The United States Air Force’s Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II has served as a close air support aircraft for nearly five decades. The single-seat, twin-engine aircraft was developed to combat Soviet and Warsaw Pact armored vehicles in potential conflict in Europe.
However, last week one was spotted in what could be described as a most unexpected place, namely the Pacific Ocean. It was providing close air support to the USS Nebraska (SSBN-739), one of the United States Navy’s 14 operational Ohio-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines.
According to the sea service, SSBN-739 was assigned to Commander, Submarine Group 9 (COMSUBGRU-9), which was exercising “tactical and administrative control authority for assigned submarine commands and units in the Pacific Northwest providing oversight for shipboard training, personnel, supply and material readiness of submarines and their crews.” COMSUBGRU-9 is also responsible for nuclear submarines undergoing conversion and overhaul at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Wash.
Aerial Protection Of The Silent Service
The U.S. Navy rarely discloses the location of any of its SSBNs, as each is a vital component of the sea-based leg of the country’s nuclear triad. It is unclear if this was a training exercise or a more routine operation, with USS Nebraska returning to its home port of Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor in Silverdale, Wash.
“Submarines are at their most vulnerable when on the surface, where they can be detected by visual means or by radar, and even spotted by satellites,” TheAviationist.com reported, adding, “During routine operations, the U.S. Navy employs a specialist fleet of four Black Powder-class support ships to provide additional protection to these submarines. When entering and exiting port, the ships sail close by to the submarines, acting as a sacrificial shield for the precious missile compartment.”
Last week, instead of a support ship, it appears that the SSBN-739 received an Armed Airborne Escort, specifically the A-10 Thunderbolt II. Affectionately known by its pilots and maintainers as the “Warthog,” the aircraft is armed with a 30mm tank-busting GAU-8 gun, a powerful weapon with a very high muzzle velocity 20 times that of the 75mm gun fitted to some B-25 Mitchell close air support/ground-attack gunships in World War II.
In addition, the 30mm gun, which employs rotating barrels, offers an unparalleled rate of fire for an aircraft weapon, able to fire up to 4,200 rounds per minute. No other attack aircraft in history has ever mounted a gun with the tank-killing capability of the GAU-8.
The Warthog can also loiter near battle areas for extended periods and operate at 1,000 feet (304.8 meters) or less with 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) of visibility, making it relatively ideal for escorting a surfaced submarine.
Neither the U.S. Air Force nor U.S. Navy has indicated from where the A-10 operated, but its nearest base is Gowen Field in Boise, Idaho, more than 400 miles from the Pacific Coast. It is therefore likely this was a planned exercise involving the A-10 Thunderbolt II.
“AAEs demonstrate joint force readiness to protect SSBNs, ensuring they remain a credible, reliable, and survivable force capable of operating anywhere in the world,” the U.S. Navy announced in a post on Facebook. “SSBNs remain a top U.S. Department of War priority due to their unmatched stealth and second-strike capability. Their strategic importance necessitates the strongest protection available during critical surfaced operations.”
The Warthog Is Being Retired, Yet Joint Exercises Continue
Last week’s AAE mission is just the latest operation to see the A-10 get “wet and wild.” In February, one of the CAS aircraft conducted a live-fire gunnery drill alongside the U.S. Navy Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Santa Barbara (LCS-32) in the 5th Fleet area of responsibility during the colorfully named “Exercise Killer Tomato.”
This winter and spring, A-10s were also employed to hunt down Iranian fast-attack boats in the Strait of Hormuz, proving that the old warbirds could learn a few more tricks. That resulted in the aging aircraft receiving a reprieve, with the planned 2028 retirement pushed back by at least a year.
There have been warnings that such fast attack boats could threaten the U.S. Navy submarines, especially as they need to arrive at port surfaced. Perhaps if the A-10 is found to be ideally suited to that threat, it could further delay the Warthog’s retirement just a bit longer.
From Ironclad To Big Red
SSBN-739, which shares the nickname “Big Red” with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s athletic teams, is just the second U.S. Navy vessel nicknamed for the 37th state.
The name was actually given to the never-commissioned Kalamazoo-class ocean-going ironclad monitor that was laid down during the American Civil War. Thus, the first USS Nebraska (BB-14) was the Virginia-class battleship that was launched in 1904 and provided escort for convoys to Europe during the First World War. BB-14 also carried American soldiers back from France, making four trips in total. Decommissioned after the conflict, the battleship was sold for scrap in 1922.
The current USS Nebraska was commissioned in July 1993, and has conducted numerous patrols over the past three decades. As with other U.S. Navy Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines, SSBN-739 is operated by both a “Blue” and “Gold” crew to maximize operational availability. One crew deploys on the submarine for a standard patrol lasting roughly 70 to 90 days, with the other crew at port to take leave, complete required schooling and run simulation training. This rotation allows the submarines to be deployed and operational approximately 70% of the time. It also reduces individual deployment tempos and the strain that comes from a single-crewed fleet model.
