A-10 Thunderbolt II - The Iraqi tank Killer

The A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic for the United States Air Force to provide close air support (CAS) of ground forces by attacking tanks, armored vehicles, and other ground targets, also providing a limited air interdiction role. It is the first U.S. Air Force aircraft designed exclusively for close air support.
The first production A-10 flew in October 1975, and deliveries to the Air Force commenced in March 1976 to units at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. The first squadron to use the A-10 went operational in October 1977. In total, 715 airplanes were produced, the last delivered in 1984.

Although the A-10 can carry considerable disposable stores, its primary built-in weapon is the 30 mm GAU-8/A Avenger Gatling gun. One of the most powerful aircraft cannons ever flown, it fires large depleted uranium armor-piercing shells, with a fixed rate of 3900 rounds per minute.
Another commonly used weapon is the AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missile, with different variations for either electro-optical (TV-guided) or infra-red targeting. Other weapons include cluster bombs, Hydra rocket pods and two AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles for self-defense.

The A-10 saw combat for the first time during the Gulf War in 1991, destroying more than 1000 Iraqi tanks, 2000 military vehicles, and 1200 artillery pieces. A-10s shot down two Iraqi helicopters with the GAU-8 gun. A-10s had a mission capable rate of 95.7%, flew 8100 sorties, and launched 90% of the AGM-65 Maverick missiles fired in the conflict.

A-10s again saw service in the 1999 Kosovo War, in the later stages of the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, in Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan in March 2002 and in the 2003 Iraq war.

The A-10 is scheduled to stay in service with the USAF until 2028.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Warhog
• Pave
• Penny
• AGM-65
• Maverick
• Gatling
• gun
• AIM-9
• Sidewinder
• ground
• attack
• aircraft
• Erdkampfflugzeug

[trx90rider]

its mainly only used for cas because its actually a very slow, bulky plane. It cant keep up with the maneuverability and speed of fighters

[cyberarmy007]

You're telling me! I know that. It's designed exclusively for close air support.

[f39eagle2]

great vid ,A-10 Warthog is the Greatest ground attack / tank buster aircraft.. it has already proved its self in two gulf wars and in Afghanistan.

[MrFailure101]

That Gun has a nice A 10

[peepeevagi]

@Battleship009 It has to go low and slow to put that gun to use, turn sharply, and make multiple passes. Though i've never flown an A-10, all the footage you see of them has them doing that lol.

It's not only more practical, but it's also immensely psychological. Think of it this way, it's one thing to get bombed by something you cant see, but it's a whole other to see it flying around, making passes, and killing more and more with every go, and not being able to take it down with anything.

[Battleship009]

The A-10 can carry Air to Air missiles.

[Battleship009]

I've seen here in AZ.

[Battleship009]

Same with the Apache.

[Battleship009]

It wouldn't fit the A-10's gun takes up most of the plane

[Battleship009]

But it can still be used against enemy planes like any other gun that faces forward on a modern day plane and you forgot the F-23 and F-35.

[Battleship009]

Actually the laser guided bombs or was it the dumb bombs that made it have to go low and slow but now thanks the new type of guided bomb that's a dumb bomb turned into a smart a device known as the GPS that smart bomb is known as the JDAM or Joint Direct Attack Munition it no longer has to fly low and slow.

[InfernalThunder]

@guns020897 they never operate without fighter escort.

[bredstick2]

@trx90rider try putting that big a gun to a harrier.