You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Submit your comments on this article
Iraq
U.S. A-10 reportedly shot at by ISIS militants with Strela MANPADS in Iraq
2015-01-20
According to a report by Iraqi News, American A-10 were shot at with four Rooski Strela missiles during the recent air strikes carried out by the Warthogs (as the Thunderbolts are referred to by the pilot community) on ISIS positions near Mosul, in Iraq.

Based on reports by unnamed sources who witnessed the attack, the A-10s killed and wounded several terrorists but were also targeted by the ISIS militants who allegedly attempted to shoot down the U.S. planes fling at low altitude using 9K32 Strela-2 (NATO reporting name SA-7 Grail) man-portable, shoulder-fired, low-altitude, IR (infra-red) guided, surface-to-air missile systems.

Even though the Warthogs were not hit by the surface-to-air missiles, the episode seems to confirm that, flying at medium and low altitude and loitering over the battlefield, the A-10s deployed to Kuwait face the threat of MANPADS known to be in possession of Islamic State forces.

Still, the “Hog” is a tough plane, that has already shown its special ability to bring the pilot back to the homebase in spite of heavy damages by ground fire.
Posted by:Hupineger Glomomp7489

#16  To fight against the GAU8 is suicide.

There, fixed that for ya Lionel. You ever seen it live in person? From your comments, I think not - you sound like a REMF, one of the perfumed princes of the pentagon procurement pack. If so, kindly just piss off - you're whats wrong with the Pentagon.

FYI, it has a wonderful effect on enemy personnel and equipment that far exceeds that of an SDB. As a former Cavb Scout, I highly recommend it.
Posted by: OldSpook   2015-01-20 22:55  

#15  This is the kind of plane that shows how good our systems can be.

http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Stories1/001-100/0016_A-10-battle-damage/story0016.htm
Posted by: rammer   2015-01-20 21:08  

#14  GAU8 is suicide.

Tell that to the republican guard.

A-10s took a lot of hits, and still made it home.
Posted by: DarthVader   2015-01-20 19:11  

#13  GAU8 is suicide.
Posted by: Lionel Thoth9784   2015-01-20 16:39  

#12  Its the GAU8 that makes the difference. Ordinance load poundage the same except accounting for that. And that makes all the difference in a lot of ground attacks on targets like ISIS and other irregulars.
Posted by: OldSpook   2015-01-20 16:21  

#11   is this the missing arms and stuff Stevens went to Benghazi to find?

Possible. Could also have been taken from Syrian stockpiles, purchased from, or donated by, Bosnia or any of the 'stans, or gotten straight up on the black market a.k.a "Russian 401K".
Posted by: Pappy   2015-01-20 16:01  

#10  A-10's employ active countermeasures. They also like to work in pairs. Mind the smoke trail goat boy.
Posted by: Besoeker   2015-01-20 10:58  

#9  Not the first time a MADPAD fired at one. A-10s have even been hit with them as well, but every one of them made it back to base, was repaired and put back in the air.

Think an F-35 could do that? I don't.
Posted by: DarthVader   2015-01-20 10:49  

#8  #1 Hmmm, is this the missing arms and stuff Stevens went to Benghazi to find????

To sell, you mean?
Posted by: KBK   2015-01-20 09:36  

#7  What is the sense going to 1km altitude to fire a gun

F-35 might have to do that in order to recover its altitude after the run. Don't know the operational stall speed, but I'm sure it's above 200-knots.

A Hog goes in WAY lower and slower (for 'effect' of course).
Posted by: Mullah Richard   2015-01-20 09:07  

#6  Can they put that payload where it's needed? The A-10 can.
Posted by: Rob Crawford   2015-01-20 08:21  

#5  I doubt you could get lock on to target the F-35 in the first place, and they can carry similar amounts of payload

15-000lbs max F-35
16-000lbs max A-10
Posted by: Devilstoenail   2015-01-20 07:59  

#4  Yes will do. What is the sense going to 1km altitude to fire a gun to a bunch of guys, risking a million dollar plane and a pilot?
Posted by: Lionel Thoth9784   2015-01-20 03:44  

#3  Think an F35 would do that well in that threat environment and mission parameters needed for loitering and strike?

NO.
Posted by: OldSpook   2015-01-20 01:20  

#2  The engines sit on top of the A-10 fuselage, with the tail wing designed to sit just behind and under the engines to shield the engines exhaust from ground based heat seeking missiles. Plus the A-10 uses flares, and if one engine is out, the other will take the plane back home. If the plane is hit, the turbo fins inside the engines are designed to spit out shrapnel almost as soon as it enters the engine. The list goes on.

The government put no restrictions on the A-10 designers leaving the design open to the engineers to set the specs for a close air support aircraft.

The engineers did an outstanding job of trying to make the wart hog immortal on the battlefield.
Posted by: Ebbomosh Hupemp2664   2015-01-20 00:47  

#1  Hmmm, is this the missing arms and stuff Stevens went to Benghazi to find????
Posted by: Bill Clinton   2015-01-20 00:43  

00:00