Bomb markings on returning A-10 Thunderbolt II jets hint at the variety of weapons used by the Warthogs against Iran, while kill markings provide clues as to some of the targets they hit.
On June 12, 2026, 11 A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft from the 75th Fighter Squadron, 23rd Fighter Wing, from Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, arrived at RAF Lakenheath, England from Aviano Air Force Base, Italy, en route to the United States after deployment to the CENTCOM Area Of Responsibility (AOR). During their deployment, they participated in Operation Epic Fury and also flew missions to Iraq and Syria.
The Warthogs (nicknamed A-10) arrived in England and were divided into four cells.
Tabs 11-13:
80-0175/FT “King Dedede”
79-0157/FT “Fox”
78-0649/FT “Reaper”
Tabs 14-16:
78-0613/FT “Diddy Kong”
80-0243/FT “Samus”
78-0583/FT “Sephiroth”
Tabor 21-23
80-0188/FT “Macho Man”
79-0095/FT “Lil Mac”
80-0273/FT “Kirby”
Tabor 24-25
81-0988/FT “Ridley”
78-0586/FT “Doc Holiday”
Following tradition, during their stay at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, the Warthogs received nose art with bomb markings. The nicknames are based on photos taken by our contributor and friend Stewart Jack, most of whom are Nintendo/Super Smash Bros. characters already identified in photos released by CENTCOM. It appears to follow a theme and features references including King Dedede, Fox, Diddy Kong, Samus, Sephiroth, Little Mac, Kirby, and Ridley. Macho Man, Reaper” and Doc Holiday seem like potential departures from the video game theme.
Notable among the missing A-10Cs is one nicknamed “Toad” (#78-0614), which is depicted in official Operation Epic Fury images from March. As its whereabouts are currently unknown, the possibility that it is a Thunderbolt II aircraft lost during an Iranian airstrike cannot be ruled out.
The bomb silhouette provides a glimpse into the variety of weapons the A-10 used in theater. Some markings are not entirely identifiable, but overall the aircraft displays what appears to be a Hydra 70 equipped with 2,000-pound GBU-31(V)1/B bombs, heavy GBU-38/54 Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs) or Laser-JDAMs, AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground guided missiles, and an Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) guidance kit. Includes rockets and multiple 30mm shells fired from the A-10’s trademark GAU-8 Avenger hydraulically driven seven-barrel Gatling-type cannon.
Interestingly, there are several markings that appear to depict Miniature Air Launched Decoys (MALD). “MALD is designed to mimic other aircraft, making it a valuable asset in keeping enemy fire away from the pilot,” the Moody AFB website said in an article dating back to 2024 when MALD training was incorporated. “When launched, MALD fools defense systems and enemy cruise missiles into thinking the decoy is an aircraft. MALD can mimic the signatures of a variety of aircraft, such as the F-16, B-52, and F-35.”
But perhaps most interesting is the display of two kills of two Iranian ships, boasted by “Samus”. In fact, the A-10 flew maritime strike missions in support of Operation Epic Fury, along with its traditional Close Air Support (CAS) role.
This is an excerpt of what we wrote in a previous story that can be found here.
The transition to the maritime domain, whether in Jordan or another forward operating base in the region, makes a lot of sense considering the type has regularly participated in U.S. submarine escorts and live-fire exercises in recent years. Moreover, the U.S. Air Force released images last month showing the A-10 deployed in the area escorting U.S. warships in the 5th Fleet area of operations.
In 2024, we reported on warthogs surveilling a U.S. nuclear submarine during one of the most vulnerable stages of its voyage through the Strait of San Juan de Fuca, off the Pacific Northwest coast between Washington state and Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
A few months later, a squadron of six A-10Cs stationed at Moody Air Force Base escorted the USS Wyoming (SSBN 742), an Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine. The aircraft also took part in live-fire training using the GAU-8 30mm gun and 70mm rockets.
Born as a pure close air support and anti-tank platform, the A-10 saw little use in the maritime domain until about 15 years ago. During Operation Integrated Protector in 2011, A-10s and P-3C Orions engaged patrol boats and several small attack craft in the port of Misrata, Libya.
In recent years, following renewed interest in this type of asymmetric threat posed by attacks in the Red Sea or combat between Ukrainian unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) and the Russian Navy in the Black Sea, this type has been used to target shoals of boats and attack small vessels in several training scenarios.
During the 2020s, Warthogs participated in several naval surface warfare exercises and conducted unit defense exercises. One of the exercises took place in September 2023 and saw two A-10s engage a simulated surface threat in the Gulf of Oman alongside the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Stethem.
High-value targets such as U.S. warships, civilian ships, and oil tankers can be attacked and overwhelmed by organized swarms of USVs, challenging traditional naval defense strategies. The A-10’s low-speed and high-altitude maneuverability, flexible armament, highly accurate weapons delivery capability, and extended endurance are all key characteristics that make it highly effective against fast naval targets in the Persian Gulf and beyond.
Another interesting marking is the F-15E tail with the text “So others may live” painted on “Ridley”. This may suggest that the aircraft participated in the recovery of DUDE 44, a Strike Eagle that was shot down over Iran.
Another sign worth investigating is the one sported by “Kirby.” It shows an explosion or mushroom cloud rising from a pickup truck (possibly “technology”).
