How Many A-10 Combat Planes Can You Count In This Photo?

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What's going on in the Middle East and Central Asia? According to The Aviationist, that's the sort of question that comes to mind when you see a bunch of A-10 attack aircraft normally stationed in Arizona sitting on the tarmac at a Massachusetts air base.

Apparently the Westover Reserve Air Base in Massachusetts is a prime dropping off point for aircraft headed to the Middle East and Afghanistan. And because the A-10 Thunderbolt II is used to support ground troops by blowing up tanks and armored vehicles with its massive GAU-8 Avenger rotary cannon, there's a good chance that something gnarly's going to happen.

Seriously, A-10s are crazy. The whole plane is built around that massive gatling gun, which is the largest cannon ever mounted to an aircraft platform. The GAU-8 fires 4,200 30mm shells per minute, and loaders have a range of rounds to choose from, including high incendiary and depleted uranium.

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But what could be going on? There's no doubt that the A-10, which debuted in U.S. Air Force attack squadrons in the early '70s, is a Cold War relic intended for use against conventional militaries. So does that mean they've found a new use for them; say, blowing up underground Taliban bunkers in Afghanistan? Or maybe Bibi Netanyahu and his funny charts have caused some alarm about Iran or Syria. The mind does wander.

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What do you think? We encourage armchair generals, battle hardened vets, and fresh faced doughboys alike to sound off in Kinja.

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Photo credit: U.S. Air Force