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a gray military aircraft with eyes and teeth painted on
A US Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II pilot flies over Grand Bay Bombing and Gunnery Range near Moody Air Force Base in Georgia.

US Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Devin Boyer/DVIDS

  • US Air Force pilots recently practiced strafing runs in the A-10 Thunderbolt II, a close-air support plane also known as the Warthog.
  • The training took place at Grand Bay Bombing and Gunnery Range near Moody Air Force Base in Georgia.
  • Photos show the A-10 performing flight maneuvers and deploying flares.

US military photos from a recent training exercise captured US Air Force A-10s in action, showing a bit of what the attack aircraft sometimes described as a cannon with wings is capable of.

In early December, Air Force pilots practiced strafing runs with A-10 Thunderbolt II close-air support aircraft, also known as the Warthog. The ground-attack planes are known for their powerful cannon and, in some cases, the unique shark-inspired nose paint.

Strafing runs train pilots to attack ground targets using mounted automatic weapons. In the case of the A-10, the plane's GAU-8 Avenger 30 mm cannon can fire nearly 4,000 rounds a minute.

Photos from the recent training exercise show A-10s from the 74th Fighter Squadron flying above Moody Air Force Base in Georgia, deploying flares, executing gun runs, and performing impressive flight maneuvers.

Some of the A-10s that participated in the training featured a fearsome paint job on the nose of the plane resembling a shark.
a gray fighter aircraft deploys flares mid-flight
A US Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II pilot deploys flares to intercept enemy heat-seeking missiles.

US Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Devin Boyer/DVIDS

Not all A-10s get to sport the shark teeth war paint. Only planes that are part of the 74th, 75th, and 76th Fighter Squadrons have the shark nose art. It's a design specifically tied to the history of the squadrons.

"There are other A-10 units that have nose art, but not the iconic shark face," an A-10 pilot and commanding officer of the 74th Fighter Squadron previously told Business Insider's Ryan Pickrell.

The A-10 is a dedicated close-air support plane built to take out ground targets, including tanks.
a gray fighter jet flies in the sky next to three flares
A US Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II pilot deploys flares near Moody Air Force Base, Georgia.

US Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Devin Boyer/DVIDS

The aircraft was first introduced in the 1970s and was built with Soviet armor, considered to be a threat to Western Europe during the Cold War, in mind.

The gun is so loud that pilots have to wear two layers of ear protection to muffle the sound of the plane's cannon.
a gray aircraft mid-flight with smoke billowing from behind it
A US Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II pilot conducts strafing runs over Grand Bay Bombing and Gunnery Range near Moody Air Force Base in Georgia.

US Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Devin Boyer/DVIDS

The seven-barrel cannon on the A-10 is famous for the "BRRRT" sound it makes when fired, and it can be something of an intense experience for pilots.

An A-10 pilot previously told Business Insider it "feels like driving over railroad tracks" when the gun is fired. "You're sitting right on top of the gun," he said, "so it shakes the whole airplane."

The attack aircraft carry a little over a thousand rounds, which are fired in short yet devastating bursts.

A photo from the recent training of a bullet-riddled cargo container on the ground is evidence of the A-10's power.
A cargo container is covered with bullet holes
A cargo container is covered with bullet holes at Grand Bay Bombing and Gunnery Range near Moody Air Force Base in Georgia.

US Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Devin Boyer/DVIDS

The plane fires armor-piercing depleted-uranium rounds.

Alongside the GAU-8 Avenger cannon, the A-10 carries rockets, missiles, and bombs. The plane also has defenses, such as flares that can be used to intercept enemy heat-seeking missiles.
a gray fight jet deploys a line of missiles underneath it
A US Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II pilot deploys flares over Grand Bay Bombing and Gunnery Range.

US Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Devin Boyer/DVIDS

But the A-10 may not be flying for too much longer.
A gray fighter jet flies above a line of tanks
A U.S. Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II flies over Grand Bay Bombing and Gunnery Range.

US Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Devin Boyer/DVIDS

Despite the power of the plane's weapons, the Air Force is planning to retire the A-10, which is over 40 years old, because the aircraft "does not deter or survive against our pacing challenge, and we need to move forward," the military branch said in a past request to Congress, referring specifically to the threats posed by China.

The Air Force is looking to the new F-35A Lightning II to perform key A-10 missions like close-air support, but there are some questions as to whether or not it fully meets expectations there. For now, the Warthog is still flying, but its days are numbered.

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Photos of US Air Force A-10s in action capture Warthog strafing runs and the bu…