Talyn
Emissary
The A-10 doesn't have a mini-gun, the 30mm GAU-8/A is a "maxi-gun".
A-10 Warthog Appears To Have Become A Drone Killer
- Thread starter Talyn
- Start date
Talyn
Emissary
Once again the iconic A-10 is recognized for it's usefulness...
www.militarytimes.com
The Air Force can’t quit the “Brrrrt."
taskandpurpose.com
The rumors of the demise of the A-10’s low-and-slow air support role began to sound premature during the recent Iranian conflict.
The jets were back in action in March, using their unique 30mm GAU-8/A Gatling gun cannon to attack Iranian speedboats around the Strait of Hormuz. The planes were also at the heart of a full-throttle rescue mission on April 3 to retrieve the pilot of a downed F-15E.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said A-10s were “violently suppressing and engaging the enemy in a close-in gunfight” as helicopters sped toward the pilot.
One A-10 of what was reported to be at least seven on that mission was damaged, and its pilot ejected after flying safely out of Iranian airspace.
Air Force extends 3 A-10 squadrons, each expected to keep 18 Warthogs
The decision comes as A-10s have seen increased involvement during Operation Epic Fury in Iran.
www.militarytimes.com
The Air Force can’t quit the “Brrrrt."
Air Force can't quit the A-10 Warthog, extends service into 2030
The Air Force planned to retire the A-10 this year, but extended its life as it continues to fly in the Middle East.
taskandpurpose.com
The rumors of the demise of the A-10’s low-and-slow air support role began to sound premature during the recent Iranian conflict.
The jets were back in action in March, using their unique 30mm GAU-8/A Gatling gun cannon to attack Iranian speedboats around the Strait of Hormuz. The planes were also at the heart of a full-throttle rescue mission on April 3 to retrieve the pilot of a downed F-15E.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said A-10s were “violently suppressing and engaging the enemy in a close-in gunfight” as helicopters sped toward the pilot.
One A-10 of what was reported to be at least seven on that mission was damaged, and its pilot ejected after flying safely out of Iranian airspace.
Last edited:
Talyn
Emissary
A-10 Warthog Being Tested With Aerial Refueling Probe (Updated)
Beyond a win for the A-10, putting refueling probes on USAF tactical jets could be a boon of the service's Agile Combat Employment strategy.
www.twz.com
KillerFord1977
Emissary
the issue was fatigue on the airframe for the reason behind retirement.
Boeing in 2022 started replacing wings for the airframe.
I'd imagine that boeing can keep producing wings and A-10 lifetime extensions for service hours.
www.airandspaceforces.com
Boeing in 2022 started replacing wings for the airframe.
I'd imagine that boeing can keep producing wings and A-10 lifetime extensions for service hours.
Boeing Starts Delivering New Round of A-10 Wings | Air & Space Forces Magazine
Boeing has started giving the Air Force new wings for the A-10 Thunderbolt II, which will extend the plane’s service life into the 2030s.
www.airandspaceforces.com
Talyn
Emissary
More...
"Long Live the Warthog"
defence-blog.com
"Long Live the Warthog"
U.S. Air Force extends A-10 Warthog service to 2030
The United States Air Force will keep the A-10 Thunderbolt II, known as the “Warthog,” in service until around 2030, extending the lifespan of a close air support aircraft that has been slated for retirement for years. The decision was
Last edited:
Talyn
Emissary
Actually the wing replacement program goes well before 2022, with Boeing's 2022 award as a follow-on to the previous contracts.the issue was fatigue on the airframe for the reason behind retirement.
Boeing in 2022 started replacing wings for the airframe.
I'd imagine that boeing can keep producing wings and A-10 lifetime extensions for service hours.
Boeing Starts Delivering New Round of A-10 Wings | Air & Space Forces Magazine
Boeing has started giving the Air Force new wings for the A-10 Thunderbolt II, which will extend the plane’s service life into the 2030s.
Boeing was awarded a $1.1 billion contract in 2007, and in 2019, a second contract up to $999 million was awarded to ensure that the remaining A-10s are outfitted with new, advanced wing assemblies.
- Contract Details: Boeing received the contract in June 2007, with 173 sets of "thick-skin" wings produced by Boeing's facility in Macon, Georgia, with assistance from Korean Aerospace Industries, Kaman Aerospace, and CPI Aerospace.
- Installation: Installation began in 2011, with the bulk of the work (162 pairs) completed at the 571st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Hill Air Force Base in Utah, and 11 pairs installed at Osan Air Base in South Korea.
- Finalization: The program, which concluded in August 2019, ensured the A-10 fleet remained airworthy for another 10,000 equivalent flight hours without needing major depot inspection.
- Targeting Aging Wings: The initiative targeted thin-skinned A-10A models (rated for 8,000 hours) that were nearing the end of their fatigue life, rather than the "thick-skin" 1980s models, which had longer lifespan ratings.
- Further Upgrades: The success of this program led to a follow-on initiative, the A-10 Thunderbolt Advanced-Wing Continuation Kit (ATACK) program, funded in 2018 to re-wing more aircraft
A-10 re-winging completed, will keep Warthog in the air until late 2030s
The new wings have an improved wire harness design, meant to make them easier to remove.
www.airforcetimes.com
Lt. Col. Ryan Richardson, 514th Flight Test Squadron commander and A-10 test pilot, rolls out after landing following a functional check flight on an A-10 Thunderbolt II at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, July 25, 2019. The aircraft is from the Moody Air Force Base, Ga., and was the last of 173 A-10s to receive new wings under the Enhanced Wing Assembly program to extend the flying service life of the fleet.
Boeing gets $999M contract to continue producing wings for the A-10 Warthog
Boeing nabbed the contract to keep making wings for the A-10 despite past troubles with a supplier.
www.defensenews.com
Lt. Col. Ryan Richardson, 514th Flight Test Squadron commander and A-10 test pilot, takes off during a functional check flight of an A-10 Thunderbolt II at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, on July 25, 2019. (Alex R. Lloyd/U.S. Air Force)
The "original" "thin-wings" were wearing out (fuselage was fine) so, as per above, the new wings are more durable.
The distinction between "thin-skin" and "thick-skin" wings on the A-10 Warthog refers to a major structural fatigue issue identified in the fleet, resulting in two distinct variants of wing design and over 200 aircraft requiring full replacements to extend their service life to 2030–2040.
- Thin-Skin Wings: These were the original wings designed in the 1970s for a lifespan of 8,000 flight hours. Due to fatigue cracking discovered in the 2000s, this fleet required extensive depot repairs and eventually a complete re-winging program (over 240 units) to remain operational.
- Thick-Skin Wings: Starting in the 1980s with airframe #442, the lower wing skin was reinforced and made thicker to handle structural stress, increasing their lifespan to 16,000 hours. Roughly 100+ A-10s were built with this "thick-skin" design, requiring less urgent maintenance compared to the earlier models.
Key Differences and Context - Structural Integrity: The "thick-skin" modification specifically targeted the lower wing panels to address stress cracking identified in early fatigue tests.
- Life Extension (TUSK): To address the thin-skin failures, Boeing was contracted to produce new wing sets based on the "thick-skin" design under the Thick-skin Urgent Spares Kitting (TUSK) program, upgrading original A-10s to a 16,000-hour service life.
- Replacement Impact: The re-winging allowed thin-skin A-10s to stay in service until approximately 2030–2040.
- Battle Damage: While the thin/thick distinction relates to structural fatigue (wing lifespan), the A-10's wing design in general is incredibly rugged, featuring a three-spar design and self-sealing fuel cells designed to handle direct hits from 23mm projectiles.
Loading…
www.afsc.af.mil
More detailed info here...
Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II - Wikipedia
I was at the Hill AFB Museum two Septembers ago and chatted with some of the folks that work on the A-10 re-winging program.
About 20 yrs ago I talked to a A-10 ANG "maintainer" and the A-10 is a low-cost aircraft to maintain and fly, but things still wear out.
The USAF "Fighter Mafia" has been trying to kill the A-10 for decades.
Attachments
Last edited:
Talyn
Emissary
Two more A-10C Thunderbolt IIs are on their way to the Middle East, joining the aircraft already deployed there. Interestingly, the aircraft belong to 74th Fighter Squadron “Flying Tigers” from Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, and are sporting their characteristic shark mouth.
