Boeing is in the midst of flight testing the new 30 mm cannons on the AC-130U Gunship at Hurlburt Field, Fla. Currently, Air Force Special Operations Command has asked Boeing to modify four AC-130Us with the new Bushmaster 30 mm cannons to give the Spookys greater standoff range and first-shot accuracy. (USAF announced the changeout of Bushmasters for the current 40 mm cannon and 25 mm gun earlier this year.)
Air Force depots are not typically meant for quick repair jobs, but during Operation Epic Fury, the service moved some of its stateside heavy maintenance capability forward to fix battle-damaged aircraft closer to the fight.
