A-10 Thunderbolt II “Warthogs” of the Michigan Air National Guard recently performed an interesting exercise. These modern aircraft intentionally landed on the US civilian highway in Michigan. Residents of the area got to witness this rare opportunity probably no one else in America has experienced before. The best part was they were A-10 Thunderbolt II “Warthogs”.

It was a part of a training exercise, which is called Nothern Strike. Northern Strike is a multinational exercise that is designed to prove Michigan’s joint-reserve force’s readiness to operate with allies. According to the Michigan Air National Guard, this is their first exercise where they landed aircraft on a civilian highway intentionally.

Col. Matt Robins, commander of the Michigan Air National Guard’s 127th Operations Group, mentioned to the Military Times magazine that “The idea was to build confidence in what we thought we could do. We’ve done it overseas before,”

According to Robins in addition to the four A-10s, they also used two C-146A Wolfhounds as a part of their exercise. You can also see a video by the Michigan Department of Transportation where a C-146 aircraft takes off on M-32 near Alpena.

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You don’t see this everyday on a Michigan highway. pic.twitter.com/wb07gyKtWg

— @MSPNorthernMI (@mspnorthernmi) August 5, 2021

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No speeding citations were issued during the exercise. pic.twitter.com/isAoy05FoV

— @MSPNorthernMI (@mspnorthernmi) August 5, 2021

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Another A-10 @MINationalGuard aircraft takeoff during testing on M-32 near #Alpena. pic.twitter.com/133apQXDL9

— Michigan DOT (@MichiganDOT) August 5, 2021

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A C-146 @MINationalGuard aircraft takes off during testing on M-32 near #Alpena. pic.twitter.com/5TcdPwup52

— Michigan DOT (@MichiganDOT) August 5, 2021

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