The bomb markings on the returning A-10 Thunderbolt II jets hint at the variety of weapons the Warthogs used against Iran, while the kill marks offer clues about some of the targets they hit.
On Jun. 12, 2026, 11 A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft, belonging to the 75th Fighter Squadron of the 23rd Wing, from Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, arrived at RAF Lakenheath, UK, from Aviano Air Base, Italy, on their way back to the U.S. following their deployment to the CENTCOM AOR (Area Of Responsibility). During the deployment, they took part in Operation Epic Fury and also carried out missions over Iraq and Syria.
The Warthogs (as the A-10s are nicknamed) arrived in the UK split into four cells:
TABOR 11-13:
80-0175/FT “King Dedede”
79-0157/FT “Fox”
78-0649/FT “Reaper”
TABOR 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”
As per tradition, during their stay at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, the Warthogs received nose art along with bomb markings. For what deals the nicknames, based on the photos taken by our contributor and friend Stewart Jack, most appear to follow a Nintendo/Super Smash Bros. theme we had already identified from photos released by CENTCOM, with references including King Dedede, Fox, Diddy Kong, Samus, Sephiroth, Little Mac, Kirby and Ridley. Macho Man, Reaper” and Doc Holiday seem to be possible outliers from the video-games theme.
One notable missing A-10C is the one nicknamed “Toad” (#78-0614), that was depicted in the official Operation Epic Fury imagery in March. Its fate is currently unknown so we can’t rule out it is the Thunderbolt II aircraft lost during the air war in Iran..
The bomb silhouettes offer a glimpse at the wide variety of weapons the A-10s expended in theater. Although some markings are not completely identifiable, overall, the aircraft show what appear to be 2,000-lb GBU-31(V)1/B bombs, mid-sized GBU-38/54 JDAMs (Joint Direct Attack Munitions) or Laser-JDAMs, AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface guided missiles, Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) guidance kit-equipped Hydra 70 rockets, along with plenty of 30-mm rounds fired by the A-10’s trademark GAU-8 Avenger hydraulically driven seven-barrel Gatling-type gun.
Interestingly, there are several marking that appear to depict MALDs (Miniature Air Launched Decoys). “MALDs are designed to mimic other aircraft, making them invaluable assets in diverting enemy fire away from pilots,” says Moody AFB website in an article dating back to 2024, when training with MALDs was being incorporated. “When MALDs are fired they deceive defense systems and enemy cruise missiles giving the illusion the decoy is an aircraft. MALDs can mimic the signal of various aircraft such as F-16s, B-52s, and F-35s”
But, probably, the most interesting things are the two kills markings of two Iranian vessels sported by “Samus”. In fact, along with the traditional CAS (Close Air Support) role, the A-10s have flown the maritime strike mission in support of Operation Epic Fury.
This is an excerpt of what we wrote in a previous story that you can find here.
The shift to the maritime domain, whether from Jordan or another forward operating base in the region, makes a lot of sense, considering the type has regularly taken part in U.S. submarine escort and live-fire exercises in recent years. Moreover, the U.S. Air Force had released images of its A-10s deployed to the region escorting U.S. warships in the 5th Fleet Area of Operations last month.
In 2024, we reported about Warthogs practicing overwatch of a U.S. nuclear submarine during one of the most vulnerable phases of its navigation through the Strait of San Juan de Fuca, on the Pacific Northwest coast, between the state of Washington and Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
Few months later, a formation of six A-10Cs, assigned to Moody Air Force Base, escorted an Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine, the USS Wyoming (SSBN 742). The aircraft, were also involved in a live fire exercise with their GAU-8 30 mm gun and 70 mm rockets.
Born as a pure Close Air Support and anti-tank platform, the A-10 has rarely been employed in the maritime domain until roughly 15 years ago. In 2011, during Operation Unified Protector, when an A-10 and a P-3C Orion engaged together a patrol boat and several small attack craft in the port of Misrata, Libya.
More recently, following the renewed attention towards these types of asymmetric threats caused by the attacks in the Red Sea or the skirmishes between the Ukrainian USVs (Unmanned Surface Vehicles) and the Russian Navy in the Black Sea, the type has been used to target swarms of boats and strike small vessels in several training scenarios.
In the 2020s, the Warthog took part in multiple Maritime Surface Warfare exercises and conducted unit defense training. One of the exercises saw, in Sept. 2023, two A-10s engage simulated surface threats in the Gulf of Oman with the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Stethem.
High Value Targets, like U.S. warships and civilian ships and tankers could be attacked and overwhelmed by coordinated swarms of USVs, challenging the traditional naval defense strategies. The A-10’s maneuverability at low airspeeds and altitude, flexible armament, highly accurate weapons-delivery capabilities, and extended loiter time are all key attributes that make it highly effective at 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,” that might suggest the aircraft was involved in the recovery operation of DUDE 44, the Strike Eagle shot down over Iran.
Another marking that might be worth investigating is the one sported by “Kirby”: a pickup truck, possibly a “technical,” with an explosion or mushroom cloud rising from it….
