AC/MC-130J
Abstract
This project supports the development, rapid prototyping, integration, automation, and testing of the AC-130J and MC-130J aircraft. The AC-130J Ghostrider provides close air support (CAS), air interdiction, and armed reconnaissance in support of special operations and conventional forces in contested and degraded environments. The MC-130J Commando II provides clandestine, or low visibility, single or multiship, low-level infiltration (infil), exfiltration (exfil), and resupply of Special Operations Forces (SOF), by airdrop or airland and air refueling missions for special operations helicopters and tiltrotor aircraft, intruding politically sensitive or hostile territories. Incremental upgrade and agile software delivery approaches will be used to rapidly prototype, integrate and mature SOF capabilities onto the AC-130J and MC-130J aircraft. Capability Release Two (CR2) includes the following SOF modifications: Special Mission Systems (SMS), Auxiliary Flight Deck Station (AFDS), Defensive System Upgrade (DSU), Terrain Following (TF) / Terrain Avoidance (TA) radar, Airborne Mission Networking (AbMN), and Electronic Warfare (EW) / Radio Frequency Countermeasures (RFCM) programs. Additionally, Capability Release Three (CR3) builds upon the CR2 configuration through integration of an enhanced Tactical Flight Management System (TFMS), Auto-Route Replanner (ARR), integrated Defensive Countermeasure (DCM) Suite implemented in alignment to the Open Mission Systems (OMS) standard reference architecture and hosted on an upgraded Next Generation SMS. Efforts like Integrated Tactical Mission Systems (ITMS) in CR3 provides critical automation and integration of SOF Tactical Mission Systems (TMS), including navigation, communication, precision fire control and defensive systems required for safe flight in AC-130J and MC-130J aircraft. Requirements include upgrades to integrate and automate SOF TMS such as AbMN interoperability, data fusion and improved situational awareness, improved threat detection and avoidance, integrated TF / TA and Silent Knight Radar (SKR) improvements, DCM suite, Precision Strike Package (PSP) interoperability, integrated EW, and embedded training. Integrating and automating SOF mission systems that deliver these capabilities is critical to fielding SOF-capable AC-130J and MC-130J aircraft to be more lethal, resilient, survivable, agile, and responsive in support of the 2022 National Defense Strategy (NDS). MAC supports development and demonstration of amphibious capabilities on a C-130J to support runway independent operations and provide the ability to operate in logistically constrained environments.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Project
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2025
- Source ID
- S875_1160403BB_7_0400_PB_2025
Related Documents
- Root: Aviation Systems
- Child Accomplishment: Integrated Tactical Mission Systems (ITMS), Program Number 780
- Child Accomplishment: MC-130J Amphibious Capability (MAC)
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