The Big Dipper constellation and the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, shine above a static A-10 Thunderbolt II in Heritage Park at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, on Sept. 18, 2004. The Borealis are the result of solar particles colliding with gases in Earth's atmosphere. Early Eskimos and Indians believed different legends about the Northern Lights such as they were the souls of animals dancing in the sky or the souls of fallen enemies trying to rise again. The 355th Fighter Squadron stationed at Eielson currently flies the Thunderbolt aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by SENIOR AIRMAN Joshua Strang) (Released) (SUBSTANDARD)

The A-10 Thunderbolt has excellent maneuverability at low airspeeds and altitude and is a highly accurate and survivable weapons-delivery platform. Called the “Warthog” for its aggressive look and often painted with teeth on the nose cone, the A-10 Thunderbolt II is the U.S. Air Force’s primary low-altitude close air support aircraft best known for its GAU-8 Avenger 30mm Gatling gun designed to fire armor-piercing depleted uranium and high explosive incendiary rounds. In the 1970s the threat of Soviet armored forces and all-weather attack operations had become more serious. Six companies submitted aircraft proposals, with Northrop and Fairchild-Republic selected to build prototypes: the YA-9A and YA-10A, respectively. General Electric and Philco-Ford were selected to build and test GAU-8 cannon prototypes. First A-10 was delivered to the U.S. Air Force on 30 March 1976. By 1984, 715 airplanes had been built.