Belgian Defense College members visit Spangdahlem

Released by 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs:



10/29/2010 - SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany – Members from the Belgian Defense College in Brussels view an A-10 Thunderbolt II with members from the 52nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Oct. 28. Belgian Defense College members visited the base to get a better insight to how our people and aircraft support the warfighters within the Air Expeditionary Force concept. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Nick Wilson) Hi-res



10/29/2010 - SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany – Staff Sgt. Jesse Swaffar, 52nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron avionics specialist, speaks to Lt. Col. Chris Goossens, Belgian Defense College instructor, about new features and upgrades to the A-10 Thunderbolt II Oct 28. Belgian Defense College members visited the base to get a better insight to how our people and aircraft support the warfighters within the Air Expeditionary Force concept. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Nick Wilson) Hi-res








10/29/2010 - SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany – Lt. Col. Danny Bijnens, Belgian Defense College staff member, looks in the cockpit of an A-10 Thunderbolt II Oct. 28. Belgian Defense College members visited the base to get a better insight to how our people and aircraft support the warfighters within the Air Expeditionary Force concept. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Nick Wilson) Hi-res

Source

Jagello 2000 members visit 917 Wing

Released by 917th Wing Public Affairs:



Lt. Col. Joseph Jones, 93rd Bomb Squadron commander, talks about the capabilities of the A-10 Thunderbolt II with Zbynek Pavlacik, Jagello 2000 Association chairman, during his visit to the 917th Wing, Barksdale Air Force Base, La., on Oct. 26, 2010. The Jagello 2000 Association is a top Czech Republic nonprofit, nongovernmental organization in the field of public and defense diplomacies, focusing on the presentation of NATO and security politics for the general public. It is also the main sponsor of the NATO Days in Ostrava air show, which was held Sept. 18-19, 2010, in Ostrava, Czech Republic. The 917th Wing supplied a B-52H Stratofortress and personnel in support of the air show, which marked the first-time a B-52 visited the Czech Republic. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Greg Steele)

Source

Hawgsmoke 2010 Aircraft List

Updated November 1, 2010

So far, from official and private shots I verified a lot of Hogs which participated.

On October 28, 2010, Warthog News contributor Roel Reijne from The Netherlands sent me a very helpful e-mail with some more serial numbers. "Here the tail numbers we saw during arrival-day and competition-day during hawgsmoke", he wrote. And all of these numbers were noted (or spotted) by Arno Kok, also from The Netherlands.

In this first update, please just let me add Arno's very important eyewitness info to my own photo interpretations. In a second update I will made some additions and corrections.


Active units:

355th Fighter Wing (ACC), Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona (DM)

A-10C 78-0652, marked 355 FW CC (white tail band, formerly blue?)
A-10C 78-0706, marked 354 FS / CC (blue tail band)
A-10C 80-0162 (no tail band)
A-10C 80-0210 (no tail band)

Arno Kok:
A-10C 78-0652, marked 355 FS/CC (white)
A-10C 78-0706, marked 354 FS/CC (blue)
A-10C 79-0168 (black)
A-10C 80-0162 (-)
A-10C 80-0210 (-)
A-10C 82-0648 (blue), 354th FS

(= probably six jets)

23rd Fighter Group, 23rd Wing (ACC), Moody AFB, Georgia (FT)

A-10C 79-0138
A-10C 80 or 79 -0272 (blue), 74th FS
A-10C 82-0660 (20660 in front of the canopy) 75th FS

Arno Kok:
A-10C 78-0701 (black/white), 75th FS
A-10C 79-0138 (blue), 74th FS
A-10C 80-0727 (blue), 74th FS
A-10C 82-0660 (black/white), 75th FS

(probably four jets)

Team Nellis (ACC)

A-10C 79-0204, 66th Weapons Squadron
A-10C 80-0229, marked 66 WPS as the 66th Weapons Squadron commander's jet

Arno Kok:
A-10C 79-0204 WA (yellow/black), 66th WS
A-10C 80-0229 66 WPS A-10C WA yellow/black 66th WS Nellis, NV

(probably only two jets)

Reserve units:

47th Fighter Squadron, 917th Wing (AFRC), Barksdale AFB, Arizona (BD)

A-10C 79-0090 (90090 on the left canopy rail)
A-10C 79-0120 (...9-0120 on the ejection seat)
A-10C 79-0144 (79-144 on the ejection seat)
A-10C 79-0152

Arno Kok:
A-10C 79-0090
A-10C 79-0120, marked ANG/AFRC Test Center
A-10C 79-0144
A-10C 79-0152
A-10C 80-0160

(probably four jets)

Due to a system malfunction with one of the 47th FS jets, and no time in the schedule to get a substitute in the air, the 47th FS team went into the competition with only three jets.

Maybe A-10C 79-0120, marked ANG/AFRC Test Center, was sent by another unit.


303rd Fighter Squadron, 442nd Fighter Wing (AFRC), Whiteman AFB, Missouri (KC)

A-10C 79-0109
A-10C 79-0113
A-10C 79-0118
A-10C 79-0093
A-10C 80-0201
A-10C 81-0951

Arno Kok:
A-10C 78-0605 (marked 303 FS)
A-10C 79-0093
A-10C 79-0109
A-10C 79-0113
A-10C 79-0118
A-10C 80-0201
A-10C 81-0951

(probably six or seven jets)


Air National Guard units:

104th Fighter Squadron, 175th Wing (Baltimore ANG), Martin State (MD)

A-10C 78-0637
A-10C 79-0082

Arno Kok:
A-10C 78-0637
A-10C 78-0717
A-10C 79-0082
A-10C 79-0087

(probably four jets)

163rd Fighter Squadron, 122nd Fighter Wing (Indiana ANG), Fort Wayne

no jets



190th Fighter Squadron, 124th Wing (Idaho ANG), Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho (ID)

A-10C 78-0584 (red tail band)
A-10C 78-0625 (white tail band)
A-10C 78-0629 (red tail band)
A-10C 78-0643 (white tail band)
A-10C 81-0955 (blue tail band)


Arno Kok:
A-10C 78-0584 (red)
A-10C 78-0625 (white)
A-10C 78-0627 (white)
A-10C 78-0629 (red)
A-10C 78-0633 (blue)
A-10C 78-0643 (white)
A-10C 79-0084 (blue)
A-10C 80-0191 (blue)
A-10C 81-0995 (blue)

(probably nine jets)

107th Fighter Squadron, 127th Wing (Michigan ANG), Selfridge, Michigan (MI)

A-10C 79-0193 (still no fin flash or tail band)
A-10C 80-0221 (still no flash or tail band)
A-10C 80-0222? (still no fin flash or tail band)
A-10C 80-0262 (still no flash or tail band)
A-10C 80-0263? (still no fin flash or tail band)
A-10C 81-0958 or 81-0956 (still no flash or tail band)
A-10C ...13? (still no fin flash or tail band)

Arno Kok:
A-10C 77-0193
A-10C 80-0221
A-10C 80-0222
A-10C 80-0262
A-10C 80-0263
A-10C 81-0998

(probably 6 jets)

184th Fighter Squadron, 188th Fighter Wing (Arkansas ANG), Fort Smith, Arkansas (FS)

A-10C 78-0638
A-10C 79-0129
A-10C 79-0216
A-10C 79-0649
A-10C 80-0188 (the 188th Fighter Wing commander's jet)

Arno Kok:
A-10C 78-0626 (red ARKANSAS)
A-10C 78-0638 (red ARKANSAS)
A-10C 78-0649 (red ARKANSAS)
A-10C 79-0129 (red ARKANSAS)
A-10C 79-0216 (red ARKANSAS)
A-10C 80-0188 (red ARKANSAS), marked 188 FW

(probably 6 jets)


Some others:
00222 (in front of the canopy)
229

Arno Kok:
79-0196 A-10 no/mk -
79-0219 A-10 IN 163rd FS Fort Wayne, IN
80-0169 A-10 no/mk -
80-0187 A-10 no/mk -


Please note:

25th Fighter Squadron, 51st Fighter Wing (PACAF), Osan AB, Republic of Korea
no A-10s involved

81th Fighter Squadron, 52nd Fighter Wing (USAFE), Spangdahlem AB, Germany
no A-10s involved


Special thanks to Warthog News contributor Roel Reijne and also to his Dutch friend Arno Kok for his unique additional info. Great support, guys! Question: Anybody who caught the entire official Hawgsmoke 2010 A-10C fleet?

Ratican completes final flight with 47th FS

Updated October 28, 2010

Yesterday, that was a breaking news, released by 917th Wing Public Affairs. And today, we got the hi-res pictures.



