I worked for GE on some of the engine parts for the A10 and we had pictures of them with damage that would have been fstal for any other aircraft. We also had letters from the pilots praising the toughness of the TF 34 engines,we had one picture of an engine cowl that looked like swiss chese, and it still got the pilot home. In a nutshell the A10 is a tank with wings.
Some aircraft are born perfect. And then, we upgrade them. This is one of them. And! I don't care who disagrees... This is a beautiful aircraft. Absolutely beautiful..! I joined the USAF in '73. The A10 has been with me for my entire adult life. It's been a proud pleasure to share my life with this Angel. She's saved the lives of countless Brothers in Arms. Always welcomed: Angel of Mercy. And, to those who must FAFO: She's an Avenging Angel of Death. "Brrrrrrrrrrrrtttttt" -- When she speaks? Everyone listens.
As an infantryman on the frontlines during the 70's and 80's, there is no better feeling when calling in air support, than seeing (and hearing) the tell tale sound of the A-10. When we heard the distinctive whine of its twin engines and the unique noise that its GAU-8 cannon makes when it engages, we knew that the bad guys were about to have a very close encounter...with a cattle prod!
What made me fall in love with the warthog were the countless stories of how it saved many lives by enduring significant damage while coming to the rescue of numerous soldiers.
@@2tigereone of the coolest things about the A-10 is how it's specifically designed to sustain immense amounts of damage without going down. It has a self repairing fuel tank and it can fly with 1 engine
My husband (RIP) was a crew chief on the A-10 at Myrtle Beach AFB back in the early 80's. He said the aircraft was sweet and easy to work on. I recently got to watch an A-10 demo at an Air Show at the AFB that I now live nearby and it was a thrill to watch it in action again forty years later. This stuff never gets old.
I have a friend who was a pilot and flight safety officer for the MB a10 fleet all through the 80s. Perhaps your husband had worked with him. He was known as Doc. Thanks to all who served, God bless those gave their lives. Today is Memorial Day 2024
Retired infantry vet here. The A-10 is an excellent weapon. All the upgrades will effectively beat the competition. I hope the U.S. Army will have this type of support always.
It is in the US Army? I thought it was in the US Air Force. The US Air Force hates the A-10. They want warplanes that penetrate deep into enemy territory. The A-10 is slow and was made to support the troops along the battleline.
It's a great and beautifull plane. If US doesn't want them anymore why not sending 30 of the old ones to Ukrain? Don't you think it would be usefull against russian tanks? Or it would be dificult in such plain territory?
i always thought the A10 was a plane mounted on a gun, not the other way around. it is one of the US army's best asset and in my opinion, irreplaceable and indespensable as its one purpose, a CAS that saves lives.
Yet the Pentagon pukes want to replace the Warthog with shiny new F 35s! They'd rather risk a poorly armored, ridiculously priced 5th generation fighter best suited for perhaps carrier based sorties. Even then, the F 18 super hornet can carry triple the ordnance that the F 35 can (if they want the F 35 to maintain its stealth capabilities) One fully decked out weapon wise is a beast. The F 35 can do the mission, but at what cost of pilots and machine? I'll take the Titanium bathtub and 20,000 lbs. of ordnance please!
Trying to retire the A10 is a perfect example of government creating a problem that doesn't exist so they can come up with a "solution" and spend more money. Simply put, as long as there are soldiers on the ground, I want Warthogs in the sky in close proximity.
Like when some wise arsed govt. worker changed the spec's on the propellant for the M16. Soldiers were dying because the weapons continually 'plugged' with some kind of shit from the combustion of the same. Pictures of them were found with their weapon(s) partly dismantled and were killed. The parents finally got a commission to hear their anger etc. Govt. workers are worth two knobs of goat turds.
Except that it will never get there. It's extremely slow and a huge target. In war games it was estimated that the entire fleet wouldn't last the first day if deployed. You'd want Apaches in that role, the A10 no longer has a role which is why it's not included in anything anymore.
It was designed from the experience of the Vietnam war to handle an environment where it was intended to support ground troops. That means that slow and maneuverable was important design factors and the armament and redundancies of this plane were put in place for it to withstand ground attacks from lighter types of weapons. This is a plane that you send into a boxing ring - expect it to get hit, but also deliver hard punches and change objectives on the way. The alternative would be missiles sent from far away to targets designated by spotters on the ground. If you look at what's going on in Ukraine then there are cases where it isn't suitable, but there are also cases where it could be very useful - like taking out artillery positions and vehicle convoys. War is a risky business - expect losses if you go in.
I could not give a poop about what anyone says, the CAS from the military/Army point of view, this is an aircraft of BEAUTY! The sound, smell, and everything else is just GREAT! Cannot thank these piolets enough! Thanks for what you all do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EDIT--- Losing the A-10 would be an Absolute tragedy to the US (and other) Militaries, best CAS aircraft out there!
I always loved the twin engine pusher style from the rear mid and the way she just slides into her banks and rolls out of them with ease! Fairchild made a 1 of a kind with this gem, she's like 65 yrs old and you can't get better Ground support and cover with more effective just turn and burn, seek and destroy coverage ... she's the 3rd and 4th gen flying tank ! Takes a lick'n 😊 and keeps on tick'n
I was an Air Force weapons mechanic in Nam, loading whatever the F4 Phantom could carry. That said, the Warthog is by far my favorite aircraft. Keepem flying.
I knew they would end up keeping the warthog. I have been keeping up with the disagreements and arguments of both sides about keeping it or retiring it, military brass saying it's time is done, and others praising it. It is too good of plane to decommission. It has been in the arsenal for 50 maybe even 60 some odd years and is effective. It may not compare to the new F35 but it's capabilities are worth keeping around because it does enhance the total fire power of the military planes currently being used. When doing mock battles in Germany in the 1980's and 1990's , it was a sight to behold, the power of that gatlin gun, seeing the targets destroyed before you even heard the rat tat tat tat of that gun. It is still a force to be reckoned with and glad the military chose to keep it. Yeah there will come a day it will have to be retired, but that day is farrrrrrrr off in the future.
yea its certainly iconic, I might be dating myself in this comment, but is it more of an icon than the boeing B17 thats a pretty close call i would think. Status aside, its probably the most useful aircraft ever contracted by the US military.
The A10 has proven itself so many times over and over again done its job and survived, if the AF and govt. are smart they will keep this weapons platform in use as long as its serviceable and effective, I know the troops on the ground love to see it coming for close ground support.
I think the Army and Marine ground troops had to convince the AF that this was the best air support craft they had as they tried so hard to end this program.
No, no it has not. It's just a costly but popular target aircraft. It has no role to play at all because when air superiority has been established and AA has been taken out you have Apaches to play that role and before that it would just get shot down.
@@RedBud315 No, they don't care for it at all. Which is the right way to look at it. It's always been useless but against todays AA it's just flying a giant target around.
Pop's here. If you ask the grunts on the ground, you will never retire this weapons system. There is not reason to fixe what's not broken. Politics, and manufacturing greed shouldn't carry the on this.
Something must happen in old age where your brain just stops working. The A-10 is a machine built for war, not your failing dick. The enemies of the United States, actual real threats, would love nothing more than for it's military to stagnate and stop furthering it's technological development especially for something as stupid as nostalgia. If you ask the grunts on the ground what we should be flying in the air then you're a fucking idiot, they're on the ground what the fuck do they know about air assets and air craft engineering?
