March 2009 Cover Story:
Hawgsmoke 2008

Story and photos by Kevin Whitehead – Jetwashimages.com

Since 2000, the U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II community has gathered every two years for the Hawgsmoke tactical gunnery and bombing competition. The latest version of this event took place at the Salina Municipal Airport in Salina, Kansas on October 2008.
Hawgsmoke evolved from the former USAF Gunsmoke competitions which involved numerous types of aircraft competing in air-to-ground attack contests into what is now a more specialized event utilizing only the A-10 Thunderbolt II.

The A-10, affectionately known as the Warthog because of its rather unconventional appearance, was built to provide close air support for ground troops. Hawgsmoke is designed to test pilots’ skills on aspects of their everyday training in support of the A-10’s mission. During the competition, pilots are judged on their accuracy in delivering 30mm canon rounds and training bombs on simulated targets, combat tactics, time spent over targets, and formation flying abilities.

The winning squadron of each Hawgsmoke is given the honor of planning and hosting the next event. The Salina Airport, formerly Schilling AFB, was chosen as the location for Hawgsmoke 2008 as the 303rd Fighter Squadron based at Whitman AFB Missouri won the previous competition in 2006. Salina proved to be an ideal location due to its very close proximity to the Kansas Air National Guard Smokey Hill bombing and gunnery range and the airport’s large open ramp space.

Hawgsmoke can typically include as many as 70 A-10 aircraft from the Air National Guard, Air Force, and Air Force Reserve. However, this year’s version was affected by a mandatory Air Force maintenance inspection order on 130 of the Air Force’s 360 A-10s just two weeks prior to the competition. As a result, 50 pilots shared 30 A-10 aircraft from Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units.

Fourteen A-10 squadrons competed over the course of three days. During the final day’s awards banquet it was announced that the Idaho Air National Guard’s 190th Fighter Squadron was named the top A-10 team at Hawgsmoke 2008 and will be expected to host the next edition in 2010.