The A-10 Thunderbolt is the only U.S. Air Force aircraft designed exclusively for close air support. It has proven to be outstanding in this role in Iraq and Afghanistan. I've talked to several Army and Marine veterans about the A-10, and they all appreciated having the Warthog around during a battle.
Many times I've heard the A-10 was pushed down the throat of the Air Force, and the Air Force did not take close air support seriously. The A-10 was on the verge of being retired in the late 1980's. Then the first gulf war happened. No other aircraft could have done the CAS mission as well. A-10s took serious battle damage and still managed to fly.
The A-10 has received many upgrades since the first gulf war to keep it flying many more years. Latest estimate has the A-10 flying until 2028. This is just 40 years past the date the Air Force first started talking about retiring the jet.
Many times I've heard the A-10 was pushed down the throat of the Air Force, and the Air Force did not take close air support seriously. The A-10 was on the verge of being retired in the late 1980's. Then the first gulf war happened. No other aircraft could have done the CAS mission as well. A-10s took serious battle damage and still managed to fly.
The A-10 has received many upgrades since the first gulf war to keep it flying many more years. Latest estimate has the A-10 flying until 2028. This is just 40 years past the date the Air Force first started talking about retiring the jet.
Below are a few YouTube videos for your enjoyment and education concerning the A-10. The video on the left is well put together. The song accompanying the video is "Sonne" by Rammstein.
