The A-10 was designed around the 30 mm GAU-8 Avenger rotary cannon. ... With a variety of upgrades and wing replacements, the A-10's service life can be extended to 2040; the service has no planned retirement date as of June 2017 .
Will the A-10 be replaced?
The Pentagon is buying 27 sets of wings right away at a cost of $239 million, or about $8.8 million per A-10. The remaining wings will be purchased in fiscal year 2020 or later. The Air Force plans to eventually replace the A-10 with the F-35A Lightning II .
Is the A-10 obsolete?
The A-10 is obsolete because it's an air frame built around a cannon . The cannon is heavy, and the ammo is heavy. For all that weight the ammo runs out somewhere between 12 and 20 seconds. The most efficient way to destroy things on the ground is with guided missiles and bombs.
Did they retire the a10 Warthog?
The A-10s being retired are among the oldest in operation. The moves could begin as early as October, the beginning of the government's 2022 fiscal year.
How many A-10's are still flying?
The USAF currently fields 281 A-10s , but there have been numerous failed attempts to reduce the fleet. The USAF's proposed Fiscal Year 2021 budget looks to cut three squadrons-worth of jets, effectively 44 Warthogs.
What is the fastest jet in the world?
The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is the fastest jet aircraft in the world, reaching speeds of Mach 3.3–that's more than 3,500 kph (2,100 mph) and almost four times as fast as the average cruising speed of a commercial airliner. Key elements of the SR-71's design made this possible.
Was the A-10 used in Vietnam?
The A-10 was designed for close support in low intensity conflicts during the Vietnam War , yet it came to be seen as a dedicated anti-armor platform by the early 1970s. ... Although the A-10 was never exported, it was redesignated OA-10 for the Forward Air Control role.
Why is the A-10 being replaced?
The problem is, part of the reason why the Air Force wants to cut A-10s is because the branch says they are no longer relevant to a war with China , which has high-end anti-aircraft weaponry that can shoot down the slow-moving Warthog. ... Whatever happens though, the A-10 still has many years of BRRRTing ahead of it.
How many F-35 does the U.S. have?
Air Force spokeswoman Maj. Malinda Singleton told Military.com the service has 283 F-35s , which also surpasses the A-10 Warthog fleet by two aircraft.
Are A-10 still in service?
The U.S. Air Force has decided to keep the A-10 “Warthog” close air support jet in service until 2040 . The jet, designed to dominate Cold War battlefields, will still be flying 50 years after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Is the f35 better than the A10?
Long-range, computer-enabled F-35 sensors could enable the aircraft to see and destroy enemy ground targets with precision from much higher altitudes and much farther ranges than an A-10 could; the speed of an F-35, when compared to an A-10, would potentially make it better able to maneuver, elude enemy fire and get ...
How many a 10s were shot down?
(Many returned to base almost unflyable, but only seven Warthogs have ever been shot down or crashed due to combat.)
Why is the A10 so good?
A firm favorite with pilots, the A10 Warthog provides excellent protection for the pilot in the form of an armored tub. Affectionately referred to as the “bathtub”, weighing 1200 lbs and built from titanium sheets ranging in thickness from 13 to 38mm, capable of withstanding hits from 23mm cannon rounds.
How many F 16 does the US have?
United States Air Force
The USAF operates 1,245 F-16s with 701 with active forces, 490 with Air National Guard and 54 with Reserve.
What does a stand for in a-10?
| Acronym Definition | A-10 Thunderbolt II |
|---|
How many f22s does the US have?
The US Air Force has two air-superiority fighters in their stable in the F-22 Raptor and F-15 Eagle, but when looking to bolster the fleet with purchases of a new (old) jet for the job, it was the Eagle, not the famed Raptor, to get a second lease on life.
