... of which I am one, here is a nice review of this sweet ship's place in modern warfare. I first fell in love with the A-10 on a long drive through Nevada many years ago, and seeing these guys on maneuvers.

http://blogs.reuters.com/great...ttle-for-its-future/

The A-10 has suffered more near death experiences in Washington than it ever faced on the battlefield. Our politicians better get their head out of their ass and realize that currently, there is nothing to replace its vital role on the battlefield. It has saved countless lives and without it, it will cost countless lives.

The F-16, F-35, F-22, even the FA-18 and F-15E cannot begin to fill it's shoes. While the Apache and AC-130 Specter are amazing ground fighters, they cannot begin to fill the mission role of the A-10. We would have a weaker military without it.

Totally agree, friend. Perhaps the A-10 should be transferred to the Army, as the infantry seems to "get it" about the Warthog's incredible usefulness.

Read some of the WWII adventures of close air support the USMC conducted .The USAF has no understanding of that !

The USAF pushed the A-10 ONLY because they feared that the Army's Cheyenne attack helicopter would cut them out of the ground support business. Ever since, the USAF has been trying to kill it.

The A-10 would be best suited for the USMC, but all they want now is uber expensive Star Wars go fast shit, namely the F-35B.

Maybe the Sikorsky S-97 Raider can fill the A-10 role, but battlefield survivability would be no where near the A-10's capabilities. It would take the Raider, Specter and an Apache working in concert to exceed what one A-10 can do. But the A-10 is twice as fast as an AC-130 and three times as fast as a Raider. When your ass is in the wind, speed counts.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill/Oregon:
... of which I am one, here is a nice review of this sweet ship's place in modern warfare. I first fell in love with the A-10 on a long drive through Nevada many years ago, and seeing these guys on maneuvers.

http://blogs.reuters.com/great...ttle-for-its-future/

First A 10 I ever saw was on a trip to Vegas, last one was mounted on a pedestal in some Utah town.

Grizz

Living near the now closed Myrtle Beach AFB for many years I have seen my share of A-10's that were based there. They were regular participants in air shows and frequently seen in the skies. Driving through rural SC in a USAF training area I was once the "target" of a mock strafing attack. Incredible aircraft. A crop dusting pilot friend of mine fantasizes about spraying cotton with an A-10.

Got to take on a convoy of Toyota trucks in the desert? Bring on the Warthogs!

Pinned down by goat-shaggers in burkas? Bring on the Warthogs!

There's nothing like a couple dozen 30mm depleted-uranium rounds to level the playing field!

Supersonic works just fine for aerial combat, but I'm pretty sure our targets don't yet have this capability. The A-10 is the ideal aircraft for ISIS eradication.

Kessler AFB had a bunch of them when I was there in 1980.

Buddy got his license while we were going through school. I remember the plane was about $25 an hour with the aeroclub. Was fun watching them fly over the Gulf. All were in dark camo.

The A 10 reminds me of story Professor in College told of his experience in Korea that whatever prop planes were used then were welcome sight to the grunts for their "dwell time" over target was great for dispersing the enemy. His philosophy was that if you don't win it on the ground, you are not going to win and why would the senior management of Military want to do away with a tool as good as the A 10??

The guys on the ground in Vietnam would rather have an A-1 Skyraider overhead than an F-4 or Thud. Go fast stuff is great for air dominance, but not the answer for ground support.

Unfortunately, an A-10 is not a survivable platform in a hostile air environment (with enemy fighters on ingress and egress) or if the enemy has latest generation SAMS (or even a good dose of radar-controlled quad-23's.

BTW, neither were Stukas worth a flip if good fighters opposed them. They were withdrawn from the Battle of Britain because of huge losses. As to Strumoviks, ask Erich Hartman how hard they were to kill. I'd imagine he shot down a few hundred of them.



Don't think I'd like to fly an A-10 low and slow around one of the above.

That said, as a coin a/c in an asymmetrical war in Afghanistan or against ISIS as being presently fought, I don't know a better close air support vehicle (unless someone wanted to refurbish some A-1's).

I flew A-4's, a darn good close air a/c for South Vietnam conditions. Would I have traded it for an A-10.... Maybe... just maybe.

The gun the A-10 was designed around.

http://i.imgur.com/71FLmCc.jpg

quote:

Originally posted by Opus1:
The guys on the ground in Vietnam would rather have an A-1 Skyraider overhead than an F-4 or Thud. Go fast stuff is great for air dominance, but not the answer for ground support.

My FIL was a Tanker pilot in Nam; basically said the same thing.

If you start talking about Vietnam and close infantry support don't forget the Huey.

The Skyraider: interesting aircraft with a very long run in service.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFWEaNJxnW4

I suppose that our 'hogs go with a CAP package still. I know that once the Iraq AF was done in, pretty much everything we had flew with impunity ( except a few AH64 in a deep raid in early OIF).

I'll take an A10 with a wing load of GBUs and rockets over an Apache or super Cobra pretty much any day! Oh, well maybe if a Spectre was in orbit, I'd let it stay!

But when it comes down to it, whatever is available when I needed it, I took advantage of whatever it had, even if it was dry.

I live under the flight path from Whitman to Fort Wood in MO, so I get the pleasure of seeing sorties of A10s nearly everyday (B2s on a tanker are a special treat). I thought of painting my roof top with "Go Hogs" or something.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill/Oregon:
The Skyraider: interesting aircraft with a very long run in service.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFWEaNJxnW4

Yep, FIL was a big fan of the Skyraider. He might have been flying at 25+ thousand, but he knew what folks on the ground needed.