5 ms·

I like this picture of the GAU-8 cannon outside of the plane, next to a VW bug. Gives a notion of scale that's hard to get in other pictures of the A10. https

• mdaniel 5y ago
  The photos of the round are also illustrative of why one doesn't want to be on the angry end of that: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GAU-8_Avenger#/media/File:30mm_GAU-8_Avenger_round.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GAU-8_Avenger#/media/File:30mm... There are also photos out there showing it next to a bottle of beer
  • tyingq 5y ago
    >There are also photos out there showing it next to a bottle of beer https://i2.wp.com/gunsandtactics.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Round_600X8001.jpg?w=1068 https://i2.wp.com/gunsandtactics.wpengine.com/wp-content/upl...
• dragontamer 5y ago
  That being the case: advances in Tank Armor over the last 40 years have made the Air Force question the A10's ability to kill a tank (its original purpose).
  • caycep 5y ago
    From what I can tell, the A-10 has become a hellfire or even JDAM slinging platform like every other plane, the big advantage, if any, is loiter time. It sounds like they've found it easier stay far away from anyone shooting lead or manpads, and puke out longer range standoff weapons
    • dragontamer 5y ago
      AC 130 has a looter time measured in hours, multiples more air time than A10. The F35 gets additional loiter time from fuel drones, delivering fuel autonomous ly to the battlefield.
      • snypher 5y ago
        The AC-130 doesn't fire missiles though, right? Just a few large 'guns'.
        • dragontamer 5y ago
          https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/467756/ac-130j-ghostrider/ https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/4677... > Armament: Precision Strike Package with 30mm and 105mm cannons and Standoff Precision Guided Munitions (i.e. GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb, GBU-69 Small Glide Munition, AGM-114 Hellfire missile and AGM-176 Griffin missile)
        • loonster 5y ago
          Large is an understatement. It's a flying artillery piece. They also have hellfire missiles now. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_AC-130 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_AC-130
      • nickhalfasleep 5y ago
        That don’t exist.
        • dragontamer 5y ago
          https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2021/09/14/boeing-MQ-25-T1-refueling-drone-mid-air-refueling/4801631634715/ https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2021/09/14/boeing-MQ-25-T1-...
• France_is_bacon 5y ago
  That reminds me of my experience with the cannon. I was driving on a highway once here. And pulled off to get some gasoline. At the gas station, there was a semi truck with a huge object on it, and two military people were filling up the truck. I asked them what it was and they said that it was the cannon for the Warthog and we talked about it. I asked if they were not scared that someone would steal it from them. They laughed and said take it, that's ok. But it needs special depleted uranium rounds, so unless you can get them, how are you going to fire it? And secondly, how are you going to maneuver it around to actually use it? I asked him, in jest, that I could just strap it onto the top of my car to use it. They started laughing. They said that if you fired it, your ca would be going backwards at a high rate of speed. My friend and I spent about 5 minutes talking to them after that. That's my Warthog story.