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The A-10 Thunderbolt II is affectionately called the "Warthog" for its ambiguous appearance.
Having entered service, the A-10 was repeatedly criticized, but it continues to be actively
used by the US Air Force.
The warthog is the most controversial attack aircraft of our time.
Today we will study in detail the history of the A-10, consider all its advantages and
disadvantages, and also compare it with its direct competitor, the Su-24.
The first serial A-10 was specially designed for close air support of ground troops.
These are simple, efficient and durable twin-engine jets that can be used against light attack
aircraft and all ground targets, including tanks and other armored vehicles.
Entering service in 1975, the A-10 has long been the subject of criticism for its appearance
and limited use.
The high cost of production and constant criticism forced the Air Force to think about how to
get rid of the "ugly duckling" and use the F-16 fighter as an attack aircraft.
The warthog had its say in the Gulf Wars.
Unexpectedly for everyone, it received a 95.7 combat capability coefficient.
A-10s made 8100 sorties, AGM-65 Maverick missiles reached their target in 90% of cases.
Despite a number of successful operations, former merits were forgotten.
In 2014, then-US Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh III said that the Air Force
must decommission the A-10 completely if it wants to cut its budget substantially.
And that, for a second, saves $3.7 billion in a five-year defense program, plus another
$500 million by avoiding the cost of modernizing the A-10, which is not necessary.
Also, Congress and the US Air Force have repeatedly discussed the vulnerability of the A-10 to
modern air defense systems.
Most were of the opinion that these machines were relics of the past, and modern fighters
would do better.
Fast forward to 2022!
The warthog not only remained in operation, but also received many updates.
New weapons, new cockpit layout, and modern electronics.
And so we take off!
The latest modification of the A-10 Thunderbolt II has excellent maneuverability at low speeds
and altitudes, and is also an excellent weapon delivery platform.
The aircraft can stay close to combat areas for a long time and operate in low visibility
conditions.
The large combat radius and the possibility of short takeoff and landing make it possible
to conduct combat operations near the front line and beyond.
Using night vision goggles, A-10 pilots can perform their tasks at night.
The latest versions of the Warthog are real flying tanks.
Thunderbolt II can use a wide range of ammunition: general purpose bombs, cluster bombs.
The Warthog's weaponry includes laser and GPS-guided munitions, i.e.
AGM-65 Maverick and AIM-9 Sidewinde missiles.
The crown jewel of the warthog's combat power is the 30mm GAU-8/A cannon, capable of firing
3,900 rounds per minute.
It strikes any vehicles, including tanks.
The weapon aiming system includes head-up displays that show airspeed, altitude, dive
angle, navigational information, and weapon aiming landmarks.
The aircraft can aim the weapon at different targets with the push of a button, after which
it will tell the pilot if they can all hit their intended targets in one go.
The cockpit is protected by titanium armor, which also protects critical parts of the
flight control system.
The aircraft can withstand direct hits of armor-piercing and high-explosive fragmentation
shells up to 23 mm caliber.
To improve survival at medium altitudes and tactical maneuverability at night at low altitudes,
a night vision system was installed in the Thunderbolt II.
It is installed on the pilot's helmet and the canopy of the aircraft, and the signal
system allows the pilot to see all around.
Also, an improved helmet-mounted sight, known as the Hybrid Optical-based Inertial Tracker,
accurately tracks the movements of the pilot's head using a new optical sensor consisting
of a series of dots on the aircraft's canopy.
A unique feature of the tracker is the absence of onboard equipment.
A group of small round control stickers in the form of barcodes is placed on the inner
surface of the cockpit
The upgraded avionics equipment includes communications and GPS navigation.
Air traffic controllers can report their position digitally.
This feature has been built in to help prevent unintentional targeting of allied objects.
Low speed, as well as a variety of weapons, are the advantage of the A-10 Thunderbolt
II while escorting helicopters in dangerous areas.
An important role is assigned to the aircraft in search and rescue operations.
The use of the attack aircraft allows for pick up of wounded soldiers in any military
conditions.
To date, attack aircraft are in service only in the Russian Federation and the United States.
Not every army in the world can afford these specific machines.
The main competitor of the A-10 is the Soviet-Russian Su-25.
We invite you to compare the two most massive representatives of modern attack aircraft.
During the Cold War, Soviet developers introduced the Su-25 attack aircraft, which has been
in service since 1981.
In Afghanistan, the SU-25 received a baptism of fire and the nickname "Rook".
The fighting confirmed the survivability and maneuverability of Russian attack aircraft.
