By Joachim Jacob
During the last three months, at least eleven of twelve A-10Cs, originally deployed with the 75th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron for Operation Enduring Freedom to the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing at Bagram AB, Afghanistan, for USAF's AEF 5/6 (Cycle 7) rotation (September - December 2008), arrived at Spangdahlem AB, Germany, for wing inspections and repairs due to partial A-10 groundings.
In late December 2008, on this blog I posted the following info:
78-0674 (74th Fighter Squadron, marked 74 FS), arrival 5 December 2008 (after diverting to Ramstein AB)
78-0679 (75th Fighter Squadron), arrival 1 December 2008 (after diverting to Ramstein AB)
78-0697 (74th Fighter Squadron), arrival 2 December 2008 (after diverting to Ramstein AB)
79-0138 (75th Fighter Squadron), arrival 1 December 2008 (after diverting to Ramstein AB)
79-0172 (74th Fighter Squadron), arrival 29 December 2008
79-0186 (75th Fighter Squadron), arrival 2 December 2008 (after diverting to Ramstein AB)
79-0192 (74th Fighter Squadron), arrival 2 December 2008 (after diverting to Ramstein AB)
80-0140 (74th Fighter Squadron), arrival 8 November 2008
80-0149 (75th Fighter Squadron), arrival 8 November 2008
80-0178 (74th Fighter Squadron), arrival 29 December 2008
Meanwhile, some more related info was posted on Scramble Message Board and FlugzeugForum:
6 January 2009: The eleventh aircraft (probably 80-0226, 75th FS) arrived at Spangdahlem AB as Iron 01.
7 January 2009: One unidentified 75th EFS A-10C made a very short local flight at Spangdahlem AB.
8 January 2009: Two unidentified 75th EFS A-10Cs departed Spangdahlem AB as Trend 87 and Trend 88 for Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sicily.
12 January 2009: Seen at Spangdahlem AB was 78-0697.
14 January 2009: Seen at Naval Support Activity Souda Bay, Crete, Greece, routing eastbound, were:
78-0674, 79-0138, 79-0186, 79-0192. At the same day, 78-0697 was seen on a local flight at Spangdahlem AB.
26 January 2009: Two unidentified 75th EFS A-10Cs departed Spangdahlem AB for NAS Sigonella as Mazda 08 and Mazda 09 around noon. They were scheduled to depart at 09:00 local, but visibility at RAF Mildenhall, UK, was only 100 meters. And so, the associated tanker had a three-hour delay.
At the moment, there are no indications which A-10 unit will replace the 75th EFS at Bagram AB for USAF's AEF 7/8 (Cycle 7) rotation (January – April 2009). But at least in my eyes it could be possible that the 75th EFS aircraft will stay at Bagram AB, supported by 74th FS personnel, also from Moody AFB.
See also:
Two more 75th EFS A-10Cs arrives at Spang for wing inspections and repairs
Spangdahlem helps get deployed aircraft back into the air, and into the fight
Diverted 81st FS A-10s relocated from Ramstein to Spang
USAF released first photos of diverted 75th EFS A-10s at Ramstein
Two diverted 75th EFS A-10s left Ramstein for Spang
Intel: Enroute to Spang, Bagram A-10s diverted to Ramstein
Intel: Two more 75th EFS A-10s enroute to Spang?
Two combat-deployed 75th EFS A-10s relocate from Bagram to Spang
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Pilot for a day
Lt. Col. Michael Millen, 354th Fighter Squadron Commander, presents Kyle Chamberlain, 13, with a chrome 30mm bullet engraved with his name at Davis-Monthan AFB on January 23rd, 2009. The Pilot For A Day program is designed to help children with disabilities or serious illnesses enjoy a day focused on them and their interest in aviation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Brittany Dowdle) Hi-res
Friday, January 23, 2009
Major's medal, artifacts on display at Air Force museum
(Updated 25 January 2009)
by Sean Bowlin
12th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
Maj. Steve Raspet, a former A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot with the 354th Fighter Squadron, looks at the mannequin that represents him and some of the artifacts he donated as part of the new "Warrior Airmen" exhibit on January 13th, 2009, at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. Major Raspet, the 12th Operations Group T-6A Texan II standards and evaluation branch chief and instructor pilot at Randolph AFB, Texas, was one of the first Airmen to earn the Air Force Combat Action Medal after he and his wingman provided air cover and close-air support during a joint Afghan army and U.S. Army operation while deployed in 2006. (U.S. Air Force photo by Jeff Fisher) Hi-res
1/22/2009 - RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) -- One of the first Airmen to earn an Air Force Combat Action Medal donated his award, alongside others, to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
Maj. Steve Raspet, the 12th Operations Group T-6A Texan II standards and evaluation branch chief and an instructor pilot at Randolph AFB, was recognized Jan. 14 during the opening of an exhibition on the Air Force's participation in operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
"Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom are a tremendous part of our country's history," said Col. Jeffrey Brown, the 12th Operations Group deputy commander. "The Air Force has obviously played a large role in the success of these operations. It is certainly fitting that they should develop a museum display to honor the professionalism, sacrifice and bravery of men and women like Major Raspet."
Major Raspet received the medal in January 2007 from former Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley. Shortly after, he thought about donating the medal and other items from his deployment.
"I didn't want them to sit on a mantle or lay in a closet somewhere, so I contacted the museum and said I'd like to donate the items," the major said. "It was good timing because they were getting together the exhibit on the Air Force's participation in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom."
He also donated shells expended from his main gun on the A-10 Thunderbolt II during the medal-winning sortie.
On that Jan. 8, 2006, sortie, Major Raspet was the flight lead of two A-10s from the 354th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron from Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.
He was called to provide air cover and close-air support during a joint Afghan army and U.S. Army operation when friendlies were in heavy contact with the enemy.
During his 13-minute flight, friendlies were taking increasing enemy fire. Major Raspet and his wingman destroyed eight stationary vehicles exposed in the middle of a large, dried-up riverbed as friendlies started receiving more enemy fire from a building located west of the friendly convoy's last vehicle.
When friendly forces requested cover from the major and his wingman, a .50-caliber machine gunner marked the enemy location. Then, Major Raspet and his wingman suppressed the enemy.
The friendly convoy, which was impacted by improvised explosive devices earlier the same day, moved out toward its forward operating base as Major Raspet and his wingman made show-of-force passes near the convoy to deter further enemy attacks.
After the major received the medal for his actions that day, he contacted Tech. Sgt. Shannon Craig, one of the controllers on the ground with the convoy. He found out the sergeant was donating some of his equipment items used that day to the exhibit, so the major followed suit.
The major, who described himself as a military history buff, said he was basically left speechless when he found out his items would be displayed in the exhibit alongside Sergeant Craig's.
"I just didn't know what to say," he said.
"Steve is an exceptional officer and warrior and the perfect choice to represent his fellow Airmen in documenting the Air Force piece of these important historical events," Colonel Brown said.
Major Raspet said his mission was a typical and ordinary one for attack pilots based in Afghanistan at that time; a mission he was glad to be part of.
"There's no better mission than supporting the men on the ground," he said. "And the amount of responsibility that young lieutenants and captains flying those sorties have is tremendous."
Major Raspet said he's thankful to the pararescuemen, combat controllers and Soldiers and Airmen in convoys whose items will also be included in the display -- and looks forward to seeing it.
Source
Note: This is an edited version of a news article already released on Randolph AFB's public website on January 16th, 2009.
Related news:
Museum opens exhibit dedicated to 'Warrior Airmen' (14 January 2009)
Air Force Awards First Combat Action Medals (12 June 2007)
(This DoD source stated: Raspet is an A-10 pilot with the 354th Fighter Squadron, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. While deployed to Afghanistan on Jan. 8, 2006, Raspet was the flight lead of a two ship of A-10s tasked to cover a joint Afghan/U.S. Army operation. He responded to a convoy's request for close air support as they were taking fire from a building adjacent to their route. After confirming the exact location of coalition forces, Raspet executed several low roll-ins to place weapons on target. Despite communications problems and the imminent threat of ground fire, he eliminated the threat, continued to provide presence, and deterred further attack for nearly an hour as the convoy transited the ambush area.)
