A-10 Warthog

[Kirkhill]

The A-10 - Not Dead Yet?

A-10 Warthog's Tusks Are Being Sharpened For A High-End Fight

Inside Nellis Week: New weapons, fuel tanks, displays, and more are being added to the A-10 to make it a key player in a high-end conflict.

www.thedrive.com

“The big effort we are pushing for in the A-10 today is quick and simple modernization efforts to help the Air Force better posture to fight tomorrow,” says Maj. Kyle “Metric” Adkison, A-10 Division Commander at the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. “As long as the A-10 is in service, we want to develop it to help the Air Force successfully fight however we can. Today that means supporting fifth-gen fighters.” Proponents such as Adkison are keen to emphasize that the A-10 is much more than just an airframe and a 30mm gun. “It has 10 weapons stations, a very long loiter time, and a significant and robust austere capability to operate from highways and dirt strips, plus it doesn’t need lots of support infrastructure — so the overhead for us to affect the battlespace is low. Essentially, we can carry a lot of things that will help others achieve their desired effects.”

One of the things that we found that you're always going to need more of is standoff weapons, and the A-10 it turns out is a pretty good candidate to provide these because we have a lot of weapons stations and if you combine that with the agile combat operations we’ve been training to [...] it made a lot of sense.”

ACE defined

Air Force F-35 Stealth Fighters Are Now Operating From Guam’s Austere Airfield

The Agile Combat Employment maneuvers brought F-35s and F-16s to a jungle airstrip in the western Pacific.

www.thedrive.com

At least four F-35As assigned to Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, landed at Guam’s Northwest Field on February 16 as part of an Agile Combat Employment (ACE) exercise.

After touching down at Northwest Field, the Lightning IIs participated in “hot pit” refueling, in which the jets were topped up at the austere base with their engines still running. As well as using R-11 fuel trucks, the F-35s were refueled by a C-130J transport aircraft assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron at Yokota Air Base, Japan.

Weaponry options

Central to this A-10 enhancement effort is a plan for the integration of the ADM-160 Miniature Air-Launched Decoy (MALD), and the GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bomb (SDB), a 250-pound-class precision-guided bomb that can glide dozens of miles to strike its target. Testers are also looking at adding the AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) further down the road. “No one wants to spend billions of dollars on the A-10,” Vincent explains, “but if we can find ways to add capability and make platforms more survivable and more effective, then we are going to do this the best we can.”

 

[dapaterson]

Fun fact: the newest A10s were built in 1984. They're older than the CF18s.

 

[Kirkhill]

Interesting prospect

Forward Basing of:

4x F35
12x A10
1x HIMARS Battery flown in by C130.

This is against a backdrop of the USMC Island Campaign, the USAF purchase of the SOF Crop Duster, the continued interest in UAS systems, in particular STOL Predator types....

Manoeuvering under fire?

 

[Kirkhill]

Fun fact: the newest A10s were built in 1984. They're older than the CF18s.

Funner fact: The B52s first flew in 1952. They are 32 years older. And yet they still fly.

The Yanks are investing in new technologies. Yes. That includes super-neat stuff like UCAVs and stuff.

But - they are facing a war in real time - so what can they squeeze out of what they have on hand.

And if they can get a few more bomb runs out of their existing fleets - flying from as far forward as they can and launching from as far off as they can - then they will likely be doing that.

Before they start opening up new production lines for bomb carriers they need to focus on building more "bombs".

The Ukrainians are demonstrating the truth of the Arty shibboleth that the gun (aircraft) isn't the weapon. The missile (in the Roman sense) is the weapon. The launcher is just the last step in the logistics chain - the distributor.

WRT the CF-18s - even they could serve in the role the A-10 is being discussed here.

We need the F-35s.

We need weapons for both the F-35s and CF-18s more. Preferably weapons compatible with the CSC, GBAD and LRPF projects.

Edit - I keep forgetting the CP-140s/P8s.

 

[KevinB]

@Kirkhill

Rapid Dragon (missile system) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Skysix]

The advantage we have, is our dinosaurs are still flying!

Necro-Aeronautics: Raising Undead Aircraft for War - War on the Rocks

Recent news reports document Russia converting various An-2 passenger and cargo aircraft — old Soviet biplanes that first flew in 1947 — into drones,

warontherocks.com

 

[Good2Golf]

Fun fact: the newest A10s were built in 1984. They're older than the CF18s.

We got our 18s starting in summer of ‘82…

 

[dapaterson]

There is overlap, yes.

 

[Kirkhill]

Ukraine asked for A-10s.

US told Ukraine they didn't want A-10s because of their 50 year old design and there were better solutions.

US Air Force reports that even the Ukrainians don't want the A-10s....

Meanwhile virtually every aircraft flying in Ukraine, including the Frogfoot, is a 50 year old design.
And I haven't seen the US supply anything in the way of other solutions - better or not.

Ukraine asked U.S. for 100 A-10 Warthogs to fight Russians

Early in Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, the defenders asked the U.S. for 100 A-10 "Warthog" attack jets.

americanmilitarynews.com

Ukraine shoots down nearly 90 Iranian-made drones in two days: Zelensky

"Instead of New Year's fireworks. Russia launched 45 Iranian-made kamikaze drones at Ukraine throughout New Year's Eve," said Ukraine's Defense Ministry.

www.newsweek.com

Can't help but think that if Gepards and Technicals with HMGs and Autocannons are making an impact on drones the Warthogs with their 30mm gatlings might could assist in that air defence structure.

