Air Force on The New AC-130 Gunship: ‘That's The Sound America Makes When She's Angry’

Task and Purpose

Security,

Be afraid.

The AC-130J Ghostrider ground-attack aircraft has picked up several different unofficial moinikers in the five years the Air Force Special Operations Command maniacs at Hurlburt Field have spent slapping guns on the thing: “The most advanced gunship in the inventory." “The ultimate battle plane.” “A bomb truck with guns on it.”

The latest affectionate description of the converted MC-130J Combat Shadow II is probably the best — and it reflects the branch’s excitement to get this bad boy in the air.

“That's the sound America makes when she's angry,” 1st Special Operations Wing commander Col. Tom Palenske told Military.com air reporter Oriana Pawlyk of the Ghostrider’s arsenal as the aircraft brrrrrrrp’d off its 25mm, 40mm, and 105mm cannons in the skies above Hurlburt during Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson’s visit this week. "It's going to be awesome. It's our big gun truck.”