Despite the Pentagon’s refusal to disclose operational details regarding its intensified campaign against narcotics trafficking, a detailed analysis of declassified military footage by The Wall Street Journal has identified the specific, heavy-duty aerial platforms being used to destroy boats in South American waters.
The visual evidence confirms that the U.S. military is deploying AC-130J Ghostrider gunships and MQ-9 Reaper drones to conduct lethal strikes against alleged drug smugglers. The campaign, which began in the Caribbean in September and has since expanded to the Pacific, has resulted in the destruction of more than 25 boats and the deaths of over 100 people.
Officially, the Department of Defense remains tight-lipped. When pressed for details on the operations, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated, “It’s all classified we can’t talk about it now.” However, the department’s own released videos contain distinct visual markers—such as crosshairs and munition impacts—that reveal the hardware in use.
The analysis points to the heavy use of the AC-130J Ghostrider, a $165 million aircraft traditionally used to provide close air support for ground troops. The gunship is heavily armed with a 30mm Bushmaster automatic cannon capable of firing 200 rounds per minute, and a side-firing 105mm Howitzer. Video footage of the strikes shows targeting reticles and rapid-fire impacts consistent with the Ghostrider’s 30mm auto-cannon, as well as larger explosions indicative of Howitzer rounds or wing-mounted munitions like Hellfire missiles.
Complementing the gunships are MQ-9 Reaper drones, manufactured by General Atomics. These remotely piloted aircraft, capable of loitering for more than 24 hours, are equipped with advanced sensors for intelligence gathering and can carry up to 3,800 pounds of munitions. Experts cited by The Wall Street Journal noted that several strikes in the region appear consistent with the laser and GPS-guided weaponry carried by the Reapers.
The escalation of force aligns with the rhetoric of the Trump administration, which has framed drug trafficking not as a law enforcement issue, but as a national security threat. “These are a direct military threat to the United States of America,” President Trump stated, adding that cartels are “trying to drug out our country.”
The lethal nature of the campaign has sparked significant legal debate. While the administration classifies the targets as combatants, some members of Congress and international legal experts argue that the targets are alleged criminals who are not in an armed conflict with the U.S., raising concerns that the strikes could legally constitute war crimes. Despite the controversy, the deployment of these assets to bases in Puerto Rico and El Salvador suggests a sustained and broadening military campaign.