The Warthog stays alive...for now.

[SeriousStudent]

I wish they would just give them to the Marine Corps and watch the fun begin.

[GardoneVT]

PPGMD-
Among many reasons, this is one vital reason why the F-35 will never capably replace the A-10.


Show me an F-35 which can still fly and safely land after taking that kind of punishment.

[PPGMD]

PPGMD-
Among many reasons, this is one vital reason why the F-35 will never capably replace the A-10.


Show me an F-35 which can still fly and safely land after taking that kind of punishment.

I take it you didn't really read most post. These days there is few reasons to get down low enough that they can shoot you up like that. We've learned a lot in the last decade and a half of war, and we've improved our technology in both electro-optics and communications networks.

First all lets get one things out of the way the A-10's cannon, though impressive, is a piss poor CAS weapon and against modern MBTs it isn't very effective, so don't tell me about gun runs. In fact if I were designing a new A-10 if there was a gun it would be a more light weight more suited for AP (something like the 30mm M230), save that weight for more fuel or a higher payload capacity.

[Irelander]

I think you'll find there are a lot of boots on the ground that will extol the virtues of the A-10's cannon. Many a grunt has witnessed the saving power of the low air support capabilities of the A-10.

How about some more pictures. I love the rough looks of the A-10.

[hufnagel]

when they retire, I want one.
and an MC-130H
and an F-15E

and fun fact, there is a civilian version of the C-130... called the L-100

[PPGMD]

I think you'll find there are a lot of boots on the ground that will extol the virtues of the A-10's cannon. Many a grunt has witnessed the saving power of the low air support capabilities of the A-10.

The cannon may have the desired effect through fear, but it isn't the same as killing the enemy.

And yes it is impressive when an A-10 dives down on a target like an avenging angel, but then for another 2-3 minutes they are repositioning for another run, so if the first run of A-10s don't have the desired affect the troops might be waiting a while.

While other platforms like the AC-130 does their pylon turn of death on the target. Or a F-35, F-16, or F-15E does racetracks in the sky dropping bombs and missiles every 30 seconds.

Honestly as I mentioned I think the A-10 has become a scared cow with standing well above its actual usefulness. It could be a 100 years from now where commanders have the ability to call in orbital strikes that will arrive within 30 seconds or less with power available from a sniper's bullet all the way up to a tactical nuke. And there will still be people talking about how the A-10's cannon could do better.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

While no expert - I read that the AC-130 works well in permissive environments. Faced with a sophisticated enemy they get shot down as happened in Iraq. There was a similar ambush on Apaches in Iraq which was a shake up for some. Just fighting folks with Ak-47s without MPADs, those worked ok.

Orbital strikes for some guys in a house or a ravine shooting at you? How much does that cost?

[PPGMD]

While no expert - I read that the AC-130 works well in permissive environments. Faced with a sophisticated enemy they get shot down as happened in Iraq. There was a similar ambush on Apaches in Iraq which was a shake up for some. Just fighting folks with Ak-47s without MPADs, those worked ok.

Orbital strikes for some guys in a house or a ravine shooting at you? How much does that cost?

The AC-130 is a bit vulnerable when down low enough to use their guns. The Air Force thinks that ECM have gotten good enough to start using them during the day unless the MANPAD threat is very high. But even in high MANPAD thread environments the AC-130 can stay at a higher altitude and launch AGMs.

Other aircraft will not get low enough to be threatened by MANPADs.

I was thinking of a future when we actually have spaceships, and space elevators. Though TBH with the low investment in space exploration I seriously am doubting that we have all routine interplantary travel, let alone interstellar travel before humanity kills itself.

[GardoneVT]

First all lets get one things out of the way the A-10's cannon, though impressive, is a piss poor CAS weapon ........

It's better then the F-35. The A-10 is tough and slow, two very useful traits in CAS work. It also has two engines to the F-35s one. I'd hope further explaination on why that's a good idea isn't needed.

Practical difference: when Johnny Insurgent mag dumps his AA fire at an A-10 its operator stands a chance of going home. The F-35 pilot gets to be a POW under a liberal administration.

[breakingtime91]

I take it you didn't really read most post. These days there is few reasons to get down low enough that they can shoot you up like that. We've learned a lot in the last decade and a half of war, and we've improved our technology in both electro-optics and communications networks.

First all lets get one things out of the way the A-10's cannon, though impressive, is a piss poor CAS weapon and against modern MBTs it isn't very effective, so don't tell me about gun runs. In fact if I were designing a new A-10 if there was a gun it would be a more light weight more suited for AP (something like the 30mm M230), save that weight for more fuel or a higher payload capacity.

So not to call bs but we had A-10 pilots doing gun runs way low to the deck to keep the heat off of us (by us I mean a lot of people in South Helmand in 2012)... Also not to be questioning your potential knowledge on the subject, A10s killed a lot of bad guys in 2010, 2011, and 2012 who were in vehicles and on the deck.. So idk how that weapon isn't good for CAS? I make it a point to try to meet A-10 pilots and bullshit with them. One of my fondest memories was when two A-10s came in and basically stalled in the air because the amount of hate they put out.