A-10s armed with a blended anti-air and anti-surface armament have been flying assault missions towards rebel teams aligned with the Iranian authorities in Iraq.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) launched three photos on Mar. 15, 2026, of A-10C Thunderbolt II assault plane working in an unspecified location in help of Operation Epic Fury. These are the primary official visuals we’ve of the A-10 participating on this operation, although their participation had been confirmed in writing by CENTCOM throughout the first 48 hours of the battle.
Now, with photos accessible, we will check out the payloads being carried by these shut air help specialist jets. In these photos, we see the plane outfitted with devoted anti-air in addition to devoted anti-surface weaponry. To start with, on the starboard wing, the A-10s are carrying a LITENING concentrating on pod and an AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface guided missile. An ordinary 600 gallon drop tank is slung on the centreline hardpoint, as has been generally seen throughout Operation Inherent Resolve missions to grant the plane prolonged vary and loiter time.
U.S. Air Power A-10 Thunderbolt II’s obtain gas in-flight whereas supporting Operation Epic Fury. The A-10 Thunderbolt II can loiter for hours, standing by and able to execute a mission every time wanted. pic.twitter.com/VjESHLR32Y
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 15, 2026
On the port wing, the jets carry one other Maverick, two AIM-9M Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, and a single LAU-131 seven spherical rocket pod loaded with Superior Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) steering kit-equipped Hydra 70 rockets. A-10s have routinely been outfitted with Sidewinders as a final layer of self defence towards hostile plane, however with the elevated use of small uncrewed aerial autos (UAVs) just like the Shahed 136 as assault munitions the A-10 can now use them in a extra offensive function.
The identical may be stated for APKWS II outfitted rockets. Though the steering package was initially conceived as a technique to enhance the effectiveness of the ever present Hydra 70 rocket in environments the place collateral injury is a serious concern, the system has now been properly confirmed towards aerial targets.
In addition to allowing a a lot elevated payload over that allowed by most devoted air to air missiles, these weapons are additionally a lot decrease in value and due to this fact the economics of utilizing them towards comparatively cheap drones just isn’t as unbalance as with, for instance, a Sidewinder. After all, the guided rockets also can nonetheless be employed towards floor targets on the identical mission.
Flying over Iraq and Jordan, A-10s armed with Sidewinders and APKWS rockets can ably intercept hostile drones sure for pleasant bases. It must be famous although, because the A-10 lacks its personal radar, until the drones are noticed visually or with infrared optics the pilots would most probably depend on exterior means to be directed in the direction of such targets.
The weapon we’ve seen in motion, although, is definitely the Warthog’s well-known GAU-8/A Avenger 30 mm rotary cannon. Though the movies we’ve have been taken at evening, we will clearly hear the unmistakable sound of the cannon because the jet engages the Iran-backed Widespread Mobilization Forces (PMF) close to Tikrit, Iraq.
USAF A-10 finishing up assaults on the PMF north of Tikrit, Iraq in a single day. pic.twitter.com/TEUPMFRaLQ
— Woofers (@NotWoofers) March 13, 2026
Missions over Iran
It must be careworn that no proof accessible to this point means that A-10s are participating in any missions over Iran itself. Regardless of Iran’s anti-air capabilities being closely degraded – to the purpose that F/A-18s have been seen utilizing their very own cannons at low altitudes towards targets within the Iranian metropolis of Chahabar with none obvious resistance – the A-10’s ‘low and gradual’ fight profile makes it significantly weak to cellular air defence techniques like anti-aircraft weapons or man-portable air defence techniques (MANPADs).
U.S. Navy F/A-18 Tremendous Hornet making a low-level strafing run with its gun over the Iranian port metropolis of Chabahar. pic.twitter.com/7xbdt68Zsz
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) March 15, 2026
Moreover, so far as we’re at present conscious, the deployed A-10 drive remains to be flying from Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan. Different plane deployed to this base, recognized not less than at one stage to incorporate F-15E Strike Eagles, F-35 Lightning IIs and F-22 Raptors, are virtually definitely being employed on the frontlines over Iran, however integrating the A-10 into these lengthy distance sorties could be sophisticated.
In comparison with multirole fighter plane, the A-10’s perfect flight and air to air refueling (AAR) parameters are slower and at decrease altitudes. Whereas the F-35’s optimum refueling profile is anyplace from 20,000 to 30,000 toes at Mach 0.80, the A-10 as a substitute often refuels between 15,000 and 22,000 toes at Mach 0.48. A package deal of A-10s, then, would want both devoted tanker help or require present tankers to creating important adaptions to their regular flight profiles (the place they’ll help F-15s, F-16s, F-22s, and F-35s concurrently, because the AAR profiles of those both overlap or are very related).
14 U.S. Air Power tankers at present seen over varied nations within the Center East – all from Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.
There are additionally reviews this night of 5 tankers being broken after a strike at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, as per @Faytuks… pic.twitter.com/JdEKFQ8AdR
— Armchair Admiral 🇬🇧 (@ArmchairAdml) March 13, 2026
Working round these constraints just isn’t not possible, and when performing missions over Iraq and Syria throughout Operation Inherent Resolve it is vitally seemingly that tankers have routinely serviced all kinds of plane varieties throughout the identical sortie. Nevertheless, for big and complicated missions assembled over lengthy distances – maybe additionally with the involvement of Israeli plane – incorporating these differing necessities into the sortie would eat into the gas reserves of different plane and scale back the general adaptability of the strike package deal.
Regardless, even when the A-10 just isn’t flying missions over Iran itself, being accessible for taskings towards Iran-aligned militias means the supply of different varieties may be higher preserved. The Warthog’s days should be numbered, however it’s proving it nonetheless has important value in sure fight situations.
