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“I put another 100 rounds down, and the helicopter jinked right into the last burst; the helicopter looked like it had been hit by a bomb,”Capt. Robert “Swaino” Swain, A-10 pilot
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II was designed for close air support (CAS) of friendly ground troops, attacking armored vehicles and tanks, and providing quick-action support against enemy ground forces. It entered service in 1976 and is the only production-built aircraft that has served in the U.S. Air Force (USAF) that was designed solely for CAS. Its secondary mission is to provide forward air controller – airborne (FAC-A) support, by directing other aircraft in attacks on ground targets. Aircraft used primarily in this role are designated OA-10.
The A-10 was used in combat for the first time during Operation Desert Storm in 1991, destroying more than 900 Iraqi tanks, 2,000 other military vehicles and 1,200 artillery pieces.
During the campaign the A-10s also shot down two Iraqi helicopters by means of their powerful GAU-8/A Avenger cannon.
The first A-10 air-to-air victory was scored on Feb. 6 by Capt. Robert “Swaino” Swain of the 706th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS), when flying the A-10A No. 77-0205 he shot down an Iraqi Bo-105 helicopter. As explained byDonald J. McCarthy, Jr. in his book “The Raptors All F-15 and F-16 aerial combat victories,” Swain (call-sign SAVAGE 01) had just attacked two Iraqi tanks with Maverick missiles in central Kuwait when he observed strange movement some distance from his position. He recalls: “They weren’t putting up any dust and were moving fast over the desert.”
One of the coalition FAC-As helped out and put down a white phosphorus (WP) rocket for a mark on the ground that allowed everyone else to get eyes on the targets.
Swain explains how the air engagement took place in Craig Brown book Debrief: a complete history of U.S. aerial engagements 1981 to the present: “I decided to get a close look, and tried to get a visual identification by over-flying the two helicopters at 5-6,000 feet. They must have seen me, because then they split up and started taking evasive maneuvers. The one helicopter to the north broke away and headed to a known Iraqi police station/camp, while the other continued southwest. Once it was determined that there were no known friendlies in the area, and that one of the helicopters flew to a known enemy site, I determined that the remaining flying helicopter was also a bandit, and decided to destroy it. I gave the first shot to my wingman, Lt White, but his slant range was beyond two miles, and he misjudged his shot and missed. I then decided that, since I was overhead the target, I would take a shot. I armed my gun, but also un-caged my AIM-9 heat seeking missile. I was fairly steep (65-70 degrees), and tried to lock up the helicopter twice, but the missile kept breaking lock because of the size of the target, distance away, and the surrounding terrain. Prior to pulling off the target I decided to also shoot the gun and put about 75 rounds out, but thought I had missed. I then extended away from the target and tried a second pass. I noticed that the helicopter was flying erratically, but I still managed to miss to the left with my first burst of 100 rounds, retook aim, and fired another 100 rounds and missed right. Knowing I was pressing the minimum altitude for the kill box, I put another 100 rounds down, and the helicopter jinked right into the last burst; the helicopter looked like it had been hit by a bomb.”
This was repeated on Feb. 15 when Capt. Todd “Shanghai” Sheehy of the 511th TFS shot down an Mi-8 with his Avenger while flying A-10A No. 81-0964. According to McCarthy, Sheehy (call-sign SPRINGFIELD 27) was flying his twenty-seventh combat sortie near the heavily defended city of Karbala when he identified the “Hip” in his area of operation. Shangai reacted quickly and engaged the Iraqi aircraft with his 30 mike-mike.
Sheehy tells Brown how he conductedthe engagement: “Things were happening fast; the helicopter moving quickly across my canopy, the altimeter unwinding and approaching 8,000 feet, and the potential threat all distracting me as I settled the gun cross out in front of the target.
No friendly helos would be in this area, I thought.
What about the AIM-9? No the desert sand is probably hotter than the target-it’s a good gun shot.
I can see it pretty clearly now… Man, that IS an enemy helicopter-looks like an Mi-8 “Hip” with rocket pods… Pull the trigger!
