A-10's finally deploying to Middle East

The Hill:
The Pentagon is deploying 300 airmen and 12 A-10 combat jets to the Middle East in early October, according to the Indiana Air National Guard.
The six-month deployment from the 122nd Fighter Wing is not specifically part of President Obama’s fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, but the airmen and jets could provide air support to troops battling ISIS on the ground.

"I don't know of a time in Blacksnake history we have taken this kind of aviation footprint forward," said Col. Patrick R. Renwick, 122nd Fighter Wing commander, in a statement. "The A-10 'Warthog' is uniquely suited for the Combatant Commander's needs, and the Blacksnakes are the right team to bring that capability to combat."

The airmen have been through "extensive preparation," the statement said, ranging from "cultural awareness to weapons qualification to medical training."

Renwick called the deployment "historic for its length and size relative to previous Air National Guard deployments, which in the past have ranged from 30 to 90 days."
...
The A-10 will be ideal in fighting ISIL ground units.  The Gatling gun in the nose of the plane will be especially effective in knocking out its mechanized units and Toyota pickup trucks with guns mounted on them.  It will be a great vehicle for stopping their movement to contact and their logistic operations.

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