Legendary A-10 'Warthog' sends ISIS fleeing even as it faces Pentagon cuts

FOX NEWS ^

[McGruff]

With a roaring engine, 30-mm. cannon and nose painted like a toothsome, snarling beast, the A-10 Thunderbolt sends ISIS fighters scattering like cockroaches on the Iraqi desert plains, but the legendary fighter plane pilots call the "Warthog" may be fighting for its own life.

The venerable plane, first built for destroying Soviet tanks, has been on the chopping block since the sequester of 2011 mandated steep cuts in the Pentagon budget. Although the planes haven't been built in more than 30 years, the Defense Department believes it can save maintenance costs by phasing them out. Air Force brass believes newer, faster aircraft like the F-16, F-15E, and, eventually, Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter can do a better job of the Warthog’s mission of providing close air support to soldiers on the ground. But supporters say Islamic State fighters are finding out the hard way what they have said all along.

[csivils]

I agree, and stealth is the exact opposite of part of the A-10s function. They know it is coming, they know when it gets there, the only thing you can do is run, and as “slow” as it is... the targets it shoots at are not going to out run it.

Snipers and stealth planes and drones are one type of intimidation. Loud, powerful and unstoppable destruction is a different kind.

[Charles Martel]

Air Force brass believes newer, faster aircraft like the F-16, F-15E, and, eventually, Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter can do a better job of the Warthog’s mission of providing close air support to soldiers on the ground.

In the Gulf War, only six of the twenty-eight U.S. fixed-wing aircraft lost were A-10s. Of those six, just four were listed as "shot down in combat" and three of the four pilots survived.

[mcshot]

It would take 30 years and money we can no longer borrow to replace the “Hog”. It has got to be ground troops first. Give the A-10s to Israel if they are forced out.

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

-— According to the article, the titanium underbelly of the warthogs rendered the hand held missiles ineffective. -—

Yowza! The pilot must take quite a jolt. The energy has to go somewhere.

[Wildbill22]

I am the first to claim I am no expert, but this may be about much bigger fish.
The A-10 is great against low tech terrorists hiding in a cave, but I suspect we need the money to buy the weapons we will need against Russia, China, NORK, and the such.

Low tech massive firepower with no stealth is Magic Dragon/Drone material anyway. We NEED to be able to take on the Ruskies, and they ARE spending a lot on a some pretty capable equipment.

[mcshot]

Whiteman was just a “touch and goes” base when I was there. Loved watching the B-58 Hustlers come through. Otherwise, it was Hueys for the missile crews. There was a prop trainer for the flying club but everyone joked that nobody had enough hours to fly it. SAC had a big sucking action to it.

[OneWingedShark]

We NEED to be able to take on the Ruskies, and they ARE spending a lot on a some pretty capable equipment.

Can you cite/name this pretty capable equipment?

[katana]

It is basically a flying tank that is built to kill tanks with a 30 mm motorized Gatling gun in the nose and hard mounts for missiles and bombs. It was designed to halt a Soviet advance and fill the Fulda Gap with burning Russian metal. Flying low and slow has some advantages when aiming at specific targets. Reports from the first Gulf War were that ground crews were patching holes in the wings with duct tape and sending them back out to kill more tanks.

Here's a video: http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=a10+in+action+video&FORM=VIRE5#view=detail&mid=02518BFEC7D442A9CCB002518BFEC7D442A9CCB0

[mcshot]

The won can be so proud. The Republic has perhaps been mortally wounded from within - on purpose.

[fungoking]

I'd take my baseball team to Sedalia for a ball game and it wasn't unusual to see a B-2 fly over. One kid said, “Billions of dollars on stealth and I can see it just fine.”

[Wildbill22]

Again, I am no expert.
I suspect stealth is what is required, from the military leadership, to be able to take on the Russians and Chinese particularly.

I also wonder about putting so many expensive eggs into the stealth basket, but it is what it is.

I would prefer we build a fleet of Mach 3 B-70s against the Chinese and Russians, but that isn’t where things seem to be leading.

[hadaclueonce]

the liberals do not want to ever win a war.

if someone wins, it might hurt some ones’ feelings.

[Resolute Conservative]

I didn’t say a law.

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

Every once in a while a truly great aircraft comes along this plane is one of them.

[EEGator]

Only what you see buddy.

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

What we need.

[OneWingedShark]

Again, I am no expert.
I suspect stealth is what is required, from the military leadership, to be able to take on the Russians and Chinese particularly.

Stealth isn't a factor in CAS.
The Warthog's role is CAS.
Therefore the Warthog doesn't need stealth.

I also wonder about putting so many expensive eggs into the stealth basket, but it is what it is.

Well, IIUC there's several different branches of stealth — mechanical, electronic, architecture — so there's plenty of space to explore under the heading of stealth.

But you're right there should be research and development of alternative technologies to stealth.

I would prefer we build a fleet of Mach 3 B-70s against the Chinese and Russians, but that isn’t where things seem to be leading.

I don't know anything about the B70.

[OneWingedShark]

If it’s not a law, then it’s not illegal; if it’s not illegal than there is zero reason to say that it can’t be done.

[Ponyexpress9790]

The cockpit is a titanium bathtub with an airplane built around it. The devastating, rapid fire gatling gun on the nose that can drill through tank armour was added to make the Wart Hog sexy. Heard that one from an A-10 pilot.

[nascarnation]

I’m sure it’s quite effective on Toyota pickup trucks and SUVs. I wonder if they even bother with the “premium” depleted uranium ammo or use cheap stuff.