A number of A-10C Thunderbolt II attack aircraft have arrived at Glasgow Prestwick Airport in Scotland on their way to mainland Europe.
Six landed today, more are expected tomorrow.
The A-10s, from the Air Force Reserve’s 442nd Fighter Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., will provide close air support during the DEFENDER 23 exercise, which is intended to build readiness and interoperability between U.S. and NATO allies.
DEFENDER 23 is a U.S.European Command-directed multi-national, joint exercise designed to build readiness and interoperability between U.S. and NATO allies and partners.
The U.S. say that the exercise will:
- take place from 22 April to 23 June
- include more than 7,000 U.S. and 17,000 multi-national service members from
- more than 20 Allied and partner nations
- demonstrate U.S. Army Europe and Africa’s ability to quickly aggregate
- combat power in Eastern Europe
- build unit readiness in a complex joint, multi-national environment
- leverage host nation capabilities to increase operational reach
There'll be tons of Warthog A10 photos from this evening at Prestwick AFB. 🤓 Here's one of mine. It was lovely meeting fellow enthusiasts. Such great community. 👍
PS there will be twice as many (12) A10's flying into Prestwick tomorrow. Go see them if you can. pic.twitter.com/92FkA5U4Bj
— 🐝 Bee (@BloodyPolitics) June 4, 2023
“This annual, nearly two-month long exercise is focused on the strategic deployment of U.S.-based forces, employment of Army prepositioned stocks and interoperability with European allies and partners,” Sabrina Singh, deputy Pentagon press secretary, said in an April 6 briefing.
18 on one deployment! Damn, good drills, wonder if they will remain for a lot longer, parked down Lakenheath “just in case of more training opportunities”?
Live firing drills zone is located in Donetsk
Interesting that the USAF used to have a base at Prestwick until the 60s. Elvis visited it when his plane was being refuelled there after National Service in Germany.
Assume RNAS Gannet was at the same location?
Sorry, don’t know.
Yes, correct.
Sure was.
Just illustrated an A-10 for the first time, though from the 354th fighter Squadron (The Bulldogs) they certainly are a great looking aircraft despite their age. That unit has been here a few times so was curious to see if this were another visit which would have been a lovely coincidence, but sadly not. But good to still see them in front line service, despite the Ukrainians being told they wouldn’t survive in their environment when they asked for some of the surplus examples. One wonders how they would be used these days in light of that.
I get that. Russia’s GBAD is still formidable despite their atrocious handling of the whole invasion. A-10’s were used to great effect on the Iraqi armour back in the day though. I do wonder what the mission overlap with the Apache is?
I think speed, range, firepower. So much is on the A-10 side. Close Air Support is an airforce thing after all. Attack helicopters are certainly great but the A-10 is a different beast, if you can keep it safe. I agree with BigH on that
The Ukranians are managing to fly very skilfully in the ‘windows’.
So like everything there will be targets of opportunity for them.
Particularly if Ukraine gets some nice F16’s to soften up Mad Vlad’s orc army.
Sadly Brimstone was never integrated with the aircraft. It has to rely on the Maverick as its stand-off air to surface missile, which is ok, but in today’s arena, it is fairly short ranged at around 20km. The A10’s other main weapons are predominantly for uncontested airspace, such as Small Diameter Bombs (SDBs) and Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs). Which are all glide bombs, so the aircraft’s release height determines the weapon’s range. Unlike the Su24s and Mig29s. The A10 doesn’t fly fast enough to enable it to do toss bombing with a degree of survivability.
Ukraine’s Su25s are being used as was envisioned by the A10s in a WW3 scenario. Where they would have to approach targets at tree top height. Then releasing unguided weapons towards the target and hoping to evade a plethora of MANPADs and other SHORAD systems. To survive in Ukraine’s contested airspace you need decent stand-off weapons with a fire and forget capability.
As the A10 is relatively slow, I am surprised that Hellfire was never looked at. As the A10 would have been able to carry a shed load of them compared to Mavericks. Especially when Hellfire got the millimetric (mmW) radar. This would have enabled the A10 to stay down low, pop up for a quick look, ripple some off, then get back down on the deck. Similarly, if the A10 was integrated with Brimstone. These would have enable the aircraft to stand-off at greater distances.