Capt. Adam Ratican, a 47th Fighter Squadron instructor pilot, taxis in his A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft after returning from his last flight with the 47th FS squadron on Oct. 19, 2010, at Barksdale Air Force Base, La. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Greg Steele) Hi-res



Capt. Adam Ratican, a 47th Fighter Squadron instructor pilot, gets a wet down from Capt. Jason Cobb, 47th FS instructor pilot, after returning from his final flight with the squadron on Oct. 19, 2010, at Barksdale Air Force Base, La. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Greg Steele) Hi-res



Capt. Adam Ratican, a 47th Fighter Squadron instructor pilot, goes after Capt. Jason Cobb, 47th FS instructor pilot, after being wet down upon returning from his final flight with the squadron on Oct. 19, 2010, at Barksdale Air Force Base, La. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Greg Steele) Hi-res



A 4-ship of 47th Fighter Squadron A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft led by Capt. Adam Ratican, a 47FS instructor pilot, flies overhead during his final flight with the “Terrible Termites” on Oct. 19, 2010, at Barksdale Air Force Base, La. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Greg Steele) Hi-res

Source

Hawgsmoke 14 Oct Range Video

This video was made by Warthog News contributor Michael Denney from the United States. The sound of the firing Gatling Gun is AWESOME:



See also:
Hawgsmoke 2010 photo report by Michael Denney

A-10 Warthogs Blow Stuff Up for Fun at Hawg Smoke 2010 Gunnery and Bombing Competition

October 25th, 2010
By Josh Rasmussen
NYC Aviation LLC

Idaho Air National Guard pilots from the 190th Fighter Squadron placed first and second, leading their four-man team to a repeat victory in the Air Force's biennial gunnery and bombing competition known as Hawg Smoke. This year's event was hosted by the 190th in Boise, Idaho, a product of placing in the top spot two years ago in Salina, Kansas.

"It's the best of the best who are competing here. It's a measuring stick on how well your squadron does compared to the rest of the community," said Lt. Col. Ryan "Oatmeal" Odneal, leader of the 190th team.

Teams competed for a highly-coveted trophy which stands about 3 feet tall and is topped with a polished 30mm round.

"It's a very well-respected award. It's the highest award in the A-10 community that you can be awarded," Odneal said.

The worldwide competition with 18 Air Force and National Guard teams, 40 aircraft and 200 personnel from bases including Osan AFB in the Republic of Korea and Spangdahlem AFB in Germany required pilots to make three bombing passes decreasing in both angle of attack and altitude followed by three heavily-weighted strafing runs. Finally, the pilots had to form up and make a very specific time over a designated point.

Emphasizing the pilots' ability to will a bomb on target, the competition partially took a retro turn:

"We drop two 30-degree-pass bombs and that's a manual event going back to the iron sight like it was in WWII, taking the winds into account. As far as the bomb competition that's where you're going to make or break your team," Odneal said.

As for the main event, the strafing, "these guys are experts at gunnery. Out of 100 bullets, they will probably put 98, 99 or 100 bullets through the target," Col. J.R. Compton, 124 FW commander and Boise native said.

The 1970s design of the A-10 highlights its seven-barrel Gatling gun situated directly beneath the nose of the aircraft.

"The love of flying the airplane is the 30mm GAU-8 gun," Odneal said. "It's a phenomenal weapons system. There hasn't been anything designed over the recent years that can match it. It shoots 60 rounds per second. We can take a shot at 1-2 miles and put the majority of the rounds through a 16-foot target."

In addition to the realms of competition and camaraderie, Hawg Smoke serves as a viable learning tool and status check.

"This competition is going to define how good we are at what we do," Compton said. "We revalidate that we're doing it the right way and we're all doing it the same. It's an overall learning experience because we get to see how some other units are applying techniques. We find out where guys have very strong skills or very weak skills."

The A-10 is a subsonic ground attack aircraft with exceptional low-speed and low-altitude maneuverability. It was, however, credited with two air-to-air kills after shooting down a pair of Iraqi helicopters.

"It's not glamorous to fly; it's just lethal and it's amazing the respect it gets, not just from our allies, but from the enemy. They're fearful of this aircraft," Compton, who commanded the 190th FS and led the first wave of A-10s across the border to Kuwait in 2003 during operation Iraqi Freedom said. "The role of the A-10 is specifically for close-air support and that is what it's doing every day, right now in Afghanistan. Day-time or night-time, our job is to protect our forces on the ground. That's what the A-10 is built for and it's very good at doing that.

Hawg Smoke is an A-10 version of an older Air Force-wide gunnery competition called Gunsmoke.

"They don't do that anymore, but the Hog communities felt that it was important enough to continue a tradition in a competitive realm in which we can compete with other teams. We continued it and changed the name from Gunsmoke to Hawg Smoke," Odneal said.

Though precision and competition fuel the event, it features more by way of entertainment and remembrance. Prior to the start of the competition, pilots hold a fallen hog ceremony in dedication to fallen warriors, closed with a missing-man fly-by. Additionally, personnel interact through a golf tournament at a local course as well as well-spirited game of crud, an Air Force game loosely base on billiards.

"We are a close-knit community," Compton said. "It's truly like a band of brothers."

By rule, the winning team hosts the following competition but in the event of a repeat winner, as was the case in Boise, the second-place team assumes hosting duties. As runners-up, those responsibilities lay with the 354th FS from Davis-Monthan AFB in Tuscon, Ariz.

Competing teams:
AATC – Davis-Monthan AFB
GF West – Nellis AFB
23rd Operations Support Squadron – Moody AFB
25th Fighter Squadron – Osan AB
45th Fighter Squadron – Davis Monthan AFB
47th Fighter Squadron – Barksdale AFB
66th Fighter Squadron – Nellis AFB
74th Fighter Squadron – Moody AFB
76th Fighter Squadron – Moody AFB
104th Fighter Squadron – Baltimore ANG
107th Fighter Squadron – Selfridge ANG
163rd Fighter Squadron – Fort Wayne ANG
184th Fighter Squadron – Fort Smith ANG
190th Fighter Squadron – Gowen Field ANG
303rd Fighter Squadron – Whiteman AFB
354th Fighter Squadron – Davis-Monthan AFB
357th Fighter Squadron – Davis-Monthan AFB
358th Fighter Squadron – Davis-Monthan AFB

Please note:
The general info is not new. But please check out the associated slide show for his 17 unique pictures!

Source

23rd Maintenance Group's Spouse Orientation Day

MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Riney Lyons and Anna Infante, military spouses, peer inside the cockpit of an A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft during the 23rd Maintenance Group Spouse's Orientation Day here October 22, 2010. During the event, there was a weapons load demonstration, bomb build demonstration, and an A-10 and HC-130P Combat King aircraft display during the Spouse's Orientation Day. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Benjamin Wiseman) Hi-res



MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Moody Spouses watch an A-10C Thunderbolt II during a weapons load demo during the 23rd Maintenance Group's Spouse Orientation Day here October 22, 2010. The day was put in place to give the spouses of Moody Airmen a chance to have an inside look of what their wives and husbands do on a daily basis. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Joshua Green) Hi-res



MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Airmen from the 23rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, lifts a laser-guided bomb off a rack during the 23rd Maintenance Group's Spouse Orientation Day October 22, 2010. After the demonstration, spouses had an opportunity to view the A-10C Thunderbolt II up-close. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Joshua Green) Hi-res



MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- A bullet from an A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft is shown as part of a demonstration held during the 23rd Maintenance Group Spouse's Orientation Day here October 22, 2010. Military spouses were invited to base to learn what their spouses do on a day to day basis. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Benjamin Wiseman) Hi-res

ACC Commander's Group witnesses Moody mission

MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Members from the 23rd Fighter Group answer questions from civic leaders during their visit here October 18, 2010. An A-10C Thunderbolt II, HC-130P Combat King and HH-60G Pave Hawk were set on display during the visit. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Benjamin Wiseman) Hi-res

Note:It's A-10C 78-0674 from the 74th Fighter Sqadron. Please also note the "Claw One" inscription on both air intake covers.

Source

See also:
ACC Commander's Group gets hands-on at Moody

2010 Flying Tiger Reunion schedule of events

10/21/2010 - MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- From Oct. 28 to Oct. 30, Moody will be hosting the 2010 Flying Tigers Reunion. All base personnel are invited to attend any of the events.

Thursday, Oct. 28
9:30 to 10:15 a.m. 23rd Wing commander's welcome brief, 75th Fighter Squadron
10:30 to 11:00 a.m. 820th Base Defense Group static display
11:15 to 11:45 a.m. 347th Rescue Group static display
11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Lunch at the Moody Field Club
1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Heritage Park tour
6:00 p.m. Order of Daedalians meeting, hangar 774

Friday, Oct. 29
9:30 to 10:30 a.m. 23rd Fighter Group commander's welcome brief, 75th Fighter Squadron
10:30 to 10:40a.m. Rep. Jack Kingston brief/Flying Tiger Resolution
10:45 to 11:00 a.m. Transit to Grand Bay Bombing and Gunnery Range
11:10 to 11:50 a.m. Combat Search and Rescue demonstration, Grand Bay
Noon to 1:00 p.m. Lunch, hangar 774
1:20 p.m. A-10C Thunderbolt II demonstration, Base Operations
6:00 p.m. Flying Tiger Reunion banquet, James H. Rainwater Conference Center

Due to limited seating the tickets for the FTR banquet will be first come, first serve.

Saturday, Oct. 30
7:00 a.m. ITT tour of Warner Robbins Museum of Aviation
Varies with tee time Golf, Valdosta Country Club: For more information, call Fife Nagle 386-453-5822
6:30 p.m. Flying Tigers Association dinners, James H. Rainwater Conference Center

If you would like to attend any of these events, sign-up forms have been distributed to each group's executive officer and must be returned completed with payment to Protocol no later than Oct. 22.

Source

107th Fighter Squadron takes on Hawgsmoke

Three photos, released today by 127th Wing Public Affairs:



A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft from all across active duty, Guard, and Reserve Air Force Units sit on the ramp at Gowen Air National Guard Base during a peaceful sunrise. The 107th Fighter Squadron, from 127th Wing, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich., recently participated in the biennial A-10 Thunderbolt II bombing, missile and tactical gunnery competition known as Hawgsmoke. This year's competition was held at Gowen Air National Guard Base, Boise, Idaho from Oct. 13 to 16. The competition allows A-10 pilots and maintenance personnel to test their skills through friendly competition. (U.S. Air Force photo by MSgt. Terry Atwell) Hi-res



A 107th Fighter Squadron, A-10 Thunderbolt II blasts its' 30mm gatling gun during Hawgsmoke 2010. (U.S. Air Force photo by MSgt. Terry Atwell) Hi-res

MI 193



A 107th Fighter Squadron, A-10 Thunderbolt II soars across the sky during Hawgsmoke 2010. (U.S. Air Force photo by MSgt. Terry Atwell) Hi-res

KC 951

Another nice Hawgsmoke 2010 aerial shot

On October 21, 2010, from 124th Wing Public Affairs, Warthog News contributor Michael Denney from the United States got this unique Hawgsmoke 2010 picture. It's another nice aerial view on the ramp.



Please note: This shot isn't released on any related USAF websites now.

Hawgsmoke 2010 photo report by Michael Denney

On October 17, 2010, from Michael Denney, United States, I got the permission to post his article and all of his related pictures also on my blog. Just before, he has already posted this stuff on two different aviation forums as already announced by me. Unfortunately, for some days later the pictures were not available because Today, he got the bandwidth issue resolved, and so his pics are all there now again.

At first, please let me re-post his very interesting article:

I just had the opportunity to spend a couple of days covering Hawgsmoke 2010 at Gowen Field in Boise, Idaho. Hawgsmoke 2010 was hosted by the Idaho Air National Guards 190th Fighter Squadron, who were the winners of the 2008 competition and thus became the hosts of this years. Since the 190th won again this time, the second place winners will host Hawgsmoke 2012. On Wednesday Oct. 13 I spent a good part of the day on the ramp at Gowen taking shots of ramp activity and arriving A-10 teams. It was pretty much heaven for a Warthog fan!! It was a very busy place, with aircraft being serviced, readied for the following days competition, landing, taxiing, parking, running up engines, etc. There was only a very small contingent of media covering the event, and we were allowed to shoot pretty much anything we wanted on the ramp. I talked to a few of the maintainers a bit but they were extremely busy....the Idaho ANG crews were trying to take care of all the visiting planes to get them ready to go the next day.

The next day, Thursday October 14, I traveled to the Saylor Creek Range and spent about 4 hours watching A-10's bomb and strafe. Much has been said about the sound of the GAU-8/A cannon...I have heard it compared to a chainsaw in sound. I can tell you that words cannot really describe it, and video does not really capture the essence of the sound either. It is LOUD and very distinctive. When the aircraft fired from longer ranges, you would hear a popping or crackling sound much like a string of firecrackers...this was the sound of the supersonic rounds passing overhead...then a second or so later you would hear the actual ripping, roaring sound of the gun. Had you been on the receiving end, you wouldn't have heard anything, you would have dead before the sound got there!

There were 18 teams and 40+ A-10's at the competition. The overseas teams did not fly thier own A-10's, thier pilots flew in commercial and used "borrowed" A-10's for the event. Most teams brought 4 planes, a few brought a spare and a few brought less and used one or two borrowed birds.

At the range, the teams first performed a high altitide bomb drop using BDU-33 practice bombs. The A-10's flew the approach at about 17K feet and released at about 7K feet. From the ground, the A-10 is impossible to see at 17000 feet and even when they got down to 7000, you had to be looking in the right spot to get a visual on them. They then made a Maverick pass, no missle was fired, but they had to get a lock with thier Maverick. All aircraft were carrying two CATM-65 missles, one EO and one IR. In one case, I heard the pilot advise the range controller his missle would not activate in TRAIN mode and ask permission to make his pass in ARM, the range controllers denied the request. I am not sure if that was purely a safety issue as the CATM-65 has no actual motor and can't leave the rail, or if it was just protocol for the contest. The planes third pass was a low altitude bombing run with BDU-33 25 lb. practice bombs again. Thier fourth pass was a 30mm gun run at a strafing target. If they missed, they had to make another strafing run from a longer distance. After all the gun runs were complete, the planes had about three minutes to join back up in formation and make a formation pass over the range, and that ended their time.

A few things I found interesting....all the A-10's I saw were C models....as evidenced by the cockpit coaming and/or the presence of Sniper pods, or Litening pods on 2/10. All the planes arrived with the two CATM-65 Mavericks, two TER's, and usually two baggage pods. Some had the AIM-9 rails, some did not. The only difference was the Davis Monthan birds that arrived with ALQ-131 pods on station 11 and one CATM-9 on station 1.

The teams used a "degraded" gunsight reticule and bombing mode for the event. At one point I heard the statement they were bombing in HARS mode. I presume this means they were using the older electronics and not the IFFCC of the C model. Even at that, they were usually very accurate. We were probably 500 to 600 yards from the bomb target, but only 200 yards or so from the strafing pit. We were just slightly to the left of the gun line for the strafing pits, so we were very close...I was very surprised we were able to be that close, but its a testament to the confidence the Air Force has in the accuracy of the weapons system.

I hope you enjoy the pics! They are possible due to the hospitality of the 124th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Officer, Capt. Tony Vincelli, and his staff!

Please note: Michael's 30 associated pics will be uploaded soon. In the meantime please visit Hawgsmoke 2010!!

47 FS pilots compete at Hawgsmoke 2010

Forty A-10 Thunderbolt II jet aircraft sit idle on the ramp at Gowen Field in Boise, Idaho, on Oct. 15, 2010, after competing in Hawgsmoke 2010. Members of the 917th Wing and 47th Fighter Squadron at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., were in Boise supporting and competing in Hawgsmoke 2010, which is a biennial worldwide A-10 bombing, missile and tactical gunnery competition. The competition this year, which involved 40 jets and 72 pilots from 18 different units, was hosted by the 190th Fighter Squadron of the Idaho Air National Guard. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Jeff Walston) Hi-res

By the way: Special thanks from all Warthog enthusiasts for taking this amazing aerial shot, Jeff! Job well done.

by Tech. Sgt. Jeff Walston
917th Wing Public Affairs

10/20/2010 - Barksdale AFB, La. -- Clear blue skies supplied the back drop as media and guests of the 190th Fighter Squadron filled the stands and waited for the beginning of the gunnery phase of Hawgsmoke 2010 competition October 14, at the Saylor Creek Range in Idaho.

Hawgsmoke, which began in 2000, is a biennial worldwide A-10 bombing, missile, and tactical gunnery competition hosted by winners of previous competitions.

This year's competition was held at Gowen Field in Boise, Idaho, and hosted by the 190th Fighter Squadron with the Idaho Air National Guard. The competition is dedicated to bringing A-10 professionals together from across the entire Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard for three days to share and develop tactics, procedures and techniques to better employ the A-10 in combat; enhance morale and camaraderie in the A-10 community; pay homage to the airplane's heritage; as well as recognize the best in an aerial gunnery and bombing competition.

Joining the 18 teams from across the nation, South Korea and hundreds of support personnel were approximately 11 Airmen from the 917th Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, La. They arrived in Boise, October 12, to support and compete in Hawgsmoke 2010. Four A-10 pilots from the 47th Fighter Squadron, five maintainers from the 717th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and an additional two Airmen from the 917th Maintenance Squadron's phase dock, rounded out the group involved at the competition, which is centered on the close-air support capabilities of the A-10 Thunderbolt II.

A team from the 47th FS won the competition in 2002, at Fort Drum Forward Operating Location in New York State and therefore hosted the competition in 2004 at England Air Park in Louisiana. Unlike the competition in 2004, which was dubbed "Hawgwash" due to a rain-out, the weather in Idaho was perfect for the events of the day.

