A-10 pilots are a special group. When I was doing a Southern Watch tour in Kuwait I had the hook-up with Cuban cigars. The pilots would see me and another shop lead senior NCO smoking them at 3AM (we were night shift). We invited them to join us. It became a nightly routine for a couple of pilots to join us. As the good NCO's that we were those pilots also asked us to get rid of some contraband whiskey and scotch. We had no problems with that.
The sound the gun makes is hard to duplicate. Nothing quite sounds like it. Love calling in them guys, the way they turn upside down to ID the target. Do a quick 180 then kill it. Got way easier to ID targets for them with lasers.
Sounds like the biggest zipper in the word opening a lot of hurt. Love them ugly bastards from a ground perspective. One of our round out battalions had a sniper team on a roof to overwatch that part of the route. Next thing you hear is a A10 on the radio asking for confirmation that the team was friendly. Suddenly, everyone and their brother started screaming on comms to wave off the bird. Ahhh, good times.
The guy on the ground, face-to-face with the enemy, wants and needs good close air support. No other aircraft in the US inventory does the job like the A10 can. The A35 is supposed to take over the CAS role but it cannot, it is not designed to undertake that role. The A35 is designed to undetake a variety of roles very, very poorly in each and every one. It is a complete waste of vast amounts of money.
Son is an A-10 pilot, retiring next month (AFA 2000). His career goals don't include the Biden administration
ReplyDeleteI spent 18 years wrenching on those things, from 1980-86 and again from 89-99. It's a maintenance troop's dream. Loved the beast.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to "close air support" nothing comes close to the A10.
ReplyDeleteWhen you hear the familiar whine of the engines, you only hope everyone has their coordinates correct..... everything that follows is a given.
De Oppresso Liber
A-10 pilots are a special group. When I was doing a Southern Watch tour in Kuwait I had the hook-up with Cuban cigars. The pilots would see me and another shop lead senior NCO smoking them at 3AM (we were night shift). We invited them to join us. It became a nightly routine for a couple of pilots to join us. As the good NCO's that we were those pilots also asked us to get rid of some contraband whiskey and scotch. We had no problems with that.
ReplyDeleteThe sound the gun makes is hard to duplicate. Nothing quite sounds like it. Love calling in them guys, the way they turn upside down to ID the target. Do a quick 180 then kill it. Got way easier to ID targets for them with lasers.
ReplyDelete“Nothing quite sounds like it.”
DeleteJealous that I haven’t heard it in person. Got to be AWESOME!!
Sounds like the biggest zipper in the word opening a lot of hurt. Love them ugly bastards from a ground perspective. One of our round out battalions had a sniper team on a roof to overwatch that part of the route. Next thing you hear is a A10 on the radio asking for confirmation that the team was friendly. Suddenly, everyone and their brother started screaming on comms to wave off the bird. Ahhh, good times.
DeleteBrrrrrrrrrrrrttt!
ReplyDeleteThe AF should be forced to hand the A-10 and close air support over to the Army. Let the fighter jocks keep their toys, the Infantry needs CAS.
ReplyDeleteThe guy on the ground, face-to-face with the enemy, wants and needs good close air support. No other aircraft in the US inventory does the job like the A10 can.
ReplyDeleteThe A35 is supposed to take over the CAS role but it cannot, it is not designed to undertake that role. The A35 is designed to undetake a variety of roles very, very poorly in each and every one. It is a complete waste of vast amounts of money.