A-10 Warthogs Are Doing Bizarrely Long Strafing Runs In Iraq

[rto]

Videos have been going viral of A-10s doing strafing runs on targets in Iraq, largely focused on force protection of U.S. interests in the country. The threat from Iranian-aligned militias and other groups in Iraq has spiked since Operation Epic Fury began over four weeks ago. While seeing videos shot overseas of the Warthog using its GAU-8 30mm Avenger cannon is anything but new, the duration of some of the ‘trigger pulls’ shown certainly is.

One of these caught on camera appears to be roughly nine seconds long, with another being around six seconds long:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/10-warthogs-doing-bizarrely-long-182557123.html

Badass war machines. We could have used them in Nam, not slighting the Cobras or Huey gunships as they did their job well.

[4thIDvet]

Yes sir buddy they would have been the perfect plane for Nam.. The NVA got butchered at the Iah Drang early 65' as fighting the Americans was totally new to them. They fought well but stayed back enough for the fast movers to come in and blast the piss out of them. That battle was a learning experience for them to get in close where those fighter jocks could not get them.
Constant talk of getting rid of the A-10s which is a terrible mistake as their is nothing to replace them.

[rto]

I'll bet that A-10s would have reduced the battle of Khe Sanh from months to weeks. The was some bad shit that those Marines went through.
Seems like the .gov should just build new A-10s or did they lose the plans?

[GARANDNUT]

A10 are cool but loitering drones are more effective. I am not talking about those 100K drones used in Ukraine but the high altitude stuff loitering over Iran dropping switch blade missiles on a target. There is a video of one taking out a group of IRGC motorcycles in between two cars. The missile hits but does not use explosives so there is little to no area effect, the windows on the cars behind the motorcycles does not even break. The motorcycle moon howlers are cut to pieces and the civilians are unscathed. Replace this with small precision guided munitions and anything that moves is toast. Add autonomous AI and turn them loose to do their work with no human interaction.

[dinkydow]

The communists in DC do not approve of effective weapons systems that our armed forces employ. They have been trying to kill off the A10 for decades. I recall that the commys in DC were pissing and moaning about how the Warthog was not supersonic and thus was inferior to supersonic enemy fighters/ interceptors. The commys here, never stop their efforts to kill off the American fighting man. Never.

[4thIDvet]

A10 are cool but loitering drones are more effective. I am not talking about those 100K drones used in Ukraine but the high altitude stuff loitering over Iran dropping switch blade missiles on a target. There is a video of one taking out a group of IRGC motorcycles in between two cars. The missile hits but does not use explosives so there is little to no area effect, the windows on the cars behind the motorcycles does not even break. The motorcycle moon howlers are cut to pieces and the civilians are unscathed. Replace this with small precision guided munitions and anything that moves is toast. Add autonomous AI and turn them loose to do their work with no human interaction.

"Loitering Drones" very interesting piece of technology. That is something great to hear just taking out the bad guys without hurting innocents. Nothing turns sentiment against a country going to war like collateral damage as the govt. likes to call it.
Why is their talk of getting rid of the A-10s in my .02? A weapon that is probably the best friend a grunt on the ground could see. I really really feel drones are going to make it obsolete like we are witnessing in the Ukrainian war. A drone loitering in the A.O. could be called in by some 21yr old kid on a computer sitting in a military compound from somewhere in Kansas.
Hell its on the news everyday of some Russian or Ukrainian drone taking out each others tanks or infrastructure. An A-10 while one of the best weapons out their takes time and manpower to get on needed site. Those large ammo loaded drones could hover above an infantry unit on the move for the duration of their action.
Get on the radio call up that 21yr old drone driver in Kansas and lay waste to their problem. This while the A10 drivers are still getting dressed. Yup no more fix bayonets sorry Marines but war is going totally technical.

[4thIDvet]

The communists in DC do not approve of effective weapons systems that our armed forces employ. They have been trying to kill off the A10 for decades. I recall that the commys in DC were pissing and moaning about how the Warthog was not supersonic and thus was inferior to supersonic enemy fighters/ interceptors. The commys here, never stop their efforts to kill off the American fighting man. Never.

I just watched a show on different countries 'who has the fastest jet.' While fast speed is a necessity its turning ability and positioning for a kill that's going to win every time. Look at the little F-16 that every country wants and has been around since the Wright Bros.. That little bird while not the fastest is one hell of an ass kicker against all those go super fast modern fighters they put it up against.

[Sanders]

Iran shot one down, yesterday. Then, they posted video online of a missile tracking it and hitting it.

[4thIDvet]

Iran shot one down, yesterday. Then, they posted video online of a missile tracking it and hitting it.

I guess eventually it is going to happen when the other side keeps tossing things at you. We read about our new super incredible military planes that can't be taken out even with kryptonite. Well I guess it ain't so? I think its the new M-29 Ruskie version that is one hell of a good fighter jet? Only thing making ours a bit better is the technology in knocking the others out.
Plus all our military pilots kept asking for machine guns or some such old school defensive weapons after their missals are all gone. Once the rockets are gone its just a big hunk of metal flying around in the fight.