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The effort to preserve Selfridge Air National Guard Base’s 24 A-10 aircraft gained some altitude Thursday when the Senate Armed Services Committee embraced a provision that would block budget cuts to the Air National Guard. Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said his committee had unanimously approved an annual defense bill that rejects proposals to eliminate Air National Guard aircraft and personnel across the nation, including proposed cuts at Michigan bases. The cuts proposed by the Air Force would have eliminated the A-10 jets in the 107th Fighter Squadron at Selfridge — and the 560 military...

Aurora Flight Sciences has been selected to work on a U.S. military project for an unmanned version of the A-10 close support aircraft. Its selection as a team member in the Persistent Close Air Support program of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency was made by Raytheon, which is leading the effort. Aurora, with extensive experience in robotic aerial vehicles, will be responsible for developing the demonstrator aircraft. "Aurora's selection by Raytheon to develop critical air vehicle technologies for the DARPA PCAS program is a major step in our relationship, which began with the Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle and...

Air Force says decision final; loss of squadron includes 600 workers U.S. Rep. Candice Miller on Thursday vowed to fight the cutbacks planned at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township, calling the Pentagon decision to eliminate the base's A-10 aircraft "unfounded, unfair and economically indefensible." Miller, a Harrison Township Republican, and fellow GOP Rep. Tim Walberg of Tipton met with Air Force Secretary Michael Donley on Tuesday and were told that the cutbacks at Selfridge and at the Battle Creek Air National Guard Base are final. Only a congressional decision to alter President Barack Obama's budget proposal could...

Carl Levin announced a few minutes ago that the Air Force will eliminate the A-10 aircraft squadron at Selfridge Air National Guard Base but will also add four KC-135 tanker planes to the Harrison Township installation. Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement: “While the Air Force plan announced today would mean changes at Michigan military bases, they also would mean that Michigan National Guard airmen will continue to play a vital and enduring rule in national security, and the planned changes are far less dramatic than uninformed rumors had suggested.” The 127th Wing at...

Reports indicate the 107th squadron will be eliminated Government officials at all levels received a shock this week when it was reported that the fighter squadron that flies A-10 aircraft out of Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township may be eliminated under the new, downsized Pentagon budget. If the reduction receives congressional approval, it would apparently end the Air National Guard’s 107th Fighter Squadron, which consists of 630 military personnel, 250 of whom are full-time airmen. Most are pilots and maintenance mechanics. The proposed Defense Department budget for fiscal year 2013, which sets the stage for a decade-long...

Afghanistan is made for dirt bikes. A-10's love dirt bikes...

The last A-10A model of the Thunderbolt II aircraft assigned here departed the base Dec. 4, marking the 25th Fighter Squadron's successful transition to the A-10C model. The new model features improved precision strike capability and enhances the Air Force's ability to provide lethal and precise close-air support, said Maj. Andrew Taylor, from the 51st Operations Group. The first five A-10Cs arrived here in spring 2010, beginning the transition to the new model. The final A-10A aircraft is being transferred for modification and reassignment to the Air National Guard. "The upgrade to the C-model is unlike any other in the...

The Big East's football expansion plans leave the conference with 17 universities, including non-Football members. That's a terrible number for scheduling; the only way the basketball teams can schedule an even number of games is if they play every other team only once. 18 teams would allow three divisions of six teams each. Any team would play the other five teams in its division twice, and one half of the twelve other teams in the conference. 18 sounds like worsening the problem of too many teams, but having three divisions could actually restore some rivalries, and return the conference to...

The US military has deployed an upgraded A-10 Thunderbolt II ground attack aircraft to its base in South Korea. The new aircraft was deployed at the US air base in Osan near the South Korean capital Seoul late last month, the Korean news agency Yonhap reported Tuesday quoting a statement from the US Forces Korea (USFK). With this deployment, the 25th Fighter Squadron of the USFK has received its last batch of A-10C aircraft with “improved precision strike capability”, the statement said. The A-10 Thunderbolt is a twin-engine combat aircraft used to provide close-air support to ground forces and employs...

