Thursday, February 4, 2010

A-10 Afghanistan Combat Summary for January 2010

by Joachim Jacob


From the "Airpower Summaries", released as U.S. Air Forces Central press releases on USAFCENT's official public website, for January 2010 I extracted and edited all available info related to A-10 Thunderbolt II combat missions in Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom). The mostly daily airpower summaries for OEF and OIF are provided by Combined Air and Space Operations Center (CAOC) officials at Al Udeid AB, Qatar.

In January 2010, on the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, the 354th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, deployed from the 355th Fighter Wing, Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, was replaced by an Air National Guard "Rainbow Team", consisting of A-10Cs from the 104th Fighter Squadron, 175th Wing (Maryland ANG), Martin State, and from the 184th Fighter Squadron, 188th Fighter Wing (Arkansas Air National Guard). At least currently, this A-10 aircraft package is deployed as 104th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron (104th EFS).

Jan 1:

Balocan
A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft provided armed overwatch and surveillance for friendly forces. The pilot observed enemy personnel emplacing an improvised explosive device and requested permission to eliminate the threat to friendly forces. The pilot made several strafing runs with cannon fire and eliminated the threat to friendly forces.

Jan 2:

No A-10 info

Jan 3:

Balocan
A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft provided armed overwatch and surveillance for friendly forces. The ground forces reported taking enemy fire from a confirmed fighting position prior to the aircraft arriving on station. Once the pilots received the point of origin for the enemy fire, they commenced strafing runs with cannon fire and employed precision-guided munitions against the enemy position. The enemy position was demolished, ending the threat to friendly forces.

Lashkar Gah
A-10 aircraft provided armed overwatch and surveillance for a friendly-forces patrol. The patrol reported taking enemy fire and requested a show of force to stop the insurgent fire. The show of force was successful as the enemy fire ceased.

Jan 4:

No A-10 info

Jan 5:

No A-10 info

Jan 6:

No A-10 info

Jan 7:

Chahar Bagh
A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft provided armed overwatch for friendly forces. The ground forces reported taking enemy fire from a confirmed fighting position as the aircraft arrived on station. Once pilots received the point of origin for the enemy fire, they commenced a strafing run with cannon fire against the enemy position. The enemy position was demolished, ending the threat to friendly forces.

A-10 aircraft provided armed overwatch and surveillance for friendly forces. The friendly forces requested a show of force to stop the insurgent fire. The show of force was successful as the enemy fire ceased and the enemy ran off.

Balocan
A-10 aircraft provided armed overwatch and surveillance for a friendly-forces operation. Shows of force were conducted to deter any activity in the general area. The shows of force were successful as no action was noted in the area.

Jan 8:

Chahar Bagh
A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots provided armed overwatch for friendly-forces patrols. Shows of force were requested to deter enemy fire on the patrols. No enemy action was noted after the shows of force.

A-10 pilots provided armed overwatch for several friendly-forces patrols in the area. When the patrols reported observing suspicious activity in the area, shows of force were requested to deter potential enemy activity. The shows of force were successful in deterring any enemy action.

Jan 9:

No A-10 info

Jan 10:

Shurakian
A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft provided armed overwatch for friendly forces and a stalled friendly-forces convoy. When friendly forces reported suspicious enemy activity, shows of force were requested to deter enemy aggression. The shows of force were deemed successful when no enemy action occurred.

Jan 11:

Shurakian
A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots provided armed overwatch and surveillance for friendly forces. When the pilots observed enemy forces firing on the friendly position, they made a request to counter attack. Pilots fired a rocket to mark the enemy position and then commenced a strafing run of cannon fire against the enemy position, which terminated all activity at the enemy site.

Jan 12:

Lashkar Gah
A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots provided armed overwatch for friendly forces. Friendly forces reported a large crowd forming during talks with village elders about the alleged destruction of a KORAN. The A-10 pilots conducted shows of force, with flares, over the crowd, which was acting hostile toward friendly forces. A second meeting with the elders and a third show of force with flares were successful in dispersing the crowd without incident.

Jan 13:

No A-10 info

Jan 14:

No A-10 info

Jan 15:

Tarin Kowt
Pilots flying A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft provided armed overwatch and close air support for friendly forces. Shows of force were conducted to deter and prevent enemy attacks on friendly forces. The shows of force, with flares expended, were successful in deterring enemy action in the area.

Jan 16:

Kandahar
Pilots of A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft provided armed overwatch for friendly forces. Friendly forces were involved in a meeting with locals and when the event concluded, shows of force were conducted to deter any potential enemy activity. The shows of force were successful as no enemy action was noted.

Jan 17:

No A-10 info

Jan 18:

Lashkar Gah
Pilots flying A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft provided armed overwatch for friendly forces. The pilots conducted a show of force, with flares expended, over an area of enemy small-arms fire to deter further enemy activity. The show of force was declared successful when no further enemy fire was noted.

Tarin Kowt
A-10 pilots provided armed overwatch for a friendly-forces convoy. The pilots conducted a show of force and launched flares to deter enemy action in the area. The show of force was declared successful and the pilots resumed convoy-escort duties.

Jan 19:

Surkhabad
Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots conducted a show of force as directed by ground forces. The show of force, with flares released, was declared successful y ground control.

Jan 20:

Lashkar Gah
Pilots and aircrews flying A-10 Thunderbolt II and U.S. Navy F/A-18F aircraft provided armed overwatch for Coalition forces. The pilots conducted shows of force, with flares launched, when Coalition forces reported taking enemy small arms fire. The shows of force were declared successful when no further enemy action was noted.

