US Air Force A-10 Warthogs, decades-old attack aircraft the service has been pushing into retirement, were part of the risky rescue missions to retrieve downed American airmen in Iran.
The Warthogs flew in their “Sandy” roles, supporting search and rescue while engaging in close-in battles at low altitudes. The rescue marks the latest involvement of the A-10 in the US war in Iran despite the Air Force’s plans to imminently shelve its remaining fleet.
Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, shared details on the aircraft used in the mission during a Monday briefing on the rescue of the pilot and weapon systems officer after an F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down over Iran last week.
Caine said that a task force including A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft, commonly called Warthogs, “audaciously penetrated enemy territory in broad daylight” to rescue the F-15E pilot. “This was an incredibly dangerous mission,” he added, sharing the task force faced Iranian fire while locating and retrieving the downed pilot.
In the operation, the A-10s, along with other aircraft, including drones, flew in so-called “Sandy” roles, “violently suppressing and engaging the enemy in a close-in gunfight” to draw attention away from the rescue activities, as well as keep the enemy at bay.
During the engagement, one A-10 aircraft was hit by enemy fire. The pilot flew it into friendly airspace but determined that they wouldn’t be able to land it. The pilot ejected as the plane went down. They were recovered safely.
“A ‘Sandy’ has one mission: get to the survivor, bring the rescue force forward, and put themselves between that survivor on the ground and the enemy,” Caine said.
The “Sandy” role originated during the Vietnam War as the call sign for A-1 Skyraiders leading combat search-and-rescue missions. These aircraft located downed airmen, coordinated rescue efforts, and suppressed enemy fire to protect helicopters.
As the A-1 retired, the Sandy role — a mission, not a platform — passed to aircraft like the A-10 Warthog.
These “Sandy” aircraft are part of the larger CSAR package, which includes HH-60 helicopters and highly trained rescue personnel, HC-130 refueling tankers, fighter escorts, and intelligence, reconnaissance, and surveillance assets.
“The A-10 force and the rescue force did a fantastic job,” Caine said Monday. Earlier in the war, the top general highlighted the involvement of Warthogs in hunting down Iranian fast-attack boats in the Strait of Hormuz.
The A-10’s days are, however, numbered. The Air Force is planning the aircraft’s retirement, though it has run into roadblocks. Congressional intervention has repeatedly thrown the attack plane a lifeline and prevented the service from fully retiring the entire fleet. There are over 160 Warthogs in service.
Pushing for the retirement of the fleet, Air Force leadership has previously argued that “the aircraft does not deter or survive against our pacing challenge,” a reference to China. The service has been looking into whether F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters can fulfill the A-10’s missions, such as close-air support. Supporters of the A-10 argue no other aircraft can currently fulfill its missions.
The A-10 was introduced in the 1970s and intended to be a tank-killer capable of blunting a Soviet armored assault. It can carry rockets, missiles, and bombs, but is best known for its 30mm GAU-8 Avenger seven-barrel Gatling-style autocannon.
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