A-10 Thunderbolt II (Warthog) Poster - Close Air Support Attack Aircraft

The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is one of the most beloved and fiercely defended aircraft in the history of American military aviation, beloved by the ground troops it protects, and fiercely defended against repeated Air Force attempts to retire it. Designed specifically for close air support, the A-10 entered service in 1977 built around its most iconic feature: the GAU-8/A Avenger, a seven-barrel rotary cannon capable of firing 3,900 rounds per minute of depleted uranium armor-piercing ammunition. The aircraft's airframe was literally designed around this weapon. Heavily armored, capable of absorbing catastrophic battle damage and still returning its pilot home, the A-10 earned its "Warthog" nickname honestly: it is ugly, slow by fighter standards, and absolutely lethal in its mission. Combat has only reinforced the Warthog's reputation. From Gulf War tank columns to close air support over Afghanistan and Iraq, no aircraft in the US inventory has been more consistently cal