After all, the Brits were intercepting V1 cruise missiles in 1945 with prop driven aircraft and visual targeting.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

As I understand it, the Russian R-37 missile precludes much of the Ukraine Air Force from flying high altitude missions even far from the frontlines.

 

[childs56]

Old airframes style does not mean it is a old plane. Many of those airframes have been fully overhauled, that means they go to depot, get striped to bare metal, sections replaced wings replaced, etc. They come out better then new. new engines installed, new gear etc.

Some platforms are not worth doing this level of service on due to budgets. AKA Canada does not want to spend that much money.
One thing that has been amazing is how old Airframes can be made new again. Much of the structure gets replaced with new parts. The Seaking upgrades is one area where we did the bare minimum and expected high results. Other countries were zero timing their airframes, installing new engines. Canada choose to install overhauled engines and do corrosion prevention and maintenance.
Cost verses reward for political points I guess is how we do things for real.

 

[SeaKingTacco]

Old airframes style does not mean it is a old plane. Many of those airframes have been fully overhauled, that means they go to depot, get striped to bare metal, sections replaced wings replaced, etc. They come out better then new. new engines installed, new gear etc.

Some platforms are not worth doing this level of service on due to budgets. AKA Canada does not want to spend that much money.
One thing that has been amazing is how old Airframes can be made new again. Much of the structure gets replaced with new parts. The Seaking upgrades is one area where we did the bare minimum and expected high results. Other countries were zero timing their airframes, installing new engines. Canada choose to install overhauled engines and do corrosion prevention and maintenance.
Cost verses reward for political points I guess is how we do things for real.

You know this about the Sea King because to you worked the Periodic inspection line at 12 AMS? Or did the centre barrel replacements/T58-100/24K gearbox line at IMP?

 

[childs56]

MY info comes from a former Boss who was contracted with IMP to perform the overhaul on Seakings from around the world.
At the time he was explaining to me how we overhaul and zero time airframes on Beaver and Single Otters, while perform inspection and preventative maintenance on the Cessna 150,172 mainly due to cost involved and price of the aircraft.
He then went on the explain the Americans and British at the time were doing a complete overhaul of their Seaking airframes, new gear boxes, engines etc. They were also installing the pre filter on the inlets for the British ones.
Where Canada was performing preventative corrosion maintenance on our airframes. Resulted in lots of hours replacing individual pieces and lots of cleaning up and treating corrosion. Along with installing overhauled engines, gear boxes and rotors. (one thing Canada did well was the preventative program)

 

[CBH99]

You know this about the Sea King because to you worked the Periodic inspection line at 12 AMS? Or did the centre barrel replacements/T58-100/24K gearbox line at IMP?

To be fair, I'm pretty sure Discovery Channel had some good programs on about this kind of stuff, back in the day.

And youtube has a plethora of videos on this kind of thing.

 

[FJAG]

New Task & Purpose article

The beloved A-10 Warthog has a brand new role: bomb truck

Bombs away!

taskandpurpose.com

 

[Kat Stevens]

New Task & Purpose article

So, not parking them and cutting them up for razorblades...again?

 

[ueo]

Fun fact: the newest A10s were built in 1984. They're older than the CF18s.

Tad more robust tho'.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

It's not how old you are ... It's how much you spend on maintenace, upkeep and modernization.


Works for the human body too.

 

[FJAG]

So, not parking them and cutting them up for razorblades...again?

It's kind of interesting. It's the Air Force that wanted to park them and Congress kept funding them (kind of like M1 production) because occasionally, Congresses vision, for whatever reason, actually has some sense behind it.

I guess that spurred the search for a tactical role that made sense.

I've always thought having some around is a good thing because there are still conflicts to get wrapped up in where an A-10 might still have a CAS role. Now they'll be able to be used for that and have another role as well.

I'm interested in seeing how the tactics work for this.

It's not how old you are ... It's how much you spend on maintenace, upkeep and modernization.

True enough, but there is also the capital cost of the replacement air frame and the fact that newer airframes (read F-35) tend to have a very high maintenance to flight hours ratio and cost. The sources vary, but an F-35 comes in at around $42K per hour while the A-10 comes in at around $22.5K an hour. Assuming that the A-10 does a credible job at these roles, it's a big money saver.

Edited to add:

I just had a quick look at the GBU-39B and noticed that while several airframes have adapters for their use, the F-18 doesn't seem to be one of them. Too bad. It looks useful.

 

[KevinB]

It's kind of interesting. It's the Air Force that wanted to park them and Congress kept funding them (kind of like M1 production) because occasionally, Congresses vision, for whatever reason, actually has some sense behind it.

I guess that spurred the search for a tactical role that made sense.

I've always thought having some around is a good thing because there are still conflicts to get wrapped up in where an A-10 might still have a CAS role. Now they'll be able to be used for that and have another role as well.

I'm interested in seeing how the tactics work for this.


True enough, but there is also the capital cost of the replacement air frame and the fact that newer airframes (read F-35) tend to have a very high maintenance to flight hours ratio and cost. The sources vary, but an F-35 comes in at around $42K per hour while the A-10 comes in at around $22.5K an hour. Assuming that the A-10 does a credible job at these roles, it's a big money saver.

Edited to add:

I just had a quick look at the GBU-39B and noticed that while several airframes have adapters for their use, the F-18 doesn't seem to be one of them. Too bad. It looks useful.

No one cares about the F-18 anymore.
It saw it’s last action in TopGun Maverick