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.)
The use of a military counter-drone laser on the southwest border this week—which prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to abruptly close the airspace over El Paso, Texas—will be a “case study” on the complex web of authorities needed to employ such weapons near civilian areas and the consequences of agencies…
