Mission
Located at Hurlburt Field, FL, the 1st Special Operations Group Detachment 2 the newest flying unit within the 1st Special Operations Wing and employs the AC-130J Ghostrider gunship. The detachment is tasked to support developmental and operational testing of the AC-130J and aid in AFSOC’s gunship transition by providing highly experienced combat crews to plan, prepare and execute AC-130J flight test and continuation training missions.
The AC-130J is the very latest in a distinguished line of fixed-wing, side-firing gunships. The J-model gunship integrates the Precision Strike Package capability first fielded on the AC-130W into the more capable C-130J platform. The updated version of the C-130 provides a full glass cockpit and more powerful engines & propellers. This allows the AC-130J to fly faster, farther, and higher than any previous gunship, and gives the Ghostrider a significantly longer loiter time and increased ammunition storage for more lethality. The AC-130J has drastically increased stand-off range of by utilizing the latest sensor technology and increased munition precision, thus increasing survivability while still maintaining the capability to protect friendly troops and destroy the enemy.
The AC-130J is armed with a 30mm cannon (capable of firing 200 rounds per minute), a 105mm Howitzer, AGM-176 Griffin missiles, and GBU-39 small-diameter bombs
Lineage
1st Special Operations Group Detachment 2 was activated on 1 Apr 2015
Assignments
1st Special Operations Group, Hurlburt Field, FL, 1 Apr 2015 – present
Aircraft
AC-130J – July 2015-present