Last month, the U.S. Air Force revealed its intention to retire the A-10 “Thunderbolt II” ground attack aircraft within a decade.
The legendary platform first took to the skies more than half a century ago, and while aviation buffs’ hearts will be broken when it goes, the Air Force has sought for years to begin the A-10’s retirement. Congress has been reluctant to approve these plans, since the Warthog is the only close air support ground-attack airframe in the service.
The Thunderbolts proved to be important assets over the last two decades while participating in U.S. counterinsurgency efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now that America’s security posture has largely shifted to Asia, however, the need for the A-10’s specific role is fading.
Origins of the A-10 Warthog
In the years after the Second World War, the Air Force recognized the need for a modern conventional attack airframe. In the early days of the Vietnam War, the U.S. military flew the Douglas A-1 Skyraider, which carried a decent payload. But its slow pace and inadequate firepower left the Skyraider vulnerable to enemy fire.
Around this time, then-Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara instructed the Air Force to create two tactical aircraft to fulfill the needs for a long-range strike platform and a fighter-bomber platform. The F-4 Phantom and the F-111 Aardvark were the results, and while both platforms were impressive, the Air Force needed an airframe that could counter the Soviet Union’s all-weather attack operations. Thus the A-X program was conceptualized, culminating in the A-10 prototype.
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is commonly referred to as the Warthog. Designed for durability, the A-10 is fitted with titanium armor for extra protection from ground fire. The affectionately dubbed “titanium bathtub” entered service with the Air Force in the mid-1970s and has remained an important asset to the branch over the years.
Can You Fire It Upside Down?
The Warthog can pack a punch. The hydraulically driven GAU-8/A Avenger Gatling gun under the nose of the airframe can fire at a rate of 4,200 rounds per minute. While this weapon is the A-10’s primary armament for close air support missions, it would be challenging to fire while inverted.
A former A-10 pilot told the Aviation Geek Club that although the Warthog could fire its Avenger Gatling-gun while inverted, this position is not ideal. According to Lynn Taylor: “There’s also the matter of training and practicing to shoot well, and the muscle memory involved. If you’ve ever fired a handgun or a rifle, imagine how different it would be if you tried it again while hanging upside down. It’s certainly possible, but there are some adjustments you’d have to make, especially if your target is over a mile away. All of that means that firing while upside down is a tricky proposition. In most cases, you’re going to lose both accuracy and safety trying to line up a shot while looking up at the rocks.” Taylor concludes; ‘So, in short… yes. Mechanically, it still works great upside down, but it would be a rare situation when you’d want to try it.”
Maya Carlin, a Senior Editor for 19FortyFive, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.
From 19FortyFive
The Second American Civil War Has Begun