A Godsend In Afghanistan this plane saved many many lives. The brave A10 pilots realy reached out into hellish circumstances to protect extended patrols & were always there when circumstance turned bad Thanks just aren't enough...👌👍
I would say it's the most overestimated aircraft ever. I don't really know what role it could fill today since it would be shot down before getting in range of anything. It's loud, paints a massive target and it is REALLY slow. I guess if you establish air superiority first and take out all AA measures some might be able to get through. Which is probably why it's never deployed anywhere and not counted in any role anymore.
@@michaelmay5453 It's not a dog-fighter or a stealth bomber. It's not the tip of the spear during an initial invasion to knock out radar arrays and AD batteries. It's not a transport plane or a medi-vac platform. It's not the stereotypical "air force" plane that people think of. It's essentially an infantry weapon that flies. Its reason for existence is to be the guardian angel when Marine/Army infantry, SOF/SF teams, etc are pinned-down and need CLOSE support from someone that can actually see what's going on (ie not some drone dropping laser/gps guided 500lb bombs from 50,000ft) 8 dozen troops ambush your squad with MG positions, mortar teams dropping IDF, 25mm AA gun and a couple tanks? A-10 to the rescue, and they can get there twice as fast as a helicopter gunship, while being able to operate at higher altitudes and carry a far higher payload. They can maneuver extremely well at low elevations, almost as well as something like an AH-64, meaning they can be incredibly accurate with that cannon. Before you say "why not use the Apache, etc" it's because the A-10's are tougher, can carry more weapons, and their auto cannon dwarfs the AH-64's: A-10: 30mm cannon (30x173mm) is in a different league than the 30mm on the AH-64 (30x113mm) while also being fired from a much longer series of gatling barrels. So it has better range (4000m effective vs ~1700m effective), higher velocity/energy, 5x higher fire rate, and flatter trajectory. All very important for keeping that danger-close support accurate to prevent a blue-on-blue. Think of it being the difference between an SBR 10" .300 black vs a 20" .308win or .30-06. Both firing the same 150gr .308in pill, but the .300 black is pushing that bullet at ~1825fps at the muzzle, while the .308 (especially 06) is pushing it at 2800fps+. It's a clear step-up in terms of energy on target & the same is true with these two systems cannon. More velocity means armor that might be a bit too thick for the apache to deal with may get punched by the A-10. And that's just the cannon. A-10 has bombs, sidewinders for air-to-air, etc. To top it off, the A-10 can shrug-off hits that would down the AH-64 or similar craft. They can take a hit from a modern MANPAD (let alone old Soviet RPG's) and stay in the air. The chopper may be able to, unless it hits the rotor blades, then it's game over. That AA gun (not missile system) in the hypothetical, they can just engage it with one of their guided missiles from a few miles out so that they can move in, eliminate the armor, and then shred anything/anyone stupid enough to pop their head up with the auto cannon. All the while attention shifts to the A-10, so that platoon on the ground can maneuver. The reason you hear so much about it is because every infantryman that's ever had one save the day (or know it's on stand-by should they need it) think it's the best invention since crayons, lol. It gets 100x the respect when it was getting shot at with a .50cal for 5min, having part of the wing blown off by a Stinger, and it still takes out everything giving the boys trouble while being able to limp back to base. Which since it can take off from a short dirt runway, they can be ran out of remote outposts or in a situation like Ukraine, 15min behind the front. I guarantee you if Ukraine had air parity in terms of fighters/multi-roll jets, the A-10 would be the kind of system that could swing the upper hand in their favor. It is a tank hunter, after all... There's a reason the US keeps it around; if it was a delicate little flower they'd have dropped it decades ago... And I don't know why you think they don't use it: it was used in Afghanistan all the time. We haven't really been in a conflict where this type of support would be needed since.
What a beautiful aircraft….. Not only is it violently lethal, but one look or even hearing it’s sound, instills fear into the enemy. They cower… as they should. The Warthog is a flying tank.
Difference is that the F-15 is actually a good aircraft while the A10 never was and is completely useless today. Everyone likes that gun but that's just a giant target that can be taken down (and will be taken down) long before it enters the battlefield.
@@michaelmay5453 You don't know WTF you're talking about. The A-10 has always been a good aircraft. It's actually one of the most reliable and durable planes ever made. And it's not completely useless today, what are you even talking about about? The reason the Thunderbolt II is still active today is because nothing comes close to it in close air support. Where do you even get your info from, because it's not from the Air Force who has the squadrons of them, and I guarantee it's not from the thousands of pinned down troops the A-10 has saved.
@@89ludeawakening1 for real I don't know what this guy is talking about. Just like he doesn't know what he's talking about. All US and allied forces love the A-10 and all enemies fear it. If you need to take out tanks, artillery pieces, armored convoys, supply lines, fortified strongholds or pretty much anything else on the ground, you send in the A-10. It is unmatched at what it does. It's the most heavily armed and armored plane in history. It has a less than 1% loss rate out of over 10,000 missions flown. They can even hold their own in air-to-air combat because of their targeting systems and missile deterrents.
I love seeing my Air Force always having the BEST toys! I retired from the Air Force some 27 years ago, after having served from 1977 thru 1997. The A-10 went into service at about the time I was a Freshman in High School. Glad to see the AF having re-committed itself to this stolid warhorse.
wait for what they havnt showed us yet. new black birds, new jets that are superior to the worlds advanced technology. its a wild time to see the airforce roll out new machinery
I didn't even watch the video, although I love the A-10. I just refuse to watch anything with "SHOCKED" in the title now. If your video can't stand on it's own merits and you have to bait viewers by using the word "SHOCKED", you are going to start losing viewers. How does that SHOCK you?
In this case I would say people may be shocked at how long the plane has been in service and will continue to be. But deciding to watch or not watch a video based from one word is kinda silly.
The best close air support aircraft ever. The Air Farce has been trying to get rid of it for years, preferring their fast & very expensive jets. But there's no plane in the inventory of any military that can take the pounding this jet can & stay airborn. They should build brand new ones until they can actually make a tank fly.
Last time they 2ere really pushing it out, the Army said, "Sweet, we'll add our first fixed wing since the Air Corp left!" And the Air Force back-pedaled real quick... 😅
@@billotto602 it's pretty neat. Fat Electrician did a video on it. Air Tractors have been used for all sorts of commercial applications. Carries 3629kg of ordinance on a prop plane for the military variant. quick search of AT-802U Sky Warden will get you some fun stuff on it.
This bad ass needs to stay in service. The best close in support we have IMO next to a couple of rotor aircraft. I have always thought, nothing compares to this bird. Always love visiting the still displays and it flying at airshows. This needs to stay in service. Thanks for the video.
As a someone who served in Iraq and Afghanistan with the 5 scots reg, I certainly don't. Their out dated optics caused many blue on blue incidents with our troops
@@RochefortTrappist I've seen the footage, and it was more like inept trigger happy pilots that was to blame, pilots who weren't flying anywhere near nap of the earth as this video shows. They were way up in the clouds somewhere looking for targets that they could hardly identify. They were also apparently under the impression that if they weren't American vehicles then they had to be Iraqi, as if no other allied country was involved.
I saw the A-10 engaging tanks in a documentary. This one twist, turn, dived, and made pirouettes avoiding enemy fire. Then it aimed its Gatling gun and eviscerated the opposing tank. I was impressed by the power of such a plane! I am glad the Air Force will keep this technological wonder for years!
