175th Wing A-10C update

By Joachim Jacob

The following info is extracted from the 2011 Almanac issue of the "Chesapeake Guardian", official magazine of the 175th Wing, Maryland Air National Guard (public online PDF issue).


175th Operations Group

During 2010, the group's 107 personnel and 22 A-10C Thunderbolts organized, trained and equipped for worldwide deployments from the Korean area of responsibility to the Middle East.

2010 saw continued support for Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, with the 104th Fighter Squadron deployed from January to April. The 104th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron was the first ANG unit into Kandahar Air Base and only the second A-10 unit since the base opened. The unit supported U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, special operations forces, and International Security Assistance Force coalition forces with close air support and was integral to the success of allied operations in Helmund Province.

The group also supported a Firebird and Snowbird exercise at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., dropping GBU-38 and GBU-12 bombs, shooting over 40 AGM-65 Maverick missiles, 400 rockets and 10,000 rounds of 30 mm ammunition.

In November, the group flew the first-ever Exercise Vigilant Guard initial awareness and assessment sorties, providing real-time streaming video in support of the Maryland Emergency Management Agency using the LITENING IV targeting pod and ROVER downlinks. In December, four A-10Cs deployed to Florida to work joint maritime operations with the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise as the fleet prepared for a U.S. Central Command tasking.

During this time the A-10C Thunderbolt was upgraded to Suite 6, adding more situational awareness data link, electronic warfare and self-protection upgrades to the already formidable capabilities of the Warthog. The 175th again led the
entire A-10 Combat Air Force community in advancing the on-board combat systems.

Group Headquarters

Mission
Ensures combat mission ready forces are properly organized, trained and equipped
for on call worldwide combat deployments. Forces include intelligence, weather, life
support, airfield management, aviation management and A-10C fighter pilots. Ensures mission accomplishment in the A-10C to include close air support, forward air
controller, combat search and rescue, with all-weather and night precision capability.

Personnel
Commander: Col. Randolph Staudenraus
Officers: 11
Enlisted: 11


104th Fighter Squadron

Mission
Provides highly trained and equipped combat mission ready forces prepared for worldwide mobility commitment. Employs 22 A-10C aircraft in a multitude of taskings to include close air support, forward air controller, combat search and rescue, with
all-weather and night precision capability.

Personnel
Commander: Lt. Col. Paul Zurkowski
Officers: 30
Enlisted: 27

175th Operations Support Flight

Mission
Provides intelligence, weather, life support, airfield operations and aviation resource management training, as well as aircrew training and scheduling to maintain and ensure support for 22 A-10C aircraft. Ensures squadron and group readiness to accomplish combat missions worldwide.

Personnel
Commander: Lt. Col. Doug Baker
Officers: 9
Enlisted: 19


Source


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