Documents
United States Lockheed Martin
AC-130J Ghostrider
Heavily armed gunship variant of the C-130J built for U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command, combining precision-guided munitions with a 105 mm howitzer and 30 mm cannon for close air support and armed overwatch.
In service since 2017 · 1 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
644
km/h
4,890
km range
12,500
m ceiling
💲 ≈ $115,000,000 — Approximate unit procurement cost
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Limited · 1 operator
In service since 2017. Status: active · ~37 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$288M – $403M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost — operating & support dominate over ~35 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed
Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.
- 644 km/h Stronger than 14% of transport aircraft
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 4,890 km Stronger than 30% of transport aircraft
- Service ceiling
Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.
- 12,500 m Stronger than 77% of transport aircraft
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Main armament
Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.
- 105 mm M102 howitzer, 30 mm GAU-23/A cannon
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 29.79 m
- Wingspan
Wingtip-to-wingtip span.
- 40.4 m
- Height
Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles.
- 11.66 m
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 7
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Engine
Powerplant model and type.
- Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 turboprop
- Engines
Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost.
- 4
- Engine power
Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster.
- 4,591 hp
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Turboprop
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Unit cost
Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.
- $115,000,000
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 37 Stronger than 32% of transport aircraft
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 1 Stronger than 27% of transport aircraft
Specifications compiled from public Lockheed Martin and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Airbus Defence and Space C-295 Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Lockheed Martin AC-130J Ghostrider? +
The Lockheed Martin AC-130J Ghostrider has a maximum speed of 644 km/h.
What is the range of the Lockheed Martin AC-130J Ghostrider? +
The Lockheed Martin AC-130J Ghostrider has a maximum range of 4,890 km.
How many crew does the Lockheed Martin AC-130J Ghostrider require? +
The Lockheed Martin AC-130J Ghostrider requires a crew of 7.
What is the main armament of the Lockheed Martin AC-130J Ghostrider? +
The Lockheed Martin AC-130J Ghostrider's primary weapon is the 105 mm M102 howitzer, 30 mm GAU-23/A cannon.
What engine does the Lockheed Martin AC-130J Ghostrider use? +
The Lockheed Martin AC-130J Ghostrider is powered by the Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 turboprop.
What is the Lockheed Martin AC-130J Ghostrider used for? +
The Lockheed Martin AC-130J Ghostrider is a transport & tanker typically used for close air support.
How many countries operate the Lockheed Martin AC-130J Ghostrider? +
The Lockheed Martin AC-130J Ghostrider is operated by 1 countries.
How much does the Lockheed Martin AC-130J Ghostrider cost? +
The Lockheed Martin AC-130J Ghostrider has an approximate unit cost of 115,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.
Similar systems
Boeing
C-17 Globemaster III
Lockheed Martin
C-130J Super Hercules
Airbus Defence and Space
C-295
Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC)