• Everyone's Favorite Ground Attack Aircraft On the Verge of Retirement: A-10 Thunderbolt II (Warthog)
    126 replies, posted
[QUOTE=catbarf;42293535]It can't go up against a modern military because it doesn't have the stealth to avoid modern AA systems, and it's total overkill against obsolete militaries and insurgents when an unmanned craft can carry the same weapon for a fraction of the cost, more stealthily, and without risking a pilot.[/QUOTE] Would mounting a good ECM do the job? [editline]24th September 2013[/editline] [QUOTE=Mbbird;42299158]What perplexes me is that the US military has decided it okay that certain types of bombers (B-52 is a great example) are acceptable as they are: indefensible, while we use stealth bombers to conduct the first-strike sorties, and yet we are retiring the smaller Attacker form of the same concept. The A-10 is excellent in low air defense sectors and the F-35 is excellent in high air defense sectors, but the opposite is not true for either vehicle. Same situation with the B-52 vs B-2 Spirit or F117.[/QUOTE] Near as I can tell, the B-52 was intended to fly right next to a version with massive ECM generators installed in place of bombs.
[QUOTE=UncleJimmema;42293472]The A-10 is plenty capable of using guided weapons, such as the maverick anti tank missle. The biggest strongpoint is its psychological effect on the enemy. With it being able to linger in the air for hours around a combat zone, being able to unleash massive amounts of fire power, puts a huge dent in enemy moral and boosts our own. If you've ever heard that thing shoot, its motivating as hell for our troops and more than enough to make the enemy shit their pants. Its a perfect aircraft for the unconventional warfare the US has been fighting well over the last decade. In terms of conventional warfare it is outdated, but seeing as the US hasn't fought a true conventional war since korea and it looks like we'll be fighting an unconventional war in the future it still holds its place as a very good ground support aircraft.[/QUOTE] Fuckin A, i would not, WOULD NOT want to be a insurgent on the ground when i hear BBBBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRT! and just see a row of explosions where my comrades were just a second ago.
Im surprised no one has posted this yet. [t]http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u29/hawken50/hrihs8.jpg[/t]
[QUOTE=Minimal;42299799]Im surprised no one has posted this yet. [t]http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u29/hawken50/hrihs8.jpg[/t][/QUOTE] Did you even read the op? [editline]24th September 2013[/editline] I'm surprised no one posted this yet though. [img_thumb]http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u29/hawken50/hrihs8.jpg[/img_thumb]
I think it should be mentioned that, while the GAU-8 may not hold up well against modern armor, MBTs do not make up the entirety of a modern military. Most modern IFVs and APCs would consider themselves lucky to make it out of a strafing run from the GAU-8 unharmed. The fancy GPS and laser guided bombs, cluster bombs, air-to-surface missiles, etc can take care of the MBTs.
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