Photos of US Air Force A-10s in action capture Warthog strafing runs and the bullet-riddled aftermath

A US Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II pilot flies over Grand Bay Bombing and Gunnery Range near Moody Air Force Base in Georgia.US Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Devin Boyer/DVIDS

• US Air Force pilots recently practiced strafing runs in the A-10 Thunderbolt II, a close-air support plane also known as the Warthog.
• The training took place at Grand Bay Bombing and Gunnery Range near Moody Air Force Base in Georgia.

US military photos from a recent training exercise captured US Air Force A-10s in action, showing a bit of what the attack aircraft sometimes described as a cannon with wings is capable of.

In early December, Air Force pilots practiced strafing runs with A-10 Thunderbolt II close-air support aircraft, also known as the Warthog. The ground-attack planes are known for their powerful cannon and, in some cases, the unique shark-inspired nose paint.

Strafing runs train pilots to attack ground targets using mounted automatic weapons. In the case of the A-10, the plane's GAU-8 Avenger 30 mm cannon can fire nearly 4,000 rounds a minute.

Photos from the recent training exercise show A-10s from the 74th Fighter Squadron flying above Moody Air Force Base in Georgia, deploying flares, executing gun runs, and performing impressive flight maneuvers.