Er…advisable to never say never. The only things required to accomplish this are Uncle Sugar’s checkbook, direction to USAF to go and do, and some requisite period of time. Could be available by the 2025 UKR counter-offensive (Hellfire probably, Brimstone possibly, if check is massive enough). 2026 counter-offensive at the latest; 2024 would be pushing it–hard. 🤔😳😉
Given that the USAF finally, after some 7 or so years of trying, got Congress to agree to its withdrawal, it seems highly likely that they will be doing absolutely nothing to put that agreement at risk. There will be 21 gone by September with no doubt more next year. Exercises like the current Air Defender 2023 are its swansong.
Huh…missed that little gem (21) in the FY23 NDAA. Another ~42 projected to retire in FY24. Fleet retired by 2029 (always subject to change). RIP, ground forces from multiple countries have fond memories of support when needed.
If the yanks are retiring them perhaps they could leave a couple a Duxford after exercises
There is already one there, hanging from the roof in the US Air Museum.
Are you drunk or just incoherent?
Been on the Saigon Red I reckon
Used to have a wing of these with USAFE at RAF Bentwaters and RAF Woodbridge. The “Flying Cross”
Very bad for Russian armour.
They used to fly over the range road at Sennelager, right over us as we waited to jump at the Army parachute Centre at Bad Lippspringe.
BBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRup!!
Similar weapon to CIWS Phalanx I assume with that ripping sound.
Precisely Daniele, my collection of B’s and R’s doesn’t do it justice.🤗
Lovely noise when on a strafing run in Afghan mate….
Hi DM, the A-10 has the same gun as the Goalkeepr CIWS, a great big 30mm gatling gun.
Ah memories of that place
Flying Tanks ,nightmare for ground forces 😕
Great piece of kit with a 30mm Gatling gun plus Maverick and JADAM onboard. I wonder what will replace them when they finally retire.
It’s good to see the B52 is getting further upgrades.
LINK
Drones. A-10 is marginal today.
Yes, I was just reading this which makes complete sense. I remember seeing it at the time and Ukraine seems to be doing very well with this type of technology!
British Army carries out successful Swarming Drone capability
“This is a real amplifier, adding capacity, force protection, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. The intent going forward is to add a precision strike capability; this will not only assist in our targeting but also in our strike capability, therefore making us more lethal at range which will protect our very valuable forces and people.”
LINK
My favourite CAS aircraft, closely followed by the B52. Always there when needed. Trust me you do not want to be on the other end of that gun, when it is used.
😁👍
They will probably join Air Defender 2023, where A-10 will be stationed in Lagerlechfeld and Hohn, Germany, together with F-15, F16, Gripen, Eurofighter, F-18. More than 200 planes. Quite an exercise.
I’m curious as to why Ukraine hasn’t asked for these, they would seem ideal, especially as the USAF don’t want them, but Congress won’t let them be retired.
Congress relented last December and the USAF starts withdrawing A-10s as of this year ending in September. Ukraine has requested them but, due to the reasons expressed in posts above, they were turned down. The A-10 will be remembered as a very successful aircraft.
Unlike the Russian invasion of Ukraine which you are about to condemn, no?
Actually, pondering the state of the current UKR counter-offensive, believe this could become a valuable and viable plan. A combination of F-16s and A-10s would be a reasonably credible CAS package. USAF has effectively written off the value of 21 A-10 a/c this FY and a projected 42 a/c next FY; therefore objections re drawdowns of frontline USAF a/c would be NA. DaveyB’s plan to upgrade A-10 armaments could be an optional upgrade. It is too late to implement during the current counter-offensive, but could be potentially available by the 2024 version, certainly by 2025.
The Orcs, almost inevitably, are learning by trial and error, if nothing else. Combined arms ops absolutely require an airborne component. Biden et. al. chose the perceived lower risk, lower cost option of supporting UKR, by denying, then delaying donations of Western aircraft. That decision will result in a longer, more costly conflict. Fortunately, not necessarily an irreparable mistake. 🤔