The Post defense

The 30mm caliber rounds used by the AC-130J Ghostrider gunship possess far greater destructive power than heavy machine gun rounds. The 30x173mm rounds fired from the GAU-23/A Bushmaster II automatic cannon are capable of traveling at speeds exceeding 1,000 meters per second and producing hundreds of kilojoules of impact energy.

When hitting a target, a 30 mm projectile can pe*****te light armored vehicles, destroy defensive positions, and damage enemy buildings and protection. The high-explosive explosive (HEI) round variant also produces a lethal explosion and shrapnel in the immediate vicinity of the impact point. With an effective range of over 2 kilometers and the AC-130J platform's high accuracy, this 30mm cannon is one of the most lethal close air support weapons in the United States Air Force.