The A-10 Thunderbolt II was introduced in 1977
The A-10 is more commonly known as the "Warthog" or "Hog"
The A-10 has a reputation for extreme toughness and the ability to remain in the air even after sustaining damage
It's powered by two huge General Electric TF34 turbofan engines
The craft weighs 12 tons empty, but can fly with up to 13 tons more worth of arms
The phrase "Go Ugly Early" is associated with the aircraft, referring to calling the Warthog in early for heavy close air support
The A-10 is mostly used for ground attack missions, like softening up enemy forces for an upcoming wave of American infantry
In addition to a 30mm Gatling gun, the A-10 has 11 mounts for additional firepower
This is the GAU-8 Avenger Gatling gun, the cannon on the nose of the plane
It fires 30mm caliber rounds and can fire up to 3,500 rounds per minute
The A-10 can hold 1,174 rounds of ammunition for the Avenger cannon
Needless to say, that kind of firepower is very, very effective against armored ground targets
A warthog fully loaded with eight tons of firepower is truly a sight to behold
This AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missile weighs up to 670 lbs and can wipe out a tank in a single shot
The Maverick missile costs between $17,000 and $160,000 depending on how advanced the guidance system is
The Maverick can make a rather significant dent in an enemy's line
A Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition is a smart bomb around ten feet long with an accuracy of up to 7 meters
The A-10 has been a crucial component of Air Force close air support for decades and will not be replaced for years
In short, the A-10 is the meanest, toughest close air support aircraft in the skies, and it's incredibly good at what it does
Now that you've seen what's in the skies, see what's going on under the sea
Rupee rises 17 paise to close at 83.33 against US dollar
More Indians are travelling than ever before, as 97 mn passengers took flight in Q1 2024: Report
IMD forcasts heatwave for few states in next 5 days
