[Bloody Sam Roberts]

this technology is lighter than the A-10’s armor but the material is more efficient at stopping projectiles.

I'm no aeronautic engineer, but in my personal opinion, the armored A-10 would fare much better by having rounds pass through control surfaces than the Machete would by absorbing the blows in a semi-ablative fashion. It would seem that the aircraft would be more difficult to control in that scenario.

[MCRD]

Also, when you are fighting in an environment where you cannot let your pilots be shot down and captured it only makes sense to have a two engine aircraft to protect against the ‘Golden BB”.