Balikatan 22 - U.S. Air Force Brings AC-130J to the Philippines

Photo By Sgt. Levi Guerra | U.S. Air Force pilots with the 1st Special Operations Wing prepare the AC-130J Ghostrider for take off prior to live-fire training missions during Balikatan 22 at Subic Bay Airport, Subic Bay, Philippines, April 4th, 2022. Balikatan is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. Balikatan, Tagalog for ‘shoulder-to-shoulder,’ is a long-standing bilateral exercise between the Philippines and the United States highlighting the deep-rooted partnership between both countries. Balikatan 22 is the 37th iteration of the exercise and coincides with the 75th anniversary of the U.S.-Philippine security cooperation. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Levi J. Guerra)  

PHILIPPINES

04.08.2022

Story by Lance Cpl. Natalie Greenwood 

Exercise Balikatan       

SUBIC BAY, Philippines - U.S. Air Force 1st Special Operations Wing (1st SOW) deployed an AC-130J Ghostrider to the Philippines for Balikatan 22, March 28 - April 8, 2022.
This experience was the first time the “Ghostrider” has been simultaneously based and operated in the country.
“The AC-130J is here in the Philippines because it lets us demonstrate important capabilities with our partner forces and allies,” stated U.S. Air Force Maj. Dave Bartolome, a weapons system operator with the 1st SOW.
In the past, the AC-130J Ghostrider has participated in Balikatan remotely, operating from Kadena Air Base, Japan.
“Our ability to come to the Philippines and go through the new mission set that we're working through allows us to work with our allies,” said Bartholome. “This gives us better traction and the ability to come out to these areas and see what is needed to operate effectively.”
This exercise prepared Airmen for a future in any kind of tropical environment, explained Technical Sgt. Cody Troxel, an AC-130J Ghostrider special missions aviator with the 1st SOW. There are different challenges when operating in a humid and hot environment. Training with the Armed Forces of the Philippines helps develop standard procedures needed in the future.
The AC-130J is a premier U.S. Air Force close air support asset, highly sought after due to the finite number of that specific model, explained Bartolome.
“The AC-130J Ghostrider is unique because this is the latest generation of AC-130 gunships in our inventory,” said Troxel. “The weapon systems and the capabilities we provide to ground parties are substantially larger than any single aircraft can provide.”
The Ghostrider has precision-guided munitions delivery capabilities and trainable 30 mm GAU/A autocannon and 105 mm howitzer cannon.
“Being able to carry a wide variety of those munitions allows us to employ in many environments and work with the ground party in a plethora of ways,” said Troxel.
This exercise built up the Airmen’s confidence in putting rounds down range anywhere in the world while working alongside partner nations, explained Capt. Joshua Malpass, an AC-130J Ghostrider Aircraft Commander with the 1st SOW.
“These exercises allow us to exchange our tactics and procedures and gain comfort and trust in the work we're doing with the AC-130J,” said Bartolome.

• Date Taken: 04.08.2022
• Date Posted: 04.18.2022 01:00
• Story ID: 418210
• Location: PH