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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 —...

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan, Aug. 18, 2006 -- 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. An A-10 Thunderbolt II deployed to the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing, at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, from the 81st Fighter Squadron at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, flies a combat sortie over Afghanistan May 26 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. A-10s are deployed to Bagram from...

8/15/2006 - HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah (AFPN) -- At first glance the A-10 Thunderbolt II cockpit looks like a Category 5 tornado just touched down in the middle of it. The chaotic scene, with hundreds of loose wires and instrumentation ripped from consoles, is really the beginning of modifications that will extend the service life of A-10s while increasing their capabilities. Known as the precision engagement, or PE, program, the plan is designed to facilitate the use of smart munitions and update the cockpit so it is more in line with that of the F-16 Fighting Falcon. The 508th...

The planned integration of an enhanced communications system into the venerable A-10 aircraft could pave the way for the platform’s introduction into a cutting-edge combat package being developed by the Air Force and Army, a senior program official says. Plans to put the airborne Enhanced Position Locating Reporting System (ELPRS) onto a number of A-10s could allow the aircraft to be folded into the Joint Mission Capability Package (JMCP) concept, said Air National Guard Col. Louis Durkac, assistant director of requirements at Air Combat Command.The concept is designed as a “capabilities-based force package composed of fielded [weapon] systems with...

Three years after Air Force Capt. Kim Campbell earned the Distinguished Flying Cross in Iraq, the San Jose native is earning points in a different arena: public speaking. Campbell, 30, a fighter pilot in Iraq and Afghanistan, shared her story with the Tennessee Ernie Ford Air Force Association Chapter 361 at lunch Friday in Santa Clara and then spoke to a class at Piedmont Hills High School, her alma mater. After receiving a standing ovation at the Biltmore Hotel after her luncheon speech, Campbell posed for photographs with fans and patiently signed every program brought to her. Her eyes lit...

How slow can you go when bullets, rockets and other unfriendly things might be buzzing around you? Not just how slow, but what can one see from a few hundred feet in the air above a battlefield? Those are the prime questions Laredo native and Air Force Reserve Maj. Robert "Tito" Hetland might have to ask himself - and has - having served in Iraq and Afghanistan flying A-10 troop support planes. A-10 Warthogs can fly as slow as about 230 miles per hour over dangerous turf. Hetland will fly in much friendlier skies over the Laredo International Airport on...

2/9/2006 - KORAT ROYAL THAI AIR BASE, Thailand (AFPN) -- Cope Tiger ‘06, an annual multi-lateral exercise involving the U.S., Thailand and Singapore, began Feb. 7. More than 1,300 people, including 300 U.S. servicemembers and 1,000 servicemembers from Thailand and Singapore, are participating in the exercise that involves aviation and ground units. The exercise is designed to hone flying skills and foster international cooperation among the three countries. A-10 Thunderbolt II operators and maintainers from Osan Air Base, South Korea, have deployed for the exercise. “For a unit that doesn’t normally deploy (this) is a great opportunity,” said Lt. Col....

12/1/2005 - SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany (AFPN) -- “Mayday. Mayday.” The distress call is familiar to most people who watch television and movies. But when it is made for real, it can make a pilot’s mouth go dry and his stomach cramp. That is the feeling pilot Naim Fazlija said he when he had to make the distress call to German radar controllers when his Piper Chieftain twin-engine lost its electrical system on a flight from the Netherlands to Geneva last month. The civilian charter plane was flying at 11,000 feet over a hazy Germany. Mr. Fazlija said he and...

An Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt pilot reaches a milestone supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, July 29, 2005 — The commander respectfully called "Duck" scored 3,000 flying hours in an A-10 Thunderbolt over the Afghan skies July 3. U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Jeffrey Cowan, 74th Fighter Squadron commander, entered A-10 "Warthog" history upon returning to base after flying a mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Since his first flight, Cowan, from Pope Air Force Base, N.C., has clocked more than 3,000 hours in a Thunderbolt cockpit. "It is extremely rare for a pilot to get 3,000 hours...

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, May 16, 2005 — The U.S. Air Force A-10s currently deployed at Bagram Airfield are part of the 23rd Fighter Group, the Flying Tigers, out of Pope Air Force Base, N.C., and are a unique group of aircraft - evident by just one look at their nose art. The noses of these A-10s are emblazoned with an image of a shark's teeth and eyes. The Flying Tigers are the only Air Force unit authorized to display nose art on their aircraft, due to the history it symbolizes. The Flying Tigers were first activated at Langley Field, Va.,...

OWEGO, NY, March 30, 2005 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] received a $37.8 million contract to provide the U.S. Air Force with Precision Engagement production kits to modify A/OA-10 aircraft. The entire A-10 fleet will be modified over the next five years for an estimated total contract value of $168 million. The Precision Engagement modification will enable the A-10 to use advanced precision guided weapons, including the Joint Direct Attack Munition and the Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser. The modification also adds the capability for advanced targeting pods to improve pilots’ situational awareness. “The Precision Engagement modification allows aircrews to engage...

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan — When American soldiers encounter the enemy in this country of seemingly endless mountains and rocky valleys, they can count on one thing their enemies can’t: air power. Looking into the jaws of an A-10 "Warthog" of the 23rd Fighter Group, with its "Flying Tigers" paint job. The 23rd Fighter Group, based out of Pope Air Force Base, N.C., is in Afghanistan making daily flights in support of American ground troops.(Michael Abrams / Stars and Stripes) Much of that power is supplied by a small group of pilots who fly A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, somewhat affectionately known...

Like a cat, the USAF’s A-10 continues to demonstrate additional lives after repeated efforts by the fighter generals to bury the ungainly but potent airplane. Lockheed Martin Systems Integration (Owego, NY) expects its first production contract in March for the A-10 Precision Engagement (PE) Program, which will give the A-10 – redesignated the A-10C once modified -- a precision-weapons capability, with several more production contracts to follow. In February 2004, Lockheed Martin was awarded an initial systems integration contract. The goal is to equip all 356 USAF A-10s with the upgrade by 2009. Lockheed Martin began the upgrade program under...

The newly designated C-model A-10 Thunderbolt II, modified with precision engagement technology, was flown for the first time at Eglin AFB, Fla., last week, thanks in large part to the work of a small group of people at Hill AFB. The A-10 Program Office here has been managing the precision engagement program for the past four years. The office’s precision engagement program management team, made up of about 25 people, acts as a liaison between Air Combat Command and the project’s prime contractor, Lockheed Martin Systems Integration. Calling the A-10C the “best friend to the boots on the ground,” Lt....

Several years ago, I met an officer who flew A-10s. He directed me to a site that depicted the support crew that made certain that his aircraft was combat ready. Can any of my fellow FReepers direct me to the A-10 support-ready Warthog site? Mechs checking the nose cannon, loading ordnance, etc. I'm attempting in gettin my 23 year old son to enlist in the United States Military, serving America in in whatever capacity he chooses. His eyesight is not flight-sight certifiable, but he is a big, strong intelligent kid!

Lord, Keep our Troops forever in Your care Give them victory over the enemy... Grant them a safe and swift return... Bless those who mourn the lost. . FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer for all those serving their country at this time. .................................................................. .................... ........................................... U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should...

Reserve pilots not reserved when protecting ground troops   by Staff Sgt. Jennifer Lindsey455th Expeditionary Operations Group Public Affairs 10/4/2004 - BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan (AFPN) -- Ammunitions troops here charged with reloading a wingman’s A-10 Thunderbolt II Gatling gun had a busy night recently, following his return. New Orleans Air Force Reserve pilots proved that they are anything but reserved when it comes to protecting U.S. ground troops in Afghanistan. In defense of a U.S. military convoy, “S-flight 3” fired more than 800 rounds and two laser-guided bombs, destroying a hillside bunker and attacking enemy forces. Capt. Brian and his wingman, Major...

EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE--Seven A-10 Warthogs brought a little desert sand home with them when they touched down Saturday at Eielson Air Force Base for the first time in almost six months. Though the long journey home provided the A-10s a chance to clean off some of the dust accumulated in Afghanistan, they were still due for a major cleaning and overhaul at the end of a busy 5 1/2-month deployment to Bagram Airbase near Kabul. "We were sitting next to jets in Boise (Idaho)," said Capt. Glenn "Shredder" Ott, an A-10 pilot and West Valley High School graduate. "Boise...