As my heart pounded in my chest and all these thoughts surged through my mind I was pulling the trigger. The gun was firing, but it seemed distant. Suddenly the distortion of time and space stopped, and I fully realized what was happening; the altitude in the HUD was rapidly passing five thousand feet as I came off the trigger and pulled and jinked to the right, away from the big guns [Sheehy had been shot in the same area two days before by 23, 37, and 57mm AAA].
‘Looks like the second half of the burst got it,” Jay [First Lieutenant Jay Keller of the 76th TFS, who wasSheehy wingman for that mission] reported excitedly, as I jinked for all I was worth while aware of all the small white ‘clouds’ of exploding AAA around my canopy.
[…] I quickly asked COUGAR [the AWACS call sign) if he had any further contacts, to which he answered me negative. I then told him I had found the contact, as I got my first look at the target since rolling in and pulling the trigger. Through the smoke and dust, it appeared to still be intact and flying, although more slowly than before, and trailing thin white smoke.
‘Was that a helicopter?” Jay asked. ‘Ya,’ I answered curtly, realizing I needed to attack again quickly before I got behind a battery of 23mm guns whose revetments and muzzle flashes I could see clearly from my relatively low altitude. ‘One’s back in,’ I transmitted, rolling in from 8,000 feet. ‘Last pass,’ I added […].
As I rolled in again, I was keenly aware of my low altitude and my proximity to the threat. I rolled out quickly and took aim, leading the helicopter more than during the last pass. I squeezed the trigger again, and as I watched the helicopter fly through the bullets I realized the ground was coming up fast. As I took in the altitude readout on the HUD, the gun suddenly stopped.
Did I let off the trigger? I briefly wondered. Er!! 4,000 feet… Climb now!!
Again, I pulled hard and rolled to the right. Jinking. I climbed. My lungs were straining to pull in enough air as I labored to breathe under the G forces, which pulled at every part of me. I climbed away to the west, twisting and slipping my jet through the sky with the 23mm AAA airbursts trailing behind. Somewhere in the distance I heard Jay proclaim ‘Great hits!!’ 8,000 feet, I eased off the G and looked over my shoulder at the target. It was gone. In its place a ball of flame and thick, black smoke. Many emotions went through me that instant: excitement, pain, fear, relief, and pride all at once.
[…] I had just become only the second A-10 pilot in history to score an air-to-air kill, and one of the very few pilots in modern history to do so with a gun rather than missiles.”
Besides being the last A-10 air-to-air kill to date, this is also the last gun kill by U.S. forces.
Debrief: a complete history of U.S. aerial engagements 1981 to the present is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.
Photo credit: U.S. Air Force
Artworkcourtesy ofAircraftProfilePrints.com
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FAQs
How many tanks did the A-10 destroy in Gulf War? ›
By the time it ended, the Warthog would be credited with destroying more than 900 tanks, 2,000 military vehicles, and 1,200 artillery pieces. That the A-10 remains in service 29 years later is a testament to the platform's reliability and effectiveness.
Was the a10 used in Operation Desert Storm? ›The A-10 served in the Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm), the American–led intervention against Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, where the aircraft distinguished itself. The A-10 also participated in other conflicts such as in Grenada, the Balkans, Afghanistan, the Iraq War, and against the Islamic State in the Middle East.
Has the A-10 ever shot down an aircraft? ›Can A-10 shoot down aircraft? The A-10 was used in combat for the first time during the Gulf War in 1991, with 132 being deployed. A-10s shot down two Iraqi helicopters with the GAU-8 cannon. The first of these was shot down by Captain Robert Swain over Kuwait on 6 February 1991 for the A-10's first air-to-air victory.
What killed the most tanks in Desert Storm? ›Primarily killing tanks in an interdiction role, the A-10 proved its versatility as a daytime SCUD hunter In Western Iraq, suppressing enemy air defenses, attacking early warning radars, and even recorded two helicopter kills with its gun --- the only gun kills of the war.
