Air Force Special Operations Command is currently fielding four MC-130W Combat Spear special-mission aircraft that are modified with a precision strike package (PSP) that gives them a gunship-like attack capability, Adm. Eric Olson, head of US Special Operations Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday. Converting these aircraft, which are henceforth dubbed Dragon Spears, is one means of quickly bolstering AFSOC’s aging gunship fleet that is continually in high demand in Southwest Asia. Olson said ongoing improvements for these modified MC-130Ws include sensor upgrades, the integration of a standoff precision-guided munitions system and supporting 30 mm gun, a new sensor operator console as well as new communication equipment and flight deck hardware. The PSP is modular and scalable so it could be integrated on to other airframes, he noted. (Olson’s prepared remarks)
President Donald Trump is proposing a 13 percent increase in defense spending for fiscal 2026, growth that could mean the first ever $1 trillion defense budget, according to a document obtained by Air & Space Forces Magazine.