In the past two years, the U.S. Air Force retired 252 elderly A-10s, F-15s and F-16s to the "bone yard" (a desert storage areas where many American warplanes are stored when retired, just in case they are needed later.) Sometimes the air force is just saving money, by mothballing and decommissioning a number of active duty airplanes to free up money for upgrades and maintenance on the rest of the fleet. Thus not all the aircraft in the bone yard are old and worn out. In fact, nearly all aircraft sent to the bone yard can fly again, otherwise they...

First there was this gun... (slide show below) It was developed by General Electric, the "We bring good things to life" people. It's one of the modern-day Gatling guns. It shoots very big bullets. It shoots them very quickly. Someone said, "Let's put it in an airplane." Someone else said, "Better still, and let’s build an airplane around it." So they did. And "they" were the Fairchild-Republic airplane people. And they had done such a good job with an airplane they developed back in WWII... They made it so it was very good at flying low and slow and shooting...

Check this out for a brain-twisting juxtaposition: The U.S. military has successfully tested out a biofuel system for a "Warthog" A10 Thunderbolt II, one of the most feared combat aircraft in the World. Which is now fluffily green. Specifically, the aircraft was an A10C, and the fuel that was pumped through its modified General Electric TF34-GE-100A turbofans was based on Camelina. This plant, also known as false flax, has been trialled on other U.S. military aircraft, and was converted into a 50% biofuel and 50% aviation fuel mix for the A10 experiment. As much as the move sounds like a...

Air Force Maj. Michelle Coghill confirmed both of the military aircraft's engines used the biofuel for Thursday morning's flight at Eglin Air Force Base near Valparaiso, Fla., the Dayton (Ohio) Daily News reported. The Air Force said the flight represented the first time all of a military or civilian airplane's engines were fueled by a biofuels blend. The test flight represents part of an ongoing Air Force effort to develop and test biofuels. The Daily News said officials from both the Air Force Research Laboratory and Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base oversaw the test flight. Unlike conventional...

South Korea — The Air Force’s ground-attack airplane in South Korea is being replaced with an upgraded version that can strike targets with state-of-the-art satellite-guided smart bombs, officials said Monday. The 25th Fighter Squadron at Osan Air Base currently flies the A-10A Thunderbolt II, known as the Warthog. It received its first three C-models with smarter weapons capability earlier this month, with more to come at an undisclosed future date. The squadron is known as the Assam Draggins and has 30 aircraft. The A-model Warthog can launch high-tech laser-guided bombs and other munitions, but not the more advanced satellite-guided JDAM...

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) could demonstrate within two to three years a new unmanned aircraft designed to provide aerial cover for troops in close proximity to enemy forces. Proposals from industry are requested by DARPA by 21 February to demonstrate in 2012 or 2013 an unmanned component for a next generation close air support system. The complete system may eventually assume a role now traditionally served by the Fairchild Republic A-10 and other manned fighters, such as the Boeing F/A-18 and Lockheed Martin F-16. More recently, armed unmanned air systems (UAS), including the General Atomics Aernoautical Systems...

Guided rockets set to arm US A-10s and Harriers By Stephen Trimble Precision-guided rockets could be added to the weapons load-out of the US Air Force's Fairchild A-10 and the US Marine Corps' Boeing AV-8B Harrier II strike aircraft under a proposal led by the US Navy. The USN soon plans to launch a joint concept technology demonstration to add a BAE Systems guided rocket called the advanced precision kill weapon system (APKWS II) to both aircraft. Plans for the demonstration were revealed in a navy acquisition notice posted on 4 January. This says that the service intends to buy...