Ur right n all the USA services members American soldiers love this aircraft a10 warthog should stay in services as long as its keeping getting the job done by bringing All USA soldiers home and the pilots
I would say it's the most overestimated aircraft ever. I don't really know what role it could fill today since it would be shot down before getting in range of anything. It's loud, paints a massive target and it is REALLY slow. I guess if you establish air superiority first and take out all AA measures some might be able to get through. Which is probably why it's never deployed anywhere and not counted in any role anymore.
So bad ass!!!!! What a fantastic kick ass plane!!! So much love, especially for a lesser cost weapon. It has proven so valuable in supporting our ground people, so much love!!❤
As an old Enlish infantryman, I have never known the feeling of security and comfort this aircraft can bring. Now in my very mature years I have always been a very involved supporter of classic aircraft mainly from WWII, and although I have never taken much interest in jet aircraft of any kind, but when the A10 Warthog appeared, I was interested immediately, the aptitudes and extra's applied to this aircraft are absolutely fantastic, what a wonderful aircraft it is, and already a classic in it's self, I hope this aircraft is still around for many, many more years to come. A great innovation by the original designer's, I bet they never thought it would still be flying and used in combat areas some 50 years later.
I Love the A10, they were stationed in my hometown and I used to watch them every day. You could hear them from miles away and I would wait to see their formation of 2 or more. Then a Senator decided he didn't want them there anymore and lobbied to move them, wish they would come back. Long Live the Blacksnakes.
UTMOST RESPECT & APPRECIATION TO ALL THE WARRIORS PAST & PRESENT POSTING HERE! 7 - 8 years ago I was playing volleyball on Siesta Beach in Sarasota when 4 of these beauties came out of nowhere and flew over us. It was the most beautiful sight & sounds I have heard from any machinery in my life.
I suspect any enemy ground troops that have been lucky enough to survive seeing this thing work at close range, has fear struck in their heart from the experience❗️💪🇺🇸
As a former US Army infantry commander I will tell you that there is no other aircraft in the US inventory that I would rater have at my back on the battlefield! The Warthogs ground force killing power is unreal. The men and women who fly this machine are in my opinion the best pilots the military has !
During war games in the desert, we'd engage these planes, As a 14- 16s. I was blown away by how nimble these aircraft are. Incredible turning power. They may look bulky, but they are more maneuverable than most aircraft I've witnessed. From that day to now, I say, we should never get rid of the A10s!💯🤠👍🇺🇸
I absolutely think the Warthog is an essential part of the Air Forces arsenal and should NOT be abandoned under any circumstances. Wish the were around when my dad was piloting B-17's over Germany. He luckily came back safely but the Warthog might have helped so many who didn't.
One bad ass I would not want to see coming my way I know about destroying tanks with all the upgrades some mean machine The USA should never let this airplane go away
I'm not a pilot or an aircraft engineer, but I believe this is one of the most combat survivable and effective platforms for it's assigned mission set. Very cool all around. I'll bet there are a few grunts and ground-pounders out there who are thankful it was on their side!
The A-10 is like the C-130, the B-52, the F-15, and the "retired for 30 years but now that the F-35 has been proven to be a joke we want it back F-14": IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T REPLACE IT, aircraft.
There are so many features you have not listed, like self sealing fuel tanks, rigid frames under the skin able to support the wing with severe damage, or the fact that the engines being placed high with the front of the engine over the main wing was also to reduce the risk of sucking in sand or debris when operating in field deployments. It also has the tail around the exhaust to help mask it from IR sensors some. While the plane is tough it is fighting in a very dangerous environment. This results is still having a high loss rate. That is why they argue to replace it. They think something like the F-35 in more of a stand off role using glide bombs and missiles rather than a big gun will work more. The only problem is the Warthog also provide a huge psychological impact on both our troops and the enemy troops. They fear the sight or even the sound of the A-10 and our troops think it is a god-send when it shows up to give them close air support. I would love to see it redesigned from the ground up with more efficient engines, maybe a bit of a sweep on the wing so it can go closer to Mach 1. Understand that that low to the ground most aircraft struggle to exceed Mach 1 at all and that is under full afterburners. They could update the controls, electronic, and fire control systems a lot as well as laser and radar systems. Maybe it could handle more Gs and some heavier ordinance. I also think AI targeting assist would be great. The A-10 can carry laser gilded versions of the Hydra-70 rocket pods as well as Mavericks and Small Diameter Bombs (GPS guided glide bombs). This is a lot of fire power and in an intense situation the pilot would struggle to pick out targets and launch these systems, but with proper AI they could target the amount of input the pilot would need to give would be greatly reduced.
Had the pleasure seeing the Warthog in action while stationed at Ft. Sill, OK. Was doing commo for our gun bunnies and the A-10's were flying right over us. Awesome sight and sound!!
As a Tank Platoon Leader during the Cold War I was very happy to see the close air support A 10s covering our battle exercise movements. The Army called them a “Force Multiplier.” Their presence offered well received overwatch for our tanks on the battlefield and magnified our lethality. We hold great respect for the Air Force “Warthogs.”
The A10 Thunderbolt passed low over my military vehicle in Hornsfelt, Germany during a training excercise and it scared me so bad I almost crashed. You cannot hear the plane until it has passed you which is too late if you are the enemy. I am retired military with 28 yrs of service.
Like all servicemen will tell you, I don't need to ask them. Keep the A-10 do not sell it or mothball it. It's one of the best aircraft around. THe gun itself scares the hell out of the enemy. If it's not broken don't fix it.
The Air Force is nuts to get rid of this aircraft. Like the rest of the Air Force if it isn't new or fancy it's no longer needed. I think they will regret scraping this aircraft.
Upgrades are important but redesigning isn't always the thing to do. You constantly hear how ground troops love the type of support the A-10 gives them and pilots love to fly them, how they can get up close and personal with the enemy due to the built-in armor that keeps them safer than other aircraft!! If it ain't broke don't fix it!!
well i mean the F22 has stealth capabilities and is one of the most prominent dog fighting aircraft ever made but 20 warthogs for the price of one F22 is acc crazy
And the F-22 got a kill rate of 108-0 in simulations against F-15, F-16, and F-18 jets. For reference, the F-16 Falcon is 76-1 in REAL air combat scenarios. The F-15A/C/I/S Eagle is 102-0. There were only 186 operational F-22s, which is still probably overkill, but when you have such an unstoppable jet it’s worth the cost to build a couple
A-10 needs a Weapons Officer along with the pilot.. to operate a 360 degree LASER TURRET... making the A-10 not a mere shark but a DRAGON... in addition to all the other weapons the A-10 can handle.. then it can shoot down anything flies, floats, drives or hides lie an Avenging Angel... ***
sweet sweet airplane. I've talked to Iraq war vets who say that hearing the sound of the 30 mm providing close air support was like hearing the bells of angels.
I worked at the Fairchild plant in Hagerstown, MD and had a part in making almost 600 ships. I was so proud to have been a part of building such a fantastic aircraft. In my opinion, there is no better friend to our ground troops. The bottom line is that this plane is the most durable aircraft used in combat and it should never be put out to pasture. It has saved too many lives.
I worked on this aircraft for 3.5 yrs as a 462. Over the years I have loaded munitions & watched it in battle and what a Godsend it is for our ground troops! No better a/c to use with 11 pylons and now upgraded technology makes this jet even more lethal. Go Air Force!
I've never cracked up just from hearing a plane's capabilities, until now. The A10 sounds like a flying dumptruck that can unload Hell on a target. Amazing design.
