***Operation Iraqi Freedom - Situation Room - Day 20 - LIVE THREAD***

Multiple ^ | April 8, 2003 | Various

[Cboldt]

US soldiers drinking Sodomy's cognac and smoking his stoogies in his palace with their feet ON the furniture.

They earned it. No cakewalk, I don't care what the talkinh heads have to say about "kill ratios."

[Texas Tea]

They play it over and over again, once it's happened but they have been doing that lately with the events that are just now happening.

[mrsalty]

Thank you, for saying that

[bcoffey]

Re: My earlier post - Apparently this audio feed is delayed several minutes, as Wm. LaJuenesse is just now reporting the # buildings damaged, etc.

So, if you think you missed something live, go here to hear it again.

[socal_parrot]

Next to Greg Kelly, Rummy is another one of the Sexy Men of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

What about Baghdad Bob?

[spectr17]

Darn right they earned it. Let em wreck the joint. *L*

Drinks on the house.

[TheLion]

USAF Fact Sheet

A-10/OA-10 Thunderbolt II

USAF Photo courtesy Air Combat Command

Mission
The A/OA-10 Thunderbolt II is the first Air Force aircraft specially designed for close air support of ground forces. They are simple, effective and survivable twin-engine jet aircraft that can be used against all ground targets, including tanks and other armored vehicles.

Features
The A-10/OA-10 have excellent maneuverability at low air speeds and altitude, and are highly accurate weapons-delivery platforms. They can loiter near battle areas for extended periods of time and operate under 1,000-foot ceilings (303.3 meters) with 1.5-mile (2.4 kilometers) visibility. Their wide combat radius and short takeoff and landing capability permit operations in and out of locations near front lines. Using night vision goggles, A-10/ OA-10 pilots can conduct their missions during darkness.

Thunderbolt IIs have Night Vision Imaging Systems (NVIS), goggle compatible single-seat cockpits forward of their wings and a large bubble canopy which provides pilots all-around vision. The pilots are protected by titanium armor that also protects parts of the flight-control system. The redundant primary structural sections allow the aircraft to enjoy better survivability during close air support than did previous aircraft.

The aircraft can survive direct hits from armor-piercing and high explosive projectiles up to 23mm. Their self-sealing fuel cells are protected by internal and external foam. Manual systems back up their redundant hydraulic flight-control systems. This permits pilots to fly and land when hydraulic power is lost.

The Thunderbolt II can be serviced and operated from bases with limited facilities near battle areas. Many of the aircraft's parts are interchangeable left and right, including the engines, main landing gear and vertical stabilizers.

Avionics equipment includes communications, inertial navigation systems, fire control and weapons delivery systems, target penetration aids and night vision goggles. Their weapons delivery systems include heads-up displays that indicate airspeed, altitude, dive angle, navigation information and weapons aiming references; a low altitude safety and targeting enhancement system (LASTE) which provides constantly computing impact point freefall ordnance delivery; and Pave Penny laser-tracking pods under the fuselage. The aircraft also have armament control panels, and infrared and electronic countermeasures to handle surface-to-air-missile threats. Installation of the Global Positioning System is currently underway for all aircraft.

The Thunderbolt II's 30mm GAU-8/A Gatling gun can fire 3,900 rounds a minute and can defeat an array of ground targets to include tanks. Some of their other equipment includes an inertial navigation system, electronic countermeasures, target penetration aids, self-protection systems, and AGM-65 Maverick and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles.

Background
The first production A-10A was delivered to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., in October 1975. It was designed specially for the close air support mission and had the ability to combine large military loads, long loiter and wide combat radius, which proved to be vital assets to the United States and its allies during Operation Desert Storm and Operation Noble Anvil. In the Gulf War, A-10s had a mission capable rate of 95.7 percent, flew 8,100 sorties and launched 90 percent of the AGM-65 Maverick missiles.


General Characteristics
Primary Function: A-10 -- close air support, OA-10 - airborne forward air control
Contractor: Fairchild Republic Co.
Power Plant: Two General Electric TF34-GE-100 turbofans
Thrust: 9,065 pounds each engine
Length: 53 feet, 4 inches (16.16 meters)
Height: 14 feet, 8 inches (4.42 meters)
Wingspan: 57 feet, 6 inches (17.42 meters)
Speed: 420 miles per hour (Mach 0.56)
Ceiling: 45,000 feet (13,636 meters)
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 51,000 pounds (22,950 kilograms)
Range: 800 miles (695 nautical miles)
Armament: One 30 mm GAU-8/A seven-barrel Gatling gun; up to 16,000 pounds (7,200 kilograms) of mixed ordnance on eight under-wing and three under-fuselage pylon stations, including 500 pounds (225 kilograms) of Mk-82 and 2,000 pounds (900 kilograms) of Mk-84 series low/high drag bombs, incendiary cluster bombs, combined effects munitions, mine dispensing munitions, AGM-65 Maverick missiles and laser-guided/electro-optically guided bombs; infrared countermeasure flares; electronic countermeasure chaff; jammer pods; 2.75-inch (6.99 centimeters) rockets; illumination flares and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles.
Crew: One
Date Deployed: March 1976
Unit Cost: $9.8 million (fiscal 98 constant dollars)
Inventory: Active force, A-10, 143 and OA-10, 70; Reserve, A-10, 46 and OA-10, 6; ANG, A-10, 84 and OA-10, 18

Point Of Contact

Air Combat Command, Public Affairs Office; 115 Thompson Street, Suite 211; Langley AFB, VA 23665-1987; DSN 574-5007 or (757) 764-5007.

June 2000


keywords: aircraft, close air support

[Consort]

You can use the image in Post #3416 for the Donor Project.

[Tree of Liberty]

Reminds me of the last episode of "Band of Brothers" where Easy Company liberates Hitler's wine cellar in the German Alps.

[Grenada]

Fox - Bret Beir reports that there's growing confidence that Saddam was in that building when the strike was called in

YEEEEEHHHHHAAAAAWWWWW!

[Mrs.Liberty]

Am hearing that now ..b1 Bomber dropped 4 bunker busters.

[Cboldt]

Including post 185, and your tagline. My cat's breath smells of parmesan cheese.

[Mo1]

I was a bit off guard and wasn't prepared .. *L*

[MEG33]

Notice our officials never mention kill ratios.

[bluefish]

I seem to have two NTV cams now. Someone posted one earlier and it has been replaying a lot of tonight's action. The one showing the serious action last night, live, is a different one. This new one is kind of whacked, but had good footage. I saw the side of a hotel getting strafed (ok military folks, did I use that correctly? i.e. it got hit with a crap load of big bullets!)

[An.American.Expatriate]

Which page? Page 1 (posts 1-50)?

[Tree of Liberty]

LOL

[Mo1]

You can use the image in Post #3416 for the Donor Project.

From the last thread??

[NewsJunqui]

NTV back live? Looking across river to palace.

[SoldiersGirl]

we have class
and who are we to dispute the hundreds of men slaughtered and commiting suicide as reported by good ol Bghdad Bob