After Nearly 60 Years In Flight, Us Air Force Special Operators Took Their Ac-130 Gunship To Australia For The First Time

Two Australian Air Force PC-21s and a US Air Force AC-130J over the Newcastle region during Exercise Teak Action in July.Australian Air Force/LAC Samuel Miller US Air Force special operators took their AC-130J to Australia for an exercise in July. It's the first time the AC-130 has been to Australia since the gunship was introduced in the 1960s. The AC-130 is valued by ground troops, and the Air Force is working on updates to keep it relevant. In late July and early August, the Australian military held a record-setting military exercise with troops from 13 countries, including the US.But before the start of this year's Talisman Sabre exercise — the largest edition ever — US special operators arrived Down Under with some of their most capable and valuable aircraft.As part of Exercise Teak Action, held in southeastern Australia in early July, US Air Force special operators flew their AC-130 gunship in Australia for the first time since it entered service in 1960s.The thunder of gunsUS airmen monitor the 105mm cannon on an AC-130J during live-fire training with Australian Army special forces soldiers in New South Wales in July.Australian Air Force/Corporal Cameron PeggWhile in Australia, Air Commandos from US Air Force Special Operations Command's 23rd Special Tactics Squadron and their AC-130Js took part in dry-fire rehearsals in coordination with US and Australian Combat Control teams on the ground.US Joint Terminal Attack Controllers, or JTACs, and Australian Forward Air Control-Airborne, or FAC-A, specialists guided the AC-130 gunships in training scenarios that tested their marksmanship and coordination.During the exercise, US and Australian troops also expanded their interoperability and worked on their ability to conduct short-notice operations in the Indo-Pacific area of operations.The exercise was a chance for the two air forces "to conduct formation flying, landing zone survey, and close air support training that maintains our interoperability," said Wing Commander Steven Duffy, commander of the Australian air force's 4 Squadron.A US Air Force airman reloads the 105mm cannon on an AC-130J over New South Wales in July.Australian Air Force/Corporal Cameron Pegg"We've learnt about the capability of the aircraft and the support framework required for the aircraft to base in Australia and project throughout the region," Duffy said in a press release.Since entering service in the late 1960s, the different versions of the AC-130 — the AC-130J "Ghostrider" is the latest and first deployed in 2019 — have seen action in Asia, Africa, South America, Europe, and the Middle East, but the gunship continues to cover new ground: In a three-month span in 2021, it operated for the first time in both Japan and Romania.Although this was the first time the AC-130 operated in Australia, the aircraft could be based in the area if tensions with China continue to grow.The AC-130's primary mission sets are close air support, air interdiction, and armed reconnaissance.