US A-10 DEPLOYMENT IN ESTONIA

Ten A-10s trained in Estonia with NATO allies August 4-20. The public had also the opportunity to admire their highway landing training.

A-10 lands highway Estonia
U.S. Army A-10 lands on a highway during a combined aerial-ground exercise in Estonia

At the beginning of August ten A-10 Thunderbolt IIs from the 175th Wing, Warfield Air National Guard Base, Md., an MC-130J from the 352nd Special Operations Wing, RAF Mildenhall, UK, and approximately 270 Airmen were deployed to Amari Air Base, Estonia to participate in a Forward Training Deployment (FTD) to increase interoperability and relations between Airmen.

The deployment marks the third time the Warthogs have been sent to Europe as part of a so-called theater security package.

“We are strong members of the NATO Alliance and remain prepared with credible force to assure, deter and defend our Allies,” said Maj. Gen. Jon K. Kelk, Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe Air Forces Africa. “When we have the opportunity to train with coalition air forces, everyone benefits.”


During the deployment the A-10s conducted joint training with the Finnish air force F/A-18 Hornets in Finland, Spanish air force F/A-18 Hornets in Estonia and multinational JTACs in Latvia.

On Aug. 10 the public had the occasion to attend a mission involving the landing of the A-10s on a highway near Jagala, Estonia. The event was an opportunity for US, British, and Estonian soldiers, as well as local law enforcement, to come together under a unified command to successfully land Warthog aircraft in a civilian area.


Written by Matteo Sanzani
Photo credits: EUCOM

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