XBradTC

By

XBradTC

·

Daily Dose of Splodey

The video title says 4000 pound bomb, but that’s not quite accurate. Hard to tell just how many bombs, and what size, were dropped. I counted at least six primary detonations. While most folks react to the probable retirement of the A-10 fleet with anguish, I have to admit I’m not terribly concerned.  Yes, the…

The video title says 4000 pound bomb, but that’s not quite accurate.

Hard to tell just how many bombs, and what size, were dropped. I counted at least six primary detonations.

While most folks react to the probable retirement of the A-10 fleet with anguish, I have to admit I’m not terribly concerned.  Yes, the GAU-8 gun of the A-10 is handy. But virtually all close air support delivered today is via precision guided weapons. Between the Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) on the ground and the use of PGMs, the A-10’s low and slow capability is largely redundant. Further, the vastly improved electro/optical sensors carried by virtually all strike aircraft today also argue against the A-10s ability to get down in the weeds to spot targets. Simply put, the technology to attack targets exists now that was beyond the state of the art when the A-10 was conceived and fielded.  The improvement of short range air defense in that same environment further argues against an A-10.

Before you call for my beheading, yes, I’d prefer the Air Force to keep the A-10 in service. But removing an airframe from service has the potential to save the Air Force a lot of money. I can see where they’re coming from.

Tags:

, , , , , , ,
  1. GGinNC

    Can you please do an article on the small arms currently used by our military? I’m thinking specifically any weapon a soldier or Marine would be trained on in Basic… M4, bayonet, grenade, M9, AT4, 240, Mk-19, M2, and claymore, among others. That would be great!

    Like

  2. KenW

    I’ve been out of the service for 13 years now, so I know I’m out of touch. On top of that, I never really interacted with CAS much (other than getting “bombed” when I was a JRTC OPFOR augmentee and watching the A-10s and F-16s fly around during my unit’s NTC rotation). How much of the new technology is dependent on Satellites? Satellites that our major competitor has been developing a capability to take out? I worry about the security of the control links with drones as well. How easy is that to hack or jam?

    Our technology gives us a tremendous advantage. We’ve been fighting enemies who have little real way to attack that advantage. But somebody, somewhere, should be considering what may happen if our enemies pull the rug out from under us.

    Like

  3. Quartermaster

    We need hi tech, but if you relay too much on it the simple statistics of the breaks say it won’t be there at the most inopportune time.

    If the AF doesn’t want the A-10 anymore, give ’em to the Army. That’s where they belonged in the first place. While they’re at it, they can return the Spartans they stole.

    Like

Leave a comment