Russia Panic: US Finally Tests The New Super A-10 Warthog
Vložit
- čas přidán 30. 06. 2024
- The United States has always been able to design deadly aircraft. But sometimes engineers have managed to exceed even the wildest expectations by practically designing an impenetrable tank with wings as opposed to an attack aircraft!
In today’s video, we’ll be discussing the A-10 Thunderbolt II, which is celebrating its impressive 50 years in the skies this May!
You’ll learn about the battles in which the star of today’s video took part, its modifications, and how long it will serve in the Air Force. - Věda a technologie
As a former ranger and have seen firsthand the A-10 in action, I can say with certainty that the A-10 is the ground troops best friend and to see it in live action is just a thing of beauty and that burp gun is something you will never forget. I hope they never decommission this remarkably engineered aircraft.
Well, they sure love to try and get our aircraft outta the runnings
Except when they hit friendlies because the gun is anything but accurate and most of them lack optics or IFF systems :)
@@ParoXyzmm it’s a 50 year old plane cut it some slack. Plus it was built as a cheap plane that can take off on a small runway with little care. In short perfect desert plane.
@@Junkmeister Cutting slack for a plane which has the highest civilian and friendly casualties by FAR isn't something I'm going to be doing any time soon. It's still in service only because people think it's cool.
@@ParoXyzmm Exactly. Clearly people haven't caught on yet on how overblown this plane is. A machine completely based on hype.
I was a civilian contractor with the 442nd TFW (KC Warthogs) and could not have been more proud of the pilots that refused to be told that their "birds" were old, slow and outdated. They saved many of my friends (from other services) in the Gulf, who were pinned down and CAS of the A-10's saved them. Many of them wept when they heard the distinctive sound of the A-10 High-bypass engines overhead, and remembered the sound of "help" on the way.
Great story, thanks
My Son-n -Law did 3 tours in Iraq with the Marine's and he said that there was nothing like hearing the voice of a A-10 pilot say here I come heads down and then the unmistakeable sound of that cannon going off , he still smiles today when thinking of how many times that they where supported by a A-10 in his words it was a Marines best friend in Iraq and hands down the heavyweight hitter for ground troops !
@@MrSymbolic7 There is a saying.If you hear the gunner on an A-10 going off it wasn't meant for you. Its an incredible machine
I think the A10 Avenger cannon was part of the rise of the "go brrrrr" meme.
Amen brother!
My dad help build these aircraft at the Fairchild factory in Hagerstown, Md. We lived not far from the factory and I remember seeing 4 to 6 A-10s at a time flying in formation during test flights from the airport at the factory site. I used to lay in the grass on a hill and watch them run maneuvers multiple times growing up. A good childhood memory.
Two of my son's served in Iraq, and they said the A10 was most awesome aircraft they'd ever seen and always knew they could count on the a-10s and their pilots to get them out of trouble. They were awesome. They were very impressed
The first time I saw one, I was working for my construction company in 1999 between my junior and senior years of college. The first time I heard the distinctive reload sound of the cannon, I was in OSUT at Ft. Leonard Wood, MO.
I lived in Fortney trailer park across the street from the airport and watched them fly also.
Hey Man! My brother and I did the same as our grandad worked at Fairchild in WWII and we lived a few miles away from the airport. Loved watching those chromate green A-10 pairs flying over the house! As a kid, we took a factory tour of Fairchild they handed out 30mm dummy rounds as party favors! My brother now runs the Hagerstown Aviation Museum at the airport and they've now collected almost all Fairchild aircraft ever built but don't yet have an A-10. I'm sure one will show up eventually. Good to hear from you former neighbor!
Hi Mr Pretty. Please tell your dad it was a pleasure to see my child save american lives and to give our enemies a reason to soil thier pants. The input that I had on this aircraft even though I believe is small, I am proud of how well it has performed. Thankyou (ret) Major Alan Lelonek
I remember watching the Gulf War live broadcasts of the A-10's coming back. One pilot had a hole the size of a basketball blown through his wing and the rest of the craft was riddled with bullet holes, and he landed it safely. It is good the pilots were listened to. The Warthog has brought many of them home to their families. It is also effective and does the job.
I am a South African but I can tell you one thing, if it ever comes down to decommissioning the A10 it would be the biggest mistake America has ever made regarding your air power. Start producing more of them and keep it to yourselves for the future.
Amen to that.
the threat to ground them is over af is keeping them and fitting new wings and armorment
@@jar407 Finally the AF is showing some intelligence. F-22 and F-35 complete and catastrophic failures.
If the politicians listen to any men on the ground that actually fight they would keep and improve the A-10 it seems like every one on the ground always cheer when one arrives on the scene.
@@kimhook5344 Thank you KiM
I would hate to see this bird go away.. when I was in Iraq just knowing we had the warthog in support would make us feel invincible. When we needed them and we would hear the guns go off would put chills up my spine! The warthog is the infantryman's best friend.
