Back to the fight: Former 188th A-10 ventures to Afghanistan
A-10C Thunderbolt II 78-0644 lands at Lajes Field, Azores, Sept. 24, 2013, for stopover and refueling. This "Warthog", formerly assigned to the 184th Fighter Squadron’s "Flying Razorbacks” of the 188th Fighter Wing Arkansas Air National Guard in Fort Smith. The A-10 now belongs to the 75th Fighter Squadron "Tiger Sharks", 23rd Fighter Group, 23rd Wing, Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The 75th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron is currently on its way to replace the 74th EFS "Flying Tigers" at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan (455th Air Expeditionary Wing), in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The A-10 was the first of two Warthogs to leave the 188th as part of the wing’s mission conversion to an intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance/MQ-9 Reaper mission. The A-10 left Fort Smith, Ark., for Moody AFB Sept. 10, 2013. (Courtesy photo by André Inacio)