Why do soldiers like the A-10?

Why do soldiers like the A-10?

The A-10 is well liked by soldiers on the ground, because it’s visible (lower, slower, noisier than other fixed-wing assets supporting them) and because the anti-aircraft threat’s been very low.

Can the A-10 hover?

Known for an ability to keep flying after taking multiple rounds of enemy machine gun fire, land and operate in rugged terrain, destroy groups of enemy fighters with a 30mm cannon and unleash a wide arsenal of attack weapons, the A-10 is described by pilots as a “flying tank” in the sky — able to hover over ground war …

Why is the a10 so good?

The A-10’s large, unswept high-aspect ratio wing and large ailerons give it excellent low-speed, low-altitude maneuverability. The wing also allows short takeoffs and landings. That’s handy, because this plane frequently needs to operate from primitive forward airfields near the front lines.

How many rounds does a a10 shoot?

The cannon can fire a range of ammunition, including armour-piercing incendiary rounds (API) weighing up to 0.75kg, or uranium-depleted 0.43kg API rounds. The magazine can hold 1,350 rounds of ammunition. The pilot can select a firing rate of 2,100 or 4,200 rounds a minute.

Is the A-10 a jet?

The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is a single-seat, twin turbofan engine, straight wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic for the United States Air Force (USAF). The A-10 was designed around the 30 mm GAU-8 Avenger rotary cannon.

How many A-10 are in America?

Over 367 A-10 aircraft are in service with the US Air Force, Air Combat Command, the US Air Force Reserve and the Air National Guard. The aircraft variants currently in service in the US Air force are A-10 (143), and A-10C (70); Reserve A-10 (46) and OA-10 (6); ANG, A-10 (84) and OA-10 (18).

Can the A-10 survive a ground attack?

Having flown combat missions in the A-10, Haden explained how the aircraft is specially designed to survive enemy ground attacks. “There are things built in for redundancy.

Why do A-10s fly so low?

There have been many instances where A-10 engines were shot up and the pilots did not know until the returned from a mission, Haden said. These aerodynamic configurations and engine technology allow the A-10 to fly slower and lower, in closer proximity to ground forces and enemy targets.

Why is the A-10 Thunderbolt so famous?

From its distinctive “Brrrrrt” that spells out death and destruction for America’s enemies, to the iconic paint job emblazoned on its nose, the A-10 Thunderbolt is an American military icon.

What happened to the A-10 Warthog?

The Warthog continues to carry on this tradition, at least for now. Plans for the tank-busting aircraft to be scrapped were put temporarily on hold while it kicks the hell out of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. An A-10 Warthog prepares to take off from Al Asad Air Base to provide close air support to ground troops in Iraq.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auJA8sfjpRU