As the competition began, 917th Airmen were involved in marshalling aircraft and getting them ready for the events that would take place over the next three days. The event was held October 13-16 in Boise.

Technical Sgt. Chris Duhe, a crew chief with the 717th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, was one of seven 917th Wing personnel who traveled to Boise to support Hawgsmoke 2010, which included Technical Sgts. Kenneth Green, Mark Williams, John Egloff, James Stebbins, Senior Airman Rikki Welch and Chief Master Sgt. Stacy Bauer.

This was not Sergeant Duhe's first Hawgsmoke experience. He was at "Hawgwash."

"In 2004, some planes got into the air, but the weather started coming in," Sergeant Duhe said. "We got rained out and we couldn't work. The planes couldn't fly because of the lightening ... but, this weather is really nice."

"For the most part the host command handles most of everything, and we take care of our jets if needed, helping out where we are needed," he said.

The four-pilot team from the 47th FS was different than ever before. Added to the group of Reservists was Capt. Grant McCall, a Regular Air Force member from Moody Air Force Base, Ga., who is assigned to the 47 FS at Barksdale AFB, as part of the Air Force's Total Force Enterprise.

For Captain McCall the transition from a Regular Air Force unit to the 47th FS was seamless. "In the 47th Fighter Squadron there's a lot of experience," he said. "You don't get that experience in every squadron. It's very unique to the 47th."

Captain McCall joined Lt. Col. Robert Hetland, Capt. Jason Cobb and Capt. Adam Ratican for this year's competition.

Being part of a "winning" squadron, Captain McCall was confident the team was ready and capable of another win at this year's Hawgsmoke competition. "As far as flying goes, there's no difference between the pilots," Captain McCall said. "We are totally integrated."

On the day of the gunnery challenge the 47th FS team faced a challenge they were unable to overcome.

Due to a system malfunction with one of the 47th FS jets, and no time in the schedule to get a substitute in the air, the 47th FS team went into the competition with only three jets. The possibility of a "team" win was gone, and Capt. Andrew Ratican had to sit out the gunnery and bombing competition. The team scored more points with only three jets than many teams that brought four to the fight.

One pilot on the 47th FS team was familiar with the area. Born and raised in Idaho, Captain Cobb, cut his teeth in the Air Force in Idaho. A former enlisted Airman in life support; he began flying the A-10 in Idaho once he finished college and received his commission. He flew A-10s at the 190th FS for six years before transferring to the 47FS to take a full-time position. For Capt. Cobb, this was a distinct advantage, but he takes nothing away from the team effort.

"The three-ship went out there and performed very well," Captain Cobb said. "But, once it was known we only had three jets, we were just out there for individual recognition and awards."

And, Capt. Cobb did just that. He brought home two individual awards from Hawgsmoke 2010.

Capt. Cobb, took 1st Place in the Top Pop to Low Angle High Drag (LAHD) category and 3rd Place in the - 30-Degree Dive Bomb Award (HARS).

The 190th FS from Gowen Field, Idaho ANG, took the team competition at Hawgsmoke 2010 and became the first ever back-to-back winner. Contest rules state they cannot host the competition twice in a row so that honor falls to the 2nd Place Overall Team from the 354th Fighter Squadron at Davis-Monthan, Air Force base, Ariz.

For the rest of the 47th FS, and whoever may be on the next team, it will be another two years of preparation before they face the current back-to-back champions of Hawgsmoke 2010.

1st PLACE WINNERS:
Top Overall A-10 Team - 190th Fighter Squadron
Top Pilot - Maj. Scott "Disco" Downey (190th FS)
Top Strafe Team - 190th Fighter Squadron
Top Bombing Team - 358th Fighter Squadron

2nd Place Overall Team - 354th Fighter Squadron (should host in 2012)


The attending units included:
- AATC - Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ (USAFR)
- GF West - Nellis AFB, NV
- 23rd Operations Support Squadron - Moody AFB, GA
- 25th Fighter Squadron - Osan AB, ROK
- 45th Fighter Squadron - Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ (USAFR)
- 47th Fighter Squadron - Barksdale AFB, LA
- 66th Fighter Squadron - Nellis AFB, NV
- 74th Fighter Squadron - Moody AFB, GA
- 76th Fighter Squadron - Moody AFB, GA
- 104th Fighter Squadron - Baltimore, Maryland ANG
- 107th Fighter Squadron - Selfridge, Michigan ANG
- 163rd Fighter Squadron - Fort Wayne, Indiana ANG
- 184th Fighter Squadron - Fort Smith, Arkansas ANG
- 190th Fighter Squadron - Gowen Field, Idaho ANG
- 303rd Fighter Squadron - Whiteman AFB, MO (USAFR)
- 354th Fighter Squadron - Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
- 357th Fighter Squadron - Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
- 358th Fighter Squadron - Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ

Source

Please note: There are 24 pictures associated.

DM dominates the Hawgsmoke 2010 competition

by Airman Saphfire D. Cook
355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

10/20/2010 - DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- Airmen from DM participated in the Hawgsmoke 2010 competition, held Oct. 13 to Oct. 16 in Boise, Idaho.

The Hawgsmoke games are a biennial A-10 Thunderbolt II bombing, missile, and tactile gunnery competition. The final standings were as follows:

1st Place Team Bombing - 358th Fighter Squadron
1st Place CRUD - 358th FS
1st Place Team Maverick - 354th FS
1st Place High Altitude Dive Bomb - Capt. Ugh Pruitt, 358th FS
2nd Place Overall Team - 354th FS
3rd Place Pilot Overall - Capt. Chip Young, 354th FS
2nd Place Team Strafe - 354th FS
2nd Place Team Bombing - 354th FS
2nd Place Strafe - Maj. Custer Kelly, 45th Fighter Squadron
2nd Place CRUD - 354th Fighter Squadron
2nd Place Team Maverick - 357th Fighter Squadron
2nd Place Dive Bomb - Capt. Bart Harris, 354th FS
3rd Place HADB - Maj. Custer Kelly, 45th FS

"The competition makes us better," said Capt. Jeremiah Parvin, 357th FS pilot and first time Hawgsmoke participant. Hawgsmoke is a chance for A-10 guys to get together to solve proplems and re-hone our skills."

DM's overwhelming success in this year's competition depended on both highly-skilled flight crews and expert maintainers.

"Maintenance was a huge part of this," said Capt. Parvin. "They kept the jets healthy during the competition, so we knew that when we went out to our jets they would work."

Hawgsmoke 2010 was hosted by the Idaho Air National Guard's 190th Fighter Squadron, the winners of the 2008 games.

The maintenance crews from the various squadrons helped to keep the planes up and running throughout the competition.

Hawgsmoke 2011 is scheduled to be held at DM.

Source

A-10 pilots test skills, share tactics at Hawgsmoke 2010

A-10 Thunderbolt IIs from units across the Air Force lined up on the ramp at Gowen Air National Guard Base, Idaho, for Hawgsmoke 2010 Oct. 13 to 16. Hawgsmoke is a bienial competition among the U.S. Air Force's A-10 squadrons that tests pilots' bombing, gunnery, navigation and aviation skills. The 2010 competition was hosted by the 124th Fighter Wing, Idaho Air National Guard, at Gowen Air National Guard Base, Idaho. The 124th FW's 190th Fighter Squadron won the competition just as it did in 2008. (U.S. Air Force photo by Lt. Col. David Kurle) Hi-res

by Lt. Col. David Kurle
442nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

10/19/2010 - BOISE, Idaho -- BOISE, Idaho -- While they didn't walk away with the Hawgsmoke 2010 trophy, members of the 442nd Fighter Wing's 303rd and 76th Fighter Squadrons did reap plenty of other rewards from the event held at Gowen Air National Guard Base here Oct. 13 to 16.

"The focus is the competition but there are plenty of other benefits to being here," said Maj. Olivia Elliott, 303rd FS A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot who attended her first Hawgsmoke.

A-10 pilots from across the Air Force use the biennial event to develop professionally, improve their aviation skills, share ideas and enjoy camaraderie, she said.

"As rules of engagement change, tactics have to change with that, and this is a good chance to sit down in a relaxed environment and discuss what works," Major Elliott said.

The 303rd Fighter Squadron commander, Lt. Col. Brian Borgen, agreed.

"Late at night I watched four tactics discussions between senior pilots and junior pilots that wouldn't have happened in a more formal setting," Colonel Borgen said.

Hawgsmoke tests A-10 pilots from the active duty, Reserve and Air National Guard in a competition that includes air-to-ground gunnery, bombing, AGM-65 Maverick missile employment, formation-flying and navigation events.

