Bringing the BRRRRRRRT to the Persian Gulf
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A-10 Warthogs target Iranian fast-attack craft in Strait of Hormuz
By Michael Scanlon
U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft are now engaged in maritime interdiction operations along the southern flank of Operation Epic Fury, targeting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fast-attack watercraft in the Strait of Hormuz, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Thursday.
“The A-10 Warthog is now engaged across the southern flank, targeting fast-attack watercraft in the Strait of Hormuz,” Air Force Gen. Dan Caine said during a Pentagon briefing on the operation.
The announcement marks an expansion of the Warthog’s confirmed role in Epic Fury. On March 15, U.S. Central Command released imagery of A-10C Thunderbolt IIs receiving fuel in flight while supporting the operation, the first official visuals of the aircraft in the campaign.
“The A-10 Thunderbolt II can loiter for hours, standing by and ready to execute a mission whenever needed,” CENTCOM said in the accompanying post on X.
Designed for close air support, the A-10 was built to fly low, slow and close to the fight, providing direct fire support to ground forces and, increasingly, to joint forces operating in contested littoral environments. Its titanium-armored cockpit, often referred to as a “titanium bathtub,” and redundant flight systems allow it to absorb significant punishment and continue flying under conditions that would ground less hardened aircraft.
Armed with a 30mm GAU-8/A Avenger cannon capable of firing 3,900 rounds per minute, AGM-65 Maverick missiles and APKWS laser-guided rockets, the A-10 can engage the small, agile surface craft the IRGC Navy has long relied upon to threaten shipping in the strait’s confined littoral environment. Its loiter capability allows crews to maintain persistent overwatch in ways that faster platforms cannot.
The airspace over the area is secure enough for Warthogs and Apache helos to join the fray. Both are very bad news for the locals, and the A-10 can loiter on-station to attack targets of opportunity. Park a P-8 on top with it’s radar and EO/IR capabilities to birddog the targets and watch the Iranians stay home in droves.
Or not. Brrrrrt!
Category: Blue Skies, Iran