How many Abrams tanks were destroyed in Desert Storm? ›Of the nine Abrams destroyed, seven were due to friendly fire, and two were intentionally destroyed to prevent capture after they became disabled.
What is the largest tank to ever see combat? ›Panzerkampfwagen VIII Maus (English: 'mouse') was a German World War II super-heavy tank completed in late 1944. It is the heaviest fully enclosed armored fighting vehicle ever built.
What US fighter jet has never been shot down? ›July 27, 2022 marked its 50th anniversary, and the 173rd Fighter Wing commemorated the historic occasion of their venerated aircraft. “The lore of the F-15—its' got 104 air-to-air kills and it's never been shot down in combat,” said Lt. Col.
Can an A-10 win a dogfight? ›Everybody knows the A-10 can bring the pain to ground targets like few aircraft in history, but the aircraft's tight turn radius and powerful gun can actually make it a force to be reckoned with in a dogfight too.
Does the F 22 have any kills? ›There it racked up an impressive tally of 29 air-to-air kills with no losses, against state-of-the-art MiG-29s and other capable fighters.
Can A-10 gun penetrate tank? ›Results of recent live fire testing by the US Air Force (USAF) found that, 50 years after its inception, A-10C Thunderbolts can still crack open the armour of modern main battle tanks. More commonly known as the Warthog, the ground attack airframe was originally produced in 1972 by Fairchild Republic.
What tank has never been destroyed? ›
Very few M1 tanks were hit by enemy fire and none were destroyed as a direct result of enemy fire, none of which resulted in any fatalities.
Has an enemy ever destroyed an Abrams? ›Of the nine Abrams tanks destroyed, seven were destroyed by friendly fire and two intentionally destroyed to prevent capture by the Iraqi Army. Some others took minor combat damage, with little effect on their operational readiness.
What is replacing the a10 Warthog? ›The U.S. Air Force had stated the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II would replace the A-10 as it entered service, but this remains highly contentious within the USAF and in political circles. With a variety of upgrades and wing replacements, the A-10's service life can be extended to 2040.
How much does an A-10 cost per flight hour? ›As for fighter and attack aircraft, the cheapest on the list is the A-10 Thunderbolt attack jet, which costs $22,531 per flight hour.
Why is the a10 so feared? ›The A-10 Warthog is the golden standard for close combat aircraft, due to its ability to maneuver at low altitudes and still dish out lethal blows to enemy troops. This relentless and tough ground attack plane will destroy the enemy's armor and artillery and not even a bad weather condition will dampen the Hog's wrath.
Can a T-72 destroy an Abrams? ›During the first Gulf War three kinetic energy piercing rounds from a T-72 hit the M1A1 armor but unable to fully penetrate but the external damage was enough to send the Abrams to get repaired. Six other M1A1s were allegedly hit by 125 mm tank fire, but the impacts were largely ineffectual.
What can destroy an Abrams tank? ›Guidelines To Destroy M1 Abrams Tanks
Also, Russian-language reports recommend hitting the fuel tank, located in the front section on both sides of the driver. This burning fuel is expected to fall into the engine compartment, causing the engine to catch fire and explode.
The RPG-29 uses a tandem-charge high-explosive anti-tank warhead to penetrate explosive reactive armor (ERA) as well as composite armor behind it. It is capable of penetrating MBTs, such as the American M1 Abrams, the older model Mark II version of the Israeli Merkava, the British Challenger 2 and the Russian T-90.
What is the most feared tank? ›Product Description. Germany's Tiger tank, whether in the form of the Tiger I or later Tiger II (King Tiger), was the most feared tank of WWII.
Why do Russian tanks have cages on them? ›This type of cage armor is meant to protect the top of a tank's turret — where the armored vehicles are most vulnerable — to the top-down blast of ATGMs like Javelin, the Swedish-British Next-generation Light Anti-tank Weapon (NLAW), or the Ukrainian-made Skif, also called the Stugna-P.
Who has the best military tank in the world? ›
The German-made Leopard 2 tank is widely regarded as the best of its kind in the world, combining both speed and accuracy, and capable of hitting targets 5km away while on the move.
