Maryland Air National Guard - A-10 Warthogs

The Warthogs that have transited PIK in 2022 and again 2023 enroute to the NATO exercise in Germany.
In 2017 I was lucky enough to catch these A-10 hogs practice for a flypast at the Raven's stadium in Baltimore!
The 104th Fighter Squadron is part of the 175th Wing and is based at Warfield Air Base at Martin State Airport Baltimore, Maryland.
The A-10C is a multi-role fighter. While flying training missions from Martin State Airport, it can be found flying anywhere from 500 AGL to FL180. Airspeeds range from 140 knots while flying instrument approaches to 300+ knots flying on military training routes.
Most training flights consist of 2, 3 or 4 aircraft. So if you see one, chances are there are more! The majority of flying takes place
in one of three places: Bollen Range (northeast of Harrisburg, PA), Warren
Grove Range (north of Atlantic City, NJ) and the Patuxent Restricted Areas
(adjoining Patuxent NAS, MD). Flying training includes low level flights at
500 ft, Military Training Routes (VR Routes), air-to-air refueling in MOA’s
and aggressive vertical/horizontal maneuvering in the restricted areas. These areas are depicted in more detail later in this pamphlet. So if you fly in
Maryland, Delaware, S. New Jersey or SE Pennsylvania, chances are you have come across the “WARTHOG.”
Unfortunately, you may have never even known they were there! Keep in mind, we’re pack’n a big gun but we don’t have a radar. The A-10C relies
on advisories from ATC, limited datalink of surrounding aircraft, and above all -- see and avoid!
Prestwick Airport in Scotland was used for crew rest for these warthogs as they flew to the big NATO exercise in Germany in 2022 and 2023. In 2023 the 6 Maryland A-10s were accompanied by another 12 hogs from two other units.
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is a single-seat, twin-turbofan, straight-wing, subsonic attack aircraft developed by Fairchild Republic for the United States Air Force (USAF). In service since 1976, it is named for the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, but is commonly referred to as the "Warthog" or simply "Hog".[4] The A-10 was designed to provide close air support (CAS) to friendly ground troops by attacking armored vehicles, tanks, and other enemy ground forces; it is the only production-built aircraft designed solely for CAS to have served with the U.S. Air Force.[5] Its secondary mission is to direct other aircraft in attacks on ground targets, a role called forward air controller-airborne; aircraft used primarily in this role are designated OA-10.
The A-10 was intended to improve on the performance and firepower of the Douglas A-1 Skyraider. The Thunderbolt II's airframe was designed around the high-power 30 mm GAU-8 Avenger rotary autocannon. The airframe was designed for durability, with measures such as 1,200 pounds (540 kg) of titanium armor to protect the cockpit and aircraft systems, enabling it to absorb damage and continue flying. Its ability to take off and land from relatively short and/or unpaved runways permits operation from airstrips close to the front lines, and its simple design enables maintenance with minimal facilities.
It served in the Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm), the American-led intervention against Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, where the aircraft distinguished itself. The A-10 also participated in other conflicts such as in Grenada, the Balkans, Afghanistan, the Iraq War, and against the Islamic State in the Middle East.
The A-10A single-seat variant was the only version produced, though one pre-production airframe was modified into the YA-10B twin-seat prototype to test an all-weather night-capable version. In 2005, a program was started to upgrade the remaining A-10A aircraft to the A-10C configuration, with modern avionics for use with precision weaponry. The U.S. Air Force had stated the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II would replace the A-10 as it entered service, but this remains highly contentious within the USAF and in political circles.[6] The USAF gained congressional permission to start retiring A-10s in 2023, but further retirements were paused until the USAF can demonstrate that the A-10's close-air-support capabilities can be replaced.

[@Summer882010]

Jim great shots camera of a truly incredible plane. Have read accounts of pilots who fly the A-10. After taking munition fire in conflicts the pilots restart and fly the planes to safety.

[@tennoryu2794]

The most beautiful hogs in the Free State.

[@Summer882010]

The audience at the airport is great to see.

[@Shigihara.]

i live about an hour away. i've seen these before, and they're damn awesome. Glad to see somethig of my state xD

[@janethadley9162]

Right I've caught up a bit now so I've now seen both of smaller planes that's the hornies and the hoggies my days made now just some bagpipes and yes I'm in 7th heaven

[@imajeenyus42]

BRRRT! 🤣🤣