Airmen from the 332nd Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron work in an abandoned aircraft shelter at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq to repair an A-10C Thunderbolt II that suffered catastrophic engine failure. A maintenance response team from the 332nd EMXG repaired the jet and got it back in the air less than five days after the jet suffered catastrophic engine failure and had to divert there. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Jared Marquis/released)
The Hill: A-10 suffers 'catastrophic' engine failure in Iraq
An A-10 deployed in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) suffered a "non-combat" engine failure and had to divert to Al Asad Air Base in Iraq, according to an Air Force report.
The jet’s number-one engine suffered catastrophic damage during a routine refueling mission, and the pilot was able to safely land the aircraft at the air base in central Iraq, said the report Wednesday.
However, "the aircraft was in a location that was not fully secure and we needed it repaired and flown out of there as quickly as possible," according to the commander of the 332nd Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron commander Col. Michael Stohler. The report did not specify when the engine failure occured.
Update: 332nd EMXS Airmen return A-10 to air after catastophic engine failure in Iraq -- US Air Forces Central Command
WNU Editor: It makes you wonder on what if it was an F-35 that suffered the same fate .... could the same sequence of events occurred to get the plane back in the air? My gut is telling me that the answer is no.
Update #2: The U.S. Air Force deploys more A-10s to Iraq .... Air Force Can’t Seem To Stop Using The A-10, 12 More Deployed To Fight ISIS (Daily Caller).
