A-10s headed back to Europe.

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simple_gifts

simple_gifts

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http://www.stripes.com/news/europe/a-10s-headed-back-to-spangdahlem-for-6-month-rotation-1.328944

I worked CTANG for 15 years as a armament tech (JAW) Did three 'real world' deployments including in SWA.

DoD trying to kill off the A-10 about 6 months ago as they did right after Gulf War 1. Seems like 'lessons learned' are easily forgotten.

Quote:

Though the future of the A-10 is uncertain — Air Force brass have pushed to retire the platform to free up funding for the more pricey F-35A — the service continues to call on the scrappy plane. The Pentagon has said the A-10 has been flying missions against Islamic State militants in recent months.
 
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There are two things that I want loitering above me in a operational environment: an A-10 or a AC-130, the heck with fast movers
 
Its hard to beat the survivability of an old A-10 in an ISIS-type environment. I mean, sure you can strap a gun pod on to, about anything, yet does it protect the pilot like an A-10 does? Like the A-10, AC-130 gunships are also some good options in a low-tech ISIS environment too.
 
Originally Posted By: CrawfishTails
Its hard to beat the survivability of an old A-10 in an ISIS-type environment.


The newer air frames have a much more likely survivability since they are much less likely to actually get hit and thus shot down. The A10 is slow and antiquated and the zoomies dont like the idea of their pilots getting shot down and burned alive in a cage. Can't say I blame them. With that being said, obviously the plane has massive capabilities unlike anything in our arsenal. If the zoomies dont want the plane than they should transfer them to the Marines who can put them to good use.
 
What airframe has the GAU-8 for CAS missions?

Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Originally Posted By: CrawfishTails
Its hard to beat the survivability of an old A-10 in an ISIS-type environment.


The newer air frames have a much more likely survivability since they are much less likely to actually get hit and thus shot down. The A10 is slow and antiquated and the zoomies dont like the idea of their pilots getting shot down and burned alive in a cage. Can't say I blame them. With that being said, obviously the plane has massive capabilities unlike anything in our arsenal. If the zoomies dont want the plane than they should transfer them to the Marines who can put them to good use.
 
I think it's all smoke and mirrors - it seems like every budget battle you hear "let's get rid of the A-10's cuz we can't afford them." Then you hear a massive outcry because even the wacky liberal politicians know the A-10 is awesome, then miraculously, money is found and they stay in.

Don't get me wrong, I love the plane and think it should stay...

Disclaimer: I'm a retired AF vet...
 
Originally Posted By: xxch4osxx
Awsome planes they are. That 30mm gun pours out devastation and would make the ISIS guys take notice.

I hope it makes them splatter.........
 
I think that this is great. About as survivable as anything this side of a P-47 or Sea Fury... While the mission is terribly important as we all recognise, the spectre of captured pilots is daunting. Rip the bast--ds to shreds & come home to your families, inch'[censored].

John.
 
Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Originally Posted By: CrawfishTails
Its hard to beat the survivability of an old A-10 in an ISIS-type environment.


The newer air frames have a much more likely survivability since they are much less likely to actually get hit and thus shot down. The A10 is slow and antiquated and the zoomies dont like the idea of their pilots getting shot down and burned alive in a cage. Can't say I blame them. With that being said, obviously the plane has massive capabilities unlike anything in our arsenal. If the zoomies dont want the plane than they should transfer them to the Marines who can put them to good use.


The A-10 has to be slow for accuracy. The other fighters fly too fast to get-r-done on passes. Since the A-10 is twin-engined (F-16s have only one engine) and armored a bit, with survivable systems, so I'd think it would be LESS likely to be shot down, as it can take a hit. Arguable, I know. I have my opinion on what to use. A-10s can fly high when dropping guided munitions, out of harm's way, but for gun passes its hard to beat an A-10.

Actually, for just hitting pickup trucks that ISIS uses, I wish you could just fit multiple 50 caliber wing mounted guns on the A10 wings since the 20 mm nose cannon is designed to take out armor.
 
A friend's son flew the A-10 in combat. He said it was the ride of a life time. He showed me a golf ball size piece of shrapnel taken out of the leading edge of his wing and said, imagine if that would have happened to an F-16? He said if you have hard targets dispersed over a wide area than really, really have to be hit and taken out of action quickly you must bring the A-10's. He said in this kind of a fight having a pilot out there taking the final aim and choosing when to pull the trigger is the key to success and that key is the A-10.
 
Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
Is the USA using any Apaches against ISIS ?


Youtube is your friend. The Apache makes quick work of the Taliban.

Gruesome footage for sure.
 
Not sure how to read this move, not a serious threat to modern Russian or Chinese forces with modern air defense systems. Useful against third world countries with old Soviet junk, that's about it.

Storage for a plane with nothing to do at the moment? Missile sponges for when the Russian army groups roll into Warsaw against our weak and tepid NATO allies?
 
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Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
Not sure how to read this move, not a serious threat to modern Russian or Chinese forces with modern air defense systems. Useful against third world countries with old Soviet junk, that's about it.

Storage for a plane with nothing to do at the moment? Missile sponges for when the Russian army groups roll into Warsaw against our weak and tepid NATO allies?
In an all out conventional war with an equal adversary A-10s would be invaluable. Most of the go fast super tech stuff is going be used up or destroyed pretty quick. Cheap, simple, easy to maintain aircraft that shoots bullets loitering over the battlefields looking for targets of opportunity will come in handy.

Not to mention that that most likely we'll continue fighting poorly equipped folks for the foreseeable future and not Russia and China. A-10 still very useful.
 
Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
Not sure how to read this move, not a serious threat to modern Russian or Chinese forces with modern air defense systems. Useful against third world countries with old Soviet junk, that's about it.

Storage for a plane with nothing to do at the moment? Missile sponges for when the Russian army groups roll into Warsaw against our weak and tepid NATO allies?


Not a serious threat?

The Russians still have large numbers of the Su-25 Frogfoot (itself a dead knockoff ot the YA-9 that competed with the A-10 for production)

The AH-64 is even slower than the A-10. The brand new PLA Z-10 bears a strong resemblance to the Apache.

And just look what the P47 Thunderbolt did in WWII. Better kill to loss ratio than faster-higher tech planes
 
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