The 74th FS, together with the 75th FS, is part of the 23rd Fighter Group, which is the only unit currently authorized to paint the shark mouth on its aircraft. This is due to the unit’s heritage as the descendent unit of the World War 2’s American Volunteer Group (AVG) “Flying Tigers,” which adopted the markings on its P-40B fighters in 1941.
theaviationist.com
The 74th FS, together with the 75th FS, is part of the 23rd Fighter Group, which is the only unit currently authorized to paint the shark mouth on its aircraft. This is due to the unit’s heritage as the descendent unit of the World War 2’s American Volunteer Group (AVG) “Flying Tigers,” which adopted the markings on its P-40B fighters in 1941.
Shark Mouth A-10s Deploy to the Middle East
Two shark mouth-marked A-10s from Moody AFB’s 74th Fighter Squadron transited through RAF Lakenheath en route to the Middle East, possibly replacing the
theaviationist.com
Talyn
Emissary
More...
Note: I suspect the squadrons that are CSAR units will be retained the longest.
aviationweek.com
Note: I suspect the squadrons that are CSAR units will be retained the longest.
U.S. Air Force To Extend Three A-10 Squadrons | Aviation Week
The U.S. Air Force will keep two Fairchild Republic A-10 squadrons in service until 2030 to “preserve combat power.”
aviationweek.com
Talyn
Emissary
A-10's to the rescue again!
Weeks after A-10s helped save two downed aviators behind Iranian lines, the Warthog community capped off the month with a third rescue: a 73-year-old Florida man who fell off his boat.
Two A-10s from the 74th Fighter Squadron at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia were training over the Avon Park, Florida bombing range Wednesday evening when they received a call from local authorities to deconflict nearby airspace as part of an ongoing search. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office was using patrol craft, helicopters and even drones to scour the nearly 4,000-acre Lake Arbuckle for a distressed boater.
The A-10s then joined the effort with their high-tech infrared sensors.
taskandpurpose.com
It was already dark when the A-10s reached the lake, so the pilot used his night vision goggles from the cockpit to scan the waters, said 2nd Lt. Kristina Schlemmer, spokesperson for the 23rd Wing at Moody AFB.
The pilot noticed a dim light that appeared to be coming from a cellphone. When he cued his targeting pod to the area, he realized it was the stranded boat.
The pilot contacted the sheriff’s helicopters and directed them to the boat while the second A-10 pilot used the thermal imaging setting on their targeting pods to scour the wetlands and cold lake waters for the boater who had gone overboard.
Thankfully, the elderly man was only “a short distance away and near the shoreline,” the sheriff’s office said, adding that he had minor injuries to his arm and was taken to a local hospital.
Schlemmer said the pilots were happy their training came in handy.
Two Air Force A-10s rescued lost boater on Florida lake
Night vision goggles, thermal cameras and a little search and rescue know-how came in handy.Weeks after A-10s helped save two downed aviators behind Iranian lines, the Warthog community capped off the month with a third rescue: a 73-year-old Florida man who fell off his boat.
Two A-10s from the 74th Fighter Squadron at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia were training over the Avon Park, Florida bombing range Wednesday evening when they received a call from local authorities to deconflict nearby airspace as part of an ongoing search. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office was using patrol craft, helicopters and even drones to scour the nearly 4,000-acre Lake Arbuckle for a distressed boater.
The A-10s then joined the effort with their high-tech infrared sensors.
Two Air Force A-10s rescued lost boater on Florida lake
Night vision goggles, thermal cameras and a little search and rescue know-how came in handy when a boater went missing.
taskandpurpose.com
The pilot noticed a dim light that appeared to be coming from a cellphone. When he cued his targeting pod to the area, he realized it was the stranded boat.
The pilot contacted the sheriff’s helicopters and directed them to the boat while the second A-10 pilot used the thermal imaging setting on their targeting pods to scour the wetlands and cold lake waters for the boater who had gone overboard.
Thankfully, the elderly man was only “a short distance away and near the shoreline,” the sheriff’s office said, adding that he had minor injuries to his arm and was taken to a local hospital.