"It's good to get together in a more informal, relaxed setting to keep people motivated and focused so when we get back to home-station we can maintain our very busy operations tempo," said Col. Gregory Eckfeld, the commander of the 442nd FW's 476th Fighter Group at Moody Air Force Base, Ga.

"Hawgsmoke gives us a chance to network with other A-10 units and find out how those other units conduct our business," Colonel Eckfeld said. "This is a very unique event - no other community does this."

Even senior leaders at the wing, group and squadron levels got together at Hawgsmoke to discuss the future of A-10 operations across the Air Force, according to Colonel Eckfeld.

The Idaho ANG's 124th FW, based here, hosted the event - a task assigned to it after pilots from the wing's 190th FS won Hawgsmoke 2008 hosted by the 303rd FS in Salina, Kan.

"I got a great hand-off from the folks at Whiteman (AFB, Mo.) after the 2008 Hawgsmoke," said Lt. Col. Ronnie Kaufman, the plans officer for the 124th FW, who served as the project officer for Hawgsmoke 2010.

"They were able to point me in the right direction with sponsors and products," he said. "On top of that, all our prayers were answered as far as weather."

The weather at the Saylor Creek Bombing Range, east of Boise, was clear and mild for the flying portions of the competition Oct. 14 as teams of four A-10s from squadrons around the Air Force dropped practice bombs, fired 30mm rounds at targets on the ground and targeted moving vehicles with inert Maverick missiles.

A crowd of more than 150 people cheered the pilots from bleachers set up at the range as the sound of the A-10s' 30mm cannons ripped the air apart. The pilots flew their aircraft low to employ the "Warthog's" primary weapon.

"This is really awesome," said Major Elliott, who watched the competition from the ground because she was not on the four-person team representing the 303rd FS.

"The competition is not just about how well we can use all the gadgets on the A-10, but how well we can use degraded systems - it's more old-school flying," she said.

Hawgsmoke's rules force pilots to use their skills as aviators rather than relying on the airplane's electronics, Major Elliott explained.

Other reservists from the 442nd FW, including maintainers, services specialists and public affairs Airmen, joined the 303rd FS pilots at Hawgsmoke 2010.

"(Hawgsmoke) is definitely a pilot thing," said Tech. Sgt. Pete Melby, 442nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief. "But it's still a competition for us."

"There's a certain amount of pride involved when you see our jets next to all the other A-10s from across the Air Force," he said.

The maintainers earned their keep primarily through launching and recovering A-10s flying in the competition, as well as taking care of maintenance problems that cropped up.

One of the biggest maintenance headaches resulted when a 442nd FW A-10 developed a hydraulic leak.

"We were starting up (the No. 2 engine) and heard a big 'goussch'," said Staff Sgt. John Tischhauser, A-10 crew chief. "The left-main (landing) gear was just coated in hydraulic fluid."

Four reservists from the 442nd Services Flight drove more than 1,400 miles with 500 pounds of meat and 10 gallons of baked beans so they could serve dinner to more than 300 people Oct. 14.

"Since we'd already done a Hawgsmoke previously, who better to lend a hand?" said Master. Sgt. Ralph Kowski, 442nd Services Flight.

The Fishnet Securities barbecue team donated and helped prepare the food, but Senior Master Sgt. Travis Stickels, Tech. Sgt. David Lawson, Airman Jennifer Rehmer and Sergeant Kowski served it to hungry A-10 pilots.

The 2010 host, the 124th FW, will organize the event in 2012 because, once again, the Idaho ANG's 190th FS was declared the winner of this year's Hawgsmoke - the first unit to win back-to-back competitions.

"It's a great honor to host this competition," said Col. James R. Compton, 124th FW commander. "These are some of the finest warriors in the A-10 business."



A 442nd Fighter Wing A-10 Thunderbolt II takes off from Gowen Air National Guard Base, Idaho, Oct. 14 on its way to the Sayler Creek Bombing Range, near Boise, during Hawgsmoke 2010. (U.S. Air Force photo by Lt. Col. David Kurle) Hi-res

Source

Please note: More associated pictures will be uploaded soon.

188th Fighter Wing/Fort Chaffee Community Council meets

by Capt. Heath Allen
Arkansas National Guard Public Affairs

10/14/2010 - FORT SMITH, Ark. -- The 188th Fighter Wing/Fort Chaffee Community Council met Wednesday, Oct. 13 at the 188th's Hugh B. Correll Headquarters Building. Col. Tom Anderson, 188th Fighter Wing commander, updated local community and civic leaders on recent and upcoming projects at the Air National Guard unit.

Col. Keith Klemmer, commander of the Arkansas Army National Guard's 142nd Fires Brigade, discussed 142nd operations at Fort Chaffee.

Lt. Col. Ray Hunter, commander of the 188th's 184th Fighter Squadron, discussed the unit's Aerospace Expeditionary Forces deployment to Kandahar, Afghanistan. Hunter was commander of the 184th Expeditionary Squadron during the 188th's deployment. The unit returned from Kandahar last May.

Hunter's presentation included pictures from the deployment and declassified Weapons System Video footage captured by the 188th's A-10s while engaged in combat operations.

The purpose of the Community Council is to bolster the relationship between community leaders, employers and both Fort Chaffee and the 188th.

"It takes a lot of cooperation between the community, employers and the National Guard to help ensure our mission is a success," Hunter said. "The Community Council exists to help strengthen that relationship. It's important for leaders in the community to understand what we do and it's important that they understand how much we appreciate their support."



Lt. Col. Ray Hunter, commander of the 188th Fighter Wing's 184th Fighter Squadron, discusses the unit's recent Aerospace Expeditionary Forces deployment to Kandahar, Afghanistan, during a meeting with the 188th Fighter Wing/Fort Chaffee Community Council Wednesday, Oct. 13 at the 188th's Hugh B. Correll Headquarters Building. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Heath Allen/Arkansas National Guard Public Affairs) Hi-res

O.K., thats not a breaking news, but we got the very important info that Lt. Col. Ray Hunter is the current commander of the 188th Fighter Wing's 184th Fighter Squadron at Fort Smith AB, Arkansas. Getting current A-10 Squadron Commander assignments isn't easy.

Air Guard general shares Afghanistan experience with school children

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Jon Soucy
National Guard Bureau

ARLINGTON, Va., (10/18/10) - His tan flight suit looked slightly out of place against the multi-colored walls of the elementary school library.

But Air Force Brig. Gen. Guy Walsh, who recently returned from a year-long deployment to Afghanistan as commander of the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing at Khandahar Air Field, was on a mission.

He wanted to share his deployment experiences with the elementary school children, who sent letters, pictures and books him and his Airmen during his deployment.

For the children, it was a way to say thank you for serving and a way to learn a bit more about current events, said Bonnie Oxley, a third grade teacher at Clark Wood Elementary School in Elkland, Pa., whose class adopted the Airmen.

"We write letters to servicemembers every year," she said. "My husband is retired Air Force, and I know what it feels like to have him on one continent and your children on another continent."

This time it was a bit different and included a connection to the school.

"This was unique in that my wife is a school teacher and one of the teachers she works with taught here at Clark Wood Elementary," said Walsh. "So, (the class was) looking for a location to send letters to and that's how it started."

For Walsh and his Airmen, reading and answering the letters had its own benefit.

"It was a great interaction and a good way to stay in touch with what's going on back home," said Walsh. "The students all wrote some amazing questions. There was a lot of thought that went into them, and we had tons of letters, which were very in-depth and detailed."

Though many of the questions posed by the students centered around daily life while serving in Afghanistan, many others focused on other things as well.

"It was such a broad range," said Walsh. "There were a lot that asked about family pets and about things back home."

Their involvement personalized an event currently in the news.

"A servicemember, particularly a general officer, is often some sort of icon, a comic book figure or this unknown entity," said Walsh. "So, it's great to come back and say no, it's a normal human being with kids, with pets and I think that's sometimes why they ask those questions."

And for the students, receiving a response was just as exciting.

"They loved … hearing back from them," said Oxley.

The general's letters also helped to reinforce lessons in the classroom.

"(The students) get a little bit of a geography lesson figuring out where these people are that we're writing to," said Oxley.

During his visit, Walsh continued those lessons.

"He talked about staying fit and doing exercise and about being a lifelong learner," said Oxley. "That's huge. That's something that we talk about to these kids all the time that you don't stop when you graduate from high school, that if you really want to keep moving on you're going to be a lifelong learner."

Visiting the students was one of the highlights of his career, said Walsh, who is set to retire soon after serving 35 years.

His recent assignment to Afghanistan was another highpoint. Walsh was the first Air National Guard general officer to stand up a wing in Afghanistan.

"I was very fortunate to be able to do that," he said. "Standing up a new wing -- instead of just being handed over the continuity book, the patch and the (commander's) coins -- means you literally start from scratch.

"So, you write your own vision statements, you write your own mission statements, you design a patch. That experience, in addition to commanding in a combat zone, was a tremendous experience."

