A-10 in Yugoslavia
Here, an A-10 Thunderbolt II takes off on a mission against targets in Yugoslavia during the NATO bombing against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War in late 1999.
The A-10 and OA-10 Thunderbolt IIs were the first Air Force aircraft specially designed for close-air support of ground forces, with a unique tank-stopping nose cannon which fires nearly 4,000 rounds a minute.
The Warthog is simple and effective at its close-air support duties, able to be used against virtually any target on the ground, including tanks and other armored vehicles. General Mark A. Welsh III, Air Force chief of staff, said other aircraft -- F-16s, B-1s, and B-52s -- provide roughly 75 percent of the close-air support in Afghanistan today. “We have a lot of airplanes that can perform that mission and perform it well,” he said.
Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic. We delete comments that violate our policy, which we encourage you to read. Discussion threads can be closed at any time at our discretion.