Tools of War: A-10 Thunderbolt II (aka Warthog)

OhMyGoshThisThingIsIncredible...

Eleven under-wing/under-fuselage hardpoints for whatever payload you need for today's mission.
Phenomenal low-speed maneuverability and agility.
Incredible durability due to structural toughness and multiple redundancies.
Unprecedented levels of pilot-protection.
Ultra-low heat signature to Surface-to-Air missiles due to engine design and placement.

All of this pales in comparison to The Gun.

What makes the A-10 Warthog (as it is affectionately known) so feared and so devastating is the GAU-8 Avenger 30mm rotary cannon. Rather than designing the aircraft and then fitting the armament, the A-10 was designed from the beginning around this fearsome cannon. And "fearsome" should be read with British levels of understatement. Just LOOK at the thing, and try not to wet yourself.

Introduced in 1977, it has proven to be so effective that the USAF does not plan to replace it until 2028. Yes, you read that right, 2028. That is (for you mathematically-challenged out there) about 50 years, which is an eternity in aircraft lifespan. This is pretty much the Air Force-equivalent of "Well, we need something to pound nails into wood. Right now, we have this thing called a Hammer, and it's pretty damn good for the job. But maybe someday, we might try to come up with something better...if we can. Until then, the Hammer works beautifully."

I could go on and on about how wonderfully designed the A-10 is, how mission-flexible it is, how un-freaking-believable the GAU-8 is, but the wiki articles that I linked above express it pretty well. I'll copy/paste a few key points:

-The GAU-8/A accuracy when installed in the A-10 is rated at "5mil, 80 percent", meaning that 80 percent of rounds fired at 4,000 feet (1,200 m) will hit the target within a 20 feet (6.1 m) radius circle.
-Because the gun's recoil forces could push the entire plane off target during firing, the weapon itself is mounted so that the firing barrel lies directly on the aircraft's center line.
-The recoil force of the GAU-8/A is 10,000 pounds-force (45 kN), which is slightly more than the output of one of the A-10's TF-34 two engines (9,065 lbf / 40.3 kN each).
-The GAU-8/A shells are imposing to examine and handle, measuring 11.4 inches (290 mm) in length and weighing 1.53 pounds (0.69 kg) or more.
-The Avenger's rate of fire was originally selectable, 2,100 rounds per minute (rpm) in the low setting, or 4,200 rpm in the high setting. Later this was changed to a fixed rate of 3,900 rpm. That's 65 rounds per second!
-The A-10 is exceptionally tough. Its strong airframe can survive direct hits from armor-piercing and high-explosive projectiles up to 23 mm. The aircraft has triple redundancy in its flight systems, with mechanical systems to back up double-redundant hydraulic systems. This permits pilots to fly and land when hydraulic power or part of a wing is lost.
-The aircraft is designed to fly with one engine, one tail, one elevator and half a wing torn off.
-The cockpit and parts of the flight-control system are protected by 900 lb (410 kg) of titanium armor, referred to as a titanium "bathtub".
-All four fuel tanks are near the center of the aircraft, reducing the likelihood that they will be hit or separated from the engines. The tanks are separate from the fuselage; thus, projectiles would need to penetrate the skin before reaching the tank. The refueling system is purged after use so that there is no fuel unprotected anywhere in the aircraft. All pipes self-seal if they are compromised.

These are, really, just a few salient points. The amount of thought that went into the battlefield survivability of this aircraft is astounding, and again, the wiki article is well worth the read.






By: Steve