The deployment also had its challenges.

"We started out with very austere and very rudimentary systems in terms of our communications and facilities," said Walsh. "Over that year, we were able to build a new headquarters and a new area there. Those were the biggest challenges and the biggest successes as well."

Those successes, said Walsh, came from building relationships, which at times presented its own difficulties.

"It's different than what you're used to," said Walsh, referring to being a wing commander in Afghanistan. "As the wing commander, you're the senior field authority… so you were the base commander and the air field commander. In this case you were neither one."

Walsh had to ensure he had open communication channels with those who were.

"It was very important to develop relationships both with NATO and with the U.S. Army, who was the base operator," he said.

During his time in Afghanistan, Walsh also flew 79 combat missions in the A-10 Thunderbolt II with the wing.

"I had the opportunity to fly on our HH-60 (Pavehawks), with our C-130Js, and several of the different airframes that we had over there," he said. "It was tremendous to be over there and get to take part in that."

He also had the opportunity to fly with pilots from the 175th Airlift Wing, the wing he commanded back home in the Maryland Air National Guard.

"That was very special to be able to do that," said Walsh. "To fly with the guys you train, organize and equip for war and to command them not only in peace time but also to command them in Afghanistan was one of those very fortunate things I got to do."

Looking back over his career, Walsh said the people he served allowed him to be successful.

"The number one piece of that 35 years has been the people I've worked with, without a doubt," he said. "It's just been at tremendous journey."

Walsh said that he would do it all over again, if he had the opportunity, which is why he visited Clark Wood Elementary.

"For some that may be joining the military," he said. "For others it may be service in another way. Any time, at this age, you can't talk enough about service and helping out in the community and those sorts of things."



Air Force Brig. Gen. Guy Walsh high-fives students from Clark Wood Elementary School in Elkland, Pa., during a visit to the school, Oct. 7, 2010. Walsh, commander of the 451st Expeditionary Wing while deployed to Khandahar, Afghanistan, corresponded with third and fourth graders at the school during his year-long deployment. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Jon Soucy) Hi-res

Source

Idaho team takes top honors in Hawgsmoke competition

KTVB.COM
Posted on October 18, 2010 at 3:25 PM
Updated today at 8:14 AM

BOISE -- For the second time in a row, the 190th Fighter Squadron team from Idaho won the A-10 Hawgsmoke competition.

This year's competition was held in Boise at Gowen Field over the weekend.

Around 200 pilots and more than 40 A-10 Warthog crews from around the nation competed to hone their combat skills.

The four winners this year are all from the Treasure Valley: Squadron Commander Lt. Col. Ryan Odneal, Maj. Scott Downey, Maj. Justin Keskey, and Capt. Ryan Brown.

Downey and Brown were also named the top two pilots in the competition.

Source

188th Fighter Wing nets third-place finish at Hawgsmoke 2010

An A-10C Thunderbolt II "Warthog" from the Arkansas Air National Guard's 188th Fighter Wing fires its AN/GAU-8 30mm Avenger seven-barrel Gatling gun at a target on the ground during the 2010 Hawgsmoke competition in Boise, Idaho, Oct. 14. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. John Orrell) Hi-res

by Tech. Sgt. John Orrell
National Guard Bureau

10/18/2010 - BOISE, Idaho -- The 188th Fighter Wing is proving to be a quick study.

In just its third year as an A-10C Thunderbolt II unit, the 188th took third in the biennial Hawgsmoke competition, an A-10 bombing, missile and tactical gunnery competition that brings the U.S. Air Force's top A-10 pilots from around the world together, as they attempt to become the best of the best.

"We're very proud of how well the 188th performed at Hawgsmoke against some of the best A-10 pilots and units in the world," said Air Force Col. Tom Anderson, the wing commander. "Since converting to the A-10 from the F-16 just three years ago, the 188th has made vast strides in this new aircraft. This is just another example of how far we've come in such a short time."

The 188th transitioned from the F-16 to the A-10 beginning in April 2007. The 188th returned from its first combat deployment in the A-10 in May 2010.

The Idaho Air National Guard's 190th Fighter Squadron became the first team to win back-to-back championships at Hawgsmoke 2010, an international A-10 bombing, missile and tactical gunnery competition held here Oct. 13-15.

"It's a fantastic night for us," said Air Force Lt. Col. Ryan Odneal, the 190th FS commander and the team leader. "Especially for me being the commander and the rest of the flight being traditional Guardsmen, which is what we stand for in the Air National Guard ... to have those guys come out and perform the way they did ... I'm just ecstatic."

Hosted by the 190th FS, which belongs to the 124th Fighter Wing at Gowen Air National Guard Base, Hawgsmoke is a display of world's premier close air support fighter, the A-10C Thunderbolt II, affectionately known as the "Warthog."

With 18 Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and active duty Air Force squadrons from U.S. bases around the world in attendance, parking over 40 A-10s on the tarmac, the competition showcased the skills of the "best of the best," Odneal said.

Teams were comprised of four A-10s attempting to complete events within set parameters with a goal of "the lowest score wins," said, Lt. Col. Dave Trimble, 124th deputy operations group commander, who also served as narrator during the competition.

"[Each pilot] has to complete two 45-degree high altitude dive bombs, two 30-degree dive bombs and then two 10-degree low end or high drag bombs on the same target," he said. "Then that is followed by three passes of low angle or long range strafe."

The 45-degree high altitude dive bomb is a delivery method in which the pilot dives at the ground at a 45-degree angle, he said. Then they start the bomb delivery from 18-20,000 feet above the ground level and release the bomb.

Along with hitting the target, the pilots have to stay 4,500 feet above ground level for it to be a successful run, said Trimble.

"It's a very good tactical delivery in combat, because you are coming out of the high altitude, making you hard to see and hear and the next thing you know the weapon hits the target," he said.

That run is followed two 30-degree dive bombs, where the parameters started at 9,000 feet and stayed 1,000 feet above ground level.

The 10-degree low end or high drag bomb run is a little different from the previous two, said Trimble.

"It is a weapons delivery that simulates delivering a high drag munitions such as the Mark 82 [unguided, low-drag general-purpose bomb] you are down low underneath the weather, staying out of the flak," he said. "You drop a high drag munitions and a big 'ballute' [a bomb parachute invented by a commercial vendor and used with the Mark 82] comes out, slows the weapon down so that you can get out of harm's way before it implodes."

After the bombing run portion, the pilots then completed three low-angle strafe runs on a target.

If they got their 30 shots on the target, they were done with that run. If not, they had to make another run at the target, but from a farther distance, increasing the spread of the shots and making it harder to hit the target, said Trimble.

"The points are tallied up at the end of each mission," he said. "They look at the scores, parameters ... take all of that into account and compile a score."

The Air National Guard had two of the top three teams, and the top two pilots came from the Idaho team.

Maj. Scott Downey of the 190th FS was named the top pilot of Hawgsmoke. Capt. Ryan Brown, also of the 190th, was named the second best pilot at Hawgsmoke, a distinction he also earned back in 2008 at Salina, Kan.

The second-place team was the 354th FS, an active duty unit from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.

Source

Idaho A-10 wing repeats as Hawgsmoke champions

Members of the Idaho Air National Guard's 190th Fighter Squadron from left to right, Maj. Scott Downey, Lt. Col. Ryan Odneal and Capt. Ryan Brown pose with the trophy that they won during Hawgsmoke 2010 at Gowen Air National Guard Base in Boise, Idaho, Oct. 16, 2010. Missing from the photo, but pictured in a photo cutout, is Maj. Justin Keskey. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Josh Breckon, Idaho National Guard) Hi-res

By Tech. Sgt. John Orrell
National Guard Bureau

BOISE, (10/18/10) - The Idaho Air National Guard's 190th Fighter Squadron became the first team to win back-to-back championships at Hawgsmoke 2010, an international A-10 bombing, missile and tactical gunnery competition held here Oct. 13-15.

"It's a fantastic night for us," said Air Force Lt. Col. Ryan Odneal, the 190th FS commander and the team leader. "Especially for me being the commander and the rest of the flight being traditional Guardsmen, which is what we stand for in the Air National Guard … to have those guys come out and perform the way they did … I'm just ecstatic."

Hosted by the 190th FS, which belongs to the 124th Fighter Wing at Gowen Air National Guard Base, Hawgsmoke is a display of world's premier close air support fighter, the A-10C Thunderbolt II, affectionately known as the "Warthawg."

With 18 Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and active duty Air Force squadrons from U.S. bases around the world in attendance, parking over 40 A-10s on the tarmac, the competition showcased the skills of the "best of the best," Odneal said.

Teams were comprised of four A-10s attempting to complete events within set parameters with a goal of "the lowest score wins," said, Lt. Col. Dave Trimble, 124th deputy operations group commander, who also served as narrator during the competition.

