Why is the A-10 so good?

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 aircraft can loiter near battle areas for extended periods of time and operate in low ceiling and visibility conditions.

Is the A-10 A good aircraft?

The A-10 is one of the most successful weapons of the post-Cold War era, and has won legions of fans both in and outside the armed services. The temptation is to keep the aircraft flying as long as possible. The trick is to keep the plane around only as long as it is relevant to the modern battlefield.

How effective is the A-10?

In just forty days (the extent of the Persian Gulf War), the A-10 racked up an astonishing 987 kills against enemy tanks, 926 against enemy artillery pieces, 1,355 against other combat vehicles, 10 against enemy fighters on the ground, and two against airborne enemy helicopters.

What is the A-10 Warthog good for?

The A-10C Thunderbolt II is the first Air Force aircraft specially designed for close air support of ground forces. They are simple, effective and survivable twin-engine jet aircraft that can be used against light maritime attack aircraft and all ground targets, including tanks and other armored vehicles.

Can an A-10 dogfight?

Everybody knows the A-10 can bring the pain to ground targets like few aircraft in history, but the aircraft's tight turn radius and powerful gun can actually make it a force to be reckoned with in a dogfight too.

Why No One Wants to Fight the A-10 Warthog

Can a10 Warthog destroying tank?

'As pretty much everyone else answering this question has pointed out… the A-10 can fairly easily destroy a tank. As can anything else slinging either an AGM-65 Maverick or an AGM-114 Hellfire.

Why the F-35 is such a badass plane?

Designed from the ground up to prioritize low-observability, the F-35 may be the stealthiest fighter in operation today. It uses a single F135 engine that produces 40,000 lbs. of thrust with the afterburner engaged, capable of pushing the sleek but husky fighter to speeds as high as Mach 1.6.

Can the F-35 replace the A-10?

For years, many have insisted that the answer is no: the A-10 is arguably unparalleled when it comes to providing combat crucial, time-sensitive close-air-support (CAS). Yet the Air Force continues to maintain that many aircraft, especially the F-35, are well suited to perform the CAS mission.

Has an A-10 ever shot down another aircraft?

The A-10 was used in combat for the first time during Operation Desert Storm in 1991, destroying more than 900 Iraqi tanks, 2,000 other military vehicles and 1,200 artillery pieces. During the campaign the A-10s also shot down two Iraqi helicopters by means of their powerful GAU-8/A Avenger cannon.

Were A-10's used in Vietnam?

The A-10 was designed for close support in low intensity conflicts during the Vietnam War, yet it came to be seen as a dedicated anti-armor platform by the early 1970s. Early before the A-10 came into production, however, the USAF held a fly-off between the Northrop YA-9 and the Fairchild Republic A-10.

How many a-10s were shot down?

The A-10 force, flying more than 8,000 combat sorties, suffered only five A-10s destroyed (a loss rate of . 062 percent). Twenty of these aircraft returned with significant battle damage, and forty-five others returned with light damage that was repaired between sorties.

Can an A-10 fly with one wing?

The aircraft is designed to be able to fly with one engine, half of the tail, one elevator, and half of a wing missing. The cockpit and parts of the flight-control systems are protected by 1,200 lb (540 kg) of titanium aircraft armor, referred to as a "bathtub".

When was the last aerial dogfight?

The most recent air-to-air kill scored by an American aircraft came in 2017, when a U.S. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet shot down a Syrian-flagged Su-22 as it bombed American-backed Syrian Democratic Forces in the Raqqa province of Syria.

Will the A-10 be retired?

Congress still needs to approve the Air Force's request to retire some A-10s. “The Air Force is currently reevaluating plans for the future of [Davis-Monthan], after Congress disapproved the retirement of 42 older A-10s in the FY22 National Defense Authorization Act,” Air Combat Command spokesperson Capt.

Has an F 35 ever been shot down?

Israeli F-35 Allegedly Shot By Russian-Origin Missile? Interestingly, it was reported in late 2017 that one of IAF's F-35 fighter jets was damaged by a Syrian S-200 missile.

Are A-10 Warthogs still in use?

WASHINGTON — A U.S. Air Force official managing the A-10 Thunderbolt aircraft says the service is “hollowing” its Warthog fleet by starving it of resources amid a push to retire the aging attack plane — but still continuing to heavily fly it.

Is A-10 better than F-35?

The F-35 uses a 25mm GAU-22/A rotary cannon, which is stronger than the 20mm cannon on other US aircraft, including the F-16, but not as strong as the A-10's Avenger. The F-35's high maneuverability and speed mean it won't be a sitting duck, but the fifth-generation fighter is not as durable as the A-10.

What will replace the F-16?

This Is the F-36 Kingsnake. It Could Be the Air Force's Next Fighter Jet. Meet the new, non-stealthy fighter that may replace the F-16. The U.S. Air Force has expressed interest in a new, non-stealthy fighter jet to replace the F-16.

Can the F-35 take off vertically?

Out of the three variants, the F-35B has a short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) capability, which can be used either on land or on an aircraft carrier. The STOVL feature makes the jet land vertically like a helicopter and take off in very short distances.

Is F-35 better than F-16?

The fifth-generation F-35, unlike the fourth-generation F-16, provides additional stealth, situational awareness, and reduced vulnerability, which is more useful for modern day aircraft operations.

What is 5th gen aircraft?

How many a 10s are there?

According to Boeing, over 280 A-10 models remain in service with the USAF, Air Combat Command, Air Force Reserve, and the Air National Guard.

How many tanks did A-10 destroy?

By the time it ended, the Warthog would be credited with destroying more than 900 tanks, 2,000 military vehicles, and 1,200 artillery pieces. That the A-10 remains in service 29 years later is a testament to the platform's reliability and effectiveness.

What weapon destroys a tank?

Anti-tank guns are guns designed to destroy armored vehicles from defensive positions. In order to penetrate vehicle armor, they fire smaller caliber shells from longer-barreled guns to achieve higher muzzle velocity than field artillery weapons, many of which are howitzers.

Does MiG 28 exist?

MiG-28: a fictional aircraft flown by the antagonist in the 1986 film Top Gun. The real aircraft used to portray the MiG-28 was a Northrop F-5.