Quote: "The programme has in the past faced sceptics within the air force's leadership, with then-Maj Gen David Deptula reportedly having asked a subordinate to draft a memorandum justifying the retirement of the A-10 fleet in April 2003, with the invasion of Iraq still in progress. This effort was dropped after a highly publicised backlash and in 2004 the service announced a new plan to re-engine the A-10 fleet and upgrade the aircraft to use precision-guided weapons.
The so-called 'Super Hog' plan fell apart a year later when the air force killed funds for the re-engining plan, but a separate precision engagement programme was awarded to Lockheed Martin to upgrade all 356 A-10s with digital weapon stores, multifunction displays, the situational awareness datalink and smart weapons such as Boeing's GBU-38 JDAM. The first redesignated A-10Cs will make their combat debut in September, following a crash effort to accelerate the precision engagement programme by 18 months."
Cross757 From United States of America, joined Jun 2007, 143 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (5 years 9 months 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 2838 times:
The first training class of "original" A-10C pilots (though who are brand new to the Hog) just started last month. The only active squadron that currently has A-10C's is the 357th at Davis-Monthan who are the initial A-10C training unit. The Maryland ANG has A-10C's now, so any A-10C's that find themselves in combat next month will probably be from that unit. Most of the training is simulator based, because the airplane still flies the same, but there is a significant upgrade in avionics capability.
OA-10A's are used for the forward air controller mission (FAC-A), but the designation is somewhat misleading. There is no physical difference between an A-10A and an OA-10A. The OA-10A designation is mainly used on an Air Tasking Order (ATO) to identify an aircraft tasked for the FAC-A mission. The only difference are the weapons that are carried. A-10's flying the FAC-A mission will be loaded with several pods of "willy pete" rockets for marking targets. Some A-10's were designated as OA-10's by the Air Force when they left the factory, and so to this day, regardless of what mission is being flown by the aircraft on any given day, the pilot logs OA-10A time.
DEVILFISH From Philippines, joined Jan 2006, 4429 posts, RR: 1 Reply 7, posted (5 years 6 months 2 weeks 5 days 19 hours ago) and read 2369 times:
Quoting Strudders (Thread starter): Given that the C came about as part of the The Precision Engagement program , has it been committed to theatre and if so how is it performing?
According to those flying the "Smart Hog" in Iraq, it has been acquitting itself very well.....
Upgraded A-10s Prove Worth in Iraq
(Source: US Air Force; issued Nov. 7, 2007)
Quote: "AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq --- A new version of the A-10 Thunderbolt II has been flying over Iraq providing close-air support for the ground troops from Al Asad Air Base for nearly two months.
As part of the Precision Engagement Upgrade Program, the Maryland Air National Guard's 175th Wing has been converting its A-10s from A to C models. 'We are the first A-10C model squadron to deploy to combat,' said Lt. Col. Timothy Smith, the 104th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron commander. 'We just transitioned to the aircraft six months prior to coming here, and the C-model was officially declared combat ready just two weeks before we deployed. I am very proud of our unit. We've put in a monumental effort, as individuals and as a group to get to this point.'
[.....]
'Between the situational awareness data link, the targeting pod with the ROVER down link to the controller on the ground and the JDAM, the A-10C on this deployment has been an amazing success for us,' the captain said."
Strudders From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2004, 109 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (5 years 6 months 2 weeks 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 2252 times:
Quoting DEVILFISH (Reply 7): According to those flying the "Smart Hog" in Iraq, it has been acquitting itself very well.....
I can imagine its being warmly welcomed by all on the ground... well those that are on the friendly receiving end of it any way!!
Quoting DEVILFISH (Reply 7): 'We just transitioned to the aircraft six months prior to coming here, and the C-model was officially declared combat ready just two weeks before we deployed. I am very proud of our unit. We've put in a monumental effort, as individuals and as a group to get to this point.'
Thats a very impressive operational readiness run up. Especially when you think about the additional capabilities, weapons and tactics,
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