Jan 21:

Balocan
A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots provided armed overwatch and reconnaissance for a friendly-forces operation. The pilots were directed to destroy a confirmed enemy improvised explosive device factory hidden in vineyard. A precision-guided munition was released against the target, a grape hut, and pilots and ground forces reported successful destruction of the factory.

Musa Qala
A-10 pilots provided armed overwatch for a dismounted friendly-forces patrol. The pilots were tasked with several missions while on station. First, the pilots conducted shows of force for a patrol taking enemy small arms fire. The shows of force, with flares launched, were considered successful when the enemy fire ceased. Then, when a friendly convoy was struck by an improvised explosive device, the pilots provided armed reconnaissance to deter further enemy action and allow friendly forces to secure the convoy.

Kandahar
Pilots flying A-10 and Navy F/A-18C aircraft provided armed overwatch for a stalled friendly-forces convoy and a Coalition forces patrol. The pilots conducted shows of force over the convoy, which was stopped due to an improvised explosive device in order to deter any potential enemy action while personnel cleared the vehicles. Later, the Hornet pilots were tasked to support a Coalition forces patrol with a show of presence. The shows of force were declared successful when no enemy action was noted.

Jan 22:

No A-10 info

Jan 23:

Surkhabad
A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots provided armed overwatch for friendly forces. First, pilots conducted shows of force to deter a possible enemy attack. The shows of force, with flares launched, were considered successful when the enemy attack did not occur. Then, pilots provided armed overwatch of the area to deter any other potential enemy.

A-10 pilots provided armed reconnaissance for friendly forces. The pilots scouted for any suspicious activity on compound rooftops. When suspicious personnel were observed watching friendly forces, pilots conducted a show of force and enemy personnel left the rooftop allowing the pilots to resume reconnaissance of the area.

Jan 24:

Surkhabad
A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots provided armed overwatch for Coalition forces. The pilots conducted shows of force to deter a possible enemy attack. The shows of force, with flares launched, were considered successful when the enemy attack did not occur. Then the pilots provided armed overwatch of the area to deter any other enemy threats.

A-10 pilots provided armed reconnaissance for Coalition forces. When Coalition forces reported taking enemy small arms fire from a nearby compound, the pilots released a precision-guide munition and conducted a strafing run with cannon fire against the compound and the enemy fire ceased.

Jan 25:

No A-10 info

Jan 26:

Morghab
A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots provided armed overwatch for friendly ground forces when they reported taking enemy fire. After confirming the enemy fighting position along a tree-line, pilots commenced numerous strafing runs to deter and end enemy fire. When friendly forces were ready to withdraw from the area, the aircrew conducted armed overwatch to deter enemy fire and allow friendly forces to leave. The friendly forces returned to base without further incident.

Jan 27:

Balocan
A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots provided armed overwatch for friendly forces. The pilots responded with cannon-fire strafing runs when friendly forces reported taking enemy small arms fire. The enemy fire ceased immediately.

A-10 pilots were again in the area providing armed overwatch and aerial surveillance for friendly ground forces. The pilots were looking for any suspicious or pre-emptive enemy movement prior to the friendly forces entering the area. The pilots conducted a show of force, with flares launched, to continue deterring any enemy movement in the area.

Jan 28:

Chahar Bagh RC-S
A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots provided armed overwatch for Coalition forces. The pilots conducted shows of force, with numerous flares launched, to deter enemy movement in the area. The shows of force were successful.

Jan 29:

No A-10 info

Jan 30:

Surkhabad RC-S
A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots provided armed overwatch for friendly forces. The pilots received coordinates for an enemy position that was engaging friendly forces with heavy machine gun fire and marked the target with rockets. The pilots made numerous cannon-fire strafing runs on the enemy position, destroying the position and causing secondary explosions as the enemy ammunition was detonated. The enemy fire ceased with the destruction of the target position.

Chahar Bagh RC-S
A-10 pilots provided armed overwatch for friendly forces. The friendly forces reported taking enemy small arms fire and requested close air support. The point of origin for the enemy fire was confirmed and pilots conducted cannon-fire strafing runs successfully stopping enemy aggression.

Jan 31:

Lashkar Gah, RC-S
A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots provided armed overwatch and reconnaissance for friendly forces and a convoy. The pilots scouted for any suspicious activity on the convoy route. Later, when enemy forces fired on friendly forces, the A-10 pilots conducted a show of force, with flares launched, and the enemy fire ceased.

Surkhabad, RC-S
A-10 pilots provided armed overwatch for Coalition forces. The pilots conducted a show of force, with flares launched, over an enemy compound when Coalition forces reported taking enemy fire from the compound. The enemy fire stopped and the show of force declared successful.

Later, the A-10 pilots again provided armed overwatch for Coalition forces. The pilots conducted a show of force, with flares launched, over an adjacent enemy compound to deter any enemy fire. The show of force was deemed successful when Coalition forces reported no more enemy fire.

See also:
A-10 Afghanistan Combat Summary for December 2009
A-10 Afghanistan Combat Summary for November 2009
A-10 Afghanistan Combat Summary for October 2009
A-10 Afghanistan Combat Summary for September 2009
A-10 Afghanistan Combat Summary for August 2009
A-10 Afghanistan Combat Summary for July 2009
A-10 Afghanistan Combat Summary for June 2009
A-10 Afghanistan Combat Summary for May 2009
A-10 Afghanistan Combat Summary for April 2009
A-10 Afghanistan Combat Summary for March 2009
A-10 Afghanistan Combat Summary for February 2009
A-10 Afghanistan Combat Summary for January 2009
A-10 Afghanistan Combat Summary for December 2008
A-10 Afghanistan Combat Summary for November 2008
A-10 Afghanistan Combat Summary for October 2008

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