Schlemmer said the pilots were happy their training came in handy.
Talyn
Emissary
A-10s Deployed To The Middle East Now Flying With New Refueling Probe And Angry Kitten EW Pod
Just over a month after the first test, the A-10C is now flying in the Middle East with the new Probe Refueling Adapter which allows it to refuel from the HC-130J with the probe and drogue system.
The U.S. Air Force has released the first photos showing the A-10C Thunderbolt II attack jet using the Probe Refueling Adapter in the Middle East to refuel from an HC-130J Combat King II. The system was first tested in early April to give the A-10 a new probe and drogue air refueling capability and significantly expand its refueling options.
A-10s Deployed To The Middle East Now Flying With New Refueling Probe And Angry Kitten EW Pod
Just over a month after the first test, the A-10C is now flying in the Middle East with the new Probe Refueling Adapter which allows it to refuel from the
theaviationist.com
The U.S. Air Force has released the first photos showing the A-10C Thunderbolt II attack jet using the Probe Refueling Adapter in the Middle East to refuel from an HC-130J Combat King II. The system was first tested in early April to give the A-10 a new probe and drogue air refueling capability and significantly expand its refueling options.
The close air support aircraft has been so far dependent on the KC-135 Stratotanker, as it is not yet cleared to refuel from the newer KC-46 Pegasus. An urgent combatant command requirement thus emerged to address operational availability of aerial refueling in theater, with the goal of refueling the A-10 from C-130-based tankers.
The new photos, released on May 21, 2026, show A-10s refueling from an HC-130J in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility on May 9, 2026. The Warthogs are assigned to the 107th Fighter Squadron from Selfridge ANGB, Michigan, which arrived in the Middle East in early April.
A U.S. Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft approaches an HC-130J Combat King II aircraft for aerial refueling
in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, May 9, 2026. (Image Credit: U.S. Air Force)
The photos have been released just a day after a video showing the first use of the new probe by the A-10s from Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. The refueling, conducted on May 19, similarly used an HC-130J as tanker.
Probe Refueling Adapter
An urgent combatant command requirement aimed to address operational availability of aerial refueling in theater with the use of C-130-based tankers. In a short timeframe, a Probe Refueling Adapter was designed and tested for the first time on Apr. 2, 2026.As it can be seen in the photos, the adapter fits into the air refueling receptacle on the nose of the A-10. Once installed, this converts the aircraft from its standard boom refueling configuration to a probe and drogue system.
The Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Command Test Center (AATC) says the probe adapter is a field-configurable solution, and thus can be installed by operational flight line personnel “in a matter of hours,” without having to resort to depot facilities. This allows “aircraft to be reconfigured between boom and probe refueling capability based on mission requirements,” explains the statement.
A U.S. Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft approaches an HC-130J Combat King II aircraft for aerial refueling in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, May 9, 2026. (Image Credit: U.S. Air Force)
Angry Kitten pod
The Angry Kitten electronic warfare pod, initially born as a training pod derived from the AN/ALQ-167, has evolved as a modular DFRM-based electronic warfare pod and is now at its first combat employment.Notably, the A-10s photographed in the Middle East are also equipped with the Angry Kitten electronic warfare pod. The pod, which saw the first combat use during Operation Epic Fury aboard the F-16s flying Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) missions, was previously tested on the A-10 but never publicly seen in an operational setting abroad.
The pod is also said to be quickly reprogrammable with updates pushed in real-time, without sending it back to the contractor. The approach enables rapid optimization of jamming against threat systems with reduced costs and development times.
Talyn
Emissary
And more A-10 News...
www.twz.com
Congress Throws A-10 Warthog Another Lifeline
Requiring the USAF to satisfy all the demands stated in the legislation could see the jet's life extended well past 2030. Lawmakers want the Air Force to preserve the Warthog’s operational knowledge while testing autonomous capabilities that could take over its missions.
www.twz.com
Talyn
Emissary
More A-10 Luv
www.twz.com
A Disciplined Case For The A-10 The Air Force Won't Make
Opinion: The USAF says the A-10's service is extended to 2030, but funding and planning doesn't really reflect that, which has to change and fast.
www.twz.com