F-35 cannon only has the bullets (well, cannon shells) to fire about 4 seconds from its on-board Gatling gun. Then it has to return to base (if NOT hit by AA fire!) to reload.
A pod-mounted Gatling is available, but isn’t flying yet (deployed) and has only another few seconds of ammo. A pod slows the aircraft and removes much of the stealth needed against ground-to-air missiles and other high-end aircraft.
Too many low-level attack planes in Vietnam (also ran by Pentagon “analysis” by McNamara’s “team” of experts ) were lost to “dumb” ground fire. The USAF generals don’t promote ground attack pilots, and so don’t have ground attack pilots in the Pentagon to argument the gee-whiz experts playing computer games against computer opponents.
A pod-mounted Gatling is available, but isn’t flying yet (deployed) and has only another few seconds of ammo. A pod slows the aircraft and removes much of the stealth needed against ground-to-air missiles and other high-end aircraft.
Too many low-level attack planes in Vietnam (also ran by Pentagon “analysis” by McNamara’s “team” of experts ) were lost to “dumb” ground fire. The USAF generals don’t promote ground attack pilots, and so don’t have ground attack pilots in the Pentagon to argument the gee-whiz experts playing computer games against computer opponents..
All my life I always thought the only reason the Marines wanted aircraft was to protect their troops on the ground. Their version of the F-35 doesn't even have a gun.
I have worked on programs where a gun pod was attached to an aircraft and because of the vibration the accuracy was crummy.
Every A-10 pilot know loves their airplane.
It wold seem to me that the U.S.A.F. generals are first cousins to the Navy Admirals who in the late 1930’s and early 1940’s insisted and ruled the BATTLESHIP would forever rule the waves.
On 12/7/41 the Japanese proved them wrong and thus made the U.S. Navy into a CARRIER Navy, that swept the seas.
I remind the Air Force that the Russian Stormavik, the American Thunderbolt, Mustang and Corsair helped pave for the for the American infantry. The Israeli Air Force,too,understands that MASTERY OF THE AIR, goes all the way down to the ground.