The US Air Force dispatched a dozen A-10 Thunderbolt II attack jets and about 300 airmen to Germany as part of a military exercise, which is expected to involve NATO allies in Eastern Europe amid simmering tensions over Ukraine.
The Cold War-era aircraft, nicknamed the Warthog, on Monday departed Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona for Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve.
Lt. Col. Christopher Karns, a spokesman for the Air Force at the Pentagon, said the aircraft would
“forward-deploy” to sites in Eastern European NATO states, where the units will participate in training with allied forces to
“strengthen interoperability and…demonstrate US commitment to the security and stability of Europe," he told military.com.
The highly reliable A-10 carries a seven-barrel GAU-8/A Avenger Gatling gun that fires 30mm rounds designed to destroy tanks and other armored combat vehicles.