1/5/2010 - KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (AFNS) -- More than 10,000 flight hours and 2,500 sorties marked the closing stages of a six-month tour for the members of the 354th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron here New Year's Day. The A-10 Thunderbolt II squadron Airmen were able to save countless ground forces' lives because of faster reaction times as the unit is based in southern Afghanistan. "Because a lot of the focus is Regional Command-South -- towns in Helmand -- it gives you an airplane that is designed for close-air support, it does CAS better than any other airplane in the world, and...

Hundreds of Tucson airmen are headed to Afghanistan to help shore up the U.S. military's renewed focus on the region. About 300 pilots, aircraft mechanics and support personnel from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base are due to leave by week's end for a six-month tour overseas. A squadron of D-M's A-10 Thunderbolt II attack jets will lead the way, departing first. The jets will be followed a day or two later by remaining personnel from D-M's 354th "Bulldogs" Fighter Squadron and the 355th Maintenance Group. The units, both part of the base's 355th Fighter Wing, operate and maintain the A-10. The...

House defense authorizers are pressing Defense Secretary Robert Gates to consider buying existing fighter jets instead of the next-generation F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to curtail a severe fighter jet shortfall in the Air Force National Guard. During a House Armed Services Committee markup of the 2010 defense authorization bill on Tuesday, lawmakers raised alarm that aircraft shortfalls could present significant challenges to the Air Force’s ability to protect domestic airspace. At press time, lawmakers had included an amendment sponsored by Reps. Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.) and Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) that would force Gates to consider buying F-15, F-16 and F-18 aircraft...

4/28/2009 - BEZMER AIR BASE, Bulgaria (AFNS) -- As aircraft maintenance and support Airmen from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, packed to support Exercise Reunion April 2009 at Bezmer Air Base, Bulgaria, they had to be prepared for any problem that might arise. A Bulgarian SU-25 unit at Bezmer Air Base provided the A-10 Thunderbolt II maintenance and support Airmen a hangar in which to set up operations for the joint training exercise. "This is the first time a (U.S. Air Forces in Europe) fighter squadron has deployed to this location, so setting up the operations and maintenance facilities to handle...

3/3/2009 - SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFNS) -- Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations March 2, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs dropped general purpose 500-pound bombs, striking a large group of anti-Afghan fighters amassed for an attack on a coalition forward base near Asmar. The strike repelled the attack, inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy force. Near Sheykhabad, an A-10 flew a show of force to stop an enemy sniper attack against a coalition convoy. The attack ceased...

(Video on Site) http://www.notoriouslyconservative.com/2009/02/video-god-bless-military-10-thunderbolt.html The A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic for the United States Air Force to provide close air support (CAS) of ground forces by attacking tanks, armored vehicles, and other ground targets, with a limited air interdiction capability. It is the first U.S. Air Force aircraft designed exclusively for close air support. The A-10's official name comes from the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt of World War II, a fighter that was particularly effective at close air support. However, the A-10 is more commonly known by its nickname "Warthog" or simply...

Its nickname is “warthog.” That’s the first clue that flying an A-10 is not the Air Force’s most glamorous mission. It’s designed to support ground troops, not to engage in the dogfighting that makes up the pop culture image of air combat. The wars in the Middle East, though, have made close-air support — bombing targets near troops — one of the Air Force’s top missions. “The A-10 was not the most sexy, popular weapon system the Air Force had,”said Lt. Col. Paul Johnson, the 414th Combat Training Squadron director of operations at Nellis Air Force Base. “But now since...

The IDF can't get all the glory. The USAF is doing a magnificent job of ridding the world of Taliban. In this video, several Taliban try to make their getaway on bikes. An A-10 Warthog has a different idea.

The IDF can't get all the glory. The USAF is doing a magnificent job of ridding the world of Taliban. In this video, several Taliban try to make their getaway on bikes. An A-10 Warthog has a different idea.

SEOUL — Military officials announced Tuesday that F-16 jets, not A-10s, will replace a departing fleet of Apache helicopters in March. During a news conference at South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense, 7th Air Force chief of staff Col. Mike Chandler said the change of plans is due to a structural issue with the A-10’s airframe. Chandler said the A-10s are undergoing inspections to ensure they are airworthy, but using the F-16s in their place would not hamper USFK’s close-air-support capabilities. "The air-to-ground mission and the close-air-support mission are primarily to support the soldiers on the ground," Chandler said. "Helicopters,...