I recall reading when the Iraqi generals were to meet General Schwarzkopf a couple of A10s flew overhead. The Iraqi general looked up and said to the escorting American officer, "You have too many of those." Nuff said.
I remember working at NAS Sigonella Sicily. I had a young Sailor working the flight line. Her first day directing in a plane was the A-10. She was worried about getting sucked into the intake.. Well, after that she became one of my best people and I am proud of the work she did. Thanks Steph.
As an AH-1S Cobra pilot with the 1/17th Cav at Ft. Bragg, I used to fly Joint Air Attack Team JAAT missions with A-10s from Pope Air Force base, and from tree top level I can tell you that watching an A-10 making a run in to the target is impressive- especially the way they'd "bump" the nose up to gain a bit of altitude, followed by rolling near inverted to see the target, then roll out and fire off a burst from the 30mm. Like most former aviators I have my share of stories about encountering A-10s "in the wild" like one time we were flying off hours, returning to Ft. Bragg (Simmons AAF) and had just taken off from refueling in S.C. As we headed out we suddenly encountered two A-10s going the other way at our altitude - of course, which meant about 1,500 feet or so, so naturally we both (they and we) angled towards each other in simulated attack runs, angling away to go past one another.
Suddenly the Tower called up and said, "Those A-10s are turning back around on you," and we (flight of two Cobras) instantly pulled hard around to bring our noses onto them (no fixed wing can EVER out turn a helicopter) - sure enough here they came making a "gun run" on us...all in the spirit of "training" and we made another head on pass with them. Naturally, had we both been using live ammo, the 30mm in the A10 would have easily out-classed our M197 20mm cannon, but considering a Cobra is only 36" wide across the airframe, that's a mighty small target to hit 2 clicks out...but it was just fun stuff to do, you're not supposed to be doing of course!
Make sure you tell 'the youngsters' your aviation stories. 🙂
Great tale, thank you for your service, God Bless You
Can you even call yourself a military aviator if you don't do simulated attack runs when encountering other military aircraft? ;)
Civ. pilot for 55 years here.... good story, dude!
They need more A-10 and upgrade its defense section with more counter measures from flying objects :)
I was the Scout Platoon leader in A/1-17 Cav in 1983-84. We too (with our Cobras, of course) did JAAT training with A-10s from South Carolina. Good times.
Where's the Super A-10 in this?
ikr
I am tired of clicking on the "new super A-10 stories depicting radically designed all new aircraft only to see the "old" A-10 with almost no detectable changes unless one happens to be one of the designers of the plane from the beginning. I am a great fan of the A-10 but it seems both it and the F-22 Raptor are supposed to be replaced by the F-35 and as yet top secret, experimental multi-role aircraft. The military does not seem to be any better than the news channels when these reports get released.
Propaganda
Fr
Another Bad Title just to get Us to watch!
The A10 is the Colt 1911 of airplanes. Sometimes you just need to hit someone with a trash can full of rocks moving pretty damn fast.
Respect to all the A10 pilots who put it all on the line for our troops!
Salute!
""""Sometimes you just need to hit someone with a trash can full of rocks moving pretty damn fast.""""
Very large grin. That is a very accurate statement.
Working in Aerospace in the 90's I was able to make contributions on many platforms. We were well aware of the A-10s abilities and it was a shock to hear they were to be retired! I'm glad to see the program continue. All of the aircraft we worked on performed their jobs with amazing effect but the A10 held a special place for me just for the close contact and bad-ass fire power. It's a source of pride to say I worked on it.
Being a VN SOG vet,I will always have a special place in my heart for the old Wart Hogs and their pilots. I can tell you truthfully that I would have never lived to make it back home if it hadn't been for those VERY bold pilots and their "wonder plane".
Are you claiming A10 Warthogs saved you in Viet Nam?
Gotta call ya on this one @bender138. Vietnam war ended in '73. Depending on how one defines "entered service" the A-10 entered service in '75 or '76. One supposes that it is possible that a few of the prototypes may have been shipped there in '73 to see how they performed in CAS but I wouldn't bet a plugged nickel on that being the case.
I used to live in Tucson, and if you weren't watching for them and listening for them, they would be over the top of the before you knew it. There are exceptionally quiet for their size and speed. And so maneuverable. They were fun to watch
I saw an A-10 model toy for sale at the counter of a convenience store when I was in 4th grade. I had to have it. I knew it was a boss then, just by looking at it.
Buddy of mine that was in the Gulf War had some great stories about the A-10. He told me all the enemy had to do was hear those engines far in the distance and they would do pretty much anything (including fighting each other) to GTFO of Dodge. They didn't want none of that.
As an Army wife in West Germany in the '80's, I remember the Warthogs coming in to land at their base and doing a 'loop' before they landed. Awesome sight!
