Yeah, i was suprised too.... LOL
Here's the story.
Why the pugnacious A-10 is flying maritime patrols over the South China Sea
Washington Post.com 04/27/2016
Author: Dan Lamothe
Copyright 2016, The Washington Post Co. All Rights Reserved.
The situation in the South China Sea has grown even more complex over the past week, with A-10 attack planes flying maritime patrols over a coral reef chain known as Scarborough Shoal. It's less than 150 miles to the west of the Philippines, and considered a site where Beijing may carry out "land reclamation" and continue its military expansion in the region this year, prompting concern from the United States and its partners in the region.
The A-10 might seem like an unlikely plane for the mission, though. The heavily armored twin-engine "Warthog" has been in service since the 1970s, and was designed for close-air support, in which combat aircraft assist ground troops by attacking enemy tanks, vehicles and positions. There is none of that around Scarborough Shoal, and the plane is considered more vulnerable than other American military planes against surface-to-air missiles.
The A-10 also is slower than numerous rival aircraft, including the Chinese J-11B fighter used to intercept a Navy P-8 Poseidon surveillance plane in August 2014 in a move the Pentagon criticized as aggressive and dangerous.
The "Warthog" does send a message, though. Known for flying loud and low, it arrived in the Philippines this month as Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter visited and the United States announced it would use five Philippine military bases on a rotational basis. The plane isn't meant for dogfights with Chinese fighters, but is capable of flying through international airspace near Scarborough Shoal and demonstrating the Pentagon's commitment to keeping the skies there open to everyone.
Air Force Col. Larry Card, the commander of the new air contingent in the Philippines, appeared to touch on this in a recent news release.
"Our job is to ensure air and sea domains remain open in accordance with international law," Card said. "That is extremely important, international economics depends on it