Related link:
National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
Related USAF photos, displayed on the new "Warrior Airmen" exhibit:
Maj. Steve Raspet (left) and his wingman 1Lt. Andrew Tenebaum the day after the June 12 mission. (U.S. Air Force photo) Hi-res
Like other A-10 pilots, Maj. Raspet used a saddle bag placed on the dashboard to carry maps, pens and other necessities. This saddlebag is now on display in the hand of a mannequin in the Warrior Airmen exhibit at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo) Hi-res
Maj. Steve Raspet returning from a mission in Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo) Hi-res
The first Combat Action Medals were awarded to six Airmen on June 12, 2007. (Front row, left to right): Maj. Steven Raspet, SMSgt. Ramon Colon-Lopez, Capt. Allison Black. Back row, left to right: MSgt. Byron Allen, MSgt. Charlie Peterson, SSgt. Daniel Paxton. (U.S. Air Force photo) Hi-res
As the ranking officer of the awardees, Maj. Steven Raspet had the Combat Action Medal pinned on first. Here, then-USAF Chief of Staff T. Michael Moseley pins the medal onto Maj. Raspet. (U.S. Air Force photo) Hi-res
The Orange County Register wrote:
by Sean Bowlin
12th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
Maj. Steve Raspet, a former A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot with the 354th Fighter Squadron, looks at the mannequin that represents him and some of the artifacts he donated as part of the new "Warrior Airmen" exhibit on January 13th, 2009, at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. Major Raspet, the 12th Operations Group T-6A Texan II standards and evaluation branch chief and instructor pilot at Randolph AFB, Texas, was one of the first Airmen to earn the Air Force Combat Action Medal after he and his wingman provided air cover and close-air support during a joint Afghan army and U.S. Army operation while deployed in 2006. (U.S. Air Force photo by Jeff Fisher) Hi-res
1/22/2009 - RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) -- One of the first Airmen to earn an Air Force Combat Action Medal donated his award, alongside others, to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
Maj. Steve Raspet, the 12th Operations Group T-6A Texan II standards and evaluation branch chief and an instructor pilot at Randolph AFB, was recognized Jan. 14 during the opening of an exhibition on the Air Force's participation in operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
"Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom are a tremendous part of our country's history," said Col. Jeffrey Brown, the 12th Operations Group deputy commander. "The Air Force has obviously played a large role in the success of these operations. It is certainly fitting that they should develop a museum display to honor the professionalism, sacrifice and bravery of men and women like Major Raspet."
Major Raspet received the medal in January 2007 from former Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley. Shortly after, he thought about donating the medal and other items from his deployment.
"I didn't want them to sit on a mantle or lay in a closet somewhere, so I contacted the museum and said I'd like to donate the items," the major said. "It was good timing because they were getting together the exhibit on the Air Force's participation in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom."
He also donated shells expended from his main gun on the A-10 Thunderbolt II during the medal-winning sortie.
On that Jan. 8, 2006, sortie, Major Raspet was the flight lead of two A-10s from the 354th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron from Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.
He was called to provide air cover and close-air support during a joint Afghan army and U.S. Army operation when friendlies were in heavy contact with the enemy.
During his 13-minute flight, friendlies were taking increasing enemy fire. Major Raspet and his wingman destroyed eight stationary vehicles exposed in the middle of a large, dried-up riverbed as friendlies started receiving more enemy fire from a building located west of the friendly convoy's last vehicle.
When friendly forces requested cover from the major and his wingman, a .50-caliber machine gunner marked the enemy location. Then, Major Raspet and his wingman suppressed the enemy.
The friendly convoy, which was impacted by improvised explosive devices earlier the same day, moved out toward its forward operating base as Major Raspet and his wingman made show-of-force passes near the convoy to deter further enemy attacks.
After the major received the medal for his actions that day, he contacted Tech. Sgt. Shannon Craig, one of the controllers on the ground with the convoy. He found out the sergeant was donating some of his equipment items used that day to the exhibit, so the major followed suit.
The major, who described himself as a military history buff, said he was basically left speechless when he found out his items would be displayed in the exhibit alongside Sergeant Craig's.
"I just didn't know what to say," he said.
"Steve is an exceptional officer and warrior and the perfect choice to represent his fellow Airmen in documenting the Air Force piece of these important historical events," Colonel Brown said.
Major Raspet said his mission was a typical and ordinary one for attack pilots based in Afghanistan at that time; a mission he was glad to be part of.
"There's no better mission than supporting the men on the ground," he said. "And the amount of responsibility that young lieutenants and captains flying those sorties have is tremendous."
Major Raspet said he's thankful to the pararescuemen, combat controllers and Soldiers and Airmen in convoys whose items will also be included in the display -- and looks forward to seeing it.
Source
Note: This is an edited version of a news article already released on Randolph AFB's public website on January 16th, 2009.
Related news:
Museum opens exhibit dedicated to 'Warrior Airmen' (14 January 2009)
Air Force Awards First Combat Action Medals (12 June 2007)
(This DoD source stated: Raspet is an A-10 pilot with the 354th Fighter Squadron, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. While deployed to Afghanistan on Jan. 8, 2006, Raspet was the flight lead of a two ship of A-10s tasked to cover a joint Afghan/U.S. Army operation. He responded to a convoy's request for close air support as they were taking fire from a building adjacent to their route. After confirming the exact location of coalition forces, Raspet executed several low roll-ins to place weapons on target. Despite communications problems and the imminent threat of ground fire, he eliminated the threat, continued to provide presence, and deterred further attack for nearly an hour as the convoy transited the ambush area.)
Related link:
National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
Related USAF photos, displayed on the new "Warrior Airmen" exhibit:
Maj. Steve Raspet (left) and his wingman 1Lt. Andrew Tenebaum the day after the June 12 mission. (U.S. Air Force photo) Hi-res
Like other A-10 pilots, Maj. Raspet used a saddle bag placed on the dashboard to carry maps, pens and other necessities. This saddlebag is now on display in the hand of a mannequin in the Warrior Airmen exhibit at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo) Hi-res
Maj. Steve Raspet returning from a mission in Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo) Hi-res
The first Combat Action Medals were awarded to six Airmen on June 12, 2007. (Front row, left to right): Maj. Steven Raspet, SMSgt. Ramon Colon-Lopez, Capt. Allison Black. Back row, left to right: MSgt. Byron Allen, MSgt. Charlie Peterson, SSgt. Daniel Paxton. (U.S. Air Force photo) Hi-res
As the ranking officer of the awardees, Maj. Steven Raspet had the Combat Action Medal pinned on first. Here, then-USAF Chief of Staff T. Michael Moseley pins the medal onto Maj. Raspet. (U.S. Air Force photo) Hi-res
The Orange County Register wrote:
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Air Force museum honors local 'Warrior Airman'
Maj. Steve Raspet, a Fountain Valley native, is honored in exhibit opening today at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Ohio.
By Kristal Seeden
For The Orange County Register
Maj. Steve Raspet was an Air Force brat. His father moved his family around the country while serving but settled in Fountain Valley after retiring.
Raspet, a graduate of Fountain Valley High School, says he knew what he wanted to do his whole life.
"My grandpa was a pilot, my dad was a pilot; I guess I couldn't think of anything original to do," he said.
Now, his three-generation legacy is being preserved in history. Raspet and his accomplishments are highlighted in an exhibit that opened Tuesday at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio titled "Warrior Airmen."
In June 2007, the 35-year-old was among the first six recipients of the Air Force Combat Action Medal, an award established to commend airmen who engage in combat, including those under direct and hostile fire. He received the award from Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley at the Air Force Memorial in Arlington, Va.
While assisting a joint U.S. Army and Afghan convoy near Kandahar, Afghanistan on Jan. 6, 2006, Raspet, the then-flight leader of two A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft, responded to a request for air presence when another convoy came under enemy attack. The airmen located the ambush threat and targeted the source of the small-arms gunfire and continued to escort the convoy for nearly an hour.
The Air Force Combat Action Medal "recognizes the changing role of the Air Force in Iraq and Afghanistan," Raspet said. The honor acknowledges airmen in a way that similar medals honor soldiers and Marines for their valor in combat.
Raspet decided he wanted to donate the medal after hearing that two of the other original recipients had given their medals to an enlistment hall. After a discussion with his wife, the father of four came up with the idea of offering it to the museum.