Being 60 foot up a mast, and having two A10's fly around the mast so close that I could see the red flashes on the pilots white helmets as they both stood the aircraft on its side, I can only say that this aircraft is a wonderful piece of equipment flown by pilots who love to fly it. It has the tightest turning circle of any aircraft on the battlefield, and has earned the nickname 'the silent death' as you simply cannot even hear it coming towards you. A wonderful aircraft that has earned its right to be the close support fighter for ground troops.
A great aircraft, when I was deployed to Afghanistan, an A-10 flew over my position, one night when my vehicle was pulling radio observation point. The A-10 flew over popped off a flare and the whole underneath this plane was nothing but heavy ordinates felt great that we had an eye in the sky watching over us.
As a Canadian…if our government..could even afford..such a plane.. we might have a chance..but we have nothing…hats off to the US ..on keeping it real!
As a FAC for the USMC i loved this plane i aways 2anted the A-10 and A-6. A10 the best friend a USMC ground ponder ever had, and the A6 Navy a 0/0 airplane it can that off when nobody eles can fly when nobody eles can and bome the target i give them without a miss when 0 visibility. As long as i can mark my spot with gps grid, or can give the location of target, or location from me. ❤ them both.
I'm in England and have memories of USAF Warthogs flying at low level, using the isolated house of an old friend as a navigation point on their regular flights to and from a nearby firing range. That was in the mid-1980's. The aircraft were low enough down for us to see the pilot's face whilst banking as they passed by. They're one of the best-looking aircraft in US service today.
In January '98 I was flying our Mooney M20C to Ajo, Arizona for a business meeting. Going north of Tucson to Ajo I encountered two A-10s returning from their practice range near Ajo. I saw them about 20 mile2 ahead and they then went directly toward me, making a practice run on me. The turned off when about 3,000 feet from me. Pretty exciting for me.
I love this plane!!! It's designed for serious combat and war survivability. It's a very lethal platform that's an asset to combat ground forces. Great video, it's appreciated! Thanks.
@@Hedington If they let Musk and SpaceX borrow one for a weekend, I bet they could integrate a touch screen to get rid of some of those pesky buttons and toggles. They they could have an ice-cream machine AND a humidor in the cockpit...
Went to a local air show 30+ years ago that featured the A10. Totally blew my sons and myself away.. They did a rocket assist take-off when leaving and holy crap, it was just starting to roll down the runway, the rockets fired and it was in the air, very soon to be gone... GREAT memory!!!
I worked for GE on some of the engine parts for the A10 and we had pictures of them with damage that would have been fstal for any other aircraft. We also had letters from the pilots praising the toughness of the TF 34 engines,we had one picture of an engine cowl that looked like swiss chese, and it still got the pilot home. In a nutshell the A10 is a tank with wings.
As an old Marine I have a deep abiding respect for the A-10 and the pilots who fly her 👏💪
Some aircraft are born perfect. And then, we upgrade them. This is one of them.
And! I don't care who disagrees...
This is a beautiful aircraft.
Absolutely beautiful..!
I joined the USAF in '73.
The A10 has been with me for my entire adult life.
It's been a proud pleasure to share my life with this Angel. She's saved the lives of countless Brothers in Arms.
Always welcomed: Angel of Mercy.
And, to those who must FAFO:
She's an Avenging Angel of Death.
"Brrrrrrrrrrrrtttttt" -- When she speaks? Everyone listens.
I seen these things in action, they are amazing
Thank you for your service. Thank you all who have served. 🇺🇸
When you see the smoke but don't hear the sound... You're about to have a very bad day.
Watch "Kickstart My Heart A-10 Warthog "
The insurgents wouldn't even come outside with these boys going!!
As an infantryman on the frontlines during the 70's and 80's, there is no better feeling when calling in air support, than seeing (and hearing) the tell tale sound of the A-10. When we heard the distinctive whine of its twin engines and the unique noise that its GAU-8 cannon makes when it engages, we knew that the bad guys were about to have a very close encounter...with a cattle prod!
BRRRRRT!
If you heard the brrrt your bad guys had already met the 30mm
@@whitesteve4383 True. 😃
Love the A-10! Saved my squad a couple of times when deployed in Iraq. It's literally a flying tank!
...tanks, talk to the Russians. : )))))))
@@timbushell8640 Ha, the Russians are hardly relevant.
What made me fall in love with the warthog were the countless stories of how it saved many lives by enduring significant damage while coming to the rescue of numerous soldiers.
@@2tigereone of the coolest things about the A-10 is how it's specifically designed to sustain immense amounts of damage without going down. It has a self repairing fuel tank and it can fly with 1 engine
A (B.F.G.) with wings. :)
My husband (RIP) was a crew chief on the A-10 at Myrtle Beach AFB back in the early 80's. He said the aircraft was sweet and easy to work on. I recently got to watch an A-10 demo at an Air Show at the AFB that I now live nearby and it was a thrill to watch it in action again forty years later. This stuff never gets old.
Ditto my father, who lead the repair and maintenance squardrons in the same time frame. Very good chance your husband worked with my dad.
I was camping on the beach in 87 during Easter seen a squadron fly overhead of A-10's. Shook our motor home as each one went past.
I have a friend who was a pilot and flight safety officer for the MB a10 fleet all through the 80s. Perhaps your husband had worked with him. He was known as Doc. Thanks to all who served, God bless those gave their lives. Today is Memorial Day 2024
I went to Myrtle Beach every year to play golf with clients, but watching the A10s fly round was my biggest thrill.🐗⚡️⛈️🎉🛩️
Sorry for your loss. He worked on one of the best aircraft in US history (IMO).
Retired infantry vet here. The A-10 is an excellent weapon. All the upgrades will effectively beat the competition. I hope the U.S. Army will have this type of support always.
can drones hit it?
I hope so to
It is in the US Army? I thought it was in the US Air Force. The US Air Force hates the A-10. They want warplanes that penetrate deep into enemy territory. The A-10 is slow and was made to support the troops along the battleline.
@@michaelskok5135it’s a ground support air craft, infantry from all branches of the military love this plane
It's a great and beautifull plane. If US doesn't want them anymore why not sending 30 of the old ones to Ukrain? Don't you think it would be usefull against russian tanks? Or it would be dificult in such plain territory?
This aircraft has saved my butt on countless occasions. This aircraft must stay in service. No other airplane can do what this aircraft can do.
i always thought the A10 was a plane mounted on a gun, not the other way around. it is one of the US army's best asset and in my opinion, irreplaceable and indespensable as its one purpose, a CAS that saves lives.
Amen. And thank you for your service.
Yet the Pentagon pukes want to replace the Warthog with shiny new F 35s! They'd rather risk a poorly armored, ridiculously priced 5th generation fighter best suited for perhaps carrier based sorties. Even then, the F 18 super hornet can carry triple the ordnance that the F 35 can (if they want the F 35 to maintain its stealth capabilities) One fully decked out weapon wise is a beast. The F 35 can do the mission, but at what cost of pilots and machine? I'll take the Titanium bathtub and 20,000 lbs. of ordnance please!
She needs full 1500 new engines and 500 more wing sets! It is a remarkable frontline bomber
Keep this aircraft in service.
It’s the best for the troops 😢😢😢
Give them all to Ukraine.
Rule #1, keep this aircraft in service.
Rule #2, refer to Rule #1😎🤠
They took it off the decommission list 3 times that I know of. :)
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Trying to retire the A10 is a perfect example of government creating a problem that doesn't exist so they can come up with a "solution" and spend more money. Simply put, as long as there are soldiers on the ground, I want Warthogs in the sky in close proximity.
