Direct proof of use
A declassified USCENTCOM mission report records AGM-176 Griffin use during Operation Inherent Resolve on September 20, 2024. The report says a U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command aircraft departed Ali Al Salem Air Base, flew an armed-overwatch mission, arrived on station at approximately 1930Z, and released 20 rounds of 105 mm ammunition, 101 rounds of 30 mm ammunition, and one AGM-176 during weapons calibration.
The same report places the mission at Ayn al Asad Airbase's Restricted Operating Zone RAINDROP in Iraq and says the crew later received a call for fire to employ an AGM-176. After weapons release, the weapons systems officer and combat systems officer observed an unidentified object through the aircraft sensors, while the crew maintained laser energy until the munition impacted its desired target.
Sources: USCENTCOM DOW-UAP-D28 Mission Report
Timeline
Operation Inherent Resolve was formally established in October 2014 as the U.S.-led command structure for the campaign against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. By 2024, CJTF-OIR described the mission in Iraq and Syria as continuing support to partner forces against remaining ISIS networks.
On September 20, 2024, the declassified mission report records takeoff at 1740Z, arrival on station near Ayn al Asad at approximately 1930Z, an AGM-176 release during weapons calibration, and a later call-for-fire sequence involving an AGM-176. The aircraft was cleared off station at 2323Z and landed at Ali Al Salem at 0046Z on September 21.
Sources: CJTF-OIR History, CJTF-OIR Mission, USCENTCOM DOW-UAP-D28 Mission Report
Operational role
The documented Griffin role in this conflict was armed overwatch and precision fire from a U.S. Air Force special-operations aircraft. The mission report identifies the operation as Inherent Resolve, the domain as air, the combatant command as USCENTCOM, the major command as AFSOC, and the mission type as armed overwatch. It identifies the originator as SOTU 016 and the unit as the 16th Special Operations Squadron, while redacting the aircraft type and callsign.
The public record does not identify the target, battle-damage result, or a complete count of AGM-176 rounds expended beyond the one release stated in the mission narrative. Official AFSOC material provides platform context by listing the AGM-176 Griffin among the AC-130J Ghostrider's standoff precision-guided munitions and describing the AC-130J mission set as close air support, air interdiction, armed reconnaissance, strike coordination, and overwatch.
Sources: USCENTCOM DOW-UAP-D28 Mission Report, AFSOC AC-130J Ghostrider Fact Sheet