"I wanted to give it to my kids but I thought, 'What would be better than donating it to the Air Force museum?'" he recalled. "'My kids would get a kick out of it.'"
"Warrior Airmen" also features the uniform Raspet wore, complete with a mannequin of Raspet, a 30 mm shell unique to A-10 aircraft and pictures taken the day of the mission.
"Warrior Airmen" is one of the largest exhibits in the museum, officials said.
"It presents the essential role of Air Force people in operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom," museum spokesman Rob Bardua said.
The exhibit includes more than 400 artifacts, three dioramas with fully dressed and equipped mannequins, a robot investigating an improvised explosive device, an audio visual presentation on a 15-foot-wide screen, and compelling first-hand accounts, Bardua said.
The exhibit opened after a special ceremony honoring its subjects on Monday. Raspet attended with his wife, children and parents, Dave and Jan Raspet, who still live in Fountain Valley.
Besides coming face to face with a life-size representation of himself, Raspet had hoped to come face to face with the man behind the voice on the other side of the radio: the airman embedded with the Army convoy who helped to coordinate the strike in 2006, Shannon Cruz, who is also featured in the exhibit.
Though both now live in Texas -- Raspet and his family are stationed at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, and Cruz has since joined the Texas Army National Guard -- they hadn't yet met.
The meeting was not to be. Cruz could not attend the exhibit because of Army training.
"We tried to meet up a couple of times," Raspet said, but it never quite worked out. "It's pretty rare that you get to meet the guys from the ground.''
Source
Two of the associated pictures:
Maj. Steve Raspet, a Fountain Valley High School graduate, takes off in an A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft on the day of a strike mission, for which he received the Air Force Combat Action Medal. (Courtesy Maj. Steve Raspet)
Maj. Steve Raspet, top left, is pictured (clockwise from center) with daughter Lucia "Razzie", 3, daughter Eliana, 9, son Isaiah, 7, son August, 7 months, and wife Lynne, in front of a T-6A Texan II. (Courtesy Maj. Steve Raspet)
Monday, January 19, 2009
355th Fighter Wing Phase II ORE
Only two of the related pictures, released on Davis-Monthan's public website:
Members of the 355th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron connect a tow bar to A-10 79-0190 during the Phase II Operational Readiness Exercise at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, on January 14th, 2009. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Noah R. Johnson) Hi-res
Staff Sgt. Brian Tucker (right) of the 355th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron guides Senior Airman Jacob Britton as he loads a missile container onto a forklift to move to next aircraft during the Phase II Operational Readiness Exercise at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, on January 14th, 2009. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Noah R. Johnson) Hi-res
Members of the 355th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron connect a tow bar to A-10 79-0190 during the Phase II Operational Readiness Exercise at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, on January 14th, 2009. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Noah R. Johnson) Hi-res
Staff Sgt. Brian Tucker (right) of the 355th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron guides Senior Airman Jacob Britton as he loads a missile container onto a forklift to move to next aircraft during the Phase II Operational Readiness Exercise at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, on January 14th, 2009. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Noah R. Johnson) Hi-res
Saturday, January 17, 2009
More pics from ORE Beverly Bulldog 09-01 at Osan AB
On Osan AB's public website, 51st Fighter Wing 'Mustangs' Public Affairs released some more photos of the week-long Operational Readiness Exercise Beverly Bulldog 09-01. Here are the best shots of A-10s from the 25th Fighter Squadron 'Assam Draggins':
A-10 80-0153 from the 25th Fighter Squadron taxies off the runway after completing a sortie during Exercise Beverly Bulldog 09-01 at Osan AB, Republic of Korea, on January 15th, 2009. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Scottie T. McCord) Hi-res
Senior Airman James Fox (left), and Staff Sgt. Shawn Harris fuel up A-10 80-0253 from the 25th Fighter Squadron during Exercise Beverly Bulldog 09-01 at Osan AB, Republic of Korea, on January 14th, 2009. Airman Fox is assigned to the 51st Logistics Readiness Squadron and Sergeant Harris is assigned to the 25th Aircraft Maintenance Unit. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Christopher Boitz) Hi-res
Airmen assigned to the 25th Aircraft Maintenance Unit perform testing landing gear of A-10 80-0213 from the 25th Fighter Squadron during Exercise Beverly Bulldog 09-01 at Osan AB, Republic of Korea, on January 15th, 2009. Very interesting is the inscription on the air intake cover: 25th AMU DRAGGIN MAINT. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Christopher Boitz) Hi-res
See also: 51st Fighter Wing 'Mustangs' get ready for ORE
A-10 80-0153 from the 25th Fighter Squadron taxies off the runway after completing a sortie during Exercise Beverly Bulldog 09-01 at Osan AB, Republic of Korea, on January 15th, 2009. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Scottie T. McCord) Hi-res
Senior Airman James Fox (left), and Staff Sgt. Shawn Harris fuel up A-10 80-0253 from the 25th Fighter Squadron during Exercise Beverly Bulldog 09-01 at Osan AB, Republic of Korea, on January 14th, 2009. Airman Fox is assigned to the 51st Logistics Readiness Squadron and Sergeant Harris is assigned to the 25th Aircraft Maintenance Unit. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Christopher Boitz) Hi-res
Airmen assigned to the 25th Aircraft Maintenance Unit perform testing landing gear of A-10 80-0213 from the 25th Fighter Squadron during Exercise Beverly Bulldog 09-01 at Osan AB, Republic of Korea, on January 15th, 2009. Very interesting is the inscription on the air intake cover: 25th AMU DRAGGIN MAINT. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Christopher Boitz) Hi-res
See also: 51st Fighter Wing 'Mustangs' get ready for ORE
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Instead of A-10s, F-16s now selected to temporarily replace AH-64s in South Korea
By Joachim Jacob
(Updated 15 January 2009)
In late 2008, the United States had planned to send 12 A-10 Thunderbolt IIs to the Republic of Korea to temporarily replace U.S. Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopters bound for Iraq and Afghanistan. But both sides changed that plan because of required maintenance for the A-10 aircraft, U.S. and South Korean military officials announced today during a news conference at South Korea's Ministry of National Defense in Seoul. Instead of the A-10s, 12 F-16 Fighting Falcons now will deploy.
During the news conference, 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, the A-10 platform and the F-16 platform are all capable of performing that mission."
Col. Mike Chandler, left, chief of staff of the 7th Air Force, answers reporters' questions at the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul, Tuesday. He said the U.S. military plans to temporarily deploy 12 F-16 fighters to South Korea to replace departing Apache Longbow attack helicopters. At right is Col. Lee Geon-wan, chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff's air operations bureau. (Photo by Yonhap)
At least in my eyes, the reason for this important change of aircraft types must be clearly related to ongoing problems with inspections and repairs on A-10s due to wing cracks which resulted in large-scale partial A-10 groundings since October last year. But it's still unknown to me which A-10 unit was originally slated to deploy to South Korea for this replacement.
According to The Korea Times, Chandler said maintenance requirements mainly deal with structural problems with A-10 models, adding it would take a year to repair all A-10 assets. WOW! That would be in sharp contrast to previous reports which talked about a six-month time frame.
Today, on their public website United States Forces Korea (USFK) published a related press release:
On November 16, 2008, USFK had published the following press release:
Related news media coverage:
F-16s replace departing Apache helo unit (Stars and Stripes, 14 January 2009)
US to send 12 F-16 fighter jets to SKorea (International Herald Tribune, 13 January 2009)
USFK Flip-Flops Over Replacement of Apaches (The Korea Times, 13 January 2009)
U.S. to replace Apaches with F-16s (The Korea Herald, 13 January 2009)
US to deploy F-16s in S.Korea (The Straits Times, 13 January 2009)
U.S. to send 12 F-16s to South Korea (Air Force Times, 13 January 2009)
Some background info:
7th Air Force, headquartered at Osan AB, Republic of Korea, is one of Pacific Air Forces (PACAF's) major units. 7th Air Force has two wings: the 8th Fighter Wing 'Wolfpack', located at Kunsan AB, and the 51st Fighter Wing 'Mustangs', located at Osan AB. The 8th FW operates F-16C/Ds (35th Fighter Squadron 'Pantons' and 80th Fighter Squadron 'Juvats'). The 51st FW operates A-10s (25th Fighter Squadron 'Assam Draggins') and F-16C/Ds (36th Fighter Squadron 'Fiends' - also called 'Flying Fiends').
