Yellow refers to the sun and the excellence required of Air Force personnel. It directly supports theater commanders conducting close air support, armed reconnaissance, armed escort and air interdiction.īlue represents the sky, the primary theater of Air Force operations. The squadron plans, prepares and executes AC-130J Ghostrider gunship missions, providing precise delivery of 30/105mm and precision guided munitions supporting joint conventional and special operations forces.
The AC-130J Ghostrider represents the 5th generation of fixed wing gunships and will continue the legacy of the gunship fleet of AC-130H Spectre, AC-130U Spooky, and AC-130W Stinger gunships. These updates will reset the clock on the Little Bird's structural service life.īut SOCOM is still debating whether to further upgrade the helicopter with a potential Block IV version or replace it altogether with a variant from the Army's Future Vertical Lift program, which seeks to upgrade all of the Army's light-, medium-, and heavy-lift choppers.The 73d Special Operations Squadron is home of AFSOC’s first AC-130J gunship. Later this year, the Night Stalkers will receive the first Block III version of the Little Bird, which will come with a new airframe, better fuel efficiency, and more powerful rotor. In the early 2000s, the Little Bird fleet went through a modernization under the Mission Enhanced Little Bird program, which upgraded the rotor, enlarged the doors, and improved the landing gear. In 2019, a SOCOM acquisition executive described plans to upgrade or retire the Little Birds by the mid-2020s. Talks about retiring the venerable Little Bird are not new. It often indicates a user profile.Ī US Army AH-6 Little Bird is unloaded from an Air Force Special Operations Command MC-130H during a rapid-deployment exercise, August 29, 2017. Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders.
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