T
he A10hasbeenont he f r ontl i ne f orover t hr ee decades wi t h s quadr ons bas ed ar ound t he wor l d wher everUS f or cesar e f aced wi t h pot ent i algr ound t hr eat s .I ti san ai r cr af twi t ha s i ngul armi s s i on –one t hati s n’ t al wayss een asgl amor ouscompar ed wi t ht he ot herf as tj et si nt he USAi rF or ce butone t hat pr ovest i me and agai nt o be ofgr eatval ue t o t het r oopsont hegr ound.Atvar i oust i mes ,t he US AFhascont empl at edr emovi ngt heA10f r om s er vi ce but t he i nabi l i t y of any al t er nat i ve pl at f or mst opr ovi det heconcent r at eds uppor t , per s i s t ence and r uggednes st hat ar e t he hal l mar ksoft he A10meanst hati thasal ways beenr epr i evedt odat e.
T heA10C T he ques t i on mar kt hat has hung over t he ai r cr af tf ors ol onghasal s obeenani mpedi ment t oi nves t menti n new capabi l i t i es .T he r ecent upgr adeoft hef l eett ot heA10C s t andar dhas pr ovi ded t he f i r s tmaj orupgr ade wor t hy ofa des i gnat i on change s i nce t he f l eet ent er ed s er vi ce. I t has br ought s i gni f i cant new capabi l i t i esandt her ear emor ei ndevel opment t hatwi l l enhancet hej etf ur t her .
T r ai ni ngPi pel i ne Al lnew pi l ot s comi ng t ot he A10 ar e now t r ai ned on t he 357t hF S( t he “Dr agons ” )and 358t hF S( t he“L obos ” )atDavi s Mont han.Ot her t r ai ni ngl ocat i onshavenow beenconver t edt o anoper at i onalr ol es ot heuni tpr ovi dest r ai ni ng f orpi l ot sheadi ng t o act i ve dut y,Ai rNat i onal Guar dandRes er veuni t s .Ever yyearar ound40 br and new pi l ot sar e conver t ed and i ncl udi ng t r ans i t i onpi l ot st het ot al numberofpi l ot spas s i ng t hr ought het r ai ni ngs quadr onsr eachesaf i gur e of60.
Above-T hebr i ef i ngr oom i ns i det he357t hF S ’ so
Bel ow -Wel comet ot he“Dr agonsL ai r ” !T he35 f ew cr eat ur ecomf or t s .