Awesome! Jealous you got to see them! As a kid n the 80’s I hd wallpaper in my bedroom of A10’s in action , I’d day dream countless hours looking at my walls . My army dad and amazing mom apparently knew what was awesome in the 80’s lol. She passed away of cancer recently and I don’t know there’s a finer example of a mom , as an army wife You’re a diamond in the rough , supporting your other half in unimaginable circumstances. Hats off to u.
@@MZ-bl6wg Bless you and thank you!
Worked on making engine parts for this amazing aircraft for many years. Always had to check out the A10’s at the air shows I went to.
That’s awesome man what a privilege! 🇺🇸
What a pleasure it was to spend a couple of minutes in Warthog cockpit at an airshow a few years back.
My grandfather was one of the supervisors at Fairchild that worked on this beast before he retired.....amazing aircraft!!!
@@gregbartley9910 From an old "Airman", thank him for me. Saw many close range "test" runs of this beast and loved ever minute.
I consider myself privileged that i get to see them fly frequently. 122nd Fighter Wing “Blacksnakes” operate out of Fort Wayne Indiana. I haven't had the chance to see them up close.
I remember watching a film about this aircraft in the 70's at Mcguire AFB in NJ demolishing a tank. I thought I would not want to be on the receiving end of this.
I used to live in Myrtle Beach, SC and enjoyed watching the A-10's flying out of the Air Force Base there. Still a favorite when I see one. Thanks for the video
Having seen the A10 in demonstrated action, the only word to describe it is "Impressive". It makes the pilot/aircraft symbiosis a dream come true.
If the B-52 can last, so can the warthog !!!!!
The warthog is the Clint Eastwood of the skies.
Or the Chuck Norris of the skies 💪
a-10. My favorite aircraft. Built to purpose, and it fills that purpose extreemly well
It has the highest civilian/friendly casulaty rate of any US aircraft to date.
The A-10 is a flying Tank. The Pilots love it because it is so effective and supports and defends US Ground Troops in the field. The A-10 can limp Home with holes holding it together. The Pilots see it as a guaranteed 2 way ticket. Keep the Warthog.
The A10 came home full of holes made with 12.7mm munition but not going to come out alive against modern MANPAD. It was a great tool against insurgents but not against a modern army.
@@alfaromeo6985
^
How the Hell do YOU know? You seriously don't think that the Warthog is equipped to defend against surface-to-air missiles? Really? I can tell you this. YOU have never faced off against one of these A-10 beasts. If you had and you had your MANPAD, I dare say that you have been too busy crapping in your pants. You wouldn't be able to shoot it down. Then, you would have died. The good news is that your death would have been quick and painless.
And these beasts HAVE faced off against your "modern" MANPADs before. And you act like the A10 has never fought against a modern army. It has and has done it on many occasions. It faced off against the Iraqi army TWO times. If it would have been allowed to part in this Ukraine and Russia war, the war would already be over, because Russia would have any tanks left. My Tiger Kungfu...is better than yours...I don't think you're good enough...to avenge your master.
Somebody need to tell the producers what an F-16 looks like. In the two places they mentioned the F-16 they showed a Rafale and an F-18.
its a eurofighter typhoon at 11:48
Always been my favorite plane. I hope it never ever gets retired.....
As former RAF aircrew, I am delighted the USA listened, not only to the Pilots (who are, quite simply THE best source of opinion) but to the ground troops who are always re-assured when these beasts are called in to help. The A-10 is probably the best aircraft of its type ever built, and terrifies the opposition. May it long be flown. Well done USA.
I was at Red Flag back in the day and saw that T62 after a Warthog pass. Those slugs cut through that thing like butter. One went inside and rattle around like a blender and another hit the barrel and sliced a gouge along the side when you'd think it would have skipped off. Awesome aircraft. I wear an A-10 tee shirt often lol.
Just a T-62 it can't take out modern day tanks.
@@thedreysepodcasttv4852 Actually it can. beside being able to carry 10 types of bombs, rockets etc. It also has API rounds that can be loaded into the gun. The depleted uranium rounds literally destroy a modern tank.
@@michaelmenzies3837 F-35 can carry more and the F-111 got more kills in the gulf war. It is an outdated plane so bad even Ukraine dosen't want it.
@@michaelmenzies3837 🤓
A small error: At 1:00 the aircraft shown is a Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, not a Republic F-105 Thunderchief.
another small error at 11:48 F-16 and shows a Eurofighter Typhoon.....
@@xenondead and at 12:35 is an F-18
lol all their aircraft mentions are wrong.
multiple incorrect aircraft type overlays.
@@nexpro6985 Also, please have a look at what a UK flag really looks like!....
Would love to see these beasts take on those 8 miles of Russian tanks and armoury in Ukraine!🔥💥
Like shooting fish in a barrel
Yes yes yes , a 100 times YES.