Like when some wise arsed govt. worker changed the spec's on the propellant for the M16.
Soldiers were dying because the weapons continually 'plugged' with some kind of shit from the combustion of the same. Pictures of them were found with their weapon(s) partly dismantled and were killed.
The parents finally got a commission to hear their anger etc.
Govt. workers are worth two knobs of goat turds.
Absolutely
You may be right. But I would love to see what the A-14 “Wild Wolf” can do. Assuming, of course, the Air Force is allowed to build prototypes……
I agree, just like the B-52 , they should be around for 100 years
well, how would the "industrial complex" make money?
A close air support aircraft is essential. And the A10 could not be more perfectly designed for the task.
Except that it will never get there. It's extremely slow and a huge target. In war games it was estimated that the entire fleet wouldn't last the first day if deployed.
You'd want Apaches in that role, the A10 no longer has a role which is why it's not included in anything anymore.
@@michaelmay5453 cry harder
@@lordraydens Hes not. Its factual statements he's just provided you with.
It was designed from the experience of the Vietnam war to handle an environment where it was intended to support ground troops. That means that slow and maneuverable was important design factors and the armament and redundancies of this plane were put in place for it to withstand ground attacks from lighter types of weapons.
This is a plane that you send into a boxing ring - expect it to get hit, but also deliver hard punches and change objectives on the way.
The alternative would be missiles sent from far away to targets designated by spotters on the ground.
If you look at what's going on in Ukraine then there are cases where it isn't suitable, but there are also cases where it could be very useful - like taking out artillery positions and vehicle convoys.
War is a risky business - expect losses if you go in.
@@willz0452 The war games scenario is bullshit
I could not give a poop about what anyone says, the CAS from the military/Army point of view, this is an aircraft of BEAUTY! The sound, smell, and everything else is just GREAT! Cannot thank these piolets enough! Thanks for what you all do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
EDIT--- Losing the A-10 would be an Absolute tragedy to the US (and other) Militaries, best CAS aircraft out there!
I always loved the twin engine pusher style from the rear mid and the way she just slides into her banks and rolls out of them with ease! Fairchild made a 1 of a kind with this gem, she's like 65 yrs old and you can't get better Ground support and cover with more effective just turn and burn, seek and destroy coverage ... she's the 3rd and 4th gen flying tank ! Takes a lick'n 😊 and keeps on tick'n
I was an Air Force weapons mechanic in Nam, loading whatever the F4 Phantom could carry. That said, the Warthog is by far my favorite aircraft. Keepem flying.
If the Navy had a carrier fleet of these there wouldn't be any Houti rebels attacking ships in or around the Suez Canal .
TRUTH! Also gulf pirates would be soiling their shorts if these showed up to foil a piracy attempt.
instead of getting rid of the A10 they should make a more modern version of it that can also land on Carriers
😂 Such knowledge 😂
@@chrisbarr959 YES
Then we could all drink Miller Lites and crochet purple baby socks out of used dental floss, life would be a dream
These A10's saved mu butt many time and those pilots are the best around and these birds must be kept alive for years to come.
I knew they would end up keeping the warthog. I have been keeping up with the disagreements and arguments of both sides about keeping it or retiring it, military brass saying it's time is done, and others praising it. It is too good of plane to decommission. It has been in the arsenal for 50 maybe even 60 some odd years and is effective. It may not compare to the new F35 but it's capabilities are worth keeping around because it does enhance the total fire power of the military planes currently being used. When doing mock battles in Germany in the 1980's and 1990's , it was a sight to behold, the power of that gatlin gun, seeing the targets destroyed before you even heard the rat tat tat tat of that gun. It is still a force to be reckoned with and glad the military chose to keep it. Yeah there will come a day it will have to be retired, but that day is farrrrrrrr off in the future.
When the sad day finally comes, I hope a big bunch of them are meted out to museums and collectors. ( one UGLY, badass,).
No plane is ideal for every situation, but the A-10 gets closer to that than anything else. Also, it is the most iconic plane ever built.
yea its certainly iconic, I might be dating myself in this comment, but is it more of an icon than the boeing B17 thats a pretty close call i would think. Status aside, its probably the most useful aircraft ever contracted by the US military.
The A10 has proven itself so many times over and over again done its job and survived, if the AF and govt. are smart they will keep this weapons platform in
use as long as its serviceable and effective, I know the troops on the ground love
to see it coming for close ground support.
I think the Army and Marine ground troops had to convince the AF that this was the best air support craft they had as they tried so hard to end this program.
No, no it has not. It's just a costly but popular target aircraft. It has no role to play at all because when air superiority has been established and AA has been taken out you have Apaches to play that role and before that it would just get shot down.
@@RedBud315 No, they don't care for it at all. Which is the right way to look at it. It's always been useless but against todays AA it's just flying a giant target around.
@@michaelmay5453 cry harder
@@michaelmay5453 sure bud, that's what an enemy ground target would say.
The Warthog is my favorite military aircraft. Glad to see it is being upgraded and kept in service.
Pop's here. If you ask the grunts on the ground, you will never retire this weapons system. There is not reason to fixe what's not broken. Politics, and manufacturing greed shouldn't carry the on this.
Agree totally. The real reason was the graft.
Unfortunately, greed and politics will be it's downfall.
Something must happen in old age where your brain just stops working. The A-10 is a machine built for war, not your failing dick. The enemies of the United States, actual real threats, would love nothing more than for it's military to stagnate and stop furthering it's technological development especially for something as stupid as nostalgia.
If you ask the grunts on the ground what we should be flying in the air then you're a fucking idiot, they're on the ground what the fuck do they know about air assets and air craft engineering?
A Godsend
In Afghanistan this plane saved many many lives.
The brave A10 pilots realy reached out into hellish circumstances to protect extended patrols & were always there when circumstance turned bad
Thanks just aren't enough...👌👍
There is NOTHING that can compare to this Awesome work horse.
I would say it's the most overestimated aircraft ever. I don't really know what role it could fill today since it would be shot down before getting in range of anything. It's loud, paints a massive target and it is REALLY slow. I guess if you establish air superiority first and take out all AA measures some might be able to get through.
Which is probably why it's never deployed anywhere and not counted in any role anymore.
@@michaelmay5453 cry harder
@@michaelmay5453You obviously have no idea why this plane was built.
@@michaelmay5453 It's not a dog-fighter or a stealth bomber. It's not the tip of the spear during an initial invasion to knock out radar arrays and AD batteries. It's not a transport plane or a medi-vac platform. It's not the stereotypical "air force" plane that people think of.
It's essentially an infantry weapon that flies. Its reason for existence is to be the guardian angel when Marine/Army infantry, SOF/SF teams, etc are pinned-down and need CLOSE support from someone that can actually see what's going on (ie not some drone dropping laser/gps guided 500lb bombs from 50,000ft) 8 dozen troops ambush your squad with MG positions, mortar teams dropping IDF, 25mm AA gun and a couple tanks? A-10 to the rescue, and they can get there twice as fast as a helicopter gunship, while being able to operate at higher altitudes and carry a far higher payload. They can maneuver extremely well at low elevations, almost as well as something like an AH-64, meaning they can be incredibly accurate with that cannon.
