December 7, 2023. High above the calm, tropical waters of the Caribbean Sea,
an unexpected sight appears from out of the blue, soaring swiftly through puffy patches
of clouds. Worlds apart from the tourist jetliners that typically traverse these
serene skies, an American Lockheed AC-130J Ghostrider zooms overhead.
The sophisticated 5th generation gunship carves its path through the sky, its four
roaring Rolls-Royce turboprop engines shattering the tranquility that surrounds them. Suddenly,
the noise intensifies as a rapid series of bellowing blasts ring out from its thunderous
GAU-23/A automatic 30mm cannon, the whole world seeming to shake with each shot fired.
With footage of the incident from a full-motion infrared video camera posted
online, apparently filmed from an unknown aircraft flying alongside the Ghostrider,
many were shocked to see such a fierce display of military might in this unlikely setting.
The Lockheed AC-130J Ghostrider shown in the video represents the latest evolution in the
distinguished lineage of AC-130 gunships, a series renowned for their role in close air support,
air interdiction, and armed reconnaissance missions. The development of the AC-130J
was driven by the need for an updated platform that would extend the capabilities and service
life of the AC-130 fleet, incorporating modern technology and enhanced firepower
to meet contemporary operational demands. The AC 130J's primary role is that of a
powerful airborne weapons platform. Air Force Special Operations Command officials have even
characterized it as the ultimate combat aircraft. The Gatling-style 30mm GAU-23/A cannon seen in
action in the video footage is utilized for a variety of missions, including close air support,
air interdiction, and force protection. It is particularly effective for precision strikes
against ground targets, offering support to troops in contact with enemy forces. The cannon's high
rate of fire and accuracy enable it to engage a wide range of targets, from personnel and light
vehicles to fortified positions. Former 1st Special Operations Wing Commander Colonel Tom
Palenske compared the GAU-23/A to a sniper rifle, adding: [QUOTE] “It's that precise,
it can pretty much hit first shot, first kill.” The Ghostrider is also equipped with a 105mm
howitzer, used for delivering heavier, high-explosive munitions over a longer
range. It is capable of engaging more fortified or larger targets, making
it ideal for destroying enemy bunkers, strong points, and concentrations of forces, as well
as providing suppression and support for ground operations in more intense combat scenarios.
What’s more, the gunship includes an external BRU-61/A rack that allows it to carry GBU-39
Small Diameter Bombs, known for their ability to accurately hit targets from a
considerable distance with minimal collateral damage, as well as AGM-114 Hellfire missiles,
which are versatile laser precision-guided munitions useful for engaging high-value
targets that require a more substantial warhead. The Ghostrider is powered by four Rolls-Royce
AE2100D3 turboprop engines, each capable of delivering 4,700 horsepower. This powerplant
not only propels the aircraft to speeds of up to 362 knots, or 416 miles per hour but also ensures
reliability and efficiency during extended missions. The aircraft's advanced two-pilot
flight station with fully integrated digital avionics, coupled with its precise navigation
systems (including dual inertial navigation systems and GPS), exemplifies the integration
of cutting-edge technology into its design​​​​. Beginning its service history operating from
Hurlburt Field, Florida, in February 2018 as part of the 73rd Special Operations Squadron,
the Ghostrider would participate in its first combat mission in Afghanistan in June of the
following year. Since then, it has taken part in a range of operations around the globe, including a
notable strike on an Iran-based militant group in November 2023 after the group launched a
ballistic missile attack on US and coalition forces on Al-Asad Airbase in Iraq. However,
when the footage of the Ghostrider unleashing a furious barrage of ammunition from its 30mm cannon
was released the following month, few would have expected it to have been filmed over the
Caribbean, an area in which United States military involvement has been minimal in the 21st Century.
Yet a long way from the laid-back luxury of the region’s relaxing resorts,
friction has been building between the neighboring nations of Venezuela and Guyana
on the northern coast of South America. The source of the unease is Essequibo,
a territory that makes up around two-thirds of Guyana’s total area and is home to 125,000 of its
800,000 citizens but is also claimed by Venezuela. The controversy traces back to colonial times,
when the area west of the Essequibo River was contested by the Spanish and Dutch empires, with
the territory later becoming part of what was then British Guiana. The heart of the current dispute
lies in an 1899 arbitration award that allocated the contested land to British Guiana, a decision
Venezuela claims was influenced by a biased Russian arbitrator favoring British interests.
