The US is increasing the number of A-10 attack aircraft in the Middle East
The Pentagon has decided to double the number of A-10 attack aircraft in the Middle East. A further 18 aircraft are being deployed to join the approximately ten already in the region, according to the NYTimes.
According to defence officials, these aircraft are being used to strike Iranian boats and Iranian-backed groups in Iraq.
The A-10 “Warthog” is a close air support aircraft capable of operating at low altitudes and remaining over a target for extended periods. It is equipped with a cannon capable of firing up to 70 30mm rounds per second.
The aircraft may be deployed to support US ground forces in the event of operations near the Strait of Hormuz or Kharq Island, which is Iran’s main oil hub in the Persian Gulf.
During their redeployment to the region, the A-10s make stopovers at Royal Air Force Lakenheath in the UK.
The presence of such aircraft in the combat zone indicates that Iran’s air defence systems have been destroyed or significantly weakened, as the A-10 is more vulnerable to air defences than fighter jets.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hagset stated that the United States had gained control of Iran’s airspace, enabling B-52 bombers to fly over its territory for the first time since the start of the war.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Сaіne, confirmed the use of A-10s for patrols in the Strait of Hormuz. According to him, these aircraft are being used to engage high-speed boats.
The A-10 has been in service since the 1970s and has been actively used to support ground forces, notably during the 1991 Gulf War and operations against Islamic State militants in Syria.
