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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.