Before you say "why not use the Apache, etc" it's because the A-10's are tougher, can carry more weapons, and their auto cannon dwarfs the AH-64's: A-10: 30mm cannon (30x173mm) is in a different league than the 30mm on the AH-64 (30x113mm) while also being fired from a much longer series of gatling barrels. So it has better range (4000m effective vs ~1700m effective), higher velocity/energy, 5x higher fire rate, and flatter trajectory. All very important for keeping that danger-close support accurate to prevent a blue-on-blue. Think of it being the difference between an SBR 10" .300 black vs a 20" .308win or .30-06. Both firing the same 150gr .308in pill, but the .300 black is pushing that bullet at ~1825fps at the muzzle, while the .308 (especially 06) is pushing it at 2800fps+. It's a clear step-up in terms of energy on target & the same is true with these two systems cannon. More velocity means armor that might be a bit too thick for the apache to deal with may get punched by the A-10. And that's just the cannon. A-10 has bombs, sidewinders for air-to-air, etc.
To top it off, the A-10 can shrug-off hits that would down the AH-64 or similar craft. They can take a hit from a modern MANPAD (let alone old Soviet RPG's) and stay in the air. The chopper may be able to, unless it hits the rotor blades, then it's game over. That AA gun (not missile system) in the hypothetical, they can just engage it with one of their guided missiles from a few miles out so that they can move in, eliminate the armor, and then shred anything/anyone stupid enough to pop their head up with the auto cannon. All the while attention shifts to the A-10, so that platoon on the ground can maneuver.
The reason you hear so much about it is because every infantryman that's ever had one save the day (or know it's on stand-by should they need it) think it's the best invention since crayons, lol. It gets 100x the respect when it was getting shot at with a .50cal for 5min, having part of the wing blown off by a Stinger, and it still takes out everything giving the boys trouble while being able to limp back to base. Which since it can take off from a short dirt runway, they can be ran out of remote outposts or in a situation like Ukraine, 15min behind the front. I guarantee you if Ukraine had air parity in terms of fighters/multi-roll jets, the A-10 would be the kind of system that could swing the upper hand in their favor. It is a tank hunter, after all... There's a reason the US keeps it around; if it was a delicate little flower they'd have dropped it decades ago... And I don't know why you think they don't use it: it was used in Afghanistan all the time. We haven't really been in a conflict where this type of support would be needed since.
@@williampollock1274 Good god, I had no idea that post was THAT long until I saw it in the side-bar, lol.
What a beautiful aircraft…..
Not only is it violently lethal, but one look or even hearing it’s sound,
instills fear into the enemy. They cower… as they should.
The Warthog is a flying tank.
If you hear the BBRRRRRTTTT, you weren’t the target…
I hear fucking bbrrrrrrrrrttt so many times on kosovo. Frezzing noise
BEST COMMENT EVER!!
Lmao, so true
Now that was funny true, but funny!
That literally goes for any gun that fires supersonic rounds.
I find it hard to believe that this aircraft isn't being produced. The A-10 should be a serious part of every ground assault in the militaries future.
I love the A-10 almost as much as the F-15! Both started in the 70s and both remarkable aircraft in their own field! ✊🏻✊🏻✊🏻
Difference is that the F-15 is actually a good aircraft while the A10 never was and is completely useless today. Everyone likes that gun but that's just a giant target that can be taken down (and will be taken down) long before it enters the battlefield.
@@michaelmay5453 Says the guy who's never needed her to save his azz.
I'll bet you drink Butt-Lite, right?
... and both built by the corrupt and technically challenged Boeing company, and doors fall off recently? : )))))))))
@@michaelmay5453
You don't know WTF you're talking about. The A-10 has always been a good aircraft. It's actually one of the most reliable and durable planes ever made. And it's not completely useless today, what are you even talking about about? The reason the Thunderbolt II is still active today is because nothing comes close to it in close air support. Where do you even get your info from, because it's not from the Air Force who has the squadrons of them, and I guarantee it's not from the thousands of pinned down troops the A-10 has saved.
@@89ludeawakening1 for real I don't know what this guy is talking about. Just like he doesn't know what he's talking about. All US and allied forces love the A-10 and all enemies fear it. If you need to take out tanks, artillery pieces, armored convoys, supply lines, fortified strongholds or pretty much anything else on the ground, you send in the A-10. It is unmatched at what it does. It's the most heavily armed and armored plane in history. It has a less than 1% loss rate out of over 10,000 missions flown. They can even hold their own in air-to-air combat because of their targeting systems and missile deterrents.
This AC is now MORE AWSOME than it ever was and as such should be upgraded as needed!!! I believe that it is the most feared AC ever designed.
I'm not into planes, but the warthog is AWESOME, I have seen them at work while on a field exercise.
I love seeing my Air Force always having the BEST toys! I retired from the Air Force some 27 years ago, after having served from 1977 thru 1997. The A-10 went into service at about the time I was a Freshman in High School. Glad to see the AF having re-committed itself to this stolid warhorse.
Congress is to be credited, not the USAF, which wanted it abandoned.
The Grunts on the ground love it when the A10s are in the air they know they can put the brakes on an attack on them from the enemy
I'm not a pilot, or former military. Just an aerospace geek. The Warthog is my favorite plane, by far.
same here and the SR-71 . I saw the SR-71 up close that thing is sleek and sexy.
@@michaelarrington988 : They're both such unique aircraft.
wait for what they havnt showed us yet. new black birds, new jets that are superior to the worlds advanced technology. its a wild time to see the airforce roll out new machinery
I didn't even watch the video, although I love the A-10. I just refuse to watch anything with "SHOCKED" in the title now. If your video can't stand on it's own merits and you have to bait viewers by using the word "SHOCKED", you are going to start losing viewers. How does that SHOCK you?
For real
womp womp
In this case I would say people may be shocked at how long the plane has been in service and will continue to be. But deciding to watch or not watch a video based from one word is kinda silly.
Agreed, love this plane but you’re just lying when you retitle old videos and claim there’s some new Shocking! upgrade
1 million people disagree with you and watched it
The best close air support aircraft ever. The Air Farce has been trying to get rid of it for years, preferring their fast & very expensive jets. But there's no plane in the inventory of any military that can take the pounding this jet can & stay airborn. They should build brand new ones until they can actually make a tank fly.
Last time they 2ere really pushing it out, the Army said, "Sweet, we'll add our first fixed wing since the Air Corp left!" And the Air Force back-pedaled real quick... 😅
What is weird to me is that they invested in the Air Tractor now, which is a total reversal of their standoff attack tactics from before
@@Michael_Archer78 I haven't heard anything about that. Thanks, I'll keep an eye out for it.
@@billotto602 it's pretty neat. Fat Electrician did a video on it. Air Tractors have been used for all sorts of commercial applications. Carries 3629kg of ordinance on a prop plane for the military variant. quick search of AT-802U Sky Warden will get you some fun stuff on it.
Great thoughts, but they are not jets, they are turbofans.
This bad ass needs to stay in service. The best close in support we have IMO next to a couple of rotor aircraft. I have always thought, nothing compares to this bird. Always love visiting the still displays and it flying at airshows. This needs to stay in service. Thanks for the video.
I want the UK 🇬🇧 to get this, I just love this plane, it is the beast of the air.
Dream on. We are lucky they haven’t retired the Typhoon yet. 😢
"Hogwart" as UK version as in of Witchcraft and Wizardry 🤔
As a someone who served in Iraq and Afghanistan with the 5 scots reg, I certainly don't. Their out dated optics caused many blue on blue incidents with our troops
@@RochefortTrappist I've seen the footage, and it was more like inept trigger happy pilots that was to blame, pilots who weren't flying anywhere near nap of the earth as this video shows. They were way up in the clouds somewhere looking for targets that they could hardly identify. They were also apparently under the impression that if they weren't American vehicles then they had to be Iraqi, as if no other allied country was involved.
