Assembly 
work has begun on Air Force Special Operations Command’s first AC-130J gunship at Lockheed Martin’s plant in Marietta, Ga., announced the company. Lockheed Martin is converting an MC-130J Commando II special-mission airplane currently on Marietta’s production line to the gunship configuration via the addition of the modular Precision Strike Package, states the company’s July 23 release. AFSOC’s MC-130W Dragon Spear special-mission aircraft already carry PSP, a scalable weapons and sensor suite. The Air Force plans to purchase 16 new-build AC-130Js under a $1.6 billion recapitalization effort to replace its legacy AC-130Hs and provide additional capacity. The AC-130J fleet is slated to begin initial operations in 2015. With the addition of the AC-130Js, the Air Force plans to have a combined fleet of 33 gunships, including the 17 AC-130Us currently on strength.
Improving Guam’s Defenses is Top Priority for INDOPACOM
March 4, 2021
Protecting Guam is the top priority for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, as the island territory and its large military presence has grown in strategic importance and the command is calling on Congress for billions more to build up its infrastructure there and across the region. INDOPACOM boss Adm. Philip S. Davidson,…