DefenceTalkThe 74th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron is wrapping up a deployment that saw heavy involvement in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Upon arrival, their efforts were focused on Raqqa for approximately three months. During that time A-10 Thunderbolt IIs participated in an urban close air support role. Pilots focused on protecting […]https://www.defencetalk.com/a-10s-bring-thunder-lightning-during-fight-against-isis-71043/

DefenceTalkPilots from the 74th Fighter Squadron prepared for future deployments while participating in Green Flag-West 17-03 from Jan. 13-27 at Nellis Air Force Base. GFW is an air-land integration exercise that gives Air Force pilots a chance to conduct realistic close air support in a joint training environment designed to mirror the current conditions present […]https://www.defencetalk.com/a-10-pilots-army-brigade-combat-teams-train-at-green-flag-68974/

DefenceTalkThe 122nd Fighter Wing has deployed eight A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and about 140 Airmen here for a month-long combined training event in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve. The Airmen will conduct training and familiarization events alongside Slovak Armed Forces, a NATO ally. In addition, they will also participate in cross-border training with other deployed U.S. […]https://www.defencetalk.com/a-10s-deploy-to-slovakia-for-cross-border-training-67885/

DefenceTalkMichigan National Guard attack aircraft practiced landing on and taking off from the Jägala-Käravete Highway, a portion of the longer road known as Piibe Highway, in Northern Estonia on Monday. The maneuvers were conducted as a part of international military operation Saber Strike wherein pilots practiced operating in a region with few actual airstrips and […]https://www.defencetalk.com/a-10-warthogs-practice-landing-on-estonian-highway-67709/

DefenceTalkA U.S. Pacific Command air contingent began flying operations at Clark Air Base on April 19 with the successful launch of four A-10C Thunderbolt IIs and two HH-60G Pave Hawks. The aircraft are part of the newly stood up air contingent here conducting operations ranging from air and maritime domain awareness, personnel recovery, combating piracy, […]https://www.defencetalk.com/pacaf-a-10s-hh-60s-fly-first-air-contingent-missions-in-philippines-67325/

DefenceTalkThe US Air Force will delay retiring the A-10 — a stalwart attack aircraft beloved by ground troops — because of the ongoing fight against the Islamic State group, a military news site reported Wednesday. Plans to postpone the mothballing will be outlined when the Pentagon submits its 2017 budget request to Congress next month, […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-air-force-shelves-warthog-plane-retirement-amid-isis-fight-66358/

DefenceTalkAt the heart of the Air Force’s plans to retire the A-10 is the question of whether the F-35 can take over the close air support mission. So far, there has been significant doubt that the F-35 will be able to provide the same or better close air support to troops in the meantime. Congress […]https://www.defencetalk.com/pentagon-will-test-f-35-against-a-10-65137/

DefenceTalkThe U.S. Air Force deployed 12 A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft and approximately 300 Airmen as part of a theater security package to the 52nd Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve this week. The aircraft and Airmen, from the 355th Fighter Wing, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., and are set to be […]https://www.defencetalk.com/first-air-force-theater-security-package-deploys-to-europe-62912/

DefenceTalkThe Administration’s fiscal 2015 budget proposed to retire the entire fleet of A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft beginning in FY2016. This report covers the background to that decision and legislative action as of the end of 2014. Background The A-10 was designed in the 1970s to perform air interdiction, battlefield air interdiction, and close air […]https://www.defencetalk.com/proposed-retirement-of-a-10-aircraft-background-in-brief-61923/

DefenceTalkLong disliked by the US Air Force, the A-10 Thunderbolt II ground-attack jet may finally be heading for the chopping block due to budget constraints. The “Warthog,” first designed as a tank buster to target Soviet armored vehicles in the middle of the Cold War in the early 1970s, is shunned by many aviators. Although […]https://www.defencetalk.com/end-looms-for-us-air-forces-a-10-ground-attack-jet-49929/