A-10 Pilot Recounts Close Air Support Missions and Near Misses

Close Air Support Mission in Afghanistan

• 🎯 A standard Joint Terminal Attack Request (JTAR) for air cover during a "movement to contact" near Kabul turned into actual combat.
• 💥 Ground troops encountered Taliban fire from a tree line, prompting calls for close air support (CAS) at "danger close" range.
• 💡 The A-10 pilot initially planned to mark the target with a Willie Pete (white phosphorus) before engaging with the GAU-8 cannon.
• ⚠️ During the first gun run, the wingman's A-10 experienced multiple malfunctions, including loss of precision attitude control and avionics, causing the gun to spray rounds.

Managing the Mission Solo

• ✈️ After the wingman returned home due to the malfunction, the flight lead had to manage the rest of the mission alone, including data flow and targeting.
• 🎯 The pilot conducted further Willie Pete runs to verify targets and execute gun runs.
• ❓ A critical moment occurred when ground forces used smoke grenades to mark targets, but one soldier mistakenly marked his own position with yellow smoke.
• 🧠 The pilot's intuition and careful observation prevented a potential friendly fire incident, as he stayed "dry" (did not fire) and clarified the situation.

Lessons from Combat Scenarios

• ⚡ The importance of trusting one's instincts, or "spidey senses," was highlighted through multiple anecdotes.
• 💣 Another story involved a mission where a ground force commander requested a single bomb strike, but a pilot error led to a bomb being dropped off-target, missing a group of ISIS fighters.
• 💥 A recent news event about South Korean F-16s accidentally dropping eight bombs on a village during an exercise underscored the risks of errors in CAS.
• ✅ The discussion emphasizes that even experienced pilots can face unexpected issues, and clear communication and situational awareness are crucial for mission success and safety.