During Vietnam War, AC-130 gunships was used to destroy enemy supply lines. In recent years, the Hercules gunships have shifted towards using longer-range precision guided weapons like Hellfire anti-tank missiles and GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs. The US Air Force recently began a pilot program to install a high-energy laser on the AC-130J gunship. Laser weapon systems will enable the gunship's ability to injure and damage equipment over long distances.
The Air Force Special Operations Command has tapped Lockheed Martin to develop a new laser weapon system for its AC-130J gunships. The Airborne High Energy Laser, a 60-kilowatt beam of laser that can vaporize targets at long range, is the Airborne High Energy Laser. You can use this laser to target various targets on both the ground and in air. It can also be used for detonating enemy ammo dumps. The Air Force and Lockheed Martin are planning to test the AHEL on AC-130J gunships in the next few years. Eventually, the weapon will be installed on the AC-130J and the aircraft will be able to operate in clandestine operations.
The Air Force Special Operations Command has been considering the idea of a laser weapon for a number of years. The laser weapon system will allow the AC-130J Ghostrider to attack enemies from long ranges and without leaving any trace of the attack. The laser can be used without optics to target targets far away. The laser can also be mounted on an aircraft's underside. This will allow you to conduct covert attack that could be carried out in the near future.
The Air Force plans on mounting the laser weapon on AC-130J Ghostrider gunships within the next few years. The initial design work has been completed by the Air Force, and the contractor is currently implementing and testing the weapon. The next stage will be ground- and flight-testing, followed by the installation and commissioning of the weapon aboard the AC-130J. The Air Force indicated that they hope to begin testing the laser weapon systems in the fiscal years 2022.
The US Air Force will continue to test the AC-130J laser system on the aircraft, and the contractor has plans to start integrating the weapon system on the AC-130J within the next year. The AC-130J aircraft is heavy, which could limit its operational range. However, the AHEL can be used to prevent air defense from preventing the gunship from reaching its target. The Ghostrider will be able to fire precision-guided ammunition, including GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs (Hellfire missiles), and AGM-176 Griffin anti-tank weapons.
The next stage in the AHEL program requires the laser to be fully integrated within the aircraft's beam controller system. The Air Force hopes to start flight testing of the system on the AC-130J Ghostrider in 2022. The contractor has not yet stated when testing will commence, but the contract stipulates that the system must be tested before the end fiscal year 2023.