"Maritime" A-10 Thunderbolt II

[planeflyer21]

Sadly, not the use I thought the headline was teasing:

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/05/01/a-new-maritime-mission-for-old-a-10-warthogs.aspx

I was picturing it in use for anti-shipping purposes, using some sort of new super-cavitating AP 30mm cannon round.  Flying off our Sarge Barges.

[blue109]

And torpedoes!

[shepp]

It's new name will be the can opener, aka the tank killer

[survivalshop]

  That's one bad A$$ plane , no matter what they use it for .

[EngrBob]

The A-10, now there is a classic.  Back in '74 I designed the reconstruction of a ramp (apron) at the Fairchild plant in Hagerstown Maryland where they were doing the final assembly of the A-10.  Interestingly that was the same plant, and same ramp, where B-17s were assembled during WWII.  They went into service shortly thereafter so it is an aircraft that has been serving the military for more than 40 years.  Now there is a sound investment! 

[Sisco]

14 hours ago, EngrBob said:

The A-10, now there is a classic.  Back in '74 I designed the reconstruction of a ramp (apron) at the Fairchild plant in Hagerstown Maryland where they were doing the final assembly of the A-10.  Interestingly that was the same plant, and same ramp, where B-17s were assembled during WWII.  They went into service shortly thereafter so it is an aircraft that has been serving the military for more than 40 years.  Now there is a sound investment! 

Back in the 70's when he was working at the Twin City Army Ammunition plant as an engineer, my father did work on the 30mm Round the A10's Cannon shoots. A bad ass cannon, for sure. Think it would rip up small Chinese gunboats harassing the fishing fleets pretty thoroughly if it came to that. This report kind of reminds me of that scene in "The Hunt for Red October" when 4 A10's buzzed the "Kirov" at low level. In today's world don't know how that would play out. SAM's are a lot more sophisticated now.

[planeflyer21]

1 hour ago, Sisco said:

SAM's are a lot more sophisticated now.

True.

But so are countermeasures.

[Boog]

I will attest that having an A-10 overhead when one conducting a Combat Rescue is a comforting thing.