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) -- The A-10 Thunderbolt II, nicknamed the Warthog and known for its close-air support superiority and the ability to carry large and varied ordnance, is now on its way to delivering a new capability to the warfighter. A pilot from the 40th Flight Test Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., with support from people with the 46th Test Wing, Boeing and a host of other units, flew a quick yet historic mission early in November. For the first time, a guided bomb unit-54, the Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition, or LJDAM, was dropped...

(See video at end of story) BAGRAM, Afghanistan — A 200-pound bomb dropped from a U.S. warplane can end a firefight in a heartbeat. That same bomb, however, slightly off target, can be tragic for troops on the ground. The margin of error, the difference between helping allies and making a horrific mistake, is microscopically thin for pilots thousands of feet in the air. Bad judgment, poor communication or both can alter fate in seconds. Pilots with the Spangdahlem, Germany-based 81st Fighter Squadron know the risks all too well. When the squadron last deployed to Afghanistan in 2006, a pilot...

2/11/2008 - SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) -- Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Feb. 10, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs conducted shows of force over an enemy compound near Sangin and over a coalition-forces convoy in the vicinity of Tarin Kowt. The shows of force were conducted in order to deter enemy activities in the areas. The missions were declared successful by the on-scene joint terminal attack controller. In Bari Kowt, Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles conducted...

The Precision Engagement modification is the largest single upgrade effort ever undertaken for the USA's unique A-10 "Warthog" close air support aircraft fleet. when complete, it will give them precision strike capability sooner than planned, combining multiple upgrade requirements into one time and money-saving program rather than executing them as standalone projects. Indeed, the USAF has accelerated the PE program by 9 months as a result of its experiences in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The entire A-10 fleet will be modified over 4-5 years, at an estimated total cost of $420 million. While A/OA-10 aircraft continue to outperform technology-packed rivals on...

SPANGDAHLEM, Germany – Tracking and pursuing enemy forces on the ground should be easier for A-10 pilots with the 81st Fighter Squadron when they go downrange early next year. By the time they deploy, leaders hope the unit’s 18 aircraft will be outfitted with new targeting systems. Three already have been installed with six more on the way. The technology allows pilots to deploy laser-guided munitions, pursue moving targets at night with infrared imaging and stabilize points on the ground while maneuvering. The information is routed from a targeting pod attached under the wing to a monitor in the one-man...

11/7/2007 - AL ASAD AIR BASE, IRAQ (AFPN) -- A new version of the A-10 Thunderbolt II has been flying over Iraq providing close-air support for the ground troops from Al Asad Air Base for nearly two months. As part of the Precision Engagement Upgrade Program, the Maryland Air National Guard's 175th Wing has been converting it's A-10s from A to C models. "We are the first A-10C model squadron to deploy to combat," said Lt. Col. Timothy Smith, the 104th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron commander. "We just transitioned to the aircraft six months prior to coming here, and the C-model...

SOUTHWEST ASIA — Coalition airpower supported Coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in the following operations Sept. 27, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.  Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs targeted an enemy cave in Asadabad with Guided Bomb Unit-12s to suppress enemy fire.The Joint Terminal Attack Controller reported the bombs hit the target and the enemy fire ceased.Other A-10s joined the engagement, strafing enemy firing positions in the area with cannon rounds.The JTAC confirmed the rounds hit the targets and the desired result was achieved.Also near Asadabad, A-10s fired...

SOUTHWEST ASIA — Coalition airpower supported Coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in the following operations Sept. 18, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.  Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs targeted an enemy building in Jaladabad with cannon rounds.The JTAC confirmed the weapons hit the target and the desired result was achieved.An Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle conducted a show of force in Gereshk over a group of suspicious people observing Coalition forces.The Joint Terminal Attack Controller reported the suspicious activity ceased.  An Air Force B-1B Lancer targeted an enemy...

September 1, 2007: The new A-10C is headed for Iraq and Afghanistan, as the first of the new models became available last month. That's because the U.S. A-10 "Warhog" ground attack aircraft is so popular with ground troops that even the air force brass took note of it. So they speeded up the plan to upgrade the electronics of the aircraft. The A-10 can fly low and slow, and is designed, and armored, to survive lots of ground fire. The troops trust the A-10 more than the F-16, or any other aircraft used for supporting the ground troops. The new...

The US Air Force may seek to retain and continuously upgrade its Fairchild A-10 fleet far beyond its currently planned retirement date of 2028. "There are bigger numbers throwing around that are much [later] than that," Air Combat Command chief of requirements Lt Col Ralph Hansen told Flight International on 21 August. Armed with a nose-mounted 30mm cannon, the A-10 was first deployed in 1976 to destroy enemy tanks, but its mission has been expanded since the end of the Cold War to also include close air support duties and co-operating with special forces for combat search and rescue purposes....

8/2/2007 - POPE AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. (AFPN) -- An Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot has received the Distinguished Flying Cross in a ceremony here July 27 for a nighttime rescue mission in Afghanistan in 2005. Maj. Keith Wolak, with the 74th Fighter Squadron here received the honor for a combat search and rescue mission he coordinated July 2, 2005, when he cleared a helicopter landing zone while suppressing the enemy's attacks. The mission was to rescue a U.S. Navy SEAL on the ground. "I feel very proud and very honored and I'll wear this medal with pride," said...

News Release A-10A Friendly Fire Board of Inquiry Findings released CEFCOM NR-07.028 - July 13, 2007 OTTAWA - Lieutenant-General Michel Gauthier, Commander Canadian Expeditionary Force Command (CEFCOM), released today the findings from the A-10A Friendly Fire Incident Board of Inquiry (BOI) that investigated the September 4, 2006, events during which a USAF aircraft opened fire on Canadian troops. This incident resulted in the death of Private Mark Anthony Graham and injuries to several other Canadian soldiers serving with Charles Company group, Royal Canadian Regiment, Joint Task Force – Afghanistan (JTF-Afg). “Members of the Board of Inquiry produced a thorough report...

July 3, 2007: The U.S. Air Force is spending about $8 million per aircraft to repair and reinforce the wings on 252 A-10 ground attack aircraft. This will keep the A-10s flying for another twenty years. The A-10 may be the last manned American ground attack aircraft, and the entire fleet is being upgraded with new electronics, to make the aircraft as effective as possible. The U.S. A10 "Warthog" has flown more combat missions in Iraq than any other American warplane. Despite this, the U.S. Air Force has never really wanted the A-10, and has been forced to keep it...

Boeing has won a $2 billion contract to build new wings for the US Air Force's Fairchild A-10 ground-attack aircraft, after beating rival bids from contractors including Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. Announced on 29 June, the deal calls for the delivery of 242 replacement wing kits for installation by the USAF's Ogden Air Logistics Center at Hill AFB, Utah, with the work to extend the life of the A-10 fleet by at least 20 years. More than 700 A-10s were introduced from 1976 and, despite regular threats of retirement, the type remains one of the air force's most effective...

My son was able to attend the Air and Sea show today in Ft. Lauderdale FL. The link is to the Flikr slideshow containing his pictures.

4/27/2007 - AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq (AFNEWS) -- The catalysts behind one of the most kinetically advanced air forces in the world can be found at the 438th Air Expeditionary Group's maintenance and fighter squadrons. The Airmen assigned to these units employ their kinetic energy by flying the A-10 Thunderbolt II, an aircraft that provides close-air support to U.S. ground forces in Iraq. Select A-10s are decorated with menacing eyes and razor-sharp teeth. Its primary built-in weapon is the 30-mm Gatling gun, the largest, heaviest and most powerful aircraft gun in the U.S. military. It's also equipped with air-to-ground...

3/26/2007 - HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah (AFNEWS) -- The Air Force will soon benefit from an A-10 Thunderbolt II milestone achieved here in March. Personnel from the 571st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron completed a precision engagement modification on an A-10 14 days ahead of schedule. The modification gives the A-10 precision weapons capability through significant rewiring and the addition of modern avionics upgrades. The A-10C precision engagement program was accelerated by 18 months to meet the needs of the warfighter, causing the program to undergo concurrent fielding and development. "We're delivering airplanes to Air Combat Command, Air National Guard and...

THE American military last night claimed that if the British government had requested that the US declassify a controversial cockpit video of a British soldier being shot by "friendly fire" before yesterday, it had asked the wrong people. Major David Small, from the US Central Command, said the US would not have had a problem declassifying the tape which shows the moment Lance Corporal of Horse Matty Hull's convoy was hit by an American A-10 tankbuster. The video, which was leaked to the Sun newspaper, had previously been unavailable to the soldier's inquest. Major Small said: "We are the owners...

The Sun is claiming copyright so I will only post a link. It is to a cockpit video of an A10 attack which sadly led to the death of a UK soldier. It makes sobering viewing.

ST. LOUIS, Jan. 24, 2007 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] will compete for a U.S. Air Force contract valued at up to $1.5 billion over two five-year periods for the manufacture of approximately 200 wing sets for the A-10 fleet. "Boeing Support Systems has the skilled expertise and engineering know-how to provide the Air Force with a low-risk, low-cost solution that addresses the needs of the A-10 program," said Curt Nothstine, director for Aircraft Sustainment and Modernization for Boeing's Maintenance, Modification and Upgrades business. The A-10 wing replacement program calls for the replacement wing sets to be delivered in...

OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea — Air Force safety experts were seeking answers Friday on why a U.S. fighter plane released a dummy bomb Wednesday that caused no injuries but ripped a jagged path through a South Korean wire factory. The nonexplosive training bomb sent startled workers scurrying at the two-story 3A Company Ltd. factory after it crashed through the roof and burrowed its way into a ground-floor office. The mishap occurred around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday in Eumseong, northern Chungcheong province. The bomb dropped from an A-10 attack plane assigned to the 25th Fighter Squadron, part of the 51st Fighter...

One of seven Canadian soldiers seriously wounded when U.S. jets mistakenly fired on them said he does not feel any anger toward the pilots involved in the incident. "None at all. I feel bad for them, as well, because I know they're probably grieving, as well," Sgt. Kym Cousineau told CBC News. Pte. Mark Anthony Graham was killed and about 30 others were wounded Monday when two U.S. A-10 Thunderbolts mistakenly strafed a Canadian platoon. An investigation has been launched into the friendly-fire incident that took his life. Cousineau said his troops were just breaking camp and getting ready to...

8/22/2006 - BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan (AFPN) -- Six U.S. and coalition troops peer out from a remote position on a ridge top in Afghanistan. At sunset on the third day of their vigil, a large force of Taliban extremists carrying heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades surround and pin down the team. By design, an Air Force joint tactical air controller is with the team. His job is to direct strike aircraft to targets on the ground. The situation on the ridge line is desperate until an Air Force pilot flying an A-10 Thunderbolt II in the vicinity contacts...

At first glance the A-10 cockpit looks like a category five tornado just touched down in the middle of it. The chaotic scene – hundreds of loose wires and instrumentation ripped from consoles –is really the beginning of modifications that will extend the service life of the “Warthogs” while increasing their capabilities. Better known as the Precision Engagement Program, it’s designed to facilitate the use of smart munitions and update the cockpit so it’s more in line with that of its F-16 brethren. Hill’s 508th Aircraft Sustainment Wing and 309th Aircraft Maintenance Group are leading the charge this year —...