A-10s headed back to Europe.

[Astro14]

And Hornets have come back after SAM hits and were flying the next day with just an engine change. All tactical aircraft have survivability built in. The Hornet has 4 fly by wire channels, and 4 hydraulic systems. More redundancy than the A-10 hydraulics and cables if you're counting number of backups available.

I know the A-10. I worked with the A-10 guys in Afghanistan when I was in Al-Udeid. You make it sound mythical, it isn't. I know its capabilities and limitations. It's tough, but it's limited in what it can do.

It's a specialty airplane. It's only good at one mission, and it's only able to do that in a particular set of circumstances. You can't use it for most of the missions that are required in the execution of a campaign. It's only done well in an established theater with air supremacy.

 

[Spazdog]

There are reports of an F-15A suffering a mid-air collision, losing a wing, and still landing.

But back to slow moving ground attack aircraft.

Do you remember the first air attacks of the Gulf War? Was it the air superiority F-15? The "wobblin' goblin" F117? Maybe Navy or Marine Hornets.
Nope.
They were US Army Apaches that destroyed the radar sites.

A-10 probably could have done that except I think they were still using the Maverick's infrared camera for night vision.

 

[Jarlaxle]

I thought the FIRST air attacks were Tomahawk cruise missiles.

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
I thought the FIRST air attacks were Tomahawk cruise missiles.


Let us pause for a moment to remember the brave Tomahawk pilots: