Fairchild Republic A-10C Thunderbolt II

By Htam

@ Lancaster, CA

March 2017

An A-10 Warthog lifts off for a flight demonstration during the 2017 Los Angeles County Airshow.  The A-10 entered service in 1976, and is the only USAF production-built aircraft designed solely for close air support, attacking tanks, armored vehicles, and other ground targets with deadly efficiency.  All 700+ aircraft were delivered as A-10As, in 2005 a program was started to upgrade the aircraft to the A-10C configuration, with modern avionics for use with precision weaponry.  Barring political cancellation of this superlative aircraft, a program is underway to extend the lifespan of the aircraft past 2040.