ANG A-10Cs stuck at NAS Sigonella
Six Air National Guard (ANG) A-10s stuck at Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella, Italy, since November 2024 waiting for repairs should leave this week, Stars and Stripes reports.
Maj. Benjamin Hughes, a spokesman for the Maryland National Guard, said that Maryland National Guard maintainers are at Naval Air Station Sigonella completing repairs on the A-10C Thunderbolt II close air support (CAS) aircraft.
“The six A-10s are projected to depart on (Thursday),” he added.
The A-10s were left behind at NAS Sigonella in November due to maintenance issues. USAF officials said earlier that the aircraft would be ready to fly back to the US in a couple of weeks explaining that a timeline for the jets’ return was dependent on parts availability.
According to the USAF four of the aircraft are assigned to the Maryland Air National Guard, and the other two belong to the Michigan Air National Guard, according to the Air Force.
Hughes pointed out that five needed repairs while the sixth plane was mission ready. He didn’t specify what repairs were required or the parts needed only saying that there “were various maintenance issues.”
“Air Force regulations require all aircraft to be fully mission capable before scheduling a transoceanic fighter jet movement,” Hughes said in an email on Jan. 8. “The standard for a fighter jet movement is six aircraft.”
ANG A-10Cs deployment to United States Central Command area of operations
The ANG A-10Cs were deployed to the United States Central Command area of operations for an approximately 100-day deployment at multiple locations supporting three separate and ongoing operations: Inherent Resolve, Spartan Shield, and Poseidon Archer.
While deployed, most of the missions by the Warthogs (as the A-10s are dubbed by their aircrews) were in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, which aims to counter the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria and to provide regional stability in eastern Syria and western Iraq.
The missions conducted during Operation Spartan Shield strengthened partner-nation relationships and supported freedom of movement in the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. Operation Poseidon Archer missions between the United States and the United Kingdom aimed at freedom of movement in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Bab Al-Mandab Strait against the Houthis, an Islamic political and military organization operating in Yemen.
A-10 fleet divestment
As already reported, the USAF is planning to divest the entire fleet of A-10 aircraft within the next 3-5 years.
Until recently, the USAF and Congress have disagreed over what to do with the iconic close air support aircraft (CAS). While the A-10 was known and beloved for its CAS role in Iraq and Afghanistan over the last two decades, the USAF says the low-and-slow-flying plane would not be able to survive in a fight against a nation with modern air defenses, like China.
The A-10 Thunderbolt II
Originally designed for Close Air Support, or CAS, by Fairchild Republic, the first A-10 model had the capability to carry bombs and rockets on 11 pylons and featured a 30mm GAU-8/A rotary cannon protruding from the nose of the aircraft.
Today A-10C is fit with Night Vision Imaging Systems (NVIS), goggle compatible single-seat cockpits forward of their wings, Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems. Avionics equipment includes communications, inertial navigation and GPS, fire control and weapons delivery systems, target penetration aids and night vision goggles. Their weapons delivery systems include heads-up displays that indicate airspeed, altitude, dive angle, navigation information and weapons aiming references; and a low altitude safety and targeting enhancement system (LASTE) which provides constantly computing impact point freefall ordnance delivery. The aircraft also have armament control panels, and infrared and electronic countermeasures to handle surface-to-air-threats, both missile and anti-aircraft artillery.
Photo by Staff Sgt. Sarah M. McClanahan / U.S. Air National Guard