The issue remained relatively dormant for much of the 20th Century, with occasional
diplomatic flare-ups. However, the discovery of significant offshore oil reserves in Guyana in
2015 reignited tensions as Venezuela, facing economic and political crises,
reasserted its claims over Essequibo, known in Venezuela as Guayana Esequiba.
Efforts to resolve the dispute have involved various international actors and mechanisms,
including the United Nations. In 2018, the UN referred the case to
the International Court of Justice, a move Guyana welcomed, but Venezuela criticized,
insisting on bilateral negotiations instead. On December 3, 2023, the Venezuelan government
held a consultative referendum seeking to validate its assertion over Essequibo and
its rejection of the International Court of Justice. Official reports state that over
95% of participating Venezuelans responded “yes” to the five questions on the ballot,
appearing to support the government’s position. International analysts and media have suggested
that turnout was much lower than claimed, and the results were likely falsified. Nevertheless, the
Venezuelan leadership used the purported outcome of the referendum to justify an intensification
of its attempts to annex the disputed region. The day after the poll, National Bolivarian
Armed Forces of Venezuela Strategic Commander Domingo Hernández Lárez posted a series of
images and videos on his social media accounts of Venezuelan troops repairing or constructing
new roads, bridges, airstrips, and other infrastructure along the border with Essequibo,
with his accompanying texts suggesting that they were planning to expand into the region.
On December 5, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro declared that he was planning to allow
the exploitation of natural resources within Essequibo, including gas, oil, and mineral
deposits, as well as announcing the creation of local Essequibo subsidiaries of nationalized
Venezuelan companies PDVSA and CVG, which focus on petroleum and industrial operations, respectively.
Meanwhile, the same day, Brazilian President Lula said that he intended to make a presidential
visit to Guyana the following year, which was interpreted by many as a coded warning that Brazil
would not accept aggressive action from Venezuela. On December 6, a Brazilian Army source reported to
CNN Brasil that an increased Venezuelan military presence had been seen building along the border
with Guyana. Criticizing what he characterized as “reckless” and “unpredictable,” the Guyanese
president Irfaan Ali announced that he would be working with the United States Southern Command,
which is tasked with overseeing contingency planning, operations,
and security partnerships in Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean.
Sure enough, the following day, the US Southern Command and the Guyana Defence
Force launched joint military flight drills over the Southern Caribbean,
including US special operations forces conducting free-fall parachute jumps from an MC-130J Commando
II special operations tanker transport. However, what really caught the commentators’
attention was the unanticipated presence of the AC-130J Ghostrider that day. Flights by any kind
of AC-130 gunship had been few and far between in Latin America and the Caribbean; indeed,
a Ghostrider flight off the coast of Panama the previous May represented the first time
that a member of the AC-130 family had flown in that part of the world in over ten years.
Sharing the video of the Ghostrider pumping out shells from its 30mm cannon on social
media platform X, Southern Command said that the purpose of the exercise was:
[QUOTE] “to stay sharp and agile in support of the joint force and partner nations.”
However, Southern Command spokespeople denied that the AC-130J had anything to do with the
training activities involving Guyana’s armed forces that day.
Whatever the reason for the Ghostrider’s surprise appearance, it is interesting
to consider this show of US special operations aviation capabilities in the context of current
events in the region. AC-130Js and MC-130Js would both undoubtedly prove vital tools were
the United States to have to intervene in a conflict in the area, with the MC-130Js used
to insert commandos via free-fall jumps, allowing airfields and other landing zones to be opened up,
while the AC-130Js provide cover. The MC-130Js could also provide assistance in evacuating
military personnel from a danger zone. Meanwhile, the presence of American
forces in the southern Caribbean ruffled more than a few feathers in Venezuela. The
country’s defense minister, Vladimir Padrino Lopez, lambasted the United States’ actions,
labeling them a provocation and saying that Venezuela would not be diverted from its
future actions for the recovery of Essequibo. Throughout the following months, the situation
has remained precarious, as videos have shown Venezuela continuing its build-up of military
presence and construction of infrastructure near the border while Guyana and its allies
keep a watchful eye. Whatever may happen going forward, by releasing the footage of the AC-130J
Ghostrider gunship conducting live-fire training in the Caribbean, the United States has sent a
clear message to Venezuela that its aerial capabilities are not to be messed with.