A-10 Thunderbolt II nicknamed ‘the Warthog’ in the crosshairs of Pentagon downsizing

Nov 20, 2013

A-10 Thunderbolt II nicknamed ‘the Warthog’ in the crosshairs of Pentagon downsizing

Tim Swift 0 Comment Nation, World A-10 Thunderbolt II, maryland national guard, Pentagon, U.S. military, warthog

The A-10 Thunderbolt II, a snub-nosed ground-attack plane that the Maryland Air National Guard has flown in Iraq and Afghanistan, is the latest aircraft to find its way onto the Pentagon’s endangered weapons list. Here are photos of the A-10 taken by military, staff and wire photographers throughout the years.

: Two U.S. Air Force A-10A Warthogs, from the 52nd Fighter Wing, 81st Fighter Squadron, Spangdhalem Air Base, Germany, drop away from a refueling tanker during a NATO Operation Allied Force combat mission, Apr. 22, 1999. (Air Force photo by Senior Airman Greg L. Davis)

: Two U.S. Air Force A-10A Warthogs, from the 52nd Fighter Wing, 81st Fighter Squadron, Spangdhalem Air Base, Germany, in flight during a NATO Operation Allied Force combat mission, April 22. The “Tank Killer” A-10As, deployed to Aviano Air Base, Italy, are specially designed for close air support of ground forces. (Handout photo)

: Two single-seat A-10 jets from Davis-Mothan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona collided and crashed in the southern Arizona desert on January 17, 2002, the Air Force said.] A pair of U.S. Air Force tank busting A-10A Thunderbolt II jets, also known as the Warthog, fly in this undated file photo.

: Staff Sergeant Keith Haas of the US Air Force adjusts equipment on a A-10 Warthog warplane at Bagram Air Base, north of Kabul April 17, 2002. The Pentagon on Tuesday identified four American soldiers killed in an explosion while blowing up suspected abandoned Taliban rockets near Kandahar in southern Afghanistan. (Peter Andrews/Reuters)

: A Maryland National Guard A10 lands at Martin State Airport. (Jerry Jackson/Baltimore Sun)

: Detail of several Thunderbolt II jets at Martin State Airport before a training mission. 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. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun)

: A-10 Thunderbolt undergoing maintenance at Martin State Airport. 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. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun)

: U.S. soldiers walk along a row of A10 Warthogs, parked at Bagram airbase north of Kabul Afghanistan December 18, 2003. U.S. General Richard Myers, Chairman of Joint chiefs of staff, said on Thursday al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden would definitely be captured one day, just like Saddam Hussein. (Ahmad Masood/Reuters)

: U.S. General Richard Myers, Chairman of Joint chiefs of staff (center) speaks at a news briefing at the Bagram airbase north of Kabul Afghanistan December 18, 2003. Myers said on Thursday al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden would definitely be captured one day, just like Saddam Hussein. Behind him is a A10 Warthog. (Ahmad Masood/Reuters)

: U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates (left) greets the crew and looks over an A-10 “Warthog”, a close support aircraft, during an unannounced visit to Bagram Airfield September 17, 2008. (Paul J. Richards/Reuters)

: A U.S. A-10 Warthog drops flares to evade anti-aircraft artillery as it flies over Baghdad April 8, 2003. U.S. aircraft, artillery and tanks mounted an intense early-morning bombardment on Tuesday of an area in central Baghdad that houses a concentration of government ministries and other official buildings. (Faleh Kheiber/Reuters)

: A U.S. A-10 Warthog turns upside down to avoid Iraqi anti aircraft fire after dropping bombs over Baghdad April 8, 2003. A U.S. A-10 “Warthog” plane went down near Baghdad Airport on Tuesday but the pilot was safely rescued, Central Command war headquarters said in a statement. (Faleh Kheiber/Reuters)

: A U.S. A-10 Warthog turns to avoid Iraqi anti aircraft fire after dropping bombs over Baghdad April 8, 2003. A U.S. A-10 “Warthog” plane went down near Baghdad Airport on Tuesday but the pilot was safely rescued, Central Command war headquarters. (Faleh Kheiber/Reuters)

: A U.S. A-10 Warthog from the 51st Fighter Wing, refuels from a KC-135 Stratotanker flown by the 186th Air Refueling Wing, Meridian, Mississippi. The 186th and the 51st are deployed to Aviano Air Base, Italy, supporting NATO Kosovo-related operations. Picture taken February 26.

: A U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt takes off from Aviano airbase in northern Italy March 29. The tankbusting bomber, known by its pilots as the Warthog, has a stubby, ungainly appearance which does nothing to conceal the formidable firepower which military experts expect will now be turned on Yugoslav armoured columns in Kosovo as NATO steps up its air attack on Serb forces. NATO has launched five days of devastating air and missile attacks to try to force Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to back an international peace plan for the southern Serbian province of Kosovo. (Reuters photo)

: A U.S. Air Force A-10A Warthog, from the 52nd Fighter Wing, 81st Fighter Squadron, Spangdhalem Air Base, Germany, refuels during a NATO Operation Allied Force combat mission, April 22. The A-10As, deployed to Aviano Air Base, Italy, are specially designed for close air support of ground forces. (U.S. Air Force photo)

: U.S. A-10 Warthog take off from NATO airbase of Aviano for NATO “Deny Flight” operation in Bosnia. (Reuters photo)

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