A-10 Thunderbolt

[lovenopeace]

Ups to the Auto-Win!

[brainskewer]

It didn't replace the hawker hurricane, it was just a new design of plane.

[francesboy2]

shame we dont have something as good as this on our side.... i mean brits... but there is one machine that will not be forgotten that we created and used in world war 2. the spitfire and/or the flying fortress

[OleYanks]

uhh the brits didnt create the b-17...

[stg44rulz]

firefly from hell

[malc1955]

Typical that the yanks have got this great aircraft while us Brits have to put up with old tornado,s

[sleemans2]

Was reading that they're decommissioned in 2010.

Hopefully you guys can save some of them then.

Nothing out there can match the a10's role.

[bedbugg1]

theyre being decomissioned! :,(

[AstralDragoon]

Yeah, why does the Air Force think the F-22 can match this thing's capability for close air support? It's not made just for smashing ground targets; it's a multirole fighter. The GAU-8 minigun alone solidifies this fighter's place in the U.S. arsenal., to say nothing of the fact that it can still fly with Swiss cheese for wings.

[bedbugg1]

exactly, a plane with missiles alone cant outperform the A-10!

[Elthenar]

I think your mixed up. The F-35 is the replacement for the A-10, and it does have a gun. The GAU-8 is more powerful than the gun the f-35 will carry, but does it really need that kind of armor pen from its gun? It's not likely to be shooting at massed convoys of Soviet tanks. The F-35 won't quite have the bang of an A-10, but it will be able to do so much more than just ground attack. Unlike the A-10, the F-25 will be a competent fight as well.

[AstralDragoon]

Granted, but since the A-10 is specifically designed for close air support, I see no reason to boot it in favor of a less specialized fighter. There's no way the F-35 will match the durability or ATG firepower of the A-10, and that's what I would object to losing. Having that armor penetration power in the GAU-8 means that it can tear up hard targets without using missiles or bombs.

[Elthenar]

Good points. But for serious close air support we also have the AH-64 and the AC-130 gunships. We also have a number of drone aircraft that can provide some air to ground. The F-35 will (I believe) be able to carry a heavier payload of bombs and missles. Don't worry to much though, the A-10 will not get retired for probably another 15 years.

[jhassig45]

F-35 will be close air support.

F-22 is air superiority fighter.

[SouthernGuy93]

I thought it was 2029. I wish I could buy one.

[FrankyNuckles]

The first Tornado was produced in 1974. The A-10 Thunderbolt in 1975 (both classics)! Both wonderful machines with different capabilities. But the sound of the "GAU-8 30mm Cannon" is so impressive...66 rounds a second!!!

I have just watched a movie of Dutch and Afghanistan troops fighting the Taliban and you can see the smiles on the faces of the soldiers when they here the sound of the 30-mm cannon when the U.S A-10 gives them some air support. They even try to imitate the sound!

[randomusernamemygod]

Tornado and A-10 have similier roles. Both attack fighters. But they perform it differenlty. Tornado fly at high speed at very low level and strike targets protected by AA and escape. A-10 is more of a support aircraft and to go offensive on search and destroy missions it needs aircraft such as F-16 in the SEAD role to take AA out and F-15 to clear the skies for the A-10 to operate. Tornado's would fly under enemy rader and fly so low enemy Aircraft will pick up to much ground clutter.

[BooteyMasta]

Tornado had outstanding bombing runs on iraqi airstrips in first gulf war. Awesome low level aircraft! It's design was excellent also.I'm from U.S. and commend the brits for building it!

[864754]

My dad works on A-10's.

[SilverScar1992]

WOOO baby watch the smoke come off that 30mm gatling gun, did you all know that the A-10 was built around it?

[johnnyheck]

ya, and when the plane shoots the guns it actually slows down substantially

[Iacrodgers]

its not smoke, its the sound barrier being broken, repeatedly, by all the bullets.

[Tilaron]

Awesome.