Lafayette Airport Address Large Plane Circling City and Surrounding Areas

(Lafayette, Louisiana) - The Lafayette Regional Airport took to social media to address a large aircraft that was seen circling the city for much of Tuesday, January 20, 2026.

The AC-130 plane circled Lafayette and surrounding communities for much of the day on Tuesday while many looked up, asking, "What is going on?"

Well, as it turns out, the large military plane was conducting an exercise we've seen them perform several times over Lafayette, called "Touch and Go." Basically, the plane lands on the runway, then immediately takes off again and circles the area until it is given the right-of-way by air traffic control to "land" again.

So, if you were looking up in the sky in Lafayette, Broussard, Breaux Bridge, and Scott and saw this enormous plane flying at a low altitude, there's nothing to worry about; the plane was conducting an exercise at the Lafayette Regional Airport, which provides a runway long enough for the "Touch and Goes."

What is An AC-130 Aircraft Used For

The AC-130 gunship, also known as the "Angel of Death," is heavily armed and provides air support to ground troops. The plane has also been used around the world to deliver goods and services to areas impacted by war or natural disasters.

Because of the plane's size and low flying altitude, many AC-130 missions are conducted at night for the safety of those aboard. The military plane has been used in many conflicts around the world and was developed for the Vietnam War.

Again, if you saw the large aircraft over Lafayette this week, there's nothing to be alarmed about; it was simply using the long runway at the Lafayette airport to keep its pilots' skills sharp, and boy, was it a view to see over the city.

Lastly, many people did take to social media this week to ask about the plane, so now that we know more from the airport, you may want to consider sharing this post on your own social media so that those asking are now made aware of the plane over Lafayette.

Here's the post from the Lafayette Regional Airport explaining and showing the large aircraft at the airport off of Hwy 90

For a better understanding of the size and magnitude of the aircraft that was flying over Lafayette yesterday, check out the video below. What an impressive military aircraft