Monday, November 30, 2015

Another Story That Makes The Case For Keeping The A-10

 A-10s of the 81st Fighter Wing sit at Spangdahlem Air Base in 2012. At top — A-10s from the 188th Fighter Wing take part in an exercise. Air Force photos

Times Record/McClatchy News: War Against Islamic State Moves Warthog From Cutting Board To Front Line

WASHINGTON — Air Force Col. Martha McSally was leading a squadron of A-10 attack jets over Afghanistan when they encountered U.S. forces engaged in a desperate fight against Islamist insurgents.

One of the embattled troops signaled his unit’s location with a small mirror that reflected sunlight upward. McSally, the first American woman to fly in combat, and the other pilots flew to the light and opened fire with the seven-barrel Gatling cannons nestled in the A-10s’ noses. The fire, at 65 rounds per second, devastated the enemy. The surrounded Americans lived.

“They didn’t have time to figure out the eight-digit coordinates of the enemy or to put a laser spot on the target because they were on the run with their lives in danger,” McSally recalled in a recent interview. “The other (jet) fighters were above the weather, so they could not get down to save these guys. They were not going to live, but we went down and saved their asses. We were able to get below the weather in the mountains because the A-10 is slow and maneuverable.”

WNU Editor: It looks like this plane will have a few more years left.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

They serve a valuable purpose!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvfvGJx8KN8

RRH said...

A10s are nice. I wish Canada had them. SU 25s, even better.

Anyway, I don't know if you've seen this but theyre arresting officers again in Turkey. Anyone caught exposing Erdogan's support for the Islamo-fascists is now a terrorist coupster.

http://www.dailysabah.com/politics/2015/11/29/three-turkish-army-officials-arrested-in-mit-trucks-case

RRH said...

RT is on it too.

https://www.rt.com/news/323899-turkey-officers-treason-arrests/

RRH said...

You think they understood each other Editor?
I'm willing to bet PET's kid speaks as good or better Parisian than Hollande. Now if only he could be half the PM....



http://www.cbc.ca/m/news/topstories/climate-summit-paris-targets-mcdiarmid-1.3342886

fazman said...

Su25 are not as good as a10 in my opinion, what makes you say that

fazman said...

Sorry guys but did a story on here about turkey blockading the russian fleet just dissapear

RRH said...

Coming from a country without a billion quadrillion dollar defence budget, I find the SU 25 to be a cheap and easy to maintain option. While it may not have the range, or firepower of the A10, it's faster, smaller and, from what I can tell, easier to operate in very rugged/austere environments, like those found in the majority of Canada.

I also, as stated before on this forum, have a weakness for Soviet/Russian weaponry and find, in general, it's simplicity, ruggedness and cost to be much more suitable to a small power like Canada--- and no, interoperability with NATO is not high on my list of requrements.

RRH said...

Coming from a country without a billion quadrillion dollar defence budget, I find the SU 25 to be a cheap and easy to maintain option. While it may not have the range, or firepower of the A10, it's faster, smaller and, from what I can tell, easier to operate in very rugged/austere environments, like those found in the majority of Canada.

I also, as stated before on this forum, have a weakness for Soviet/Russian weaponry and find, in general, it's simplicity, ruggedness and cost to be much more suitable to a small power like Canada--- and no, interoperability with NATO is not high on my list of requrements.

RRH said...

Seems that way

fazman said...

I come from aust so like canada l see your points :)