If Oscar01 is right, this should be an unexpected Operation Enduring Freedom combat deployment to Afghanistan. I'm surprised, because in January 2010 (after a six-month rotation) 12 AC-10Cs of the 354th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron at Kandahar Airfield - deployed from the 355th Fighter Wing (ACC), Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona - were replaced by A-10Cs of an Air National Guard "Rainbow Team", consisting of jets from the 104th Fighter Squadron, 175th Wing (Maryland Air National Guard), Martin State AP Air Guard Station, Baltimore, Maryland (tailcode MD) and from the 184th Fighter Squadron, 188th Fighter Wing (Arkansas Air National Guard), Fort Smith Regional Airport, Fort Smith, Arkansas (tailcode FS) - scheduled for a four-month rotation.
Could be that Air Combat Command (ACC) will deploy a second A-10C EFS to Kandahar Airfield in support of a force-buildup in Afghanistan, announced by President Obama.
BTW: Stopovers from Spang en route A'stan would be Sigonella, Sicily, and Al Udeid AB, Qatar.
I would be very grateful for any more related info.
For archived A-10 OEF deployment info please check:
http://warthognews.blogspot.com/search/ ... fghanistan" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://warthogdeployments.blogspot.com/ ... istan.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;