An AC-130J Ghostrider assigned to the 4th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla., soars over interior Wisconsin during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2021, July 30, 2021. The AC-130J is part of a gunship legacy flight which paid tribute to Air Force Special Operations Command’s heritage and showcased its newest gunship to the public. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Christopher Boitz)
CAMP ATTERBURY — The Ghostrider in the sky Thursday afternoon won’t be a phantom rider, but it still might frighten a few Hoosiers watching from below.
Camp Atterbury officials have announced this large gunship will be doing aerial gunnery training out of Camp Atterbury north of Columbus between noon and 6 p.m. Thursday.
To some, the AC-130J Ghostrider gunship may appear to be on the offensive when the aircraft makes 45-degree banks. In addition, noise from the 105mm howitzer and the 30 mm mini gun onboard may sound like the military is, as the folks at Camp Atterbury phrase it, “unleashing controlled fury.”
However, it is only a drill, or training on the $165 million gunship, according to Atterbury officials.
“Do not be alarmed as it is your service members honing their skills to protect our freedoms,” stated an Indiana National Guard press release.
While the training is based at Atterbury, Hoosiers are advised the six-hour-training will be visible from several nearby counties, the release said.
Propeller-driven rather than powered by jet engines, the size of the Ghostrider can be intimidating. The AC-130J has a wingspan of 133 feet, a length of 98 feet and a height of 39 feet. Only 37 Ghostriders will be operational for military use by the end of 2024, according to the U.S. Air Force website.
Camp Atterbury provides full logistical and training support for up to two brigade-sized elements simultaneously on more than 34,000 acres. It provides a variety of training ranges, live-fire venues, managed airspace with air-to-ground firing capabilities, computerized simulation and exercise center.”
