The A-10 Thunderbolt II has spent decades earning a reputation as one of the world’s most formidable close-air-support aircraft, thanks in large part to its powerful 30 mm cannon. Now, as the Air Force looks to retire the legendary Warthog, millions of its 30 mm rounds are getting a second life aboard another heavily armed aircraft: the AC-130J Ghostrider.

A new ammunition-linking machine at Hurlburt Field allows Airmen to convert the A-10’s unlinked 30 mm rounds into ammunition belts compatible with the Ghostrider. The process eliminates the need to rely on costly outside contractors while keeping the ammunition within the Air Force.

The effort is expected to save roughly $4 million a year while giving AC-130J crews a larger supply of ammunition for training and operations. A partnership with the 116th Maintenance Squadron at Robins Air Force Base is helping make the transition possible, with full implementation targeted for October 2026.

For the Ghostrider, the A-10 ammunition provides a practical new source of firepower. Rounds once intended for the Warthog are now being prepared for another legendary gunship, giving AC-130J crews more ammunition for training and, when called upon, combat operations.