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And, to operate them efficiently-and we know this from our pilots-they are really vulnerable to the enemy’s air defense.” Sak said the A-10s would likely be easy targets for Russian antiaircraft systems already in use in the Ukraine conflict.
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“But then, at the same time, they are slow. And the enemy cannot hide even behind tank armor when it meets A-10s,” he said. “They are a great support machine, very durable, very deadly. The Air Force has long considered this kind of battle obsolete and said the A-10 is irrelevant and extremely vulnerable in the types of conflict it envisions in the future. A-10s were designed specifically for this kind of conflict and carry weapons to kill tanks and give close support to ground troops. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said he’s considering the idea but it’s still in the discussion phase.įrom an operational point of view, the Air Force brass thought the A-10 was well suited to Ukraine’s needs given the grinding war against Russia has morphed primarily to a game of inches on the ground with tanks leading the charge. The New York Times is reporting Air Force brass wanted to donate some or all of the close support “cannon with wings” aircraft to Ukraine and training its pilots to fly them.
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Last week the Air Force floated what it thought was a politically irresistible way to get rid of at least part of its fleet of A-10s.
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