The A-10 Warthog force flying over Afghanistan since February has amassed some 12,000 mission hours and expended about 100 tons of ordnance as its provides close air support to coalition and International Security Assistance Force ground troops. The Hogs and the airmen who fly and maintain them are deployed from Moody AFB, Ga. The pilots of the legendary Flying Tigers 74th Fighter Squadron attribute their success rate in great part to 74th Aircraft Maintenance Unit mechanics. As Capt. James Schieser, 74th AMU officer in charge, said, “Just like the airmen that defended China in World War II, the 74th AMU is often short on resources, maintain aging aircraft, and must make do with what they can.” One thing that has kept the hard-pressed mechanics “energized,” said SMSgt. Thomas Moore, lead production superintendent, are the “stories of desperately needing air” brought back by soldiers, many of whom come “in from the field to thank us.” (Bagram report by TSgt. John Young)
There is a new entrant in the highly competitive field of collaborative combat aircraft—semi-autonomous drones meant to fly alongside manned combat aircraft. Northrop Grumman unveiled its new Project Talon aircraft to a small group of reporters at the facilities of its subsidiary Scaled Composites.
