The A-10 Warthog _ 175th Wing Maryland Air National Guard

There's nothing else that looks like the A-10. There's nothing else that was built like the A-10 and there's really nothing else out there that does the mission of close air support like the A-10 does it. The mission and the culture of the A-10 centers around the 18-year-old with the rifle. When we get called to them downrange, we're there to defend them. The mission of the Maryland Air National Guard is we are ready to deploy anywhere, anytime, for any contingency around the world. We're ready at a moment's notice when the combatant commanders need lethal close air support. We can provide air interdiction, combat search and rescue, as well as a variety of other mission sets. 24 hours notice, the A-10Cs are ready. It's deliberate, measured, impactful, calculated, and sound. Built to withstand the punishment sustained while flying low, in the dust, under fire, in blazing heat, or through freezing cold. The Warthog community prides itself on being in the gunfight, not just over it. Simple, effective, survivable. The bedrock of the Warthog's entire ethos. It is a highly accurate weapons platform with the capability to loiter in a hostile environment for extended periods. It can land on dirt, operate at night, absorb ground fire, and fight effectively below 1,000 feet. For 50 years, the Warthog has answered the call, providing close air support to warfighters in harm's way. The proverbial guardian angel from above. A purpose-built hammer designed to drive a on time, on target, with combat effectiveness unmatched by any other aerial platform. Born in 1972, built by Fairchild Republic to fulfill the Air Force's request for a new ground attack aircraft, the design process was a unique one. Prioritizing the use of General Electric's a hydraulically-driven seven-barrel rotary cannon made specifically for the new aircraft program, and as it would come to be, the A-10 Thunderbolt II. Paired with a capability to carry 16,000 pounds of nearly any air-to-ground ordnance in the inventory, the combination would prove to be not only effective, but legendary. The A-10's legendary in a lot of ways, and one of the more famous ones is that the jet was built around the gun. The gun was built first, built the airplane around it, and the gun really is our favorite weapon on the jet. It's an absolute riot to shoot, and I really would not want to be someone who's on the business end with the A-10. About 1,150 rounds of 30 millimeter in there, ready to unleash if we need to. So, able to carry almost any variant of weapon in the U.S. Air Force inventory. A little bit potentially imposter syndrome when you're sitting in that cockpit, when you realize the amount of firepower that you have at your fingertips. Thankfully, fall back on training, utilize it when you need to, and it helps you get the job done. It's awesome flying low altitude, 100 feet, 300 knots. Being able to shoot the gun, do all the different weapons that we have, and directly impact into the fight from that perspective is really awesome. You just kind of take a minute, you're obviously focused on flying it, but then you look around and you kind of look behind you, and you're like, dude, I got, I'm in an A-10. You're the only person in it. Our job description in the Air Force is fighter pilot, but the A is for attack, and it is an attack aircraft to the max. The survivability of it is absolutely incredible. The airplane is meant to be down in the weeds, hanging around in a combat area for a long time, so it's got features built in that let it take a ton of damage. It's a beautiful airplane. A lot of people would say it's ugly, but I think that that's categorically false. It's meant to take battle damage and be in the fight, low and slow, up close and personal to the enemy. Most planes are a little more standoff oriented, where you mess with the hog, you get dirty. Not all legends come without strife. With days gone by, adversaries change, battlefields shift, and tactics evolve. With that comes the inevitable change in mission. 54 years after its first breath, the Warthog could face potential extinction, coming to rest in precisely the same place it was first delivered. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. The boneyard. The end of an era. The final chapter. I take a lot of pride in my ability to go down range, execute my mission, defend Americans that are on the ground. I can't tell you how much pride I take in being able to be a part of flying the A-10. Our mission is something that we are all very, very passionate about. If we are in combat, the close air support, the combat search and rescue, and protecting the guys on the ground, we definitely don't consider it a sacrifice. I would not give this career, or this job, or the ability, the privilege to fly that airplane up for anything. The mission set is still going to continue, so keeping that close air support, combat search and rescue, mission set, and expertise going forward into the future is going to be the biggest challenge, but something that I think us pilots are looking forward to bringing forward with us. The current date of the A-10 is that it will be divested, and there will be future mission platforms, whether that's fourth generation or fifth generation platforms stood up at a variety of the wings that fly A-10s. Certainly we hope that we are one of those wings to receive a flying mission, but the current state of the Maryland Air National Guard right now is a transition to cyber operations. Hundreds of thousands of combat missions, millions of rounds, and 50 years. The A-10 and the airmen that execute its mission have stood the test of time, having weathered the brutality of war, while becoming a symbol of hope for some, and an emblem of fear for others. A legend in its own right, the Warthog stands tall. For the men and women of the 104th Fighter Squadron, the Hog lives on, etched into their history, and revered in their memory. You meant to their legacy, strength, and unwavering spirit.