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Aviation History
1979
1979 - 4045.PDF
«***#»£'".<»•<.••<•• -v*'"*' :,«tf\»*d :f?':3S The A-10 and Europe Graham Warwick reports from Sembach, Germany LIZARD-SKINNED Warthogs flit through German valleys en , route to a rendezvous with tree-hugging Cobras. Not a zoobreak but Fairchild's tank-busting A-10 on its way to help AH-1 anti-tank helicopters blunt the Soviet armoured advance. The A-10 has arrived in Europe. Pilots from the US Air Force 81st Tactical Fighter Wing, RAF Bentwaters/ Woodbridge now fly regularly from Britain to Germany to "train where they will fight." Familiarity with European terrain is an essential part of the A-10's survivable-sim- plicity philosophy and the Forward Operating Locations (Fols) are essential to A-10 operations. A-lOs began arriving in Europe earlier this year when the "mission ready" 92nd Tactical Fighter Squadron appeared through the January fog to land at Bentwaters. Their arrival meant a new aircraft and a new mission for the 81st, up to then an F-4 unit. Mission ready means that pilots straight from conversion training at Davis-Monthan, Arizona, arrive in Europe ready to fly and fight. This is partly due to 25hr of European-oriented top-off training carried out by experienced 81st TFW personnel detached to Davis-Monthan. Those pilots who have passed through transition train ing are now facing the varied and sometimes vicious Euro pean environment. Familiarity comes from operating out of austere air bases in Germany. Four Fols have been selected, from Leipheim in the south through Sembach and Noervenich to Ahlhorn in the north. Sembach was the first Fol activated. Ahlhorn became operational in October. Pilots deploy to Sembach from Monday to Friday, usually in groups of eight aircraft and eight or nine pilots. Sem bach has only 50 people permanently assigned to A-10 operations and the majority of these are maintenance per sonnel. The detachment commander and director of opera tions are the only permanently assigned pilots. Two ground liaison officers (Glos) are included in the complement to maintain contact with the Army. Ground units have simi lar air liaison officers (Alos) who advise Army commanders how best to use air support. This communication is vitally important as the A-10 will be at the Army's disposal and will have to co-operate with Army Cobra anti-tank heli copters. Four squadrons have converted to the A-10, the 78th, 91st, 92nd and 510th Tactical Fighter Squadrons. The Heading Fairchild's tank-killing A-10 is now in Europe, doubling the anti-armour power available to Nato ,<# ifr - %••
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