(Updated 15 January 2009)
In late 2008, the United States had planned to send 12 A-10 Thunderbolt IIs to the Republic of Korea to temporarily replace U.S. Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopters bound for Iraq and Afghanistan. But both sides changed that plan because of required maintenance for the A-10 aircraft, U.S. and South Korean military officials announced today during a news conference at South Korea's Ministry of National Defense in Seoul. Instead of the A-10s, 12 F-16 Fighting Falcons now will deploy.
During the news conference, 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, the A-10 platform and the F-16 platform are all capable of performing that mission."
Col. Mike Chandler, left, chief of staff of the 7th Air Force, answers reporters' questions at the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul, Tuesday. He said the U.S. military plans to temporarily deploy 12 F-16 fighters to South Korea to replace departing Apache Longbow attack helicopters. At right is Col. Lee Geon-wan, chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff's air operations bureau. (Photo by Yonhap)
At least in my eyes, the reason for this important change of aircraft types must be clearly related to ongoing problems with inspections and repairs on A-10s due to wing cracks which resulted in large-scale partial A-10 groundings since October last year. But it's still unknown to me which A-10 unit was originally slated to deploy to South Korea for this replacement.
According to The Korea Times, Chandler said maintenance requirements mainly deal with structural problems with A-10 models, adding it would take a year to repair all A-10 assets. WOW! That would be in sharp contrast to previous reports which talked about a six-month time frame.
Today, on their public website United States Forces Korea (USFK) published a related press release:
F-16 Rotation to Replace Departing 1-2 ARB
Release #090113-1
The Department of Defense has approved the deployment of twelve rotational F-16 jet aircraft as a replacement for the 1-2 Attack Reconnaissance Battalion when it departs Korea in March 2009 for rotational support in the Global War on Terrorism.
The F-16s will be in place before the Apache helicopters of the 1-2 ARB depart, ensuring no gap in capability exists as this realignment occurs. Due to increased requirements for inspections and repairs to the A-10 fleet, the F-16s will be deployed rotationally to Korea instead of the previously announced A-10 rotation.
The F-16 is a multi-role fighter capable of conducting a broad range of missions, including close air support, precision strike and counter-air. It provides added capability in targeting, precision munitions, detection, and defensive measures.
"The F-16's combat-proven record is well known and will provide an enhanced deterrent capability on the Korean Peninsula," said General Walter Sharp, Commander of U.S. Forces in Korea. "This deployment also increases Republic of Korea-United States training opportunities, which further strengthen Combined Forces Command's ability to defeat any north Korean aggression."
The U.S. remains committed to the defense of the Republic of Korea and will ensure the required capabilities are deployed on and around the Korean Peninsula.
This deployment supports the Department of Defense's continued commitment to maintain the force level of 28,500 on the peninsula.
The decision to deploy the F-16s follows the announcement by USFK in November that the 1-2 ARB will re-station to Fort Carson, Colorado, after which it will join rotational deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.
Source
On November 16, 2008, USFK had published the following press release:
DoD Approves Restationing of Apache Battalion
Release #081116-1
The Secretary of Defense has approved the restationing of one of the two Apache reconnaissance battalions currently stationed in the Republic of Korea, the 1-2 Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, in order to make the unit available for rotational deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan.
The helicopter battalion is being restationed to Fort Carson, Colorado.
Twelve A-10 jet aircraft will be sent to Korea in March 2009 to temporarily replace the departing Apache battalion. The replacement A-10 attack aircraft will provide greater responsiveness, longer range, larger precision munitions, greater options for ordnance employment, greater survivability and increased interdiction capability compared to the departing AH-64 Apache Longbow aviation helicopter.
The additional deployment of an MH-53 helicopter detachment to Korea during FY09, along with added U2 capability, will enhance the overall military capability on the Korean peninsula.
"Our capability to protect the Republic of Korea is not diminished," said Lt. Gen. Joseph Fil, Eighth U.S. Army commander. "The U.S. remains fully committed to the defense of the Republic of Korea and the overall security and stability of the region."
As the Secretary of Defense and Minister of National Defense reconfirmed at the October 17th Security Consultative Meeting, the U.S. will maintain the current U.S. force level of about 28,500 in the Republic of Korea.
The Army's plan to restation 1-2 ARB at Ft. Carson in March 2009 is both operationally and family focused. It will allow the unit to stabilize its soldiers and family members, preset organizational equipment, and provide an opportunity to train for operations in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom prior to its operational deployment in the Fall 2009.
The battalion has an authorized personnel strength of about 500 Soldiers.
The U.S. Embassy made official host nation notification on Saturday. Also on Saturday, the unit chain of command notified Soldiers and family members about the unit move.
Source
Related news media coverage:
F-16s replace departing Apache helo unit (Stars and Stripes, 14 January 2009)
US to send 12 F-16 fighter jets to SKorea (International Herald Tribune, 13 January 2009)
USFK Flip-Flops Over Replacement of Apaches (The Korea Times, 13 January 2009)
U.S. to replace Apaches with F-16s (The Korea Herald, 13 January 2009)
US to deploy F-16s in S.Korea (The Straits Times, 13 January 2009)
U.S. to send 12 F-16s to South Korea (Air Force Times, 13 January 2009)
Some background info:
7th Air Force, headquartered at Osan AB, Republic of Korea, is one of Pacific Air Forces (PACAF's) major units. 7th Air Force has two wings: the 8th Fighter Wing 'Wolfpack', located at Kunsan AB, and the 51st Fighter Wing 'Mustangs', located at Osan AB. The 8th FW operates F-16C/Ds (35th Fighter Squadron 'Pantons' and 80th Fighter Squadron 'Juvats'). The 51st FW operates A-10s (25th Fighter Squadron 'Assam Draggins') and F-16C/Ds (36th Fighter Squadron 'Fiends' - also called 'Flying Fiends').
Monday, January 12, 2009
Probably the first known 81st FS A-10 shots with AN/ARC-210 radios
The following two private shots were released for first time on German FlugzeugForum, topic Spangdahlem (ETAD) 2009:
A-10 81-0952 from the 81st Fighter Squadron arrives at Spangdahlem AB, Germany, on January 8th, 2009. (Photo by Mike Becker) Hi-res
A-10 81-0983 from the 81st Fighter Squadron arrives at Spangdahlem AB, Germany, on January 8th, 2009. (Photo by Mike Becker) Hi-res
Related to the visible new antennas, these shots should be the very first known photo proofs of Spang 'Hogs' which already got AN/ARC-210 digital radios as part of the ongoing satellite communications system upgrade. I'm not sure, but could be both aircraft already upgraded to the A-10C standard?
Related to the A-10C upgrades and the new AN/ARC-210 antennas, in the next couple of days I will launch another sub-blog with related background info.
Special thanks to Mike Becker from Germany for his written permission to post his pictures on my Warthog News!
A-10 81-0952 from the 81st Fighter Squadron arrives at Spangdahlem AB, Germany, on January 8th, 2009. (Photo by Mike Becker) Hi-res
A-10 81-0983 from the 81st Fighter Squadron arrives at Spangdahlem AB, Germany, on January 8th, 2009. (Photo by Mike Becker) Hi-res
Related to the visible new antennas, these shots should be the very first known photo proofs of Spang 'Hogs' which already got AN/ARC-210 digital radios as part of the ongoing satellite communications system upgrade. I'm not sure, but could be both aircraft already upgraded to the A-10C standard?
Related to the A-10C upgrades and the new AN/ARC-210 antennas, in the next couple of days I will launch another sub-blog with related background info.
Special thanks to Mike Becker from Germany for his written permission to post his pictures on my Warthog News!
51st Fighter Wing 'Mustangs' get ready for ORE
Members from the 25th Aircraft Maintenance Unit prepare A-10 80-0224 from the 25th Fighter Squadron in the dark during Operational Readiness Exercise Beverly Bulldog 09-01 at Osan AB, Republic of Korea, on January 11th, 2009. Team Osan will be exercising their unit mission of defending the base, accepting follow-on forces, and taking the fight north during the week-long ORE. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Christopher Boitz) Hi-res
Friday, January 9, 2009
U of A basketball team shoots hoops with D-M youth
by Airman 1st Class Jamie L. Coggan
355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
1/7/2009 - DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- The University of Arizona basketball team was here Jan. 6 to expand their understanding of the D-M mission and to spend time meeting and playing basketball with children from the D-M Youth Center.
