109 A-10s facing grounding

a reply to: Zaphod58

Yeah I'm well aware of that, but I've read and personally heard tons of testimonials over the years from the guys on the ground in the firefights that when they need CAS, they overwhelmingly want the A-10. There's data to back them up too. For example a few years ago I read an analysis of A-10 vs B-1 CAS and the rate of friendly fire incidents is much lower with the A-10. I'll see if I can dig it up.

a reply to: face23785

Of course they do. You always want a dedicated CAS platform is one is available. But dedicated CAS and survivable are almost mutually exclusive at this point.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I get what you're saying about survivability vs the other country's air force and anti-aircraft. We address that with our strategy though. We typically don't lead with ground troops. We take out the air force and air defenses in the first few days before we send in ground troops, so when the ground troops are calling for close air support, the main dangers to the A10 are already taken care of.

Then there's instances like the War on Terror where the enemy doesn't have an air force or a real air defense system.

a reply to: face23785

Yes, we do, but when you're talking about someone like North Korea, where there is a lot of terrain to hide in, air power won't be able to do a lot. You're going to have to send ground forces in to dig them out. That means that you're going to have to have a CAS platform that can survive with them.

Considering the beating they take just flying at the altitude they do, coupled with the hours per year doing it I am honestly surprised this has not happened sooner...and I love the A-10.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I'm going to have to disagree with you on this one Zaphod. The only reason that North Korea had any air during the Korean War was that it was based in China and we were not allowed to attack their bases. If China stays out of it the North Korean Air Force will have a short but exciting life. The same goes for their anti-aircraft.

a reply to: JIMC5499

I wasn't talking about North Korea specifically, but a country that has the same conditions, where they can hide anti-air and artillery. Airpower alone won't win a war against artillery hidden in caves and mountains, or tunnels to move around in. Airpower alone won't win a fight, and sooner or later ground troops are going to be in the thick of it, with the other side having air cover, whether you're talking other fighters or surface to air.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Manpads are a B**** though...not so easy to deal with from the skies. Isn't there stingers still running around in the wild over there along with whatever Russian tech may be out there.

a reply to: RickyD

That's where high altitude CAS comes in to play. MANPADS only work up to about 16-18,000 feet. The highest reaching MANPADS I've ever heard of, might have been able to reach 20,000 feet.

Not MuhWartHogs!
I love those planes and there's nothing better for close ground support.
Tank buster extraordinaire.

a reply to: Zaphod58

What kinds of altitudes do C-130 spectors operate at...do they classify as high altitude CAS...cause if I was the guy calling for support I would want a Warthog...but my runner up would be a C-130 gunship

a reply to: RickyD

Right in the heart of MANPADS territory. Usually below 10,000 feet.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Jeez...I always thought they ran higher...

a reply to: RickyD

The J models can stay higher, but that's pretty much because the Block 10 J model had its armament gutted in favor of Mavericks and Hellfires, similar to the Harvest Hawk kit on the KC-130 the Marines have.

a reply to: Zaphod58

We need to just get the drone swarms going then lol!