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Key Points: The U.S. Air Force has deployed A-10 Warthog, known for their close air support capabilities, to Clark Air Base, Philippines, for integrated training with the Philippine Air Force.

-This deployment aligns with the Dynamic Force Employment (DFE) strategy, emphasizing agility and unpredictability in the Indo-Pacific region.

-While primarily a ground-attack aircraft, the A-10 has demonstrated maritime combat capabilities in recent years.

-Despite nearing retirement, the Warthog continues to prove its versatility in global operations, including its current role in the Indo-Pacific and recent deployments to the Middle East.

U.S. A-10 Warthogs Deployed to Philippines Amid Indo-Pacific Tensions

The United States Air Force announced that it had deployed an undisclosed number of Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt IIs to Clark Air Base, Philippines. The aircraft arrived on Friday. This deployment will allow U.S. Pacific Air Forces personnel to take part in integrated training with the Philippine Air Force. Joint exercises with the two forces will continue until Sunday.

“Collaboration in these training activities reinforces the strong partnership between the U.S. and Philippine Air Forces and underscores their commitment to promoting regional stability,” the Air Force announced.

The close-air support (CAS) aircraft – known fondly by its operators as the “A-10 Warthog” – are assigned to the 25th Fighter Squadron, part of the 51st Operations Group, 51st Fighter Wing, based out of Osan Air Base, Korea.

Dynamic Force Employment (DFE)

The recent deployment is part of the U.S. Air Force’s “Dynamic Force Employment” (DFE), which calls for the U.S. military to be more agile and less predictable. That includes its bomber task force (BTF) missions that regularly rotate bombers to bases around the world, sometimes with no advanced notice.

A black and grey U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II from the Indiana Air National Guard’s 122nd Fighter Wing “Blacksnakes,” flying home on July 7, 2021. The A-10 is on its way back to Fort Wayne Ind. after being painted at the Air National Guard paint facility in Sioux City, Iowa. The paint scheme, a departure from the standard two-tone grey, was created by request in order to commemorate the 100th anniversary of aviation in the Indiana National Guard. (U.S. Air National Guard photo: Senior Master Sgt. Vincent De Groot)

“Pacific Air Force’s Dynamic Force Employment deployments enhance combined lethality by prioritizing the capacity and capabilities for major combat operations while being strategically predictable but operationally unpredictable in an ever-evolving competitive and contested environment,” the Air Force emphasized. “The U.S. Air Force conducts regular training and engagements such as this within the region to further develop operational readiness and ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

Ground Attack Aircraft in the Indo-Pacific?

Sending A-10s to the Philippines could seem to be truly unpredictable, especially as the aircraft are noted for a CAS role against tanks and other ground-based platforms.

However, as Newsweek reported, the Warthog does have the “ability to strike small ships and sea and has shown off its maritime combat capabilities in recent years.” The news outlet noted a 2017 test conducted in the Gulf of Mexico, where several A-10s were used to fire at a swarm of armed boats, and it was just last year that a pair of Thunderbolt IIs took part in combat air patrols in the Gulf of Oman in the Middle East.

Often described as a flying tank, it was tailor-made for CAS missions, where it can be employed to take out enemy armored vehicles. It is armed with a unique GAU-8/A Avenger 30mm (1.18-inch) cannon.

The A-10 Thunderbolt II was designed to offer excellent maneuverability at low airspeeds and altitude while maintaining a highly accurate weapons-delivery platform. The aircraft can loiter near battle areas for extended periods, and it is capable of austere landings and operating under 1,000-foot ceilings (303.3 meters) with 1.5-mile (2.4 kilometers) visibility. The Warthog’s wide combat radius and short takeoff and landing capability permit operations in and out of locations near the front lines.

In addition, with night vision goggles, A-10C pilots can conduct their missions during near-complete darkness.

A-10. Image: Creative Commons.

A-10 Warthog Image: Creative Commons.

The A-10 is not carrier-capable however, so it must operate from traditional air bases on terra firma.

History and Operations of the A-10 Warthog

The first operational A-10s were delivered to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base (AFB), Arizona in March 1976. The aircraft was first deployed during Operation Urgent Fury, the 1983 American invasion of Grenada, and provided air cover for the United States Marine Corps, but did not fire their weapons.

It wasn’t until the Gulf War in 1991 that the aircraft took part in combat operations, when A-10s successfully shot down two Iraqi helicopters with the GAU-8 and took part in numerous sorties against Iraqi Republican Guard units. While several A-10s were shot down by surface-to-air missiles, nearly a dozen were hit by anti-air artillery rounds and remained airworthy.

The Warthog performed so well in the conflict that the Air Force abandoned an idea to replace the A-10s with a close air support version of the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

In addition to the A-10s in the Philippines, the Thunderbolt II is now among the aircraft deployed to the Middle East, where it has been used in combat operations against ISIS.

While the A-10 Warthog is now on track to be retired, there have been calls for the Air Force to transfer the aircraft to Ukraine or a partner nation such as Jordan.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Senior Editor focusing on defense issues for 19FortyFive. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,500 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on X: @PeterSuciu – and on Bluesky: @petersuciu.bsky.social.