US AC-130J Deployed to Korean Peninsula... Responding to North Korea's 'Waste Balloons' Release

Participation in ROK-US Special Warfare Training
Demonstrating ROK-US Combined Defense Posture

The U.S. Air Force's latest special operations aircraft, the AC-130J 'Ghostrider,' deployed to the Korean Peninsula on the 12th to participate in joint U.S.-South Korea special operations training.

According to the United States Forces Korea (USFK), the AC-130J from the U.S. Air Force's 1st Special Operations Wing and U.S. Air Force personnel arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, on the same day to conduct combined and joint training with South Korean special operations units.

Armed with 30mm and 105mm cannons, the AC-130J provides fire support to special forces operating on the ground and also carries out missions such as armed reconnaissance.

US Special Operations aircraft AC-130J arriving at Osan Air Base.
[Photo by U.S. Department of Defense Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) website capture]

This is the second time the AC-130J has deployed to the Korean Peninsula since March of last year. At that time, one AC-130J that departed from Hurlburt Field in Florida participated in the joint U.S.-South Korea special operations exercise called 'Teak Knife,' conducting live-fire training.

Amid North Korea's complex provocations, including the release of balloons carrying waste toward South Korea and GPS signal jamming attacks, the USFK's public disclosure of the AC-130J deployment is interpreted as a demonstration of the solid U.S.-South Korea combined defense posture and an intention to send a warning message to North Korea.

Derrick Lipson, Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command Korea, stated, "We are focused on supporting the ironclad commitment of the U.S.-South Korea alliance to defend our two homelands," adding, "We are prepared to prevail even if someone misjudges our resolve toward a free and open Indo-Pacific region."

According to USFK, this training to assess the readiness of U.S.-South Korea special operations forces will continue from late May through July. Detailed schedules have not been disclosed due to operational security reasons.