[kellyhound]

On Dec. 22, at the direction of Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a low-profile vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters.

Intelligence confirmed the low-profile vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations.

One male narco-terrorist was confirmed killed during this action. No U.S. military forces were harmed.

The military has hit at least 29 alleged drug vessels since early September, killing 105 people.

[gimlet]

I was surprised to see cannon fire, I thought they launched missiles from drones. I asked Chatgpt which said it was probably a Spooky, yes Puff the Magic Dragon to you 1960's hippies aka Specter. I know Puff had 7.62mm miniguns and the new AC-130 variants use 30mm and 105mm howitzers, but The Song Remains the Same

Here is the response from ChatGPT:

On December 22, 2025, the U.S. military destroyed a small “low-profile” vessel in the eastern Pacific that it said was engaged in narco-trafficking, part of a broader campaign of lethal strikes against suspected drug-smuggling boats.
euronews

������ Aircraft and Weapons Used

While U.S. Southern Command’s public statement didn’t formally list the specific aircraft or munitions used in this specific December 22 strike, several credible reports and released footage indicate the following:

✔ Likely aircraft involved:

**U.S. Air Force **AC-130J “Ghostrider” gunship — imagery and reporting suggest that at least one AC-130 gunship has been operating in the Southern Command area of responsibility and may have been used to engage maritime targets with gunfire rather than only missiles.
Maritime Executive

✔ Likely weapons employed:

105 mm howitzer and 30 mm automatic cannon mounted on the AC-130 gunship, based on visual similarities in released strike video and reports that the December 22 footage shows repeated impacts consistent with gunship cannon fire rather than only long-range missiles.
Maritime Executive

Previous strikes in the campaign sometimes appeared to use guided missiles launched from aircraft or drones, as indicated by earlier videos with missile-like projectiles hitting boats, but the December 22 footage marked one of the first instances where visible small impacts and explosions from gunfire were seen — suggesting direct fire from a platform such as an AC-130J.
Maritime Executive

������ Context of the Campaign

This action is part of Operation Southern Spear, a U.S. military effort that began in September 2025 involving repeated “lethal kinetic strikes” against vessels the Pentagon asserts were trafficking narcotics along known routes. Northern Command’s social media posts have framed those targeted groups as “Designated Terrorist Organizations,” though critics raise legal and evidentiary questions.
Wikipedia
+1

������ Outcome Reported

One person aboard the vessel was killed in the December 22 strike.

Southern Command did not disclose any U.S. forces involved or harmed.
KPBS Public Media

If you’d like, I can provide a short overview of how AC-130 gunships operate and why they’re used for precision strikes in maritime interdiction scenarios.

yes

Here’s a clear, non-technical overview of how an AC-130 gunship operates and why it’s used in maritime interdiction, without getting into tactical “how-to” details.

What the AC-130 Is

The AC-130 is a heavily modified C-130 Hercules transport aircraft designed for precision fire support, surveillance, and strike missions.

Current model: AC-130J “Ghostrider”

Crew: ~13 (pilots, fire control officers, sensor operators)

Operates mostly at night or in poor visibility

Flies slowly and deliberately, unlike jets

How an AC-130 Attacks Targets (High Level)

Instead of diving or launching weapons forward like a fighter jet, the AC-130:

Flies in a circular orbit around a target

Keeps its left side facing inward

Fires side-mounted weapons while maintaining a constant turn

This allows:

Continuous visual and sensor tracking

Extremely accurate fire placement

Rapid correction if the target moves

The aircraft never needs to “line up” for repeated passes — it stays locked on.

Sensors & Target Identification

An AC-130 is as much a sensor platform as a weapons platform:

Infrared (heat) cameras

Low-light / night-vision optics

Radar and laser rangefinding

Data links to ships, drones, and command centers

For maritime targets:

Engines, exhaust, and human movement stand out clearly on IR

Low-profile drug boats are often visible even in darkness or sea spray

This lets crews confirm what they’re looking at before engaging.

Weapons (General, Non-Technical)

The AC-130J typically carries:

30 mm cannon – precise, controlled fire

105 mm cannon – heavy, short-range destructive fire

Precision-guided munitions (in some configurations)

Against small boats:

Cannon fire is often preferred because it allows graduated force

Crews can disable engines or escalate if the vessel continues

Why Use an AC-130 Against Drug Boats?
1. Precision with Accountability

The aircraft can observe before, during, and after engagement

Fire can stop instantly if conditions change

Much lower risk of collateral damage than missiles

2. Persistence

Can loiter for hours

Ideal for remote ocean areas where ships or fighters are far away

3. Deterrence

The psychological effect of an unseen aircraft delivering precise fire is significant

Used selectively, not routinely

4. Rules-of-Engagement Friendly

Allows commanders to apply force incrementally

Fits legal frameworks better than “fire-and-forget” weapons in law-enforcement-adjacent missions

Why Not Just Use Missiles or Drones?

Missiles: fast, but binary (hit or don’t), higher risk of overkill

Drones: great for surveillance, but limited payload and response

Ships: slower to intercept and more vulnerable

The AC-130 fills a very specific niche:

Persistent, human-controlled, highly discriminating firepower

In the December 22 Context

That strike fits a pattern where:

The U.S. wanted visual confirmation

The target was small, moving, and isolated

Authorities wanted decisive action without widespread destruction

An AC-130 is uniquely suited to that combination.

If you want, I can also explain:

How crews avoid misidentifying fishing boats

Why these strikes are controversial legally

How maritime drug routes evolved to counter interdiction

Just tell me which angle you’re curious about.

[houseoftechno]

Good stuff!

Another advantage of spraying the narco-boat with a cannon off an AC-130: Fun as hell for the US forces!