Happy Sunday to you all, FighterSweep Fans! We’re having a pretty relaxing weekend thus far, so we thought it might be the appropriate time to share with you some video of an A-10C Warthog enjoying a leisurely stroll through the airspace over Arizona.
This aircraft was conducting a joint Combat Search and Rescue exercise with helicopters from the Arizona Army National Guard. A-10s from the 354th Fighter Squadron at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base outside of Tucson were asked to participate because of their bread-and-butter skills sets: Close Air Support (CAS), Strike Coordination And Reconnaissance (SCAR), and here, Rescue Escort–RESCORT.
Because of its straight-wing aerodynamics, even at very slow speeds, the A-10C is a nimble attack platform. Many a Blackhawk crew has breathed a collective sigh of relief at looking out the window and seeing the mighty Warthog, perhaps more than one, covering their six o’clock during ingress and egress to the target area.
An A-10C Thunderbolt II, better known as the “Warthog,” taxis at Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks, Alaska during a Red Flag-Alaska exercise. (Photo by Jonathan Derden)
While this may not be the most dynamic A-10C footage you’ve seen, it gives a really nice picture of what flying RESCORT is like: helicopters down low, taking care of their business while the Warthog circles above, keep a watchful eye on everything. Notice the pilot is equipped with the “Scorpion” helmet-mounted integrated targeting system, or HMIT. The A-10C is also equipped with the Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod, giving the pilot tremendous situational awareness when used in conjunction with the Scorpion. You would be hard-pressed to find another aircraft so adept at this particular mission set.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend, FighterSweep Fans! We’ve got some pretty exciting content coming your way this week, so stay tuned!
(Featured photo by Jonathan Derden)