"They (each pilot) have to complete two 45-degree high altitude dive bombs, two 30-degree dive bombs and then two 10-degree low end or high drag bombs on the same target," he said. "Then that is followed by three passes of low angle or long range strafe."

The 45-degree high altitude dive bomb is a delivery method in which the pilot dives at the ground at a 45-degree angle, he said. Then they start the bomb delivery from 18-20,000 feet above the ground level and release the bomb.

Along with hitting the target, the pilots have to stay 4,500 feet above ground level for it to be a successful run, said Trimble.

"It's a very good tactical delivery in combat, because you are coming out of the high altitude, making you hard to see and hear and the next thing you know the weapon hits the target," he said.

That run is followed two 30-degree dive bombs, where the parameters started at 9,000 feet and stayed 1,000 feet above ground level.

The 10-degree low end or high drag bomb run is a little different from the previous two, said Trimble.

"It is a weapons delivery that simulates delivering a high drag munitions such as the Mark 82 (unguided, low-drag general-purpose bomb) you are down low underneath the weather, staying out of the flak," he said. "You drop a high drag munitions and a big 'ballute' (a bomb parachute invented by a commercial vendor and used with the Mark 82) comes out, slows the weapon down so that you can get out of harm's way before it implodes."

After the bombing run portion, the pilots then completed three low-angle strafe runs on a target.

If they got their 30 shots on the target, they were done with that run. If not, they had to make another run at the target, but from farther distance increasing the spread of the shots and making it harder to hit the target, said Trimble.

"The points are tallied up at the end of each mission," he said. "They look at the scores, parameters … take all of that into account and compile a score."

The Air National Guard had two of the top three teams, and the top two pilots came from the Idaho team.

Maj. Scott Downey of the 190th FS was named the top pilot of Hawgsmoke.

"Guess this old guy can still hang," he said. "But seriously, this is a great feeling, one I'll never forget."

Capt. Ryan Brown, also of the 190th, was named the second best pilot at Hawgsmoke, a distinction he also earned back in 2008 at Salina, Kan.

"This is a great feeling," Brown said. "But, I owe to my guys; they push me to be better."

The second place team was the 354th FS, an active duty unit from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.

The 184th FS of the 188th FW of Fort Smith, Ark., was named the third best team at Hawgsmoke.

"We're very proud of how well the 188th performed at Hawgsmoke against some of the best A-10 pilots and units in the world," said Air Force Col. Tom Anderson, the wing commander. "Since converting to the A-10 from the F-16 just three years ago, the 188th has made vast strides in this new aircraft.

"This is just another example of how far we've come in such a short time."

Source

Official Hawgsmoke 2010 video: Hawgsmoke 2010 A-10 Competition (Part two)

Source

Official Hawgsmoke 2010 video: Hawgsmoke 2010 A-10 Competition

Source

Official Hawgsmoke 2010 video: Col. J.R. Compton and Lt. Col. Ryan Odneal

Sorry, but there are some problems.

DVIDS - Video - Col. J.R. Compton and Lt. Col. Ryan Odneal

Video: Strafe run at Hawg Smoke 2010 (longer range shot)

Video: Strafe run at Hawg Smoke 2010 in Boise

Video: Walking off the ramp at Hawg Smoke 2010

Watch this clip

Video: Hawgsmoke 2010 by Minuteman Report

Please note:
The "Minuteman Report" is a new source of information for news about the National Guard. The roughly one-minute video segment highlights news, current events and items of significance within the National Guard.

Excellent online photo report: Hawgsmoke 2010!!

Don't miss this excellent photo report, posted today on the Militaryphotos.Net forums. 30 pictures and a nice photographer's story!!

Another source

Please note: I will try to get in contact with this photographer.

Hawgsmoke 2010 photos on 188th Fighter Wing's public website

Source

Hawgsmoke 2010 photo report by Roel Reijne

Warthog News contributor Roel Reijne from The Netherlands had the opportunity to visit Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, for Hawgsmoke 2010. And he took a huge lot of pictures. Here are his first shots, already posted on the Dutch Scramble Message Board:



A-10C 638 from the 184th Fighter Squadron, 188th Fighter Wing, Fort Smith, Arkansas. (Photo by Roel Reijne) Full size



A-10C 188 from the 184th Fighter Squadron, 188th Fighter Wing, Fort Smith, Arkansas. (Photo by Roel Reijne) Full size



A-10C 138 from the 74th Fighter Squadron, 23rd Fighter Group, 23rd Fighter Wing (ACC), Moody AFB, Georgia. (Photo by Roel Reijne) Full size



Formation landing... (Photo by Roel Reijne) Full size



A-10C 152 from the 47th Fighter Squadron, 917th Wing (AFRC), Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. (Photo by Roel Reijne) Full size



Late afternoon through the fence: A-10C 643 from the 190th Fighter Squadron, 124th Wing, Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. (Photo by Roel Reijne) Full size



Firing the gun... A-10C WA 229, marked 66 WPS as 66th Weapons Squadron bird, 66th WPS, Nellis AFB. (Photo by Roel Reijne) Full size



A-10C 649 from the 184th Fighter Squadron, 188th Fighter Wing, Fort Smith, Arkansas. (Photo by Roel Reijne) Full size



Firing the gun... (Photo by Roel Reijne) Full size



At the range. A-10C WA 229, marked 66 WPS as 66th Weapons Squadron bird, 66th WPS, Nellis AFB. (Photo by Roel Reijne) Full size



At the base. (Photo by Roel Reijne) Full size

See:
hawgsmoke 2010 @ gowen field Boise Idaho

As Roel told me via PM, he will provide some more pictures.

Units visit Davis-Monthan Air Base for Operation Snowbird

By Christina Stymfal
KOLD TV / News 13
Posted: Oct 16, 2010 3:14 AM
Updated: Oct 16, 2010 5:07 AM

DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, AZ (KOLD) - United States Marine Corps and Maryland Air National Guard aircraft will operate here through the rest of the year as part of Operation Snowbird.

• 8 AV-8B Harrier IIs from the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma will operate at Snowbird for the last two weeks of October.

• 10 A-10 Thunderbolt IIs from the 175th Wing of the Maryland Air National Guard will operate at Snowbird during the second and third weeks of November.

On arrival and departure, pilots will comply with all of the base's traffic patterns and noise abatement procedures, according to a news release.

Units visiting Snowbird typically use this training in preparation for upcoming deployments. Davis-Monthan and surrounding training sites offer visiting aircrews similar conditions they would face in deployed environments, making the base and its assets ideal for combat training.

Operation Snowbird provides support for visiting flying units from U.S. military installations and allied partners needing to train in the optimal weather conditions and ample ranges of Southern Arizona.

Source

Military plane with damaged tire lands safely at the Boise Airport Thursday

Idaho Statesman
Published: 10/14/10

The A-10 Wartog damaged one of its three tires on take-off, but it landed without incident, according to Idaho National Guard spokesman Col. Tim Marsano.

The plane was part of a group of four military planes that landed at the airport at 5:35 p.m. Emergency personnel were on standby at the airport.

Marsano said Warthogs are able to land reasonably well, even with a damaged tire. He said such in-flight emergencies aren't uncommon.

"It's certainly not a welcome experience," Marsano said.

Marsano did not know if the plane was an Idaho National Guard plane because the 190th Fighter Squadron is hosting the "Hawgsmoke 2010" competition.

Eighteen teams and more than 40 aircraft are competing. More than 200 pilots and maintenance personnel are visiting Gowen Field for the competition, a biennial, worldwide A-10 bombing, missile, and tactical gunnery competition.

Idaho National Guard officials say Hawgsmoke is an intense competition to hone combat skills as well as an opportunity to build camaraderie and fellowship of the world's premier Close Air Support fighter, the A-10 "Warthog."

Source

Idaho Air National Guard pilots win worldwide competition

By Stan McKie
Boise City Buzz Examiner
October 16th, 2010 9:08 am MT

Pilots from Idaho's 190th Fighter Squadron have won for the second time the "Hawgsmoke 2010" worldwide A-10 bombing and gunnery competition held in Idaho this week. The announcement of the winner was made at an awards ceremony last night.

This year's winning team of 4 pilots from the 190th are all are from the Treasure Valley:

· 190th Fighter Squadron Commander, Lt. Col. Ryan Odneal
· Maj. Scott Downey
· Maj. Justin Keskey
· Capt. Ryan Brown

Idaho also took home top pilot honors, with Maj. Downey and Capt. Brown named top pilots; numbers 1 and 2, respectively, out of the 72 pilots competing.

The 190th Fighter Squadron Commander, Lt. Col. Ryan Odneal, had words of praise for the 124th Fighter Wing maintenance team, which played a critical role in the competition, ensuring the aircraft were in the best condition possible. "We could not have done it without them," he said. "They are the best of the best."

