A-10 "Wild Boar" from Iraqi news

[bobf]

A short article in Iraqi news about the A-10. The military still wants to retire the "Wild Boar" If they are so outdated they should have been shot down by now.

U.S. Wild Boar aircraft inspires terror in ISIS ranks in Mosul - Iraqi News

 

[Oldiron]

May the A10s live as long as the B52s, C130s and DC3s. It is one bird that gets the job done. Larry

 

[rwsmith]

When they get something better.........

Replace it WHEN they get a plane that does a better job both in attack and protecting the plane and pilot. Until then......

Do they have conventional ammo for the gun? People on the ground don't need the uranium jobs.

 

[bobf]

It's been several years since I worked on them (jet eng mech). I have trouble remembering yesterday but they had different ammo, seems I remember target practice, depleted uranium and HE. I'm sure someone on here knows.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

The A-10 has actually been officially "retired" several times, but never quite seems to go away. Apparently you cannot fix what is not broken.

 

[mojave30cal]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

 

[steveno]

the reason the brass doesn't want it is because it takes money from their other cost overruns for the F-35 & F-22

 

[amazingflapjack]

Old Iron-and the AC-130!!!

 

[Ματθιας]

USAF short of funds? Let the Army get back into fixed wing aviation and transfer the A-10s to them.

 

[cmort666]

As I recall, the "replacement" won't even be able to fire its guns until around 2018...

 

[LoboGunLeather]

The article says: "The raids resulted in the death and injury of dozens of ISIS elements."

I don't think we need depleted uranium or HE ammo to engage "elements". I would suggest "elementary ammo".

 

[LVSteve]

The military still wants to retire the "Wild Boar" If they are so outdated they should have been shot down by now.

Against a more capable enemy the A-10 is vulnerable and requires a massive suppression effort before it goes in.

 

[bobf]

As I recall, the "replacement" won't even be able to fire its guns until around 2018...

180 rounds internal and another 225 if carrying an external pod.

 

[bobf]

Against a more capable enemy the A-10 is vulnerable and requires a massive suppression effort before it goes in.

It was never meant to lead an attack on a large force. It seems to have worked well for close air support and killing tanks.

 

[Bkreutz]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

I always thought the quote was, "If it ain't broke, fix it until it is"!

 

[Aticus]

I once heard that the A-10 was so slow that it has a calendar in place of the air speed indicator. Wasn't this designed as a tank killer for Europe? Seems it does ok at ground support.

 

[WR Moore]

The A10 was conceived and designed as a tank killer. The designers consulted with the Luftwaffe's leading tank killing pilots (I expect a bunch of ours too) in the design. That consultation lead to mulitple engines and the high degree of armoring.

Besides budget issues, the AF has never been enthusiastic about air-to-mud combat. The while scarfs get dirty down that low.

 

[rwsmith]

Yes it was.....

I once heard that the A-10 was so slow that it has a calendar in place of the air speed indicator. Wasn't this designed as a tank killer for Europe? Seems it does ok at ground support.

Taking out Soviet tanks (they had thousands of them) is exactly what it was designed for as well as ground support at which it does an EXCELLENT job.

PS And they can go fast if they want to but they can fly low and slow. They seem to almost fly between the trees. It would be scary as hell to see on of these coming.

 

[rwsmith]

Need to start a thread......

Old Iron-and the AC-130!!!

Need to start a thread on the 130s. It's a rare plane that does many jobs extremely well. In it's AC Spectre variant it can create long term hell on earth. It can loiter at long range, protect convoys with it's endurance and hit a precise point with its gunsight as needed or to saturate a larger area. They have planned upgrades and are not going to pasture any time soon.

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

The A-10 was also based on lessons learned in Viet Nam. That the Air Force didn't really have a good "bomb truck", and the planes they did have were to too easily damaged by light caliber guns. The best tactical bomber they had at the time was the A-7 Corsair II and it was an ex-Navy bird (like the F-4). That stuck in their craw.