A-10 Afghanistan Combat Summary for December 2008

by Joachim Jacob

From the "Airpower Summaries", released on USAF's public main website, for December 2008 I extracted and edited all available info related to A-10 Thunderbolt II combat missions in Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom). The mostly daily airpower summaries for OEF and OIF are provided by Combined Air and Space Operations Center (CAOC) officials at Al Udeid AB, Qatar. According to the sources, all of the listed missions were confirmed successful by on-scene joint terminal attack controllers (JTACs).

Dec. 1: An F-15E Strike Eagle dropped a guided bomb unit-38 and A-10 Thunderbolt IIs dropped general purpose 500-pound bombs onto anti-Afghan forces who were firing rocket propelled grenades and mortars at coalition forces from inside a house in the vicinity of Nangalam. In the vicinity of Bari Kowt, an A-10 performed a show of force and provided armed aerial overwatch to deter anti-Afghan forces from firing at coalition quick reaction forces conducting search operations in the area.

Dec. 2: No A-10 info

Dec. 3: A-10 Thunderbolt IIs dropped a guided bomb unit-38 and fired rockets against anti-Afghan forces who were firing rocket-propelled grenades and mortars at coalition forces from behind a tree line in the vicinity of Nurestan.

Dec. 4: Not released

Dec. 5: In the vicinity of Soltani, a A-10 Thunderbolt IIs [One ore more? – J.J.] conducted a show of force to deter anti-Afghan activities and to illuminate the valley for coalition convoy navigation around that area.

Dec. 6: Near Bari Kowt, an F-15E Strike Eagle and A-10 Thunderbolt IIs fired cannon rounds against anti-coalition members who were seen emplacing improvised explosive devices after a coalition convoy struck an IED. Furthermore, an A-10 conducted a show of force and provided armed aerial overwatch for the coalition convoy while they repaired the disable vehicle. An A-10 performed a show of force to deter enemy activities in the vicinity of Gardez and near Khowst.

Dec. 7: Not released

Dec. 8: No A-10 info

Dec. 9: An F-15E Strike Eagle and an A-10 Thunderbolt II performed shows of force and expended flares to deter enemy activities against a coalition convoy in the vicinity of Worzhanah Kalay. In the vicinity of Asmar, an A-10 performed a show of force and provided armed aerial overwatch to deter anti-Afghan forces from firing at Afghan National Army forces conducting operations in the area. In the vicinity of Bagram, an A-10 performed a show of force and provided convoy escort to deter anti-Afghan forces in the area.

Dec. 10: In the vicinity of Soltani, an A-10 Thunderbolt II performed a show of force to deter anti-Afghan forces moving near a coalition forward operating base.

Dec. 11: A-10 Thunderbolt IIs dropped a guided bomb unit-38 and fired rockets and cannon rounds against anti-Afghan forces that were firing rocket- propelled grenades at a coalition ground forces convoy conducting operations in the vicinity of Nangalam. In the vicinity of Soltani, an A-10 performed a show of force to deter enemy activities.

Dec. 12: An A-10 Thunderbolt II and an F-15E Strike Eagle performed shows of force to deter enemy activities against an Afghan National Army checkpoint that was under attack in the vicinity of Sheykhabad. An A-10 and a coalition aircraft performed shows of force and provided armed aerial overwatch for a coalition convoy that was disabled near Lashkar Gah. In the vicinity of Soltani and near Morghab, A-10s performed shows of force to deter enemy activities against a coalition convoy that was conducting operations in the area.

Dec. 13: In the vicinity of Ghazni, an A-10 Thunderbolt II conducted a show of force and provided armed aerial overwatch for coalition forces conducting operations.

Dec. 14: A-10 Thunderbolt IIs performed shows of force to deter enemy activities in the vicinity of Abchakan and near Sheykhabad. In the vicinity of Konduz, an F-15E Strike Eagle and an A-10 performed shows of force and provided armed aerial overwatch to deter anti-coalition members from setting up a mortar attack against a coalition convoy that was conducting operations in the area. An F-15E, A-10 and a coalition aircraft conducted shows of force to deter enemy activities and provided armed aerial escort for a coalition convoy traveling to a forward operation base in the vicinity of Worzhanah Kalay.