It's not a plane with a gun, the GAU-8 is a gun with a plane
I'm pretty sure it's a giant pair of testicles with a helmet that has a plane and GAU-8 strapped to it.
A-10 is one of many American made greatest planes.
I saw the A-10 engaging tanks in a documentary. This one twist, turn, dived, and made pirouettes avoiding enemy fire. Then it aimed its Gatling gun and eviscerated the opposing tank. I was impressed by the power of such a plane! I am glad the Air Force will keep this technological wonder for years!
USAF needs to stop trying to fix what is not broke, may not be their "speed" but gets the job done, ask the grunts.
It was ahead of it's time and is still doing the job it was designed to do!
Give the Warthogs to the Army and Marines. They both already have helicopters so one more flying weapon is not too shocking.
Ur right n all the USA services members American soldiers love this aircraft a10 warthog should stay in services as long as its keeping getting the job done by bringing All USA soldiers home and the pilots
I asked the grunts but they just grunted
A few Brits probably don’t like it too well…. but it does go BRRRRR!
The A-10 does not have a GAU-8. The GAU-8 has an A-10.
I have a dummy round for it. My father worked on them for many years and got it when he changed platforms. It's about a foot long.
Probably the most underestimated aircraft ever!
I would say it's the most overestimated aircraft ever. I don't really know what role it could fill today since it would be shot down before getting in range of anything. It's loud, paints a massive target and it is REALLY slow. I guess if you establish air superiority first and take out all AA measures some might be able to get through.
Which is probably why it's never deployed anywhere and not counted in any role anymore.
@@michaelmay5453 They operate them from aircraft carriers.
@@michaelmay5453 cry harder
Bullshit
"underestimated" is the most overestimated word in the history of estimation
So bad ass!!!!! What a fantastic kick ass plane!!! So much love, especially for a lesser cost weapon. It has proven so valuable in supporting our ground people, so much love!!❤
Keep it going for as long as possible.
If it ain’t broke …… She is a standard setter and a rock of foundation swat. A real keeper.
I liked the contract requirements, interoperability decisions, and decision-making that went into this weapon system.
As an old Enlish infantryman, I have never known the feeling of security and comfort this aircraft can bring. Now in my very mature years I have always been a very involved supporter of classic aircraft mainly from WWII, and although I have never taken much interest in jet aircraft of any kind, but when the A10 Warthog appeared, I was interested immediately, the aptitudes and extra's applied to this aircraft are absolutely fantastic, what a wonderful aircraft it is, and already a classic in it's self, I hope this aircraft is still around for many, many more years to come. A great innovation by the original designer's, I bet they never thought it would still be flying and used in combat areas some 50 years later.
I Love the A10, they were stationed in my hometown and I used to watch them every day. You could hear them from miles away and I would wait to see their formation of 2 or more. Then a Senator decided he didn't want them there anymore and lobbied to move them, wish they would come back.
Long Live the Blacksnakes.
worst enemies of weapons are rust and politicians
Dating myself our ALO was an A-10 pilot we gave him hell but he was truly part of the team
Great Tank attack plane! Keep it flying!
UTMOST RESPECT & APPRECIATION TO ALL THE WARRIORS PAST & PRESENT POSTING HERE! 7 - 8 years ago I was playing volleyball on Siesta Beach in Sarasota when 4 of these beauties came out of nowhere and flew over us. It was the most beautiful sight & sounds I have heard from any machinery in my life.
I suspect any enemy ground troops that have been lucky enough to survive seeing this thing work at close range, has fear struck in their heart from the experience❗️💪🇺🇸
Considering the number of blue on blue incidents involving A10s ALL troops should be afraid.
As a former US Army infantry commander I will tell you that there is no other aircraft in the US inventory that I would rater have at my back on the battlefield! The Warthogs ground force killing power is unreal. The men and women who fly this machine are in my opinion the best pilots the military has !
I was in the Cavalry. They were our heroes
All I know as a former Marine is that the Warthog was one of my closest friends!
During war games in the desert, we'd engage these planes, As a 14- 16s. I was blown away by how nimble these aircraft are. Incredible turning power. They may look bulky, but they are more maneuverable than most aircraft I've witnessed. From that day to now, I say, we should never get rid of the A10s!💯🤠👍🇺🇸
My son served in Iraq and Afghanistan. I know the guys on the ground love the A10.
I absolutely think the Warthog is an essential part of the Air Forces arsenal and should NOT be abandoned under any circumstances. Wish the were around when my dad was piloting B-17's over Germany. He luckily came back safely but the Warthog might have helped so many who didn't.
One bad ass I would not want to see coming my way I know about destroying tanks with all the upgrades some mean machine The USA should never let this airplane go away
The Stuka had the horns of Jericho. The A-10 has its "BRAAAAAP."
I'm not a pilot or an aircraft engineer, but I believe this is one of the most combat survivable and effective platforms for it's assigned mission set. Very cool all around. I'll bet there are a few grunts and ground-pounders out there who are thankful it was on their side!
The A-10 is like the C-130, the B-52, the F-15, and the "retired for 30 years but now that the F-35 has been proven to be a joke we want it back F-14": IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T REPLACE IT, aircraft.
No it has not proven a joke. All you are doing is showing your very understanding of modern aircraft.
As an old ground pounder, the A-10 is blessing when things turn sour..
Ah, that ripping cloth sound...
There are so many features you have not listed, like self sealing fuel tanks, rigid frames under the skin able to support the wing with severe damage, or the fact that the engines being placed high with the front of the engine over the main wing was also to reduce the risk of sucking in sand or debris when operating in field deployments. It also has the tail around the exhaust to help mask it from IR sensors some.
While the plane is tough it is fighting in a very dangerous environment. This results is still having a high loss rate. That is why they argue to replace it. They think something like the F-35 in more of a stand off role using glide bombs and missiles rather than a big gun will work more. The only problem is the Warthog also provide a huge psychological impact on both our troops and the enemy troops. They fear the sight or even the sound of the A-10 and our troops think it is a god-send when it shows up to give them close air support.
I would love to see it redesigned from the ground up with more efficient engines, maybe a bit of a sweep on the wing so it can go closer to Mach 1. Understand that that low to the ground most aircraft struggle to exceed Mach 1 at all and that is under full afterburners. They could update the controls, electronic, and fire control systems a lot as well as laser and radar systems. Maybe it could handle more Gs and some heavier ordinance.
I also think AI targeting assist would be great. The A-10 can carry laser gilded versions of the Hydra-70 rocket pods as well as Mavericks and Small Diameter Bombs (GPS guided glide bombs). This is a lot of fire power and in an intense situation the pilot would struggle to pick out targets and launch these systems, but with proper AI they could target the amount of input the pilot would need to give would be greatly reduced.
Had the pleasure seeing the Warthog in action while stationed at Ft. Sill, OK. Was doing commo for our gun bunnies and the A-10's were flying right over us. Awesome sight and sound!!
Knowing we have that plane on our side makes me feel a hell of a lot safer
I want one
5/17/2024. All right you want one. Me I want seven, one for each day. Sigh.
