Friday, October 3, 2014

Is This The A-10 Warthog's Last Mission?

Flares are launched from two A-10C Thunderbolt IIs, based at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., on Aug. 18. Photograph by Staff Sgt. Jamal D. Sutter/U.S. Air Force

U.S. Sending A-10 Plane to Combat While Trying to Kill It -- Bloomberg Businessweek

Another batch of Cold War-vintage A-10 “Warthogs” is on its way to Afghanistan, even though the Pentagon says it no longer needs the plane.

About a dozen of the snout-nosed “flying guns” will arrive in Afghanistan early this month as part of a six-month deployment for the 122nd Fighter Wing of the Indiana Air National Guard, according to U.S. Central Command.

The deployment to Bagram Airfield within several weeks is part of a regular rotation that will replace an equivalent number of A-10s, Lieutenant Colonel Edward Sholtis, a spokesman for the U.S. Air Forces Central Command, said in an e-mail.

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My Comment: I suspect that many in the U.S. military are going to miss her when she is gone.

2 comments:

D.Plowman said...

Still can't believe they are even considering scrapping one of the most versatile flexible ATG planes that they have... Madness!

Steve said...

The A10 was designed to kill Russian tanks. Its a flying gattling gun. It was also designed like the B17 and other bombers to fly home on one wing.
The replacements can not fly with a stubbed toe. And they will need a week in the shop after every mission if their thin skin should survive. Madness.
A flock of A10 could capture Mosul in an afternoon. It makes one wonder just what is victory?