"This was a great opportunity to show the guys what goes on in the Air Force," said Mike Dunlap, the U of A basketball team associate head coach "They were really excited about coming out here."
The team viewed an A-10 Thunderbolt static display and received a mission brief by the vice wing commander before heading over to the Benko Fitness Center where more than 40 kids welcomed them with cheers and signs as they entered. [...]
Full Story
The University of Arizona basketball team members pose with Airmen in front of A-10 82-0662 during their visit at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, on January 6, 2009. The team's visit was part of an education and mentorship outreach program. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Brittany Dowdle) Hi-res
355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
1/7/2009 - DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- The University of Arizona basketball team was here Jan. 6 to expand their understanding of the D-M mission and to spend time meeting and playing basketball with children from the D-M Youth Center.
"This was a great opportunity to show the guys what goes on in the Air Force," said Mike Dunlap, the U of A basketball team associate head coach "They were really excited about coming out here."
The team viewed an A-10 Thunderbolt static display and received a mission brief by the vice wing commander before heading over to the Benko Fitness Center where more than 40 kids welcomed them with cheers and signs as they entered. [...]
Full Story
The University of Arizona basketball team members pose with Airmen in front of A-10 82-0662 during their visit at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, on January 6, 2009. The team's visit was part of an education and mentorship outreach program. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Brittany Dowdle) Hi-res
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Afghan media learn about close air support
by Staff Sgt. Rachel Martinez
455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
1/8/2009 - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan -- The 455th Air Expeditionary Wing, together with the Bagram Media Operations Center, hosted its first Afghan media day Jan. 5.
Fourteen journalists and cameramen from various Afghan news agencies received an up-close look at close air support in Afghanistan, complete with tours of the F-15E Strike Eagle and the A-10 Thunderbolt II and a briefing from Brig. Gen. Mike Holmes, 455th AEW commander.
According to General Holmes, the conflict in Afghanistan is just as much an information war as it is a kinetic one. Department of Defense Public Affairs strives to provide timely and accurate information; however succeeding at the information war becomes a challenge when competing with an enemy who is not concerned with facts. Since the insurgents are good at getting their story out, in order for balanced media coverage it becomes essential for U.S. and coalition forces to engage the local media.
"To our knowledge, the Afghan media had not been engaged like this before," said Army Capt. Jennifer Martin, from the Bagram Media Operations Center. "It's really important we engage the Afghan media because we're in their country. They need to understand what we are doing, how we are doing it, where we are doing it and how it affects them."
The BMOC hosted multiple Afghan media days in the past year, however this was the first time the event focused on air power. The day's events were intended to provide the media representatives with a better understanding of how the 455th AEW executes its close air support mission.
"A lot of coverage is slanted in a negative nature against us," said Army 1st Lt. Meagan Newsom of the BMOC. "It's not that they are trying to make us look bad but how can they report fairly on something they don't fully understand?"
As the media representatives had a chance to see the jets up close and ask questions, they gained a better understanding of CAS execution.
"There are many civilian casualty concerns, but I have learned how the Air Force tries to avoid it and how much they make the aircraft effective in fighting the insurgents," said Sharif Khoram, an Afghan reporter with Agence Free Press News Agency. "It was all explained to me."
With plans for additional Afghan media days and more engagement with local news agencies, the 455th AEW and BMOC hope to build trust among the Afghan population through media coverage on the U.S. and coalition missions.
"We want (the media) to know so they can go out and tell the Afghan people what the Air Force is here to do," said Lieutenant Newsom. "It's very important to tell the coalition story through the Afghan eyes - they tell it best."
Before ending media day, General Holmes thanked the group for their time and interest in the Air Force.
"As a wing, we are proud and happy to host a media day," the general said. "The media helps us do our job by keeping us in check and reporting on what we do. It's important the people of Afghanistan understand how we operate, how we are here to help - and the media plays a key role in accomplishing that."
Source
Members of local news agencies are shown around an A-10C Thunderbolt II from the 75th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron during Afghan Media Day at Bagram AB, Afghanistan, on January 5, 2008. This was the first time the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing has invited Afghan reporters to learn about the close air support mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse) Hi-res
Lt. Col. Derek Oaks, an A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot, is interviewed by a reporter from the Kabul division of BBC. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse) Hi-res
Staff Sgt. Rachel Martinez, public affairs specialist, provides guidance during an interview between Lt. Col. Derek Oaks, an A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot, and members of the Afghan media. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse) Hi-res
455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
1/8/2009 - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan -- The 455th Air Expeditionary Wing, together with the Bagram Media Operations Center, hosted its first Afghan media day Jan. 5.
Fourteen journalists and cameramen from various Afghan news agencies received an up-close look at close air support in Afghanistan, complete with tours of the F-15E Strike Eagle and the A-10 Thunderbolt II and a briefing from Brig. Gen. Mike Holmes, 455th AEW commander.
According to General Holmes, the conflict in Afghanistan is just as much an information war as it is a kinetic one. Department of Defense Public Affairs strives to provide timely and accurate information; however succeeding at the information war becomes a challenge when competing with an enemy who is not concerned with facts. Since the insurgents are good at getting their story out, in order for balanced media coverage it becomes essential for U.S. and coalition forces to engage the local media.
"To our knowledge, the Afghan media had not been engaged like this before," said Army Capt. Jennifer Martin, from the Bagram Media Operations Center. "It's really important we engage the Afghan media because we're in their country. They need to understand what we are doing, how we are doing it, where we are doing it and how it affects them."
The BMOC hosted multiple Afghan media days in the past year, however this was the first time the event focused on air power. The day's events were intended to provide the media representatives with a better understanding of how the 455th AEW executes its close air support mission.
"A lot of coverage is slanted in a negative nature against us," said Army 1st Lt. Meagan Newsom of the BMOC. "It's not that they are trying to make us look bad but how can they report fairly on something they don't fully understand?"
As the media representatives had a chance to see the jets up close and ask questions, they gained a better understanding of CAS execution.
"There are many civilian casualty concerns, but I have learned how the Air Force tries to avoid it and how much they make the aircraft effective in fighting the insurgents," said Sharif Khoram, an Afghan reporter with Agence Free Press News Agency. "It was all explained to me."
With plans for additional Afghan media days and more engagement with local news agencies, the 455th AEW and BMOC hope to build trust among the Afghan population through media coverage on the U.S. and coalition missions.
"We want (the media) to know so they can go out and tell the Afghan people what the Air Force is here to do," said Lieutenant Newsom. "It's very important to tell the coalition story through the Afghan eyes - they tell it best."
Before ending media day, General Holmes thanked the group for their time and interest in the Air Force.
"As a wing, we are proud and happy to host a media day," the general said. "The media helps us do our job by keeping us in check and reporting on what we do. It's important the people of Afghanistan understand how we operate, how we are here to help - and the media plays a key role in accomplishing that."
Source
Members of local news agencies are shown around an A-10C Thunderbolt II from the 75th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron during Afghan Media Day at Bagram AB, Afghanistan, on January 5, 2008. This was the first time the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing has invited Afghan reporters to learn about the close air support mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse) Hi-res
Lt. Col. Derek Oaks, an A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot, is interviewed by a reporter from the Kabul division of BBC. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse) Hi-res
Staff Sgt. Rachel Martinez, public affairs specialist, provides guidance during an interview between Lt. Col. Derek Oaks, an A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot, and members of the Afghan media. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse) Hi-res
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
A-10 Intelligence Training to Take Place in Idaho
by Staff Sgt. Tony Hill
124th Wing
1/6/2009 - GOWEN FIELD, Boise, Idaho -- The military is known for its rigid form and structure, but the reality is that success on the battlefield requires the ability to quickly adapt to new information. This is one lesson that A-10 intelligence personnel know well.