It would resemble a military ‘Turkey shoot’😂🤣
@@666DW love to see it attack rusky columns
We brits may or may not have a 2o man sas team out there whispers navy .seals are wandring got that from military contact.rusky top brass getin hit by snipers
Lovely whispering death kill those murdering.bastards
@Grant Birżebbuġa Sfax yes
I started my AF career with the 66 FWS at Nellis in 79. Love this hard working hog, seen many times it’s effect on items it cancelled out permanently and in action in the Nevada desert. I realized back then it wasn’t meant for SAR, but something to decimate anything thing that moved or shot. I’m happy it’s lasted this long, and hope for a much longer future, our troops will depend on this again, watch and see.
We have fun with A10's. We're a group pf people who ride together, we have the latest fast UTV's, turbo powered with long travel suspensions. We can do 90mph thru the desert.
On a few occasions we have been attacked by A10's. No, not for real, but they have chased us (in fun) I figure we are good training. We can go fast and corner.
We can't get away from them. They probably enjoy it too.
An outstanding aircraft, much beloved by our troops on the ground, and whose unique sound when approaching and over the battle-space strikes fear and panic in our foes. Long Live the A10 !
LOVE THIS HOG, ITS THE BEST OF THE BEST !
We supported 2 squadrons of the WartHog in 1985 in Denmark. They could drive over the trees and scrap a meadow just a few feet above the deck. This one pilot scared the crap out of the horse in that meadow that according to pilot the darn thing died. Pretty sure the owner will have gotten a check or a good chunk of change for that. lol
In 1983, I enlisted in the USMC with the intention of flying OV-10 Broncos. I liked the idea of close air/observation/light attack. The A-10 would
have been a serious upgrade for me had I succeeded in my goal to fly Broncos, which I did not. The A-10 is an incredible plane for which I have a deep visceral love. There may be good reasons to retire them, or there may be better reasons to keep them flying. In any case, I would like to see them in the air for a long time to come. Watching them wheel about a beat up ground targets is a thrill that I hope I never forget.
I remember being at a Dartmouth NS, Canada airshow when I was 8 years old (1988ish) an A-10 did a display with the nose cannon and totally destroyed a wooden outhouse or shed. I can still remember the way I could feel each shot in my chest. Probably my favorite Jet ever since.
The HOG is a Gattling Gun with an aircraft built around it.
It actually is
@@joemarchinski914 Amen and Amen and thank goodness it is still with us and juan mccain-kerry-algore is not.
@@howardjohnson2138 was curious how does your combat record compare to McCain’s?
@@KTLocsta Well, I did not spend time in the hanoi hilton if that's what you are asking
@@cubefreak123 You might want to check your facts or you will be reported to lunchbucket joe's misinformation board.
The enemy doesn't know it's coming but they definitely know when it has been there. Love this plane!
I said this earlier, but when I lived in Tucson if you weren't watching for them they'd be over the top of you before you knew it, they were so quiet. And maneuverable. They were something else to watch in peace time, I would hate to see them if I was the enemy. If I was able to see them before they struck
Great Attack Plane, Great Video. The history of this remarkable aircraft is impressive.
Thanks for sharing. Felix
In UK I was regularly at Bruntingthorpe airfield, working around the runway, when Warthogs would line up & appear to make a dummy run on us. Being no threat, I was always pleased to see them. On another occasion I looked up at the roar of jet engines & a Vulcan (?) bomber flew low along the runway with undercarriage down. Marvellous! I checked the roof of my van for tyre marks. As an aside, Concorde had Bruntingthorpe as an emergency landing site during testing.
I am sure the A10 will go on after 2040, but also, besides electronic upgrade and artillery upgrades, I am sure some design and engine updates will happen.. but it was such a well designed aircraft from the start, thats why its lasted so long.. I mean they made the wing wheels still stick out when put in locked position so in case things go wrong and they have to land, the wheels will still work..
After 2040? Hmm yes, but probably with a cockpit sitting in a container at some airbase no doubt
Even if the A-10 is too costly to maintain, I'd remind you that the A-10 works great as a "terror weapon" that demoralizes enemies, and prevents further fighting; saving more lives.
Fact is, until planes are completely invisible, the A-10 is a necessary tool; invisibility will be its own form of terror.
Always has been my favorite aircraft in use.. would love to see a new version.
My favorite feature of the a10 is the ripping of its 30mm cannon chivalrously masking the sounds of the enemy crapping their pants.
this all time most admired combat platform will be around way past 2030 as long as a resupply of wings remains available. It will because no other platform generates the kind of target destruction hits like the beautiful - ugly Wart Hog. And, she always brings her pilot home and keeps pilot safe in the air too.
Beautiful piece of art that can save your arse when nothing else can!
Not quite true. The Soviet SU-25 is a great ground support aircraft as well. Russians built many great warplanes.Won't matter much longer because close air reconnaissance and ground support will soon be drone missions in advanced militaries.
