The A10s could be on the scene of the downed pilot alot faster than the helos would get there and keep the heads of goat humpers down till the helos get in there to extract.Fast movers cant get low and slow enough.
Good point. Makes a lot of sense.
Like in that movie Bat21 with Gene Hackman as the downed pilot and Danny Glover as the spotter-plane pilot keeping tabs on him. Based on the true story of the guy in Vietnam that used the “golf course code” to get to safe territory.
I recall that spotter plane had a few rockets to launch at the bad guys - but also risked getting shot up a bunch. I can see the A-10 in that role.