Is that a 105mm Cannon or Are You Just Happy to Kill Terrorists?

An AC-130J gunship taxis under a stream of water on Wednesday, July 29, 2015, at Hurlburt Field, Fla. This is the first model aircraft of its kind. More AC-130Js are expected at Hurlburt Field for testing. Hulrburt Field is the home of the Air Force Special Operations Command. (Nick Tomecek/Northwest Florida Daily News via AP)

An AC-130J gunship taxis under a stream of water on Wednesday, July 29, 2015, at Hurlburt Field, Fla. This is the first model aircraft of its kind. More AC-130Js are expected at Hurlburt Field for testing. Hulrburt Field is the home of the Air Force Special Operations Command. (Nick Tomecek/Northwest Florida Daily News via AP)

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It isn’t quite fricken laser beams, but SOCOM is going to get something special inside its upgraded gunships:

U.S. SOCOM (Special Operations Command) recently received the first of 32 new AC-130J Ghostrider gunship. After acceptance tests it is expected to enter service in early 2016. Since 2010 the design of the AC-130J has gone through several changes, the latest one bringing back the 105mm cannon. This is part of a retreat from an earlier decision. Since 2005 SOCOM had been replacing the long used 40mm and 20mm autocannon and 105mm cannon with missiles but combat experience showed that that cannon were still needed in many situations. Thus SOCOM has already decided to bring back autocannon and install one 30mm cannon (to replace the rather elderly 40mm and 20mm models). Thus the latest revision has a 105mm cannon fired out the back of the aircraft via a modified rear ramp.

Forget SOCOM. I want one of these on call for dealing with trucks who won’t get into the slow lane going up Monument Hill on I-25.

Just a little peek at that modified rear ramp ought to do the trick, yes?

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