U.S. Military Practices A-10 Jet Landings on highway for the First Time in 30 Years
The Washington Post reports that “in another episode ripped from the U.S. military’s Cold War training manual, four Air Force A-10 jets landed on an isolated highway in Estonia on Monday, the first time the aircraft has practiced highway landings since 1984.”
“The iconic ground-attack aircraft were from the 127th Wing, Michigan Air National Guard, which was participating in a U.S. Army-led, 14-nation exercise known as Saber Strike. According to a news release online, the jets had just finished a close air support exercise before being guided onto the highway in Jägala, Estonia, by a detachment soldiers on the ground, known as joint terminal attack controllers, or JTACs.”
“Highway landings were a very real possibility if the Cold War ever went hot. According to the Aviationist, highway landing strips were developed because the locations of airfields were by-and-large public information, and they would be wiped out during the first salvo of warheads.”