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A-10C Warthog gains probe-and-drogue refuelling in the Middle East, plus Angry Kitten EW pod

The US Air Force has deployed A-10C Warthogs to the Middle East with newly operational capabilities: a Probe Refueling Adapter enabling probe-and-drogue refuelling from the HC-130J, and the Angry Kitten electronic warfare pod carried on operations. The A-10C reached deployment-ready status in weeks after its first test.

Discovered 2026-05-21T15:23:37.375156-07:00 | 2026-05-21T15:23:37.375156-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • It shows how quickly the USAF can turn an urgent capability—probe-and-drogue refuelling for A-10C from HC-130J—into operational use in a contested region, following certification and adapter development (USAF adds probe-and-drogue refuelling to A-10).
  • The pairing of extended-range fuel access with a dedicated EW pod (Angry Kitten) signals an immediate push to improve survivability and mission flexibility for close air support platforms in a high-threat environment.
  • For defense and sustainment planning, it highlights platform-agnostic tanker interoperability and rapid EW integration as near-term levers to extend serviceable combat utility without waiting for airframe replacements.

Reported By

The Aviationist Scramble Simple Flying The War Zone aerospaceglobalnews.com
Sources Tracked
7
First Seen
2026-05-21T15:23:37.375156-07:00
Latest Update
2026-05-26T14:05:42.922930-07:00
Coverage
Defense

Sources

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