ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – There’s a new mission coming to Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, and a new plane comes with it. The first of those planes just arrived to the base.

The AC-130J Ghostrider is a new gunship being adopted by the U.S. Air Force. 

“The ‘A’ stands for attack, and as you can see on it, we have two weapons mounted on the left-hand side – the 30 mm and the 105 mm. And then we have an assortment of precision guided munitions that we can attach to the wings,” said Lt. Col. John Barringer, a 73rd Special Operation Squadron commander. 

The AC-130J is a highly modified version of the C-130J, a plane used by NATO allies around the world for 70 years now. 

The Air Force started rolling out the AC-130J in 2017. According to the Air Force, the plane is used to provide air support to troops on the ground. 

“That’s what we’ll be training these students to accomplish. Precision strike anywhere across the world where the DOD calls for us to go,” said Barringer. 

The planes at Kirtland won’t be flying into combat zones. The mission here is all about training.

“Our first students get here in April of 2025, so the next few months are just getting all the instructor air crew out here,” Barringer said. 

“What it means for the community is you have 299 more families and airmen here to help grow and appreciate the Albuquerque culture, the New Mexico culture and bring this different airplane to the community,” said Joshua Martin, a 73rd Special Operations Squadron Operations officer. 

Members of the 73rd Special Operations Squadron say the effects of this new mission will be felt for years to come. 

“To me, the generational impact is that you’re going to have old generations of air commando gunship flyers transitioning to new and new. You’re going to have 18 and 19 year olds coming through here, they’re going to be flying this plane. And then 10 years later they’re going to come right back to be cadre and instruct the next generation of air commandos. So it’s pretty awesome,” Martin said. 

KOB 4 was told the full fleet of planes should be here by early next year.

“Once we’re at full strength we’re going to be flying two lines a day, so you’ll see this thing taking off and landing pretty regularly flying around the skies of Albuquerque,” said Barringer.