Dec. 15: No A-10 info

Dec. 16: An A-10 Thunderbolt II fired cannon rounds onto anti-coalition forces who were in a bunker alongside a mountain ridge in the vicinity of Bari Kowt. Furthermore, the same A-10 conducted a show of force to deter anti-Afghan activities near Nangalam. An A-10 performed a show of force and provided armed aerial overwatch for a coalition convoy conducting operations in the vicinity of Sheykhabad.

Dec. 17: A-10 Thunderbolt IIs performed shows of force and provided armed aerial overwatch for coalition forces conducting cordon search of a village in the vicinity of Ghazni.

Dec. 18: No A-10 info

Dec. 19: A-10 Thunderbolt IIs dropped guided bomb unit-38s onto anti-Afghan forces that were firing rocket propelled grenades at a coalition ground forces convoy conducting operations in the vicinity of Bari Kowt.

Dec. 20: A-10 Thunderbolt IIs dropped guided bomb unit-38s and general purpose 500 pound bombs onto anti-Afghan forces that were firing large caliber machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades at a coalition ground forces convoy conducting operations in the vicinity of Nangalam. Furthermore, F-15E Strike Eagles dropped GBU-31s onto remaining anti-Afghan forces in the area. In the vicinity of Ghazni, an A-10 conducted a show of force to deter anti-Afghan activities and provided armed aerial overwatch for a coalition convoy that was repairing a disabled mine resistant ambush protected vehicle.

Dec. 21: Not released

Dec. 22: Not released

Dec. 23: A-10 Thunderbolt IIs dropped a general purpose 500-pound bomb and GBU-38s and fired cannon rounds onto anti-Afghan forces embedded in a cave in the vicinity of Nangalam. An A-10 performed a show of force, dispensing flares to deter anti-Afghan forces from attacking a coalition convoy in the vicinity of Sheykhabad.

Dec. 24: A-10 Thunderbolt IIs conducted shows of force to deter anti-Afghan activities and provided armed aerial overwatch for a coalition foot patrol following an improvised explosive device emplacement team in the vicinity of Orgun E and Mata Khan.

Dec. 25: A-10 Thunderbolt IIs dropped a guided bomb unit-38 and general purpose 500-pound bombs onto anti-Afghan locations where indirect fire had originated against a coalition convoy in the vicinity of Orgun E. In addition, an A-10 performed a show of force to deter anti-coalition activities in the vicinity of Mata Khan. In the vicinity of Bagram, an A-10 performed a show of force and provided aerial overwatch for a coalition convoy.

Dec. 26: An F-15E Strike Eagle dropped a guided bomb unit-31 and an A-10 Thunderbolt II fired cannon rounds against anti-Afghan forces who where firing rocket-propelled grenades against a coalition convoy in the vicinity of Nangalam. In addition, an F-15E performed a show of force to deter anti-Afghan activities in the same area. A-10s conducted shows of force to deter anti-Afghan activities and provided armed aerial overwatch for coalition convoys in the vicinity of Bari Kowt and near Bagram.

Dec. 27: An F-15E Strike Eagle dropped a guided bomb unit-31 and an A-10 Thunderbolt IIs [confusing – J.J.] dropped GBU-38s and general purpose 500-pound bombs onto anti-Afghan forces who where firing a high-caliber machine gun against coalition forces in the vicinity of Nangalam. In the vicinity of Ghazni, Kabul and near Bagram, A-10s performed shows of force and provided armed aerial overwatch for a coalition convoy conducting operations. In addition, an F-15E conducted a show of force to deter anti-Afghan activities in the area of Ghazni.

Dec. 28: An A-10 Thunderbolt II performed shows of force expending flares to deter anti-Afghan activities in the vicinity of Soltani. An A-10 conducted aerial reconnaissance of an enemy compound to provide a coalition convoy the location of a high value target in the vicinity of Bari Kowt.

Dec. 29: An A-10 Thunderbolt II dropped guided bomb unit-38s onto anti-coalition high value targets in the vicinity of Nangalam.

Dec. 30: Not released

Dec. 31: An A-10 Thunderbolt II fired cannon rounds against anti-Afghan forces who were using small arms fire against Coalition forces in the vicinity of Monari.

See also:
A-10 Afghanistan Combat Summary for November 2008
A-10 Afghanistan Combat Summary for October 2008