The developers noted the advantages of the Su-25: "low speed and maneuverability allows
it to deliver accurate strikes on targets."
After the appearance of a portable anti-aircraft complex among the Mujaheddin, several attack
aircraft were destroyed, and the aircraft itself underwent modernization.
To date, the Su-25 and A-10 are old-style attack aircraft.
Both of them have been repeatedly criticized, but it is foolish to deny their modernization.
The Su-25 can withstand shelling with a caliber of 12.7 mm, and vital segments can withstand
damage - with a caliber of up to 30 mm.
Traditionally, an attack aircraft has two engines, which increases their combat survivability.
The developers of the Su-25 took a simpler path, the engines are covered with an armored
hull.
In the A-10, the engines are located on both sides in the tail section of the aircraft
body.
This design feature of the Warthog protects the engine from damage when taking off from
unprepared or damaged runways.
Naturally, both aircraft have titanium armor and are well armored, but there are nuances.
The protection of the A-10 consists of titanium panels fastened with bolts, and the protection
of the cockpit of the Su-25 is a welded titanium "bath."
On the Russian Su-25, the armor thickness is from 0,4 to 1 in, on the American Warthog,
from 0,5 to 1,5 in.
As we already know, the armored glass of the A-10 cockpit protects the pilot from ammunition
with a caliber of up to 23 mm.
At the time of the creation of the Warthog, special attention was paid to shelling from
23-mm Soviet anti-aircraft guns.
At that time, 23-mm guns formed the basis of small-caliber anti-aircraft artillery in
many countries of the world.
At the same time, individual elements of the American attack aircraft are protected from
fragmentation 57-mm anti-aircraft shells.
It has already been said about the combat power of the A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft,
the Rook is not inferior to its range of missiles and bombs.
32 types of weapons are installed on the Rook.
The main threat is carried out by unguided missiles, free-falling and adjustable bombs.
To top it off, the A-10 attack aircraft has the 30-mm GAU-8 Avenger artillery mount, which
is capable of destroying armored vehicles, including tanks.
The aircraft fuselage was built around this gun.
The GAU-8 Avenger cannon can easily destroy an infantry fighting vehicle, and from a distance
of 3280 ft it can penetrate 1,5in of armor.
It is high precision.
From a distance of 4002 ft, 81% of the fired shells hit a circle with a diameter of 41
ft.
The artillery armament of the Su-25 is more modest, it is represented by a double-barreled
30-mm gun GSh-30-2.
The only advantage of the “Russian cannon” is the burst of the shot.
The GSh-30-2 cannon can fire 250 rounds in one burst, and the rate of fire is 3000 rounds
per minute.
The Warthog has 1350 rounds of ammunition, but this miracle cannon can fire in short
bursts.
Cruising speed A - 10 is less than that of the Rook. 347 mph and 466 mph respectively.
In the maximum speed, the leadership is again goes to the Russians - 590 mph against 448
mph.
They also note that the Su-25 is more maneuverable and this attack aircraft is able to perform
complex aerobatics.
The aircraft were created with different visions, so the A-10 engine is more economical than
that of Russian rivals.
The Rook engine consumes 1lb of fuel per hour, and the American 13.05 oz / hour.
The advantage of the Rook engine is its unpretentiousness, it is able to fly not only on kerosene.
Both attack aircraft received a solid chassis and large-scale straight wings that allow
them to take off even from unpaved strips.
The length of the takeoff run for the S-25 during takeoff is 1804 ft m and 3779 ft m
for the A-10.
The Su-25 is more adaptable and has an advantage over the A-10 in terms of taking off from
unpaved strips of 1968 ft - 2296 ft.
At the same time, the Russian attack aircraft can overcome a height of up to 4 miles, an
American is able to climb up to 8 miles.
The Su-25 continues to be successfully operated.
Today we conducted a comparative analysis of two attack aircraft: A-10 and SU-25.
Both machines are veterans of the Cold War, but they are constantly being modified and
continue to operate successfully, despite talk about their technical shortcomings.
It is important to note that in modern times, the main task of aviation support is carried
out with the help of multifunctional aircraft.
But the A-10 and Su-24 remain relevant, because when it comes to direct fire support of troops
in battle, high-speed fighters are not suitable.
American-Russian "flying tanks" of the Cold War era remain relevant to this day.
That's all for today.
We hope you enjoyed the video.
Which attack aircraft did you like the most and which one do you think is the most suitable
for use in the army?
Leave your answers in the comments.
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