The name of the game in intelligence is knowledge, and making quick decisions requires that personnel have as much knowledge as possible before they deploy. Can an A-10 fly fast enough to arrive in time? Does it have the firepower capable to complete the mission? These questions have to be answered on the fly by mission planning personnel. When intelligence professionals graduate from technical school, they are not fully qualified to provide these answers.
For most aircraft, there are Intelligence Formal Training Units scattered across the Air Force that fill in this knowledge gap for new trainees. The A-10, however, has been sorely missing from the mix. To remedy this problem, the Idaho Air National Guard has stepped in to fill this important requirement and become the only guard unit in the nation to host a school like this.
In 2007, the 124th Wing's Operations Support Flight received funding to start the program and the 124th OG/IFTU was officially born.
"The A-10 IFTU is designed to provide intensive academic and combat-related job training skills for newly trained intelligence professionals assigned to A-10 squadrons combat Air Force wide," said Maj. Steve McHargue, commander of the IFTU. "Upon graduation trainees will achieve advanced skill levels resulting in a more experienced cadre of intelligence personnel available for worldwide A-10 deployments."
The four-week course will significantly reduce the training required when students arrive at their home stations.
Gowen Field is perfectly suited to host this new mission. From a student comfort perspective, it is easy for personnel to fly into Boise, find accommodations, and enjoy the local area, but the real benefit comes from the military diversity located on base. For real-world missions, the A-10 interacts with joint forces, Army armor and air divisions, and units with unique missions within the Air Force, like the ground forward air controllers of the 124th Air Support Operations Squadron. With all of these assets available locally, students will have opportunities to get hands-on experience outside of the classroom.
To train students inside the classroom, a student computer network and mock mission planning cell are being built with the goal of giving students an experience that is as close to combat as possible.
Starting a new mission like this is no easy task, and has required the coordination of units across the base including communications, civil engineering and security forces.
Tech. Sgt. Sara Pippitt has been acting as the IFTU resource advisor and has been at the center of getting the mission started, from funding, to curriculum, to advertising positions, Sergeant Pippitt has been keeping the ball rolling.
"Working with the new mission has been an experience filled with many trials and errors," she said. "But the effort is worth it because the Idaho Air Guard will be able to showcase its 'first class or not at all' spirit to the entire Air Force." Standing up the mission is only the beginning of the hard work.
Teaching the classes will be no easy task, and all of the instructors must have deployment experience to maintain their qualifications and set the standard for A-10 mission planning. So far the majority of the experience is coming from right here at Gowen Field, with 124th intelligence personnel joining the IFTU.
The current plan has trainees arriving and classes officially starting in the first half of 2009. Each class will have 12 students, with up to 8 classes a year. With curriculum under development, construction plans coming together, and hours of hard work paying off, the IFTU is well on its way to becoming a top notch school that will benefit the entire Air Force.
Source
124th Wing
1/6/2009 - GOWEN FIELD, Boise, Idaho -- The military is known for its rigid form and structure, but the reality is that success on the battlefield requires the ability to quickly adapt to new information. This is one lesson that A-10 intelligence personnel know well.
The name of the game in intelligence is knowledge, and making quick decisions requires that personnel have as much knowledge as possible before they deploy. Can an A-10 fly fast enough to arrive in time? Does it have the firepower capable to complete the mission? These questions have to be answered on the fly by mission planning personnel. When intelligence professionals graduate from technical school, they are not fully qualified to provide these answers.
For most aircraft, there are Intelligence Formal Training Units scattered across the Air Force that fill in this knowledge gap for new trainees. The A-10, however, has been sorely missing from the mix. To remedy this problem, the Idaho Air National Guard has stepped in to fill this important requirement and become the only guard unit in the nation to host a school like this.
In 2007, the 124th Wing's Operations Support Flight received funding to start the program and the 124th OG/IFTU was officially born.
"The A-10 IFTU is designed to provide intensive academic and combat-related job training skills for newly trained intelligence professionals assigned to A-10 squadrons combat Air Force wide," said Maj. Steve McHargue, commander of the IFTU. "Upon graduation trainees will achieve advanced skill levels resulting in a more experienced cadre of intelligence personnel available for worldwide A-10 deployments."
The four-week course will significantly reduce the training required when students arrive at their home stations.
Gowen Field is perfectly suited to host this new mission. From a student comfort perspective, it is easy for personnel to fly into Boise, find accommodations, and enjoy the local area, but the real benefit comes from the military diversity located on base. For real-world missions, the A-10 interacts with joint forces, Army armor and air divisions, and units with unique missions within the Air Force, like the ground forward air controllers of the 124th Air Support Operations Squadron. With all of these assets available locally, students will have opportunities to get hands-on experience outside of the classroom.
To train students inside the classroom, a student computer network and mock mission planning cell are being built with the goal of giving students an experience that is as close to combat as possible.
Starting a new mission like this is no easy task, and has required the coordination of units across the base including communications, civil engineering and security forces.
Tech. Sgt. Sara Pippitt has been acting as the IFTU resource advisor and has been at the center of getting the mission started, from funding, to curriculum, to advertising positions, Sergeant Pippitt has been keeping the ball rolling.
"Working with the new mission has been an experience filled with many trials and errors," she said. "But the effort is worth it because the Idaho Air Guard will be able to showcase its 'first class or not at all' spirit to the entire Air Force." Standing up the mission is only the beginning of the hard work.
Teaching the classes will be no easy task, and all of the instructors must have deployment experience to maintain their qualifications and set the standard for A-10 mission planning. So far the majority of the experience is coming from right here at Gowen Field, with 124th intelligence personnel joining the IFTU.
The current plan has trainees arriving and classes officially starting in the first half of 2009. Each class will have 12 students, with up to 8 classes a year. With curriculum under development, construction plans coming together, and hours of hard work paying off, the IFTU is well on its way to becoming a top notch school that will benefit the entire Air Force.
Source
Friday, January 2, 2009
Wartime puts A-10 repairs on fast track
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
By Amy Schlesing
Posted on Friday, January 2, 2009
The nation's fleet of A-10 Warthog jet fighters is in crisis, with half of the 356 planes in the U.S. Air Force inventory grounded because of wing cracks - including most of the 21 planes flown by Arkansas' 188th Fighter Wing.
For the Arkansas National Guard's 188th, however, it couldn't have happened at a better time.
While Air Force officials say it will take more than six months to get the fleet flying again, Arkansas' Warthogs have been moved to the front of the line because of a planned wartime deployment in early 2010. The 188th expects to have most of its planes fixed and back at its Fort Smith base by March.
"By that being the case [moving to the front of the line] and us getting our planes back sooner than other people will, we will, in fact, be able to prepare ourselves to be ready to go in 2010," said Col. Thomas Anderson, commander of the 188th. "We will have that extra time that we wouldn't otherwise have had if we hadn't been named a priority."
Still, with a deployment on the horizon, time remains precious.
The 188th converted from the F-16 fighter jet to the slower and hardier A-10 two years ago as part of the 2005 Base Realign- ment and Closure Commission recommendations. And last year the Air Force implemented a widespread upgrade of the aircraft that changes its avionics and weapons systems and requires extensive retraining for all A-10 pilots. About a third of the 188th's pilots are currently trained on the upgraded A-10C, commonly used for close air support of ground troops and bunker busting.
When the recent discovery of wing cracks that make flyable aircraft scarce is factored in, time becomes critical because hundreds of hours of flight training required of the 188th over the next year has to be delayed.
The National Guard and Reserve decided to pool all of their nongrounded aircraft at Baltimore, home of one of the first Guard A-10 wings, to share knowledge and planes.
"Because Baltimore has so much expertise in the flying end of the C-model, we have been able to upgrade nine or 10 of our pilots," Anderson said. Those pilots will be able to train their fellow Arkansans at home as the planes are fixed.
The wing cracks are being repaired at Hill Air Force Base in Utah, where the 188th's planes were already scheduled to undergo avionics and bomb guidance system upgrades. The wing cracks - stress fractures at the rivet joints where the landing gear mounting brackets attach to the underside of the plane's wings - were first discovered four years ago in the oldest A-10s in the fleet.
Younger planes were discovered to have similar stress fractures in October. On Oct. 3, the Air Force ordered all A-10s to be inspected for wing cracks. At first, only about a third of the fleet was believed to be affected.
"They are very minute cracks," said Col. Mark Berry, 188th Maintenance Group commander. "In fact, you have to have use a mechanical device to reach up inside a hole and run electrical current to find them. None of these cracks are visible to the naked eye."
Within the past few weeks, however, the Air Force reported that about half the fleet would need repairs. While the repair is expected to double the life span of the aging aircraft, it takes time.
The A-10 is no longer in production and planes in the fleet are 20 to 30 years old.
Even under the best of circumstances, the 188th had just enough time to transition to the upgraded plane before the pending deployment without a chronic structure flaw like wing cracks entering the picture. Even with the benefit of being at the head of the line, the additional repairs affect the training timeline.
"When this issue came up with the cracks in the wings, most of our airplanes were already out there [Hill Air Force Base]," Berry said, pointing out that several other National Guard and active duty planes are also undergoing avionics and weapons systems upgrades that will allow them to drop laserguided "smart" bombs.
Once the wing cracks hit, however, the demand for maintenance hangar space skyrocketed.
"What makes the process longer is just getting these airplanes into a hangar to work on," Berry said. "A lot of our airplanes are on the ramp waiting to be fixed."
While Berry said the inspection and repair process is timeconsuming, it's almost over. The 188th's planes will start returning to Arkansas in a few weeks, with the bulk of the fleet returned by March.
"It's delayed getting our pilots and proficiency upgrade training," Berry said.
The National Guard and Reserve has been sending pilots to Baltimore for training on the upgraded models in the months since the grounding.
"All the other A-10 units in the Guard and Reserve, they had the same problems [finding enough planes to keep up required flying and training]," Berry said. "We sent maintainers up there to help take care of those airplanes, too. It's just a more efficient way to keep pilots proficient and share the usage of the airplanes."
The active Air Force is using a similar pool approach to training, according to the Air Force Times, but queries to the Air Force's Air Combat Command to provide details of that plan were not answered at press time. The Air Force has indefinitely delayed the start of its January new pilot training class at Davis-Montham Air Force Base, Ariz., until more planes are available.
The 188th provided two A-10s it had that had already been converted to Baltimore to support the pool.
"We worked out a plan where our airplanes, when we get them back, will go there until we get to the point where we can sustain a normal flying schedule here," Anderson said. "And we expect that to be sometime around February-March time frame."
Source
Latest related news articles:
Cracks still idle some A-10s (Arizona Daily Star, 23 December 2008)
Spangdahlem helps get deployed aircraft back into the air, and into the fight (52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs, 16 December 2008)
Wing cracks take out half of A-10 fleet (Air Force Times, 7 December 2008)
For more news articles about partial A-10 groundings please check my blog's A-10 News Archives for November and October 2008.
By Amy Schlesing
Posted on Friday, January 2, 2009
The nation's fleet of A-10 Warthog jet fighters is in crisis, with half of the 356 planes in the U.S. Air Force inventory grounded because of wing cracks - including most of the 21 planes flown by Arkansas' 188th Fighter Wing.
For the Arkansas National Guard's 188th, however, it couldn't have happened at a better time.
While Air Force officials say it will take more than six months to get the fleet flying again, Arkansas' Warthogs have been moved to the front of the line because of a planned wartime deployment in early 2010. The 188th expects to have most of its planes fixed and back at its Fort Smith base by March.
"By that being the case [moving to the front of the line] and us getting our planes back sooner than other people will, we will, in fact, be able to prepare ourselves to be ready to go in 2010," said Col. Thomas Anderson, commander of the 188th. "We will have that extra time that we wouldn't otherwise have had if we hadn't been named a priority."
Still, with a deployment on the horizon, time remains precious.
The 188th converted from the F-16 fighter jet to the slower and hardier A-10 two years ago as part of the 2005 Base Realign- ment and Closure Commission recommendations. And last year the Air Force implemented a widespread upgrade of the aircraft that changes its avionics and weapons systems and requires extensive retraining for all A-10 pilots. About a third of the 188th's pilots are currently trained on the upgraded A-10C, commonly used for close air support of ground troops and bunker busting.
When the recent discovery of wing cracks that make flyable aircraft scarce is factored in, time becomes critical because hundreds of hours of flight training required of the 188th over the next year has to be delayed.
The National Guard and Reserve decided to pool all of their nongrounded aircraft at Baltimore, home of one of the first Guard A-10 wings, to share knowledge and planes.
"Because Baltimore has so much expertise in the flying end of the C-model, we have been able to upgrade nine or 10 of our pilots," Anderson said. Those pilots will be able to train their fellow Arkansans at home as the planes are fixed.
The wing cracks are being repaired at Hill Air Force Base in Utah, where the 188th's planes were already scheduled to undergo avionics and bomb guidance system upgrades. The wing cracks - stress fractures at the rivet joints where the landing gear mounting brackets attach to the underside of the plane's wings - were first discovered four years ago in the oldest A-10s in the fleet.
Younger planes were discovered to have similar stress fractures in October. On Oct. 3, the Air Force ordered all A-10s to be inspected for wing cracks. At first, only about a third of the fleet was believed to be affected.
"They are very minute cracks," said Col. Mark Berry, 188th Maintenance Group commander. "In fact, you have to have use a mechanical device to reach up inside a hole and run electrical current to find them. None of these cracks are visible to the naked eye."
Within the past few weeks, however, the Air Force reported that about half the fleet would need repairs. While the repair is expected to double the life span of the aging aircraft, it takes time.
The A-10 is no longer in production and planes in the fleet are 20 to 30 years old.
Even under the best of circumstances, the 188th had just enough time to transition to the upgraded plane before the pending deployment without a chronic structure flaw like wing cracks entering the picture. Even with the benefit of being at the head of the line, the additional repairs affect the training timeline.
"When this issue came up with the cracks in the wings, most of our airplanes were already out there [Hill Air Force Base]," Berry said, pointing out that several other National Guard and active duty planes are also undergoing avionics and weapons systems upgrades that will allow them to drop laserguided "smart" bombs.
Once the wing cracks hit, however, the demand for maintenance hangar space skyrocketed.
"What makes the process longer is just getting these airplanes into a hangar to work on," Berry said. "A lot of our airplanes are on the ramp waiting to be fixed."
While Berry said the inspection and repair process is timeconsuming, it's almost over. The 188th's planes will start returning to Arkansas in a few weeks, with the bulk of the fleet returned by March.
"It's delayed getting our pilots and proficiency upgrade training," Berry said.
The National Guard and Reserve has been sending pilots to Baltimore for training on the upgraded models in the months since the grounding.
"All the other A-10 units in the Guard and Reserve, they had the same problems [finding enough planes to keep up required flying and training]," Berry said. "We sent maintainers up there to help take care of those airplanes, too. It's just a more efficient way to keep pilots proficient and share the usage of the airplanes."
The active Air Force is using a similar pool approach to training, according to the Air Force Times, but queries to the Air Force's Air Combat Command to provide details of that plan were not answered at press time. The Air Force has indefinitely delayed the start of its January new pilot training class at Davis-Montham Air Force Base, Ariz., until more planes are available.
The 188th provided two A-10s it had that had already been converted to Baltimore to support the pool.
"We worked out a plan where our airplanes, when we get them back, will go there until we get to the point where we can sustain a normal flying schedule here," Anderson said. "And we expect that to be sometime around February-March time frame."
Source
Latest related news articles:
Cracks still idle some A-10s (Arizona Daily Star, 23 December 2008)
Spangdahlem helps get deployed aircraft back into the air, and into the fight (52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs, 16 December 2008)
Wing cracks take out half of A-10 fleet (Air Force Times, 7 December 2008)
For more news articles about partial A-10 groundings please check my blog's A-10 News Archives for November and October 2008.
Idaho Air Guard aircraft to be featured in popular aviation industry magazine
by Capt Anthony Vincelli
124th Wing Public Affairs
12/19/2008 - GOWEN FIELD, Boise, Idaho -- The Idaho Air National Guard's two airframes -- the A-10 Warthog and C-130 Hercules -- will be featured in an upcoming edition of Aviation Week & Space Technology magazine.
The photograph, taken in February 2008 by renowned military aviation photographer James "Hazy" Haseltine, was selected as an "Honorable Mention" by the publication's editorial staff.
For more than 90 years, Aviation Week & Space Technology has been the world's leading news weekly for global aviation, aerospace and defense professionals.
