A-10
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is a single-seat, twin turbofan engine, straight wing
jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic for the United States Air Force (USAF). It is commonly
referred to by the nicknames "Warthog" or "Hog", although the A-10's official name comes from the
Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, a World War II fighter-bomber effective at attacking ground targets.[5]
The A-10 was designed for close air support (CAS) of friendly ground troops, attacking armored
vehicles and tanks, and providing quick-action support against enemy ground forces. It entered
service in 1976 and is the only production-built aircraft that has served in the USAF that was
designed solely for CAS. Its secondary mission is to provide forward air controller – airborne
support, by directing other aircraft in attacks on ground targets. Aircraft used primarily in this
role are designated OA-10