SOW trains on Gunship in Alaska |
 | Air-to-surface missile | AFSOC's Ghostrider fact sheet lists Hellfire in the Precision Strike Package, and 2024 Alaska training documented AC-130J crews firing AGM-114 Hellfire missiles during live-fire drills. Sources: AFSOC AC-130J Ghostrider Fact Sheet, 919th SOW trains on Gunship in Alaska |
 | Small diameter bomb | AFSOC and Air Force fact sheets list the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb in the AC-130J Ghostrider's standoff precision-guided munitions loadout. Sources: AFSOC AC-130J Ghostrider Fact Sheet, Air Force AC-130J Ghostrider Fact Sheet |
 | Small glide munition | AFSOC and Air Force fact sheets list the GBU-69 Small Glide Munition in the AC-130J Ghostrider's standoff precision-guided munitions loadout. Sources: AFSOC AC-130J Ghostrider Fact Sheet, Air Force AC-130J Ghostrider Fact Sheet |
Timeline
AC-130 gunship Key Events
First AC-130s enter Vietnam
AFSOC history says the first AC-130 gunships entered the Vietnam conflict in 1968 after the prototype Gunship II began combat evaluation in late 1967.
Sources: Heritage of the Special Operations Professionals
Spirit 03 lost in Desert Storm
AFSOC heritage says AC-130s provided critical fire support and armed reconnaissance during Desert Storm, and that Spirit 03 was shot down on 31 January 1991 with all 14 crewmembers lost.
Sources: AFSOC Heritage - Desert Storm
Libya operations begin
DOD announced that AC-130 aircraft had begun operations over Libya on 26 March 2011 during Operation Odyssey Dawn.
Sources: Operation Odyssey Dawn (Libya): Background and Issues for Congress
Ghostrider name adopted
AFSOC officially named the AC-130J Ghostrider in May 2012 as the program matured into the fifth-generation gunship.
Sources: AFSOC AC-130J Ghostrider Fact Sheet
First AC-130J test flight
The first AC-130J took to the skies as a gunship at Eglin Air Force Base after more than a year of modification maintenance.
Sources: New AC-130J completes first test flight
Developmental test and evaluation complete
The AFSOC fact sheet says the first AC-130J completed developmental test and evaluation in June 2015.
Sources: AFSOC AC-130J Ghostrider Fact Sheet
Initial operational capacity reached
AFSOC lists 2017 as the year the AC-130J reached initial operational capacity.
Sources: AFSOC AC-130J Ghostrider Fact Sheet
Final delivery to the Air Force
AFSOC marked the 31st and final AC-130J delivery at a ceremony in Crestview, Florida.
Sources: AFSOC receives final AC-130J
Historic highway landing in Arkansas
AFSOC landed an AC-130J Ghostrider on Highway 63 during Emerald Warrior Field Training Exercise II to demonstrate Agile Combat Employment.
Sources: AFSOC demonstrates ACE with historic highway landing
Media
AC-130 gunship Videos
Related Weapon Systems
Sources
AFSOC AC-130J Ghostrider Fact SheetPublisher: U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command | Note: Supports AC-130J mission, features, Lockheed Martin contractor context, armament, specifications, replacement of AC-130U/W variants, lineage/designation notes, and public-domain AC-130J image provenance for gallery images including 210811-F-AF000-1025 and 160906-F-WS329-1112. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Air Force AC-130J Ghostrider Fact SheetPublisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Supports AC-130J general characteristics including crew, armament, range, dimensions, unit cost, deployment date, and inventory. | Accessed: 2026-07-044th Special Operations Squadron - Hurlburt FieldPublisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Supports 1999 Kosovo War / Operation Allied Force direct conflict-use: AC-130U gunship deployment to NATO-led Operation Allied Force over Kosovo in April 1999 and the first combat mission for the U-model. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Heroic Spooky 43 Aircrew Receives the Mackay TrophyPublisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Supports 2001 War in Afghanistan direct use: AC-130U gunship used by United States and Afghan government forces for close air support near Kunduz, Afghanistan, on Nov. 2, 2016. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Special Tactics TACP Awarded Silver Star Medal for Afghan AmbushPublisher: U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command | Note: Supports 2001 War in Afghanistan direct use: AC-130 gunship used by United States and Afghan government forces to fire 40 mm and 105 mm rounds during an April 2018 Afghanistan ambush under Operation Freedom's Sentinel and Resolute Support. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Gunship Crew Awarded 14 Medals for Joint SOF Afghanistan MissionPublisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Supports 2001 War in Afghanistan direct use: AC-130U Spooky gunship used by United States and coalition forces near Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan, on April 3-4, 2019, during Operation Freedom's Sentinel in support of Resolute Support. | Accessed: 2026-07-04AC-130W Static Display UnveiledPublisher: Cannon Air Force Base | Note: Supports 2001 War in Afghanistan direct use: AC-130W Stinger II used by United States and coalition forces for nightly overwatch during the 2021 Kabul evacuation and final Afghanistan combat mission; supports 2014 War Against the Islamic State direct use by documenting AC-130W Operation Inherent Resolve service; also supports AC-130W designation background and public-domain AC-130W image provenance for gallery images including 240321-F-XX000-1223 and 240321-F-XX000-1199. | Accessed: 2026-07-04U.S. Escalates Venezuela Oil Embargo With Two Tanker SeizuresPublisher: The Wall Street Journal | Note: Supports 2026 United States-Venezuela Conflict tanker-seizure context; this source is retained for the Marinera enforcement backdrop rather than as standalone AC-130J proof. | Accessed: 2026-07-04U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Seen For First Time Pursuing Fleeing Russian Oil TankerPublisher: The War Zone | Note: Supports 2026 United States-Venezuela Conflict direct use context: AC-130J Ghostrider gunships fielded by United States forces at RAF Mildenhall while U.S. forces pursued the Venezuela-linked Marinera tanker. | Accessed: 2026-07-04AC-130J Ghostriders and C-17s pour into the UKPublisher: Aerospace Global News | Note: Supports 2026 United States-Venezuela Conflict direct use context: at least two AC-130J Ghostrider gunships were documented arriving at RAF Mildenhall during U.S. planning and maritime activity around possible interdiction of the Venezuela-linked Marinera tanker, while noting that the exact mission remained unconfirmed. | Accessed: 2026-07-04919th SOW trains on Gunship in AlaskaPublisher: U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command | Note: Supports AC-130J Ghostrider use of AGM-114 Hellfire and AGM-176 Griffin missiles during 2024 live-fire training in Alaska. | Accessed: 2026-07-04New AC-130J completes first test flightPublisher: U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command | Note: Supports AC-130J Ghostrider first gunship test flight on Jan. 31, 2014. | Accessed: 2026-07-04AFSOC receives final AC-130JPublisher: U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command | Note: Supports AC-130J Ghostrider final delivery on Nov. 2, 2022, and the 31-aircraft total delivered to the U.S. Air Force. | Accessed: 2026-07-04AFSOC demonstrates ACE with historic highway landingPublisher: U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command | Note: Supports AC-130J Ghostrider historic highway landing in Arkansas on Aug. 4, 2024. | Accessed: 2026-07-04AC-130U Fact SheetPublisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Supports AC-130H/U variant context and 2015 Various Conflicts direct use: Air Force background covers AC-130H fielding and retirement, AC-130U configuration and retirement, and AC-130 gunship use in Grenada, Panama, Desert Storm, Somalia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, and later Middle East uprisings. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Heritage of the Special Operations ProfessionalsPublisher: U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command | Note: Supports 2015 Various Conflicts direct use by documenting the first AC-130 gunships entering the Vietnam conflict in 1968 after late-1967 combat evaluation; also provides historical 1955 Vietnam War context for the gunship family. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Panama CampaignPublisher: U.S. Army Center of Military History | Note: Supports 2015 Various Conflicts direct use: AC-130H Spectre gunship assisted Task Force PACIFIC at Pacora River bridge during Operation Just Cause in the U.S. invasion of Panama; the catalog groups this pre-2015 conflict evidence under 2015 Various Conflicts because it has no dedicated Panama conflict record. | Accessed: 2026-07-04AC-130U SpookyPublisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Supports 2015 Various Conflicts direct use: AC-130U gunships supported Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq from 2003 to 2011; the catalog keeps this pre-2015 2003 Iraq War evidence under 2015 Various Conflicts because it has no dedicated 2003 Iraq War conflict record. | Accessed: 2026-07-04AFSOC Heritage - Operation Urgent FuryPublisher: U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command | Note: Supports 2015 Various Conflicts direct use: AC-130 gunships and crews supported Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada, including gunship engagement of small-arms and anti-aircraft artillery threats at Point Salines. | Accessed: 2026-07-04AFSOC Heritage - Desert StormPublisher: U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command | Note: Supports 2015 Various Conflicts direct use: AFSOC heritage records AC-130s providing critical fire support and armed reconnaissance during Operation Desert Storm, including the 31 Jan. 1991 loss of Spirit 03. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Operation Odyssey Dawn (Libya): Background and Issues for CongressPublisher: Congressional Research Service | Note: Supports 2015 Various Conflicts direct use: CRS reported that DOD announced AC-130 aircraft had begun operations over Libya on March 26, 2011, during Operation Odyssey Dawn. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Aircraft attack al Qaeda haven in SomaliaPublisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Supports 1991 Somali Civil War post-2006 al-Shabaab phase direct use: Air Force reporting said AC-130 gunships struck al Qaeda targets in southern Somalia near Ras Kamboni on Jan. 8, 2007. | Accessed: 2026-07-04