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I wouldn't describe it as delicate - these things are meant to make it home after taking multiple direct hits from 23mm+ or a hit from a man-portable AA missile

I wouldn't describe it as delicate - these things are meant to make it home after taking multiple direct hits from 23mm+ or a hit from a man-portable AA missile - and they have tested that durability: http://warthognews.blogspot.com/2011/07/from-archives-oif-story-of-killer-chick.html http://warthognews.blogspot.com/2011/07/from-archives-oif-st... http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s314/Lethal_014/EMLandv1a.jpg http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s314/Lethal_014/EMLandv1a...

sandworm101 10y ago
Nobody would debate that the A-10 is a beast. If you are going to be raked with ground fire it's where you want to be. But we have to look at the entire mission profile. The A-10 is slow, making it more susceptible to shoulder-fired missiles, causing it to have to fly higher on the way to and from the mission. Higher means greater exposure to radar-directed weapons, not the A-10's strong game. Or it can fly lower, reducing its range and requiring airfields closer to the fight, airfields which are more difficult to protect. Flying low also reduces tanker options. There are a hundred factors. The evaluation of weapon systems really does require a committee.
- dogma1138 10y ago
  The speed of the A-10 wouldn't matter against MANPADs, sub/transonic light-attack/trainers wouldn't fare any better. A block-2 stinger missile travels at mach 2.5, the SA-18 Igla can do almost Mach 3, and the 9K333 "Pussy Willow" (no, I didn't made it up but GJ NATO) is presumed to be even faster, tho it's very new and still not a lot of operational information about it. If they get a lock on you within their interception range even a fighter aircraft would not outrun them.
  - sandworm101 10y ago
    Yes, but even a moderate increase in target speed dramatically reduces the range of the missile, along with increasing the time for the pilot to react. Small missiles do not travel at a constant speed. They hit top speed the moment their motor burns out and then coast. By the time they are near their effective range they may be moving slower than the target. If the missile has to chase the aircraft (all shoulder-fired/IR sams) a faster aircraft will be able to remain lower and still out of effective range despite being slower than the missile's max speed.
    - dogma1138 10y ago
      Yes and no, a lock-on within the visual range of the seeker is not going to give an aircraft too much time to outrun it, aircraft at low altitudes aren't going to be able to go supersonic very well anyhow, even if it's a fighter. Also modern MANPADs have sustained supersonic speed which is why they are only good for 4-5KM, but within that they'll splash you at max speed. A SA-18 traveling at 800M/S+ has only a range of 5000M so there isn't any "coasting" this isn't a movie they fly for 5-6 seconds and either hit something or drop like a rock.

sandworm101 10y ago

Nobody would debate that the A-10 is a beast. If you are going to be raked with ground fire it's where you want to be. But we have to look at the entire mission profile. The A-10 is slow, making it more susceptible to shoulder-fired missiles, causing it to have to fly higher on the way to and from the mission. Higher means greater exposure to radar-directed weapons, not the A-10's strong game. Or it can fly lower, reducing its range and requiring airfields closer to the fight, airfields which are more difficult to protect. Flying low also reduces tanker options. There are a hundred factors. The evaluation of weapon systems really does require a committee.

dogma1138 10y ago
The speed of the A-10 wouldn't matter against MANPADs, sub/transonic light-attack/trainers wouldn't fare any better. A block-2 stinger missile travels at mach 2.5, the SA-18 Igla can do almost Mach 3, and the 9K333 "Pussy Willow" (no, I didn't made it up but GJ NATO) is presumed to be even faster, tho it's very new and still not a lot of operational information about it. If they get a lock on you within their interception range even a fighter aircraft would not outrun them.
- sandworm101 10y ago
  Yes, but even a moderate increase in target speed dramatically reduces the range of the missile, along with increasing the time for the pilot to react. Small missiles do not travel at a constant speed. They hit top speed the moment their motor burns out and then coast. By the time they are near their effective range they may be moving slower than the target. If the missile has to chase the aircraft (all shoulder-fired/IR sams) a faster aircraft will be able to remain lower and still out of effective range despite being slower than the missile's max speed.
  - dogma1138 10y ago
    Yes and no, a lock-on within the visual range of the seeker is not going to give an aircraft too much time to outrun it, aircraft at low altitudes aren't going to be able to go supersonic very well anyhow, even if it's a fighter. Also modern MANPADs have sustained supersonic speed which is why they are only good for 4-5KM, but within that they'll splash you at max speed. A SA-18 traveling at 800M/S+ has only a range of 5000M so there isn't any "coasting" this isn't a movie they fly for 5-6 seconds and either hit something or drop like a rock.