The magazine is set to hit newsstands Dec. 22.
Source
An A-10 Thunderbolt II and a C-130E Hercules, both from the 124th Wing, fly in formation over Idaho's Sawtooth Mountain Range in February 2008. (Photo by James Haseltine) Hi-res
Note: I just found this news article on 124th Wing's public website, which was relaunched and converted from Flash animation to USAF's standardized website templates in late-December 2008.
124th Wing Public Affairs
12/19/2008 - GOWEN FIELD, Boise, Idaho -- The Idaho Air National Guard's two airframes -- the A-10 Warthog and C-130 Hercules -- will be featured in an upcoming edition of Aviation Week & Space Technology magazine.
The photograph, taken in February 2008 by renowned military aviation photographer James "Hazy" Haseltine, was selected as an "Honorable Mention" by the publication's editorial staff.
For more than 90 years, Aviation Week & Space Technology has been the world's leading news weekly for global aviation, aerospace and defense professionals.
The magazine is set to hit newsstands Dec. 22.
Source
An A-10 Thunderbolt II and a C-130E Hercules, both from the 124th Wing, fly in formation over Idaho's Sawtooth Mountain Range in February 2008. (Photo by James Haseltine) Hi-res
Note: I just found this news article on 124th Wing's public website, which was relaunched and converted from Flash animation to USAF's standardized website templates in late-December 2008.
Air Guard pilot to be featured as Roady's Humanitarian Bowl 'Hometown Hero'
by Capt Anthony Vincelli
124th Wing Public Affairs
12/19/2008 - GOWEN FIELD, Boise, Idaho -- An Idaho Air Guard pilot has been chosen to be a guest speaker during the Hometown Heroes Lunch for kids @ Roady's Humanitarian Bowl Dec. 30 at Boise State University.
1st Lt. Andrew Labrum, an A-10 pilot from the Air Guard's 190th Fighter Squadron based here, will join Olympic Cycling Gold Medalist Kristin Armstrong and other prominent local "heroes" during a luncheon event for more than 400 area youth. The afternoon event is part of a full day of festivities leading up to the Roady's Humanitarian Bowl.
"I'm excited to talk to the kids about serving our country doing something I love to do while still having the privilege of living here in Idaho," Labrum said.
Labrum and his twin brother, Jay, are both pilots for the Air Guard. Andrew deployed to Afghanistan last summer and saw his first combat experience in the A-10 there, while Jay is still completing initial training in the A-10.
Source
1st Lt. Andrew Labrum, an A-10 pilot from the 190th Fighter Squadron and posing here in front of A-10 78-0611, will join Olympic Cycling Gold Medalist Kristin Armstrong and other prominent local heroes during a luncheon event for more than 400 area youth. The afternoon event is part of a full day of festivities leading up to the Roadys Humanitarian Bowl. (Air Force photo)
Note: I just found this news article on 124th Wing's public website, which was relaunched and converted from Flash animation to USAF's standardized website templates in late-December 2008.
124th Wing Public Affairs
12/19/2008 - GOWEN FIELD, Boise, Idaho -- An Idaho Air Guard pilot has been chosen to be a guest speaker during the Hometown Heroes Lunch for kids @ Roady's Humanitarian Bowl Dec. 30 at Boise State University.
1st Lt. Andrew Labrum, an A-10 pilot from the Air Guard's 190th Fighter Squadron based here, will join Olympic Cycling Gold Medalist Kristin Armstrong and other prominent local "heroes" during a luncheon event for more than 400 area youth. The afternoon event is part of a full day of festivities leading up to the Roady's Humanitarian Bowl.
"I'm excited to talk to the kids about serving our country doing something I love to do while still having the privilege of living here in Idaho," Labrum said.
Labrum and his twin brother, Jay, are both pilots for the Air Guard. Andrew deployed to Afghanistan last summer and saw his first combat experience in the A-10 there, while Jay is still completing initial training in the A-10.
Source
1st Lt. Andrew Labrum, an A-10 pilot from the 190th Fighter Squadron and posing here in front of A-10 78-0611, will join Olympic Cycling Gold Medalist Kristin Armstrong and other prominent local heroes during a luncheon event for more than 400 area youth. The afternoon event is part of a full day of festivities leading up to the Roadys Humanitarian Bowl. (Air Force photo)
Note: I just found this news article on 124th Wing's public website, which was relaunched and converted from Flash animation to USAF's standardized website templates in late-December 2008.
Additional A-10 shot in 442nd FW's online base newspaper
On December 15, 2008, 442nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs released a photo essay Launching an A-10 with seven pictures. See also my related blog post. The following additional picture was released in 442nd FW's base newspaper "Mohawk", January 2009 online PDF issue (page 12):
Maj. Les Bradfield, an A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot with the 442nd Operations Support Flight looks to his aircraft crew chief, Senior Airman Andrea Sumner, prior to launching A-10 79-0122 from the 303rd Fighter Squadron on a local training flight on December 6, 2008, during the December Unit Training Assembly. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Tom Talbert) Source
Maj. Les Bradfield, an A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot with the 442nd Operations Support Flight looks to his aircraft crew chief, Senior Airman Andrea Sumner, prior to launching A-10 79-0122 from the 303rd Fighter Squadron on a local training flight on December 6, 2008, during the December Unit Training Assembly. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Tom Talbert) Source
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
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
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Real-world A-10s versus alian robots in upcoming Hollywood movie
By Joachim Jacob
Two real-world USAF A-10 Thunderbolt IIs will perform in Hollywood’s upcoming movie "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" which will be released June 26, 2009. During the last couple of days, there were some U.S. news media articles about this upcoming movie – the follow-up to the 2007 blockbuster "Transformers".
The lead story "'Transformers' breaks out the big guns for sequel'" was published by Anthony Breznican, USA TODAY. Source
The film's Army liaison, Lt. Col. Gregory Bishop, notes: "As far as I know, this is the biggest joint military operation movie ever made, in terms of Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines. I can't think of one that's bigger."
One of the film's main battle scenes takes place in Egypt, but was filmed at White Sands Missile Range. See: Sneak peak at Holloman's, White Sands' roles in new 'Transformers' film
As USA TODAY reported, among the equipment the movie is using in this desert sequence alone: two A-10 Thunderbolt II "Warthog" tank-killing jets; six F-16 Fighting Falcons; 10 armored Humvees; the Army's Golden Knights parachute team; two Abrams tanks; two Bradley tanks; two missile-launcher vehicles; two armored personnel carriers; and a quarter-mile of the missile testing range, cleared of unexploded ordnance and built into an Egyptian town and temple. (Signs warn not to cross a perimeter just over the gypsum dunes, because live bombs could be hidden in the sand.)
Anybody from the Warthog Community who can/will tell me which individual A-10s are involved? That would be very helpful.
BTW: Please await any further previews related to this movie.
Two real-world USAF A-10 Thunderbolt IIs will perform in Hollywood’s upcoming movie "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" which will be released June 26, 2009. During the last couple of days, there were some U.S. news media articles about this upcoming movie – the follow-up to the 2007 blockbuster "Transformers".
The lead story "'Transformers' breaks out the big guns for sequel'" was published by Anthony Breznican, USA TODAY. Source
The film's Army liaison, Lt. Col. Gregory Bishop, notes: "As far as I know, this is the biggest joint military operation movie ever made, in terms of Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines. I can't think of one that's bigger."
One of the film's main battle scenes takes place in Egypt, but was filmed at White Sands Missile Range. See: Sneak peak at Holloman's, White Sands' roles in new 'Transformers' film
As USA TODAY reported, among the equipment the movie is using in this desert sequence alone: two A-10 Thunderbolt II "Warthog" tank-killing jets; six F-16 Fighting Falcons; 10 armored Humvees; the Army's Golden Knights parachute team; two Abrams tanks; two Bradley tanks; two missile-launcher vehicles; two armored personnel carriers; and a quarter-mile of the missile testing range, cleared of unexploded ordnance and built into an Egyptian town and temple. (Signs warn not to cross a perimeter just over the gypsum dunes, because live bombs could be hidden in the sand.)
Anybody from the Warthog Community who can/will tell me which individual A-10s are involved? That would be very helpful.
BTW: Please await any further previews related to this movie.
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