Once every two years, squadrons operating the A-10C Thunderbolt II meet to determine the type’s premier unit. John Gabor reports on the latest contest.
Mid-October saw the skies over central Missouri come alive for the biennial Hawgsmoke competition. Hosted by the 442nd Fighter Wing (FW) based at Whiteman AFB, 12 units took part to determine the USAF’s best A-10 ‘Warthog’ squadron.
The brainchild of Col Cliff Latta (since ret’d) of Michigan’s 172nd Fighter Squadron (FS), the exercise continues a tradition first established by the Air Combat Commandorganised gunnery competition, Gunsmoke. First held at Nellis AFB, Nevada in 1949 and then staged periodically until 1995, the contest was open to all ground attack and bomber squadrons.
Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, the US made sweeping cuts to its military. A casualty of this was Gunsmoke and, prompted by its cancellation, Col Latta set about establishing a new exercise which would rekindle the feeling of pride that Gunsmoke perpetuated in the attack community.
The inaugural Hawgsmoke in 2000, held at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center in Michigan, was won by the 118th FS from Bradley Air National Guard Base, Con…
