188th Fighter Wing weapons loaders at Kandahar Airfield

Released yesterday by 188th Fighter Wing Public Affairs:



Master Sgt. Craig W. May, left, secures a GBU-38 JDAM as Staff Sgt. Charlie Parker waits to drive the bomb over to an A-10C Thunderbolt II "Warthog," February 2, 2010, at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. May and Parker are weapons loaders deployed from the Arkansas Air National Guard's 188th Fighter Wing in Fort Smith, Arkansas. The 188th deployed approximately 50 Airmen to Afghanistan for a four-month Aerospace Expeditionary Force (AEF) rotation on January 4, 2010. The remainder of the 188th personnel, approximately 250, will begin its portion of the rotation in early March 2010, when the 188th's official rotation begins. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. David Speicher) Hi-res

Note: The aircraft in the background must be A-10C 80-0166 from the 184th Fighter Squadron, 188th Fighter Wing (Arkansas ANG), Fort Smith Regional Airport, Fort Smith, Arkansas (tailcode FS).

Visible combat loadout:

Station 1: not visible
Station 2: SUU-25 Flare Dispenser (note the unusual white front cover)
Station 3: LAU-131 Rocket Pod
Station 4: probably GBU-38 JDAM
Station 5: probably GBU-12 Paveway II
Station 6: empty
Station 7: probably Mk. 82
Station 8: probably GBU-38 JDAM
Station 9: Empty LAU-117 single-rail launcher for AGM-65 Maverick missile
Station 10: AN-AAQ-28 LITENING AT targeting pod
Station 11: Empty pylon



Staff Sgt. Kyle P. Shaw, left, and Master Sgt. Craig W. May load a GBU-38 JDAM onto an A-10C Thunderbolt II "Warthog," February 2, 2010, at Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan. Shaw and May are weapons loaders deployed from the Arkansas Air National Guard's 188th Fighter Wing based in Fort Smith, Arkansas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. David Speicher) Hi-res

Note: That's station 3. Another GBU-38 JDAM is visible on station 2.



Master Sgt. Craig W. May, left, loads a guidance unit to a GBU-12 Paveway II bomb on an A-10C Thunderbolt II "Warthog," February 2, 2010, at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. David Speicher) Hi-res

Note: That looks to me like station 5.