Eighteen U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard teams from around the nation and South Korean competed. More than 40 aircraft participated, and over 200 pilots and maintenance personnel came to Gowen Field for the competition, which takes place every two years.

Hawgsmoke is an A-10 bombing, missile, and tactical gunnery competition which hones pilots' combat skills, and is also an opportunity to build camaraderie and fellowship of the world's premier Close Air Support fighter, the A-10 "Warthog." Teams competed on the Mountain Home Range complex, and all competition took place yesterday, Oct. 14.

The Idaho Air National Guard hosted this year's event as a result of winning the 2008 Hawgsmoke competition in Salinas, Kans.

Idaho will not host the 2012 event because competition rules state that a unit cannot host back-to-back events. Therefore, the second-place team, the 354th Fighter Squadron from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Ariz., will host the 2012 Hawgsmoke.



Hawgsmoke 2010 gunnery targets.



Hawgsmoke 2010 30mm rounds strike gunnery targets.



Hawgsmoke 2010 A-10 fires GAU-8 30mm Gatling Gun.

Source

Idaho Air National Guard team wins 'Hawgsmoke 2010' A-10 bombing, gunnery competition

Idaho Statesman
Published: 10/15/10

The hosting team took the top prize at "Hawgsmoke 2010," a worldwide A-10 bombing and gunnery competition held in Boise this week, an Idaho National Guard spokesman said Friday.

Eighteen U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard teams and South Korea competed. More than 40 aircraft participated, and over 200 pilots and maintenance personnel came to Gowen Field for the competition, which takes place every two years.

Teams competed on the Mountain Home Range complex, and all competition took place Thursday. The Idaho Air National Guard hosted this year’s event because they won the 2008 Hawgsmoke competition in Salinas, Kans.

The 190th Fighter Squadron team from the Idaho Air National Guard took top overall team honors. The pilots on the team were: Fighter Squadron Commander, Lt. Col. Ryan Odneal, Maj. Scott Downey, Maj. Justin Keskey and Capt. Ryan Brown.

Maj. Downey and Capt. Brown placed first and second, respectively, among 72 pilots competing.

Lt. Col. Odneal praised the 124th Fighter Wing maintenance team, which played a critical role in the competition, ensuring the aircraft were in the best condition possible.

"We could not have done it without them," Odneal said in a press release Friday. "They are the best of the best."

Read more: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2010/10/15/1381221/idaho-national-guard-team-wins.html#ixzz12Xz5AooE



Major Downey, left, Lt. Col. Odneal and Capt. Brown. Not pictured, Maj. Keskey. Downey is holding up a photo of Keskey.

Read more: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2010/10/15/1381221/idaho-national-guard-team-wins.html#ixzz12Y39dX66

Source

Local pilots in A-10 competition

By John Andrew Prime
shreveporttimes.com
October 15, 2010

Pilots from the Air Force Reserve Command's 917th Wing are in Boise, Idaho, this week, competing with other pilots from throughout the service to determine who are the best pilots driving the "Warthawg," the A-10 attack jet.

"This is a good opportunity for us to meet and compete with the best of our band of brothers in the Hawg community," said Lt. Col. James Travis, 47th Fighter Squadron commander, who is at Hawgsmoke with the four-pilot team representing the local wing. Competition began Wednesday and ends Saturday, with the pilots flying home Sunday.

The local pilots involved are Lt. Col. Robert Hetland and captains Jason Cobb, Grant McCall and Andrew Ratican. All are with the 47th Fighter Squadron, which descends from a unit that sent numerous pilots to meet Japanese attackers over Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on Dec. 7, 1941. Cobb, Hetland and Ratican are reservists; McCall is active-duty temporarily assigned to the squadron, which is a schoolhouse for A-10 pilots.

"We are in the conversion process of becoming combat coded and changing to the C Model A-10," Travis said. "This offers us the perfect opportunity to hone our skills and challenge the new technology that is currently being used in the Global War on Terror."

The competition, held every two years, traces its heritage to Gunsmoke, the Air Force's air-to-ground gunnery and bombing competition, last held in 1995.

This year, its host is the Idaho Air National Guard's 190th Fighter Squadron. In 2004, it was flown out of England Air Park, the former England Air Force Base in Alexandria, which once was home to a major A-10 presence. Louisiana's famed wet weather rolled in and disrupted flight so much that the event was called "Hawgwash" by the disappointed pilots, and despite 18 teams and more than 70 aircraft, no one was named winner.

The first Hawgsmoke was in 2000 at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center in Michigan and was hosted by the Michigan Air National Guard's 172nd Fighter Squadron. Hawgsmoke 2002 was held out of the Fort Drum Forward Operating Location in New York state. That year's event ended with the four-pilot team from Barksdale's 47th Fighter Squadron emerging victorious, leading to the wet event held in Alexandria in 2004. In 2006, the 355th Fighter Wing sponsored the competition at Davis Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Ariz. At that, the 303d Fighter Squadron from Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., was named winner.

Source

A-10 Wart Hog: 'It's not glamorous to fly, it's just lethal'

By Scott Logan
KBOI2 News
Story Published: Oct 15, 2010 at 9:18 AM PDT
Story Updated: Oct 15, 2010 at 9:18 AM PDT

BOISE -- It's "hawg heaven" in the skies over Boise these days - as in the A-10 Wart Hog, a unique jet aircraft specifically designed for close ground support of U.S troops.

"It's not glamorous to fly, it's just lethal," said Col. JR Compton with the Idaho Air Guard. "And it's amazing the respect this airplane gets not only from our allies but our enemies. They fear this aircraft."

And especially its gatling gun that can fire 60 30-millimeter rounds a second.

"It's a phenomenal weapons system," said Lt. Col. Ryan Odneal. "There hasn't been anything designed the recent years that can match it."

And through Saturday, the best A-10 pilots from U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air Guard bases around the world are competing for bragging rights in the Hawgsmoke Competition.

Forty A-10 aircraft and 200 pilots plus maintenance crew will match bombing, missle,and gunnery skills at targets in the desert near Boise.

"There's a tremendous pride factor in being first," said Lt. Col. Odneal. "You don't want to be last because you're being measured against the best of the best."

And Gowen Field is hosting this twice yearly competition because the Idaho Air Guard pilots are the defending A-10 champs.

Associated video:

Source

Hawgs fly in international gunnery competition

Three A-10C Thunderbolt II "Warthogs" break formation before landing at the 2010 Hawgsmoke competition in Boise, Idaho. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. John Orrell) Hi-res

By Tech. Sgt. John Orrell
National Guard Bureau

BOISE, Idaho (10/13/10) -- Over the skies of Iraq and Afghanistan, the A-10C Thunderbolt II, affectionately known as the "Warthawg," is a valuable asset to the warfighter.

It provides a "much-needed mission to those on the ground," said the Air Force Col. James R. Compton, the commander of the Idaho Air National Guard's 124th Fighter Wing. "If you talk to any Soldier … and you ask them what they want, they will undoubtedly say, 'We want A-10s overhead.'"

Here at Gowen Air National Guard Base this week that close air support mission is on display during the 2010 Hawgsmoke competition, which is being hosted by the 2008 champions from the wing's 190th Fighter Squadron.

"It's a great honor to host this competition," Compton said. "These are some of the finest warriors in the A-10 business."

Hawgsmoke, a biennial A-10 bombing, missile and tactical gunnery competition, brings the U.S. Air Force's top A-10 pilots from around the world together, as they attempt to become the best of the best, said Air Force Lt. Col. Ryan Odneal, the squadron commander and flight leader for this year's Idaho team.

The competition is a chance for active duty, Guard and reserve A-10 air crews and maintenance personnel to get together and share their experiences, Compton said.

"If you don't put them all together at one time in a venue like this, then you don't get any validation that (the combination) works," he said. "We are a very diverse organization and to put it all together here, we come to find out that we're not as different as we thought. It validates that we are all one team heading for one common goal."

Competition is also good for them, Compton said, because it builds camaraderie throughout the A-10 community.

"(Camaraderie) is very important to this type of a competition," said Compton. "(It) is really the glue that keeps us together."

Keeping the planes running during the competition are the maintenance crews from the 124th and several other competing wings.

"Much like the pilots, they are going to share (maintaining) different airplanes," he said. "That validates that we have one standard for the way we generate airplanes, and we get to watch them … all working together as a team."

Senior Master Sgt. Ron Manker, the maintenance superintendent for Hawgsmoke, said the extra hands from the participating units are very helpful, since repairs had to be made for some teams to compete.

He added that most of them have also deployed or trained together in the past.

Compton said the wing has been planning for this event for the last two years.

"The best thing about having this competition in Boise is we are going to see some of the premier bombing ranges," he said. "The pilots are going to be really impressed with the tactical scenarios we provided for them."

Source

Note:
That's the latest official Hawgsmoke 2010 info, already used by some U.S. news media. And since today, it's also distributed by Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System (DVIDS)