The USAF's Much Maligned A-10 Warthogs Are Deploying To Fight ISIS

[Penguin]

Well, here you are in imaginary world believing India can build everything while in reality it still stands still in producing prop trainer.



@gambit, A10 is nice in European hilly scenario. Stopping big tank columns while hiding behind hills and protected by large airdefence. In normal warfare it doesn't stand a chance. Slow, huge rcs and idiots are spreading uranium around the globe. Well, that is the mentality, as long as others get cancer why bother.

Interestingly, A-10 is mostly deployed in non-European scenarios and proven effective again and again and again.
Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

During the Gulf War in 1991, destroying more than 900 Iraqi tanks, 2,000 other military vehicles and 1,200 artillery pieces
mission capable rate of 95.7%
During that initial invasion of Iraq io 2003, A-10s had a mission capable rate of 85% in the war
A-10s flew 32 percent of combat sorties in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
From the beginning of 2006 to October 2013, A-10s flew 19 percent of CAS operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, more than the F-15E Strike Eagle or B-1B Lancer, but less than the 33 percent of CAS missions flown by F-16s during that time period

 

[livingdead]

Love the 'peace through superior airpower' bit..

 

[Munir]

Interestingly, A-10 is mostly deployed in non-European scenarios and proven effective again and again and again.
Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

During the Gulf War in 1991, destroying more than 900 Iraqi tanks, 2,000 other military vehicles and 1,200 artillery pieces
mission capable rate of 95.7%
During that initial invasion of Iraq io 2003, A-10s had a mission capable rate of 85% in the war
A-10s flew 32 percent of combat sorties in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
From the beginning of 2006 to October 2013, A-10s flew 19 percent of CAS operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, more than the F-15E Strike Eagle or B-1B Lancer, but less than the 33 percent of CAS missions flown by F-16s during that time period

Do you think that it was a normal war in 2003, 2006 etc? I mean, seriously... Anyone can win a fight after decades of boycotts, a few weeks stealth bombers and overwhelming military power against a extremely small opponent. Even a Cesna armed with hellfire or Vulcan would have done the job.

 

[waz]

Heeeeeee, ISIS you better get your running sandals on.


ISIS are about to meet "strike package bravo", from 01.32....

 

[Desertfalcon]

Most people -- including Americans themselves -- do not know this but the US Army do have fixed wings pilots. Not as glamorous as the USAF or the USN or even the USMC.

I say give the A-10 to the US Army. There are things helos can do very well, but there are things in CAS that only the best -- the A-10 -- should do. The insistence by the USAF to have exclusive ownership to CAS missions is absurd. The Marines fought hard to have their own air support, based upon their own bloody history, should serve as example. If the US Army chose not to support the A-10, it will be upon their generals' shoulders.

That is why it is so good that the Air National Guard has the A-10, i.e., the ANG has real political clout. I am career USAF but what we need is to make sure that every USAF theater commander knows that we are the army's air force. The navy has their own. The "fighter Mafia" never liked the A-10 because there is no, "silk scarf, off to fight the Hun, sexiness" in mud missions, but that is our only real purpose after winning air supremacy or superiority. Every USAF wing commander should never get that job until it is made clear to them that when a US Army commander on the ground dials 911, the USAF answers-period!

 

[Munir]

India can build if she wants but Pakistanis can not even think about building something on their own,
current Pakistani tech can not even imagine to build a decent bike engine.

@benaflek Well, as long as we can posses more then enough to counter Indians I do not mind whether we build it or lease it. But I do understand that it must be painful for you then there is nothing like K8 made in India. Nothing like JF17 made in India. Nothing like Babur, Ra'ad, Nasr, El Khaled etc etc etc etc

 

[Oldman1]

Do you think that it was a normal war in 2003, 2006 etc? I mean, seriously... Anyone can win a fight after decades of boycotts, a few weeks stealth bombers and overwhelming military power against a extremely small opponent. Even a Cesna armed with hellfire or Vulcan would have done the job.

Iraq during Gulf War 1 was the most powerful military in the ME with experienced army that fought against Iran. Sanction or no sanctions is no match for U.S. led forces.

 

[Munir]

Iraq during Gulf War 1 was the most powerful military in the ME with experienced army that fought against Iran. Sanction or no sanctions is no match for U.S. led forces.

I do not think Sadams army was really a threat to USA or anyone else. Fighting a war against Iran does not make you stronger. They did not win much in the long war, did the?

 

[Oldman1]

I do not think Sadams army was really a threat to USA or anyone else. Fighting a war against Iran does not make you stronger. They did not win much in the long war, did the?

Thats like saying fighting the NVA or Vietcong does not make you stronger. The U.S. had not fought a major war since Vietnam until Gulf War 1.

 

[Munir]

Neither did they win in Vietnam... Not in Irac and now not in Afghanistan...

 

[Thəorətic Muslim]

That is why it is so good that the Air National Guard has the A-10, i.e., the ANG has real political clout. I am career USAF but what we need is to make sure that every USAF theater commander knows that we are the army's air force. The navy has their own. The "fighter Mafia" never liked the A-10 because there is no, "silk scarf, off to fight the Hun, sexiness" in mud missions, but that is our only real purpose after winning air supremacy or superiority. Every USAF wing commander should never get that job until it is made clear to them that when a US Army commander on the ground dials 911, the USAF answers-period!

The National Guards are pissed off with the US Army's plans to demobilize some units to contain costs and words that the NGs cant mobilize or fight as good as the rest.

The Arm Chair Service never considered the A-10 as one of their own. They, and hopefully you can agree, that the mission objectives of the plane aren't as charismatically heroic as fighting squadrons of Soviet Jets with twists and turns in the sky.

 

[Oldman1]

Neither did they win in Vietnam... Not in Irac and now not in Afghanistan...

How do you explain Gulf War 1 and Kosovo War? And Iraqi govt. is established and is calling for help to fight the ISIS from Syria. We still have troops in Afghanistan and will keep them until the Afghan forces are capable of fighting the Taliban for many years to come as long as sanctuary in Pakistan is kept intact.

 

[Penguin]

Do you think that it was a normal war in 2003, 2006 etc? I mean, seriously... Anyone can win a fight after decades of boycotts, a few weeks stealth bombers and overwhelming military power against a extremely small opponent. Even a Cesna armed with hellfire or Vulcan would have done the job.

That's underestimating Iraq seriously.

Iraqi Air Defense - Introduction
Iraqi Air Defense Equipment
Operation Desert Storm - The Electronic Battle Parts 1 - 3

For example, they refitted SA-2 with IRH heads from A2A missiles.

 

[Munir]

In any scenario when would you send in the A10? While having an opponent with good working g2a defense? The A10 would not able to hide anywhere. It is slow. It needs to come close to do the uranium job. It does not have air radar... The A10 comes in when almost all danger is evaporated by the use of other assets. I agree that Irac had decent capabilities in the beginning but how come nothing happened? How come they ran away in a long way from Kuwait? Just to be butchered? You tell me my friend.

 

[FaujHistorian]

Neither did they win in Vietnam... Not in Irac and now not in Afghanistan...

Who didn't win in Iraq and Afgh

Martians?

.... how come nothing happened? How come they ran away in a long way from Kuwait? Just to be butchered? You tell me my friend.

Iraqi army was large in numbers, small in balls.