U.S. Special Forces To Test Laser Gunship For Covert Strikes In 2022

AC-130J Ghostrider gunship US Air Force

Forbes: U.S. Special Forces Test Laser Gunship For Covert Strikes

The prospect of laser fire from above moved closer with an announcement from the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) that they will test fire a high-energy laser weapon from an AC-130J aircraft in 2022. The plan was disclosed at the at the Virtual Special Operations Forces Industry Conference this week.

The AC-130J Ghostrider is a fearsome flying arsenal. Like its Vietnam-era gunship predecessors, it carries a radar-guided 105mm howitzer and 30mm rapid fire cannon. The modern version also has precision strike capability, dropping 250-pound GPS-guided GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs and 34-pound laser-guided AGM-176 Griffin missiles.

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WNU Editor:  Laser weapons are the Next Big Thing. They are putting it on everything .... warships, fighter jets, Army vehicles, so why not on a gunship. The first test will be in 2022.