So I just read this article and it got me to thinking about this true flying tank. The A-10 known as the warthog or the Thunderbolt (us ground guys call it the flying tank)developed by by Fairchild Republic back in the 1970s as a response to the extreme need for Close air support (CAS) by the US Government. The first flight was in 1972 and it enter service in 1976. The A-10 was built primarily around the massive GAU-8 Avenger 30mm Cannon for a great purpose of shredding tanks or ground crews. With an array of weapons for the external pylons the A-10 can be suited for leveling a city block or destroying a battalion of tanks. The A-10 is built for punishment while itâs not invincible it sure can take a beating. With layers of titanium surrounding the pilot and the ability to literally fly back with a hunk of wing missing while on one engine. ( True stories from the gulf war). This aircraft was built to loiter around seek and destroy the enemy while bringing the pilot and his or her bird back home for another day.
Read the article and give me your opinions on whether you believe itâs time to retire this bird or not.
I personally as a former soldier and have had to personally rely on this aircraft to save our bacon I donât believe itâs time yet sheâs still has plenty of life in her and she needs a true replacement to be able to retire. People say the F-35 will replace itâs role itâs hard to believe that since the A-10 has been the only plane since the full creation of the USAF with a CAS role in mind.
Please keep it friendly we donât need any arguments.
Literally that is true. I have seen itâs effect s overseas. But more and more now days the air force and some of Congress wants to cut the budgets to this beast of a machine and phase it out to let jets like the F-16 and F-35. Show me one story where those planes take a hit and lose an engine and a wing and fly it back home after popping some turrets off tanks. @Furtive_masstwofourf that sound canât be compared to anything else.
I think it should stay in service as itâs a true beast and lots of pilots that have flown other military jets that transferred into this tank killer say itâs one of the best aircraft they have flown and it has a true purpose. A remarkable aircraft. One pilot didnât notice a difference in flight when he lost an engine due to its great characteristics. I bet @Maxmustang would have something to say about this
Interesting how they want to phase the A-10 out but have used older Korean War era attack props to take on ISIS. Even with the territory of ISIS on its last breath the A-10 is essential for any future sorties against large moving landbased enemies. The simple matter of fact is that the AF has nothing that can fill the role of the A-10 right now. The F-35 doesnt have the wing lift needed to strafe like the A-10, which is essential in providing close air supoort or support against mobile targets.
MaxSez: There is nothing to compare with the Warthogs capability in todayâs allied inventory in the CAS role. Politics and old soldier are on her side. Sheâll be around until they run out of spares. Test are due thes year for a counter insurgency bird to replace her, , looking at that group nothing in the line up hold a candle to the HOG. The only thing that can replace the HOG is another hog. The days of great land maneuver battles are before us, the Hog kills Hvy armor. The design may beold ok but look ar the B-52, itâs has been makeing great big holes for over 50 years years. Go HOG!
With the A-10 you have a gun and you put a plane on it.
That thing must be scary to here with the BRRRRRRRRT.
Look at my profile pic, doesnât that gun look scary? R.I.P to anyone in its path.
Iâm aware they are around same era well closer F-16 came around in the 80s I believe. But the air Force wants to change it from more of a multi role fighter to CAS which it can do for hard target not so much the role of guerilla warfare. @Maxmustang itâs very true nothing can compare. Russia tried to make the SU 25 comparable but in hard truth itâs a cheap wanna be. @Cpt_Chris im sure the receiving end of the BRRRRTTTT donât hear it before it hits them Iâve always heard the sounds of rounds impacting before I heard the beautiful sound of BRRRRT
@anon2063420 I agree that they want to phase it but they really donât have another aircraft to truly fly itâs role the F-35 doesnât have a chance of filling the shoes and also it is crazy that they are using old piston pounders to start doing primarily so far special operations groups have been using them.
It needs to stay, cheaper to keeper plus she is a combat proven asset in several theaters of conflict. She can get down and dirty and thatâs what the USAF needs in a ground Support fighter. The FA16 and FA15E are good for mid to High alt interidiction strikes with AGMs but loose defensive points at low altitudes. The A10 however can match fire power and can also take the hits I dont know very many aircraft that take an RPG-80 hit to its stabilizers and still land on a dime. I think in terms of cost effectiveness its cheaper to develop upgrade packages for her then to do a total fleet replacement with the F-35. We need to keep what we know works in my opinion she donât belong in the boneyard for sure.
Same with Concorde and BlackBird but they still were retired. Do think we need a more efficient version of the A-10 but for now it should stay in the skies until there is an actual replacement and not just companies saying a better replacement will come soon.
I know alot of good A10 pilots who are worried that their primary aircraft will be gone soon. Not many of them want to cross train into a diffrent aircraft. Its sad what my Air Forces has been cut down to. But politics and budgeting are the nature of the beast. Just hope that those in charge realize that just becauae we cut our budget and reduce our forces that it does not mean our adversaries are doing the same you only stay on top when you can beat the competition.
The âBRRRRRTâ is the only thing I like about the A-10. Sure itâs Air-to-Ground capabilities are incredible. However. When I think about it, doesnât the F-15E play a similar role while being able to have superior Air-to-Air capabilities when compared to an A-10? Minus the mini gun of course. I totally get pilots being worried about their primary possible getting scrapped, but at the some time, I somewhat understand the possibility of it getting canned.
Trust me, she has some life left, thing is a beast. Honestly its neat that on the recieveing end you dont hear the BRRTT until youâre probably shredded and in little pieces because of the 30mm gun infront of it, you cannot call that a minigun because it really is not.
So what is it classified as then? I always assumed thatâs what it was, even though yes itâs not technically âminiâ by any means of the word lmao. And yes I agree, the fact that you hear it waaaaaay after itâs been fired is absolutely terrifying if youâre the enemy hahaha.
