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'Lives' with the Maryland Air National Guard. The 175th Wing from the Maryland Air National Guard deployed 35 members to the FOL located at Wheeler Sack Army Airfield in Fort Drum, N.Y. in August 2008 for a period of live bombing. Based at Glenn L. Martin Airport near Baltimore, the 104th Fighter Squadron has been flying the much-improved A-10C since August 2006. The unit received its first A-10A "Thunderbolt II" in September 1979 and was the first ANG unit to upgrade to the A-10C. The Precision Engagement (PE) upgrade program is bringing the old analog A-10A to the modern digital age as the A-10C.The most significant improvements are getting all the avionics and weapons systems working together. With this come the ability for the A-10C to use weapons like the GBU-31/32/38 JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) and the CBU-103/104/105 WCMD (Wind Corrected Munitions Dispensers). The aircraft is also able to use either the Sniper XR or the Northrop Grumman AN/AAQ-28 Litening AT targeting pods, greatly enhancing vision in poor weather and darkness for the pilots. In addition, the aircraft is receiving upgraded cockpit displays, moving map, hands on throttle and sticck, and digital stores amnagement. Prime contactor teams for the A-10C consists of Lockheed Martin Systems Integration group, Northrop Grumman, Southwest Research Institute and BAE Systems. The photos on the next two pages were taken between August 19 and 20, 2008 at the FOL located at Wheeler Sack Army Airfield with the support of Detachment Two from the 174th Fighter Wing/New York Air National Guard.
More photos on this page! Click here! |
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