A-10s rescue ambushed OEF ground forces

Army News Service ^ | August 18, 2004 | Master Sgt. Andrew Gates

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

“We could hear the A-10s come in,” said Private Schloss. “It was like it was Christmas -- the happiest moment of my life.”

“I’m never going to crack another Air Force joke again,” said Sergeant Osmon.

 

                               

 Ping!----- Q      

[snopercod]

Those A-10's are one helluvan airplane.

[Snake65]

“When the Vulcans opened up, the enemy fire ceased,” Osmon said. “It was great.”

Technically it's a GAU-8/A Avenger, but whatever he wants to call it, I'm not surprised the enemy fire ceased. It is a hellacious weapon.

[TXBSAFH]

Enemy fire did not cease, the enemy ceased. That gun will chew up some real estate.

[LTCJ]

"Grip-21, this is Maverick. This may be a bit quick, but I think I love you..."

Know the feeling... Well done, zoomies.

[FReepaholic]

...Technically it's a GAU-8/A Avenger, but whatever he wants to call it, I'm not surprised the enemy fire ceased. It is a hellacious weapon....

In the photos at the site you linked, it looks like the gun is not mounted on the aircraft centerline. I wonder why.

[wordsofearnest]

I believe that the barrel that is firing is centerlined and it's like at 9 o'clock.

[Fierce Allegiance]

My 8 year old twin daaughters say "Thats a bad-ass tank killing A-10" when we see tham at the airport. I have to apologize to my wife every time so the kids don't get in trouble, but that's how I trained them. My bad.

[Snake65]

It is very close to the centerline but not right on. My understanding is that it has something to do with the nose landing gear (also offset) and also the fact that the firing barrel (at the nine o'clock position) of the Gatling design would then be exactly on the plane's centerline.

[Uncle Miltie]

Excellent story, but:

"first close air support aircraft, a B-1"

Why is a strategic bomber doing CAS? Seems we ought to have some CAS assets in the air when the good-guys are running ground patrols here and there. A-10s are beautiful, but don't we keep some F-16s up high? A couple of 250 pounders in a minute or two would have kept the bad-guys to a minimum while waiting for the A-10.

I know I'm arm-chairing here, so somebody tell me why we don't have some adequate air power nearby?

Regardless: I would love to hear a body count after 800 guys get chewn up by an A-10....

[Eric in the Ozarks]

We have pairs of gray A-10s and green A-10s flying every week over the Lake of the Ozarks.

[glorgau]

Peace through superior firepower.

[Ro_Thunder]

They won't print his name (Capt. Tonto), but they put his picture up?

I don't think the bad guys care what his name is -- his picture is worth more to them

[Southack]

"Technically it's a GAU-8/A Avenger, but whatever he wants to call it, I'm not surprised the enemy fire ceased. It is a hellacious weapon."

Yes, and I'd like to see it mounted on an armored, ground-pounding tank in place of the main battle cannon for some models.

We need heavy anti-personnel firepower in highly armored vehicles.

5 Legislative Days Left Until The AWB Expires

[TalonDJ]

Why is a strategic bomber doing CAS?

Because they can. In the early/mid 90's the B1 fleet was outfitted to carry conventional bombs and few years back they added the ability to target JDAMs with GPS. Now a ground pounder can radio GPS data to an orbiting B-1 and get quick results as close as they allow those do be dropped. Dropping bombs via radioed gps data has a min safe required distance from troops and requires a highly accurate GPS fix. I use to do GPS testing. One of the coolest days in my engineering career so far was when as forward air controller came to talk about how they use our systems in Iraq. He said he knew people whose lives had been saved by use of our systems. That was pretty damn cool.

[blanknoone]

The B-1 can carry a lot of precision ordinance, and has a very long stand by time. They can fly around in circles up high for hours, and almost instantly deliver lots of power anywhere in the AO. I guess the real reason they are kinda sorta doing CAS is that we don't have any strategic bombing for them to do.

The AF has been trying to replace the A-10 with the F16 for the CAS role. As a former tanker, I think this is a really bad idea. The A-10 is much more effective for close support, but the F16 seems much safer if there is enemy air around.

My biggest objection to the F16s is that they really just can't fly slow enough to properly identify ground targets. The F16s are in and out QUICK. By comparison, the A10 seems to float like a blimp. Maybe the difference in specs isn't as big as it seemed to me, but the pig drivers always seemed to have a much easier time identifying friendly and enemy positions because they had more time.

[Uncle Miltie]

Asked and answered. Thanks. Forgot about those JDAMs....

[traumer]

"Once we identified the enemies, we marked their positions and opened up with 720 rounds of 30mm high-explosive incendiary ammunition ” Just like that :o)

[traumer]