Negative Ghostrider, the 105 may not be around

[chopper2004]

Looks AFSOC is potentially looking to rid the AC-130J Ghostrider fleet of its 105 gun, as they looking for more longer range stand off capability, its kind of iconic.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...big-105mm-guns

Last time I saw a Ghostriders departing from the Hall (my pic) this year and last year

[bobward]

A lot of weight to carry around, for perhaps a limited gain. With AAA systems getting even more lethal, I for one, wouldn't want to be racetracking around a bunch of the opposition, would you?
After they lost one AC 130 in GW 1, I would have thought they'd have done this a while ago.

[dead_pan]

Originally Posted by bobward

A lot of weight to carry around, for perhaps a limited gain. With AAA systems getting even more lethal, I for one, wouldn't want to be racetracking around a bunch of the opposition, would you?
After they lost one AC 130 in GW 1, I would have thought they'd have done this a while ago.

So what about the gatling guns? Same problem, shirley?

[Lonewolf_50]

Originally Posted by bobward

A lot of weight to carry around, for perhaps a limited gain. With AAA systems getting even more lethal, I for one, wouldn't want to be racetracking around a bunch of the opposition, would you?
After they lost one AC 130 in GW 1, I would have thought they'd have done this a while ago.

It is possible that the people who operate it are aware of a few things that you are not.
I'll try to be careful in how I say this:
A decade and more after GW 1 we had good success with that platform supporting a variety of ground ops. (No, I wasn't flying them).
This was despite the fact that various AAA systems, and MANPADS, had improved since GW 1.
I'll offer a variation on Mark Twain's observation:
"The reports of the AC-130's demise is greatly exaggerated.".
They fit a particular mission set beautifully.