Source: The Diplomat, June 26, 2026
The U.S. military spent two decades building an arsenal optimized for hunting insurgents in the mountains of Afghanistan and the alleyways of Iraq. As Washington pivots to great-power competition with China, much of that equipment seemed destined for the boneyard. But a growing body of analysis suggests that many of the aircraft developed for the Global War on Terror could play surprisingly valuable roles in a conflict over Taiwan.
The conventional wisdom holds that a war with China demands fifth-generation stealth fighters, long-range bombers, and carrier strike groups. These platforms remain indispensable. However, the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force has invested heavily in anti-access/area denial capabilities designed precisely to neutralize those high-value assets. Aircraft carriers, major airbases, and satellite infrastructure would be prime targets in the opening hours of any conflict. This is where the less glamorous fleet of counterterrorism aircraft enters the picture.
The AC-130J Ghostrider gunship, a mainstay of close air support in Iraq and Afghanistan, carries a 105mm howitzer and a 30mm chain gun that can deliver surgical strikes against ground targets with devastating precision. In a Taiwan scenario, these gunships could be used to interdict amphibious landing craft, strike logistics convoys moving through coastal chokepoints, and provide close support for any U.S. or allied forces operating on the island. The AC-130J’s sophisticated sensor suite, including electro-optical and infrared targeting systems developed for counterinsurgency, gives it the ability to acquire and engage targets in denied or degraded visibility conditions. Its ability to loiter for extended periods over the battlefield is a luxury that supersonic fighters cannot match.
MC-130J Commando II: Special Operations Backbone
The MC-130J Commando II is the U.S. special operations community’s premier infiltration, exfiltration, and resupply platform. With terrain-following radar that allows nap-of-the-earth flight at low altitudes, the Commando II can penetrate contested airspace and deliver operators into austere landing zones. In a Taiwan war, this capability could be critical for inserting special operations teams to disable PLA air defense sites, guide precision strikes on command nodes, or rescue downed pilots. The MC-130J also conducts aerial refueling for special operations helicopters and tiltrotor aircraft, extending the range of the entire rotary-wing force operating in the Taiwan theater.
ISR Platforms: Eyes on the Battlefield
The RC-135 Rivet Joint is arguably the most valuable intelligence platform in the U.S. inventory. Built for signals intelligence collection, it can intercept and geolocate enemy communications, radar emissions, and electronic warfare signals across vast distances. In a Taiwan conflict, the Rivet Joint would provide theater commanders with real-time understanding of PLA command-and-control networks, air defense radar emissions, and electronic order of battle. This intelligence is essential for penetrating China’s integrated air defense system and protecting strike packages.
Similarly, the MQ-9 Reaper and the newer Mojave drone offer persistent surveillance capabilities that are less dependent on vulnerable runways and aircraft carriers. These medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles can orbit for 24 hours or more, providing continuous video feeds and signals intelligence to ground commanders. The Mojave, a short-takeoff variant of the Reaper, can operate from damaged or rudimentary airstrips and even from roadways, making it highly survivable in a contested environment.
Affordable Mass in a High-End Fight
One of the most compelling arguments for these platforms is cost. A single F-35 sortie requires extensive maintenance, specialized hangars, and a long runway. A Shahed-style drone, of the type China already builds and has exported to Russia and Iran, costs a few thousand dollars. Swarms of such drones could overwhelm even the most advanced air defense systems. The U.S. has developed the AGR-20 FALCO, a low-cost conversion of unguided air-to-ground rockets into air-to-air interceptors, priced at roughly one-nineteenth the cost of a Sidewinder missile. Aircraft like the MQ-9 Reaper, the OA-1K Skyraider II, and even the A-10 Warthog can carry dozens of these interceptors, making them ideal platforms for hunting cheap drones without breaking the bank.
The same rocket technology can be adapted for anti-surface warfare. Unmanned surface vessels, or sea drones, have proven devastating against Russian warships in the Black Sea. China would almost certainly deploy similar systems to target U.S. Navy vessels in the Taiwan Strait. Counterterrorism aircraft equipped with FALCO-style munitions can engage these speedboat-sized threats from standoff ranges, keeping pilots safe while eliminating the threat.
Looking Ahead
None of this suggests that counterterrorism aircraft can replace the F-35, the B-2, or carrier aviation. But in a conflict where runways are cratered, carriers are under threat, and the adversary fields cheap drones by the thousands, the ability to operate from austere strips, loiter for hours, and deliver precise firepower at low cost becomes a strategic asset. The equipment built for America’s longest wars may yet prove indispensable in its next one.