What is the most feared U.S. military aircraft? ›The F-35 strengthens national security, enhances global partnerships and powers economic growth. As the most lethal, survivable and connected fighter jet in the world, the F-35 gives pilots the critical advantage against any adversary, enabling them to execute their mission and come home safe.
Has the U.S. ever shot down a Russian jet? ›27 December 1992 – USAF F-16 vs. IRAF MiG-25 – A MiG-25 crossed the no-fly zone and an F-16D shot it down with an AIM-120 AMRAAM missile. It is the first kill with an AIM-120, and also the first USAF F-16 kill.
Has an F-15 ever been shot down in air-to-air combat? ›Pilot was killed. 7 March 1986: F-15A, 76-0055, of the 426th TFTS, 405th TTW, USAF, crashed after a mid-air collision with F-15 76-0074 near Luke AFB. Pilot of one ejected and survived, the other did not eject and was killed.
What pilot has the most dogfight kills? ›Erich Hartmann, with 352 official kills the highest scoring fighter pilot of all time.
What is the best dogfighting plane in the world? ›The F-22 Raptor is one of the world's most advanced and capable fighter jets. Boeing and Lockheed Martin jointly developed and produced it. Its main job is to fight for air superiority, but it can also attack the ground, fight with electronic weapons, and get information from signals.
Who would win in a dogfight F 18 or F-16? ›Overall, in a strict air-to-air dogfight, the F-16 would generally win. However, when you need something that can do it all, carry more ordinance, and be more flexible on what it's doing and where it is taking off from, the F-18 is going to be the aircraft of choice for most missions.
Could the F-14 beat an F 18? ›The F-14 is much faster and more powerful than the F/A-18, with a top speed of 2.34 Mach, while the Super Hornet reaches Mach 1.8.
Has an F-22 ever been in a dog fight? ›But the fact that the F-22 had never won a dogfight before its decisive victory over what may or may not have been a Chinese spy balloon is a nice illustration of why the United States has the world's most expensive military by a massive margin.
Has an F 16 ever been shot down? ›On 8 October 1996, 7 months after the escalation over Imia/Kardak, during an air-to-air confrontation over the Aegean Sea in the Athens FIR, a Greek Mirage 2000 fired an R550 Magic missile and shot down a Turkish F-16D.
How many Iraqi tanks were destroyed in the Gulf War? ›
Answer and Explanation: It is estimated that 85 Iraqi tanks were destroyed in the Gulf War, 30 of them during the 'Battle of 73 Easting. ' During this battle, the U.S. Army defeated and entire division of the elite Iraqi Republican Guard. The Iraqis also suffered about 1,000 casualties.
How many American tanks were destroyed in the Gulf War? ›During air and ground operations, U.S. and allied forces destroyed over 3,000 tanks, 1,400 armored personnel carriers, and 2,200 artillery pieces along with countless other vehicles. This was achieved at a cost to the United States of 96 soldiers killed in action, 2 died of wounds, and 105 non-hostile deaths.
How many kills do A-10s have? ›In just forty days (the extent of the Persian Gulf War), the A-10 racked up an astonishing 987 kills against enemy tanks, 926 against enemy artillery pieces, 1,355 against other combat vehicles, 10 against enemy fighters on the ground, and two against airborne enemy helicopters.
Can the a-10 Warthog destroy a tank? ›'As pretty much everyone else answering this question has pointed out… the A-10 can fairly easily destroy a tank. As can anything else slinging either an AGM-65 Maverick or an AGM-114 Hellfire.
How many tanks does Russia have left? ›While it's true that Russia has in storage some 10,000 old tanks—T-62s, T-72s and T-80s—many have been sitting outside, exposed to the elements and looters, for decades.
How many tanks has Russia lost in Ukraine? ›LONDON—Russia has likely lost more than 2,000 tanks in its war in Ukraine, more than half of its operational tank fleet, according to estimates released Wednesday from the International Institute for Strategic Studies.