A U.S. Air Force crew chief performs a pre-flight inspection of an A-10 Thunderbolt II, April 12, 1999. The member is part of the 81st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron deployed to Gioia del Colle, Italy. This A-10, normally based at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, is one of more than 280 U.S. Air Force aircraft (not shown) supporting NATO Operation Allied Force
Summary
The original finding aid described this photograph as:
Subject Operation/Series: ALLIED FORCE
Base: Apulia
Country: Italy (ITA)
Scene Camera Operator: SRA Stan Parker
Release Status: Released to Public
Combined Military Service Digital Photographic Files
The A-10 Thunderbolt has excellent maneuverability at low airspeeds and altitude and is a highly accurate and survivable weapons-delivery platform. Called the “Warthog” for its aggressive look and often painted with teeth on the nose cone, the A-10 Thunderbolt II is the U.S. Air Force’s primary low-altitude close air support aircraft best known for its GAU-8 Avenger 30mm Gatling gun designed to fire armor-piercing depleted uranium and high explosive incendiary rounds. In the 1970s the threat of Soviet armored forces and all-weather attack operations had become more serious. Six companies submitted aircraft proposals, with Northrop and Fairchild-Republic selected to build prototypes: the YA-9A and YA-10A, respectively. General Electric and Philco-Ford were selected to build and test GAU-8 cannon prototypes. First A-10 was delivered to the U.S. Air Force on 30 March 1976. By 1984, 715 airplanes had been built.
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