A-10C's Go to War

Stratehypage.com ^ | 8/31/07

[llevrok]

September 1, 2007: The new A-10C is headed for Iraq and Afghanistan, as the first of the new models became available last month. That's because the U.S. A-10 "Warhog" ground attack aircraft is so popular with ground troops that even the air force brass took note of it. So they speeded up the plan to upgrade the electronics of the aircraft. The A-10 can fly low and slow, and is designed, and armored, to survive lots of ground fire. The troops trust the A-10 more than the F-16, or any other aircraft used for supporting the ground troops. The new goodies for the A-10C equip the pilot with the same targeting and fire control gadgets the latest fighters have. The new A-10C cockpit has all the spiffy color displays and easy to use controls. The basic A-10 is a three decade old design, so the new stuff is quite spectacular in comparison. New commo gear is installed as well, allowing A-10 pilots to share pix and vids with troops on the ground. The A-10 can now use smart bombs, making it a do-it-all aircraft for troops support.

While newly equipped A-10s are showing up this year, it will take five years to upgrade all 350 aircraft in service. Beyond that, the air force is upgrading the engines and structures of the 1970s era aircraft. All the upgrades will cost about $13 million per aircraft. The air force has been trying to retire the ugly, and elderly, aircraft for over a decade. But the A-10s are just too damn effective, and popular, when there's actually a war on.

[Jet Jaguar]

BTTT

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Yeah, and I remember when the USAF tried to retired them after Desert Storm because they weren’t as sleek and pretty as F-16s. I’m glad that common sense prevailed.

[marmar]

Look!!!! here is my Warthog....and being an AF person who actually loaded the bombs, missiles and the 30 mil gun on this beauty knows what they are worth. I know that everyone of us who worked on the th Hogs being the crew chief and the weapon loaders, all love this AC and are so happy that it is still in the inventory......... Martha

[MarkL]

New commo gear is installed as well, allowing A-10 pilots to share pix and vids with troops on the ground.

I can't wait to see the pix that Hog-Drivers share... I just know the first "pix" shared will be a "lolcat," with the caption, "I can haz JDAM?"

Mark

[archy]

While newly equipped A-10s are showing up this year, it will take five years to upgrade all 350 aircraft in service. Beyond that, the air force is upgrading the engines and structures of the 1970s era aircraft. All the upgrades will cost about $13 million per aircraft.

One of the best bargains the taxpayers will ever get.

[archy]

They’re the ground pounder’s wet dream.

They'd be right at home on a Sgt. Fury comic book cover in the 50's.

Please! They deserve better than that!

[archy]

Yes. One of the finest ground attack aircraft produced in history. It ranks up there with the P-47, A-1 and Phantom.

True, and they're all good planes. But the A-10 has two engines, and so should more reasonably be compared with a more direct WWII gunship ancestor.

[Professional Engineer]

Go Ugly Early!