What a beast ! ! ! These pilots must have a great day at work every time they fly these
BEAUTIFUL BEAST
As a Tank Platoon Leader during the Cold War I was very happy to see the close air support A 10s covering our battle exercise movements. The Army called them a “Force Multiplier.” Their presence offered well received overwatch for our tanks on the battlefield and magnified our lethality. We hold great respect for the Air Force “Warthogs.”
The A10 Thunderbolt passed low over my military vehicle in Hornsfelt, Germany during a training excercise and it scared me so bad I almost crashed. You cannot hear the plane until it has passed you which is too late if you are the enemy. I am retired military with 28 yrs of service.
Like all servicemen will tell you, I don't need to ask them. Keep the A-10 do not sell it or mothball it. It's one of the best aircraft around. THe gun itself scares the hell out of the enemy. If it's not broken don't fix it.
The Air Force is nuts to get rid of this aircraft. Like the rest of the Air Force if it isn't new or fancy it's no longer needed. I think they will regret scraping this aircraft.
Not being scrapped, this is the upgraded version, the next generation. Better than ever.
Ur right
Upgrades are important but redesigning isn't always the thing to do. You constantly hear how ground troops love the type of support the A-10 gives them and pilots love to fly them, how they can get up close and personal with the enemy due to the built-in armor that keeps them safer than other aircraft!! If it ain't broke don't fix it!!
It said last until 2030 as of now with more upgrades he was talking about the new engines
Fun fact: we can build 20 warthogs for the price of one F22.
well i mean the F22 has stealth capabilities and is one of the most prominent dog fighting aircraft ever made but 20 warthogs for the price of one F22 is acc crazy
And the F-22 got a kill rate of 108-0 in simulations against F-15, F-16, and F-18 jets. For reference, the F-16 Falcon is 76-1 in REAL air combat scenarios. The F-15A/C/I/S Eagle is 102-0. There were only 186 operational F-22s, which is still probably overkill, but when you have such an unstoppable jet it’s worth the cost to build a couple
A-10 needs a Weapons Officer along with the pilot.. to operate a 360 degree LASER TURRET...
making the A-10 not a mere shark but a DRAGON... in addition to all the other weapons the A-10 can handle..
then it can shoot down anything flies, floats, drives or hides lie an Avenging Angel...
***
Thanks, good “ ideas”…..! Interestingly, we assume THAT ( etc.,other capabilities) are examined…..
sweet sweet airplane. I've talked to Iraq war vets who say that hearing the sound of the 30 mm providing close air support was like hearing the bells of angels.
One of the top aircraft.
Some in the us wanted to get rid of it then best plane so they ,could have back handers to get a different plane but we’re over rule 😢😢😢😢😢
I worked at the Fairchild plant in Hagerstown, MD and had a part in making almost 600 ships. I was so proud to have been a part of building such a fantastic aircraft. In my opinion, there is no better friend to our ground troops. The bottom line is that this plane is the most durable aircraft used in combat and it should never be put out to pasture. It has saved too many lives.
Don’t decommission them, give them to the Army and Marines.
I thought you were gonna say they outfitted them with DEW and they flew in the pacific
And let the pilots and crews service transfer to the Army/Marines without penalty.
@@ownpetard8379 Yeah I'm sure Air Force mechs will be rushing to transfer to the Marines. I can see the lines forming outside now.
@@WolfA4 So happy that you see it my way! Together we will win!
I worked on this aircraft for 3.5 yrs as a 462. Over the years I have loaded munitions & watched it in battle and what a Godsend it is for our ground troops! No better a/c to use with 11 pylons and now upgraded technology makes this jet even more lethal. Go Air Force!
I've never cracked up just from hearing a plane's capabilities, until now.
The A10 sounds like a flying dumptruck that can unload Hell on a target. Amazing design.
They're more impress in person. Was in Afghanistan, the sound of the gatling gun is... just wow to hear.
@@rettbull9100 Yeah, the gun sounds like the sky ripping open, and that's just on my crummy phone. Must sound like Hell exploding in person.
@@rettbull9100 Airplane go: BBBBBBRRRRRRRTTTTTTTTT
Being 60 foot up a mast, and having two A10's fly around the mast so close that I could see the red flashes on the pilots white helmets as they both stood the aircraft on its side, I can only say that this aircraft is a wonderful piece of equipment flown by pilots who love to fly it. It has the tightest turning circle of any aircraft on the battlefield, and has earned the nickname 'the silent death' as you simply cannot even hear it coming towards you. A wonderful aircraft that has earned its right to be the close support fighter for ground troops.
It's allways been my favorite
If the Air Force doesn’t want it, the army should definitely take them over
One of the best planes built and used
A great aircraft, when I was deployed to Afghanistan, an A-10 flew over my position, one night when my vehicle was pulling radio observation point. The A-10 flew over popped off a flare and the whole underneath this plane was nothing but heavy ordinates felt great that we had an eye in the sky watching over us.
Fairchild-made Warthog make me rock.
As a Canadian…if our government..could even afford..such a plane.. we might have a chance..but we have nothing…hats off to the US ..on keeping it real!
And H. U. Rudel (stuka-ace) was a consultant during development
As a FAC for the USMC i loved this plane i aways 2anted the A-10 and A-6. A10 the best friend a USMC ground ponder ever had, and the A6 Navy a 0/0 airplane it can that off when nobody eles can fly when nobody eles can and bome the target i give them without a miss when 0 visibility. As long as i can mark my spot with gps grid, or can give the location of target, or location from me. ❤ them both.
Built them in the 70's at the Fairchild plant on LI for 3 years. Love the plane.
I'm in England and have memories of USAF Warthogs flying at low level, using the isolated house of an old friend as a navigation point on their regular flights to and from a nearby firing range. That was in the mid-1980's. The aircraft were low enough down for us to see the pilot's face whilst banking as they passed by. They're one of the best-looking aircraft in US service today.
In January '98 I was flying our Mooney M20C to Ajo, Arizona for a business meeting. Going north of Tucson to Ajo I encountered two A-10s returning from their practice range near Ajo. I saw them about 20 mile2 ahead and they then went directly toward me, making a practice run on me. The turned off when about 3,000 feet from me. Pretty exciting for me.
I love this plane!!! It's designed for serious combat and war survivability. It's a very lethal platform that's an asset to combat ground forces. Great video, it's appreciated! Thanks.
Please do not use clickbait titles….it is very unprofessional 😮😮😮
I know, right? I was expecting them to fit an ice-cream machine in the cockpit.
@@Hedington If they let Musk and SpaceX borrow one for a weekend, I bet they could integrate a touch screen to get rid of some of those pesky buttons and toggles. They they could have an ice-cream machine AND a humidor in the cockpit...
@@jeffnewcomb601not to mention a 22 speaker Burmeister audio set, with speakers on the outside of the plane. Just for entertainment 😂
Seriously. these trashy AI thumbnails are really starting to piss me off...
I love you A - 10.....
Just ask any Marine (I’m one), whether we need A-10s!! Grumman, with our A-6’s, has also saved many of us!!!👍👍👏👏😎🇺🇸
To remove this aircraft from service is crazy.
We need this to keep our ground troops safe.
The gattling gun IS the A10.... a huge gun, with an aircraft built around it.
My all-time favorite warbird.
the new a-10 warthog with upgrade are the plane that i like verry much its a cool plane
Went to a local air show 30+ years ago that featured the A10. Totally blew my sons and myself away.. They did a rocket assist take-off when leaving and holy crap, it was just starting to roll down the runway, the rockets fired and it was in the air, very soon to be gone... GREAT memory!!!