Posted on 01/29/2009 4:37:49 AM PST by markomalley
The last new one was delivered in 1984. In 2007 Boeing won a contract to build 242 new sets of wings for the A-10 fleet. Supposedly they will stay in service till 2028.
Beg to differ. Read up on a guy named “Hans-Ulrich Rudel.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans-Ulrich_Rudel
He wasn't a nice guy (he was Nazi's Nazi...) but he was definitely a ground support “ace” and he had input on the design of the A-10.
A pod of laser-guided 2.75s would be nice for engaging enemy personnel.
I didn't know that either. Neat. I always thought the A-10 was just a great no-nonsense looking aircraft.
Folks on this thread don’t know their butt from a hole in the ground.
The A-10 HAS been upgraded! The changes were significant enough to rename it the A-10”C”!
However, that doesn’t mean it is always the best at CAS. “Bombs on target” quickly and accurately is better than watching a plane fly close to you. Years ago, you HAD to get close to be accurate. I know - I lived those days.
Targeting pods and PGMs have changed reality. With a targeting pod, you can see the target better at 15000 feet than you can flying a plane at 200’. In addition, with ROVER, the ground guys can point out exactly what they want you to hit, reducing blue-on-blue accidents. And with PGMs, you can put the bombs on the bad guys more accurately at 10,000 feet than you can dropping at 200’.
THAT is the reality NOW. And in a place like Afghanistan, where the bad guys pick the local to fight, a fast moving F-15/16 can orbit near the scene, and quickly arrive in position to support the troops in contact. That is faster than an A-10, and allows a few planes to support ground commanders over a broader area.
Thanks for the update....glad to hear someone in DOD was allowed to invest into some common sense. The Falcon has been the USAF’s workhorse for years....awesome aircraft. The Eagle is the quick accurate heavyweight no enemy wants to go head to head with......hated to see the Tomcat retired. Best long ranged multiple target fighter the Navy has every used.
And don’t forget about the modded Global Hawks flying long range single wery high value target missions. The Biting Bloodhound.
Yes, there’s something about women in flight suits.
;-)
I’ll bet you did!
I used to enjoy watching them play while shooting touch ‘n goes on the weekend.
The sniper in the picture is Snr. Armn. Polly-Jan Bobseine.
She’s so cute.
Is the entire base painted in Earth Tones?
The A-10 is brilliant for this war. But will it be brilliant for the next war, the war against the nuclear-armed Chinese? You have to be prepared for the next war. Playing catchup is a loser’s strategy.
The A-10 HAS been upgraded with new avionics and weapons systems! That is why it is now the A-10C. Work started years ago - BEFORE 9/11!
Also, with modern targeting pods and precision bombs, an F-15E/F-16 can hit the CAS target from 20,000’ as accurately - or MORE - than an A-10 at 200’.
Too bad you don’t understand that Vietnam was 40 years ago. An F-15E at 20,000 feet is very quiet from the ground...
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