Deep Intel on the AC-130J Attacking Iranian Proxies

Details about the AC-130J Ghostrider's operations against Iranian proxies in Iraq.

And as an audiobook here:

[stevendaugherty]

Ward, thanks for the information on the AC130J: I did not know that the 40mm Bofors gun was removed due to ammo procurement problems. The 40mm Bofors has been in service for over 80 years, which is a testament to its design & effectiveness in its designed role. Sad to see it go.

[RNemy]

I miss the old days of the AC-130U being the new kid, we were rock stars. We answered the call for 20 yrs til they decided the airframes had been over-stressed. Proud to see new models coming on line and making us gunship vets proud. 'Merica

[joenop]

I served in the First Gulf War, and we lost a C-130 Gunship (Spirit 03) to a SAM ON 1/31/91. The AFSOC crew were protecting some U.S. Marines who were fighting the Iraq Republican Guard. AFSOC Rocks!

[oceanmariner]

I remember the AC-47s we had in Vietnam. They fired a 0.30 mini gun not 30mm and they flew a lot lower than 11, 000 feet. Several got hit, I guess that's why the 11, 000 feet now.They came to help in almost any weather. No radar, no GPS in those days. Once they started firing, any attack was over. The enemy just retreated, left their wounded, and got the hell out. AC pilots and crew couldn't buy a drink in SE Asia.

[iamrichrocker]

Ward..thanks for sanely explaining this insanity...detailed and well researched with direct no BS presentation..

[Indiskret]

Yet another information packed, no-nonsense and thorough report, keeping us up to date on very important matters. You're second to none!

[wayfaerer]

Brother-in-law is a retired Whiskey pilot - my Xmas gift last year was a link of 3 spent 30mm shell casings :) Their squadron Xmas tree's star was made out of spent 30mm casings :)

[blairanderson]

Excellent overview! I’m sharing this because of the focus on facts. Thanks again, good sir! — a fellow retiree

[andersjjensen]

The AC-130J is pretty much the definition of "a whole lot of hurt coming your way".

[GeertDelmulle]

Ward, your military reporting on that region is top notch!
Kudos for the great sustained job you’re doing. Great job! :-)

[UmustBkddng]

I did three six-month deployments in the navy in the 80's, and that was a LONG time to be away from home and family. I feel for these people that are on these 200+ day deployments without even a notion of when the deployment will end. It is extremely demoralizing to spend months counting down the days when the deployment will end, (and everyone IS counting), only to have it extended at the last minute. This is not a good situation for our people.

[stuartmiller]

Thank you for the info. My son is an AO on board the Ike. I was an F-14 mech with VF-111 in the late 70s. Thank you, F-14 flyer and your service GO NAVY BEAT ARMY.

[stephenrrose]

Thank you for the details on the AC-130J, also thank you for the update!!!!

[ramroddrone]

Ward. Dave Australia here. Thanks so much for this update on this unbelievable aircraft. Ward as a former Australian air force ground person. I am worried about those aircraft carriers being at sea for so long. The deployment extensions are quite concerning. They need maintenance. Also, I can’t believe how stretched United States Navy is in that area of the world hopefully they can handle the situation.

[btchhopperou]

Thanks Ward, the only gripe I have is WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OF THESE types of updates, please, sir? Great info is quite scarce and one thing about the info here is we can be 100% CERTAIN it IS legit. Grateful for anything you share with us as always, hope you had a nice Thanksgiving and hope to see you sooner than later!

[kcolombo]

In a world where I take all "news" with a grain of salt, you are the one trusted and uniquely qualified news source for overseas intel today. Gonna start calling you Uncle "Ward" as a tribute to Uncle Walter (Cronkite) ;) Thank you sincerely!

[Jayhawk_Nation]

Love this channel! No bs just how I like it. Ward your the man 🫡

[thomaslamb]

Maybe not the same platform, but my father told me stories about “puff the magic dragon”, during Vietnam. Plenty of stories about spooky as well.

One of them was about what he seen the next morning. Foliage completely gone. Trees cut clean in half. All in an area about the size of a football field. Couple dozen dead Charlie. Got him to tell me a lot about his tour over in Vietnam.

Last one was the story of lining up to get on the plane home and seeing his brother, my uncle Mike, getting off another plane coming into theater. They spoke for about ten minutes through a chain link fence. He thought for sure he would never see his brother again. He did. Only after my uncle got wounded during a surprise attack that left him the only guy left in his unit. He crawled for several days in the jungle, as VC patrolled around him. Made it back to a small road where he got help back to a nearby American outpost. Crazy fool got patched and healed up and went back into country for a second tour. Must have been the Jarhead in our blood.

[mrdyvig]

I like the way you explain things. I've always been fascinated by the idea of a giant plane just circling above thousands of feet in the air ready to rain down hell on anyone who messes with it's respective troops. A Horowitzer in an airplane still blows my mind!
Btw, cool Les Paul!

[parsnip]

Thanks, Ward. Your updates are super informative. It's the nature of the beast, but I feel bad for the crew's that have been extended on their deployments. Been there, done that, it's no fun.