Thunderbolt IIs have Night Vision Imaging Systems, or NVIS, goggle compatible single-seat cockpits forward of their wings and a large bubble canopy which provides pilots all-around vision. Using night vision goggles, A-10 pilots can conduct their missions during darkness.Ī thrilling look at the combat capabilities of the A-10 Warthog. The wide combat radius and short takeoff and landing capability permit operations in and out of locations near front lines. The aircraft can loiter near battle areas for extended periods of time and operate in low ceiling and visibility conditions. The A-10 Thunderbolt II has excellent maneuverability at low air speeds and altitude, and is a highly accurate and survivable weapons-delivery platform. The GAU-8 is designed to fire armor-piercing depleted uranium and high explosive incendiary rounds. The A-10 is perhaps best known for its fearsome GAU-8 Avenger 30mm gatling gun mounted on the nose. Air Force’s primary low-altitude close air support aircraft. The A-10’s comparatively low maintenance footprint and ability to launch from makeshift runways also allow it to be operated relatively close to the front lines, Grosso argued.Categories Military Aircraft Air Force Aircraft Air Force Attack Aircraft Attack Aircraft Air Force EquipmentĪffectionately called the “A-10 Warthog” for its aggressive look and often painted with teeth on the nose cone, the A-10 Thunderbolt II is the U.S. A four-ship formation of A-10s could launch up to 64 MALD to wreak havoc on an enemy’s air defense, which could then increase the survivability of stealthy, expensive aircraft like the F-35 or F-22 fighters. Maurice “SPAWN” Grosso wrote in a May essay for Task & Purpose that the jet can bring in new weapons like the ADM-160 Miniature Air-Launched Decoy, which essentially launches decoys that crowd and confuse an enemy air defense picture and complicates “their tactical decision-making,” he wrote.
“If we look at these needs of the Ukrainian Air Force today, it kind of leads us to conclude that the most optimal option would be something fast and versatile, and fast and versatile are F-16 ,” Yuriy Sak, adviser to Ukraine’s minister of defense, told Air Force Magazine.ĭespite its slow speed, the A-10 could still play a vital role in a large-scale conflict against Russia or China, one Warthog pilot said. But the new rounds will not be used in training, she said, as they are primarily for combat as part of the military’s war reserve materiel. That ratio is a little lower than the old ratio of five API to every one HEI, “which has expired and was removed from the Air Force active inventory,” Worley explained. Alexi Worley, a spokesperson for Air Combat Command, said the service is beginning to field belts of 30mm ammunition that feature a mix of two armor-piercing incendiary rounds for every one high-explosive incendiary round.
The Air Force’s Air Combat Command said that it is still using armor-piercing incendiary rounds, albeit in smaller quantities than it used to. Though that may not matter in counter-insurgency wars like those in Iraq and Afghanistan, it could be a problem against modern tanks used by potential adversaries such as Russia and China, The War Zone reported. But while tungsten has fewer environmental health concerns, it is also less dense than uranium so its performance may not be at the same level against the toughest tank armor, he told. In 2018, DuPont suggested using tungsten as a replacement for depleted uranium. government said there is no conclusive evidence linking depleted uranium rounds to health issues, but it is also difficult for researchers to go to places like Iraq to conduct field studies that would settle the issue. The War Zone reported in 2019 that the U.S. The weapon is used to test-fire new ammunition used in the A-10 Thunderbolt II. Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson learns about the GAU-8 30-millimeter cannon from Bob DuPont, 780th Test Squadron, May 4 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.
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