@@1chrisford Either it will be smaller numbers of controlling planes with many drones in cloud or it will go full autonomous for two reasons: Drones can then manouver harder than a bird with a human in it and maybe be a bit smaller and the fact that once we see more effective out-to-horizon direct anti-air weapons (supersonic railguns, laser systems, maser, etc) would make sending actual pilots into that would be simple murder. Having your controller just below the horizon using OTH capabilities would make more sense.
Ukraine may have also shown that tanks aren't such a good bet because cheaper, portable, effective launchers can really take out tanks for much less cost than the tank and the cost of its crew. Maybe tanks go autonomous too if they persist.
At 59 seconds the “F-105” is actually an F-104
And then later an "F16" is illustrated by a Eurofighter Typhoon and a Hornet
@@piotrgradkowski6810 And an F-16 scripted at 12-35 is an F-18 🤷♀
2:25. Ten Cheyennes were built, and they never left the United States. The program was cancelled before it left the prototype stage. It never became the "main anti-tank force in Europe."
This was a really good video update for me on the A10.Ihave seen it's firepower on the Goldwater range and this past Fall at the DIM AFB air show.I totally vote to keep them active and flyingh.
Oh, My God.. it's so sweet to hear so much compliment about the A-10. bring me so much fond SWEET memory. coming out Of Aviation High School in 1973, commuting daily on LIE to Famingdale to old Fairchild-Republic it nothing but fun and exciting, worked there untill 1978. operating the (quackenbush) boring the the amazing gun, wing, engines Mounts. and of course that hard ass bath-tub made of pure titanium in which the pilot sit on, this beast was totally over engineered, when the Fatigue version was placed in the jig and this aircraft was twisted/flexed with hydraulic load and cracks appeared, fasterner rivets/jo-bolt/hi-lok shearing, back to the drawing, affected area were redesign and strengthen, fastener were were revised, I feel so proud for i had worked on this amazing aircraft.. Long Live the A-10!
I used to watch them train in VT , fantastic airplane. And it's history as a ground support tank smasher is 1st class. This is a plane that's highly maneuvarable, and has a large speed envelope. It should continue on until something better comes along... and really, is there something better right now?
Nothing better atm, they pitted the F-35 and the A-10 side by side and statistically the A-10 came out ahead overall and this is the old A-10. They recently have upgraded the A-10 with all kinds of goodies and now call it the super warthog and it...is bad ass.
I was a member of the 104th fighter wing Westfield Mass. for 16 years. They switched from the A-10 to the F-15 a few years ago, ..heard the pilots wish they had the warthogs back.
@@jimbain1201 lol the F-15 won't fly with a wing blown off
I think it will be the next longest lasting airframe in the Air Force behind the B-52! So unique and highly specialized that it is cheaper to keep them and upgrade them than it is to build a new airframe to do the same job.
The last B-52 pilot hasn't been born yet.
this implies the c-130 will someday retire lol
One of my favorites. Nice balance , reliable a real beast that's light in the toes. Though I'm older not familiar with the new stuff.
Excellent Video & Research!
Obviously Wild Iron can't tell the difference between an F-104 & F-105... DUUUHHH!!! Happy 50th, Big Pig 💗
Agreed! At 56 seconds into the video, it was a F-104 and Not a F-105..
Great observations,!!!
This is the most durable, flight hardened aircraft in the military arsenal. It would be stupid or silly, not to try and keep this aircraft flying for as long as it can maintain it's long hard run. I was part of the A-10 programs at RAF Bentwaters/Woodbridge in the late 1980's so I know their capabilities. They have proven themselves so many times in Iraq, Afghanistan and all over Southwest Asia. Beyond 2040, and keep the improvements coming. Why mess with something that works.
The politicians have to make more money somehow.
Never underestimate the stupidity of Air Force decision makers. Congress has had to hound them to NOT retire all A-10s and will probably fight them until 2040 and beyond. In their minds they only want the hi-tech wizardry one size fits all that is little more than marginal at most things where this aircraft is unmatched for what it is. Just like the F-16 was initially a dedicated dog-fighter with nearly unmatchable maneuverability. That is until the Air Force generals tried turn it into a all-purpose fighter/ground attack aircraft adding length and weight which massively hampered the maneuverability it was originally designed for making it marginal at ALL tasks rather than excellent at one task. Still a descent aircraft but not an "excellent" aircraft.
I like this brute! However, I cannot
Afford ! My pension is enough only
To pay my bills, uh, maybe these
Coming year end!
Unless the Air Force designs and manufacturers a new single purpose Ground support platform then they should keep the Hog in service and quit making multi purpose fixed wing aircraft to replace it
There is no doubt the Warthog is the best air to ground support plane ever made, It was basically a flying cannon, later improvements made it more than that.,
It can be devastating tO ground forces, and it can take a lot of damage from small, and not so small, arms. If I were a ground army I would take a dozen Warthogs over an F35, (well you could probable get more than a dozen Warthogs for the price of one F35), Note, i'm not dissing the fault riddled F 35, (they are sorting it out, it seems) but as an air to ground support there is no competition.
wow - GREAT VID
I am always amazed and feel extremely Patriotic when I see A-10 Warthogs flying overhead . I'm lucky to live in an area of the country where the National Guard has a home nearby. I know a guy that was part of the Gun Smoke competition with the Maryland Air National Guard and they apparently won more than a few with a A-10 Warthog.
As a former Abrams Tank Commander, I can tell you that we love the A-10. Great plane for close air support and tank killing.
The 30mm could not pierce the armour of a m48 patton, let alone a t72. It was, however, good at piercing the skulls of small Iraqi children
@@batsoup1349 bruh it has been proven to shred tanks that’s kinda what it’s high caliber is for if it wanted to kill some children it would just spray shrapnel
@@batsoup1349 actually if you read the original testing report, the A-10 achieved 5 hard kills and 3 mobility kills against 10 M48 Patton's. Hard kills being unplanned explosive deconstruction of the vehicle.
This aircraft is simply my favorite. I got a chance to witness and see her first hand on Long Island at the aeronautical museum she’s beautiful, and packs a punch.
It's so funny. I was in tech school for my A/P license in 1978 in Frederick MD. Several Viet Nam vets were also working on getting their licenses. A couple of them were working on the A10 in Hagerstown. I remember them all saying that they couldn't understand why we were still building these as they were already outdated. It really took a conflict like the gulf war to completely shatter their viewpoint. We did go to the factory in 78 or 79, not sure now when, but went for a tour of the a10 build line, and I found it totally impressive, although I wondered about the engine placement and viability to gunfire. The titanium cockpit wasn't a concern.
I was at Ft Bliss in 83 and 84. I remember we were playing basketball out side of the barracks when this shadow covered us...by the time we heard anything, an A10 had passed us by and was moving out of sight. I fell in love that day.
Love this aircraft! To answer the question at the end of the video: as long as they are able to continue making avionic and weapons delivery upgrades, this flying tank should have a very long service life. I was intrigued by the pilotless concept. The jet really would be a Terminator!
It already excels at being a Terminator; great at murdering civilians. :)
The unmanned version it's comming! That's for sure.
This plane will always be needed for the type of missions it performs.
Nathaniel H Thomas Jr , And keep um comin'! Please put the nosewheel in the center again!
Such a fantastic piece of kit. That GAU-8 cannon sounds terrifying
Love the video
Would love to see a video on the unmanned version! If the hog is good at "down low", I don't know that we still need to be doing that with people.
I would call a super done.
Would love to see that go to work for Ukraine 🇺🇦! Definitely a game changer as any ground troops can testify to. The A-10 is a beast and a welcome friend in a combat situation
Yea only issue is its not that effective in contested air
@@karlsucksdorff6338 However the Russians are not very good at flying their air war machines.
@@karlsucksdorff6338 Which is the reason you don't send them in alone when the airspace is contested...
We new that back in 1940's when we were trying to get long-range fighters to escort the bombers to Germany... Just as Germany had their own fighters to escort bombers over England.
Point being, "contested air(space)" isn't a good argument.
@@nyetzdyec3391 even if you dont send it in alone you cant put 5 f-18s out just to escort one a-10. Its a good plane and worked well in the middle east where there was little to no resistance in the air but in a war against russia it wouldnt work. Everything from a manpad to an su-35 could shoot it down
@@karlsucksdorff6338 You could say the same things about almost any other weapons system... all the way back to the Mark One Grunt.
It's the reason you establish air superiority FIRST
No one argues that we should get rid of ALL of our Apaches, Blackhawks, etc. (or ships, or Bradleys, etc) because an Su-35 could take them all out.
Shall we also get rid of our artillery because they're vulnerable to enemy artillery... AND air-to-ground attack (by plane) AND enemy surface-to-surface missiles?
There is no "one job" on a battlefield. There are many "jobs" that MUST be done, and you use the right tool for the job or you lose.
Lived near and worked on Ft. Huachuca for nearly 25 years. We'd see these awesome aircraft every day doing touch and go's at the Ft. Huachuca Airstrip/Sierra Vista Airport. The sound of FREEDOM is BRAAAAAAAAAAAAP.
I remember seeing them for the first time on the flight line at Fairchild when it was still SAC, along side the BUFFS. I honestly couldn’t think of a more scarier sight.
A thumbs down for not actually having any “super” A10. Plus all the misidentified aircraft.
Name a couple that were misidentified
@@mikesuch9021 For starters, at 11:48 mark the announcer talks about the "well-praised F-16" over a picture of a taxiing Eurofighter Typhoon
@@mikesuch9021 At the 1:00 minute mark, he mentions the F-105, but that is not what is shown.
@@Daveismyhero It looks like a F-104 Starfighter to me but I might be wrong😀
@@chadmitchell7648 yeah I was wondering why a F-16 had canards
Tornado and SU-25 have a terrain-following radar. The A-10 should also have one, so it can evade air defences by staying below the radar.
Awesome aircraft, I hope that they keep it flying for a long time !!
I started my AF career with the 66 FWS at Nellis in 79. Love this hard working hog, seen many times it’s effect on items it cancelled out permanently and in action in the Nevada desert.
I've been obsessed with military and war documentaries as of lately. My husband and grandfather are both Veterans. Grandpa fought in world war II. my family member, worked for lockheed-martin. Probably called General Dynamics, prior to that??? If my information is correct, and anyone can correct me on this...:) Thanks for the info. I had no idea that it cost that much to fly a plane...
Quite good, although your F-105 image is an F-104 (0:57), your F-16 image is a Eurofighter (11:48) with what appears to be Spainish Air Force markings, and your F-16 (12:37) is an F/A-18. Also, does the GAU-8/A autocannon "swivel" or rotate? It's great to see the images of this amazingly versatile and badly needed aircraft.
was going to comment on exactly what you just posted. Wondering how many other erroneous statements were made in this video.
F16, with a cunard wing? Don't think so.................
Warthogs forever I love the sound of Freedom when they fly over my house that whistle just does it for me
I have been around for a few decades and have always loved the A10 and still do. Definitely my favorite attack aircraft. I understand why pilots love them as I saw an A10 during the gulf war that had half of one wing just destroyed by enemy fire and still made it safely back to base.
The 0:59 in, that is an F-104 Starfighter and not a F-105 Thunderchief as mentioned in the narration.
Came here just to report this.
Nice overview of current A-10 versions, but what about the promised "Super A-10" ?
Loved the video, especially the prospect of the A-10 PCAS. The A-10 would be a perfect fit for an unmanned drone, in spite of being one of the most survivable aircraft for pilots. Not to nit-pick, but you referenced the F-16 twice in this video, both times incorrectly. The first time was at 11:48 when you showed a Eurofighter Typhoon, and the second time at 12:34 when you showed an F-18 Hornet. Anyway, thumbs up!
I'm not nit-picking either but don't forget the 104 being pictured but referenced as a 105. lol But yeah...good vid
I've been within a couple of hundred feet of the A-10 when it was firing the GAU-8. Very impressive.
On my bucket list if the A10/2 comes with a second seat. I'd love the chance to get a test flight in 1. Out of all the awesome aircraft in the US 🇺🇸 this is the 1 I would most like to be in.
Originally they did make a 2-SEATER.
Their converting to civilian versions for the weather agencies , I wouldn’t be shocked if they one day become available demilitarized to civilians . If harriers can be bought , I’m sure civilian versions meant for weather research could be purchased
I am a South African but I can tell you one thing, if it ever comes down to decommissioning the A10 it would be the biggest mistake America has ever made regarding your air power.
Which means it's probably at the top of the list for Joe Biden.
When I was Army doing the Marine Jungle Warfare Train Course we won against 7 other Marine ms during the next to last day when a airfare a-0 came over and through lasers killed everyone in one pass! That was eye opening!
I flew F-111A's in S.E.A. 122 missions with 42 in and around Hanoi. After that I had a stint in F-111F's in the US and then the UK. And then I was assigned as an ALO (Air Liaison Officer) at Fort Hood Texas. And it was there I met the A-10. I was privileged to get to "work" them several times in joint close air support engagements with the Army. An A-10 and a few Cobras were very deadly indeed. I recall one day chatting with a couple A-10 jocks while they were refueling at a "forward operations" site, basically a desert strip in west Fort Hood. A crew-chief was patching up hole in the wing of one, a ricochet that bounced off the ground, he was using what they called 350mph tape, witch to me looked really similar to duct tape. Pilot told me they worked feverishly to try and keep gun bursts down to around 50 rounds, which was very hard to do. Working them was a real hoot, watching the Cobras sneak up on OpFor from behind trees and then they'd be ready, A-10's would come in low, pop up a bit for a canon blast, duck back down, Cobras would pop up and hose the area while A-10 would back off and get ready for another run, whilst his wingman made his run. Very impressive it was. A-10 is one great aircraft!
Though the brass has tried many times to decommission the A10, there is NO other aircraft in the WORLD that can do ALL the things the A10 can.
Yes, if the pilots want an aircraft that does the job than the whole airframe needs upgrade and probably a restart to production line but with much more advanced technology for sensors and countermeasure suites.
You should've mentioned the HMIT (Helmet Mounted Integrated Targeting) AR display, a late addition to the A-10C. It's even visible on the pilot shown near the end of the video (at 13:04) - the device hanging off the helmet, in front of the pilot's right eye.
Thanks for that informative video. I didn't know that the Warthog was anything other than a slow bomber.
The Iraq troops remember this fantastic plane still today. Who could forget how it looks, fights, survives and sounds. Nothing like this wonderful plane and you can see why the pilots loved the A-10. Wish they could send just 50 to Ukraine and their would be NO more Russian tanks left in the field, but seems that Russia has enough issues keeping tank tops from flying off their tanks even on a good day. Damn, the second largest military seems to be so over rated. Nothing seems to be working for Russia even with huge numbers and equipment, little David is kicking ass and NATO and for sure American front line weapons will set Russian aggression on its heels....
The only thing that really seems to be working right for the Russian army are the rapes, and the atrocities. Unfortunately, that's something that you don't want to have going your way! But, historically the Russians have always been good at that in every way going way back for a very, very long time! Yea, even a dozen A-10's would wreak havoc in Ukraine on their armored units.
The Russians deserve everything thing that they get that comes there way! What was the Kremlin, Putin, and some of the oligarchs thinking?
The Gau 8 can't penetrate anything better than a t62, so using javalins is more effective.
@@humanv435
Uh, MBTs need a lot of support - even if there's a problem killing them, the tankers, munitions trucks, personnel carriers (tanks are good for taking ground, troops for holding it), etc, are thin skinned targets that would severly undermine the MBTs' effectiveness if they were taken out.
@@gordowg1wg145 The gau 8 cant isnt as effective as a agm-65. Which during operation desert storm was how it killed most armoured veichals.
We're still flying B52's; I think the A10 is also a survivor of the test of time.
I don't know if we will survive as a country to 2040, but the Iconic Status earned by the A-10 in world history might only be equalled by the COLT 1911... it's that amazing.
I loved watching these fly with terrain following radar (i think) in Baumholder Germany an Army tank training base.From miles away, I would look over the training area and see the A10's doing a cool rollercoaster thing following the hills and then 'brrrrp' of the gun. So, not just a tank training area!
I absolutely love the A-10 and I know it has saved the lives of many soldiers on the ground. I hope no one thinks I am being critical of this magnificent aircraft. However, when I watch a video that presents as being an expert on a particular subject I actually expect the images to match the narration and the title of the presentation to match what is in the video! Unfortunately, this video misses on both counts! There are at minimum 4 mis-identifications in this "expert" presentation and not one mention of a NEW A-10 Super Warthog! In the first mis-identification they show an F-104 Star Fighter and call it an F-105 Thunderchief. In the second they show a destroyed fighter aircraft and call it artillery. The third is when they show a Saab J-39 Gripen and say it is an F-16! Finally they show an F-18 and call it an F-16! I wonder if they know what an F-16 looks like?
I'm curious why you mention an F16 and show a Typhoon at 11:48 and again mention an F16 and show an F18 at 12:32?
I don't like the the F-16 when it has a Delta wing riveted on. Ha ha ha
Shows an F 104 Starfighter instead of an F 105 Thunderchief at the beginning too.
Yeah I saw that immediately and said wow canards on a F16! Who knew?
They don't know any better.
Thanks!
my cousin drove tanks in desert storm. he said the A10s were his best friends.
I have have seen them fly overhead and they are something to behold.
With a well trained Pilot and an A-10 Thunderbolt II, Ground Forces will have a Guardian Angel watching over them.
yeah, sure, and what will guard the hog? That plane can be taken from the sky easily if there are no additional planes to guard it, and they can be taken too. That is nothing special.
Yes if it pays for an aircraft to waste 500 kg bomb per single enemy soldier lol.
@@Only_God_Is_Allah_SWT Those are not such planes, it has a big 30mm Gatling gun and fires a lot of rounds in bursts. It can destroy even tanks, but it is slow, so it can be taken with ease with anti-aircraft missiles.
@@ozymandiasnullifidian5590 yea and everything will gather in one heap for its cannon to destroy.
@@Only_God_Is_Allah_SWT No matter that I am against what the USA is doing all around the world, I must admit that A-10 is an excellent plane for the destruction of almost everything. Its rounds are made of depleted uranium and it can shoot 3.000 bullets per minute. That is like Sukoi 25 on steroids, but it is vulnerable to anti-airplane defense, Russian systems S-300 and S-400 can take it without a problem.
The F4 Phantom 2 was too expensive to purchase and operate? Of note: Over 5000 were built and put into service between 1958 and 1981, making the F4 Phantom 2 the most produced American supersonic military aircraft in history.
Yea I was gonna say the same. Hoping I wasn’t the only one to noticed.😁
My uncle worked on the A10. He gave me a blueprint when I was 11. It is a remarkable aircraft.
That "F105 Thunder Chief" sure looked like an F104 Star Fighter to me.