![]() The lack of a gun on most F-4 variants, coupled with the relative ineffectiveness of the standard 20mm Vulcan round on gun-equipped F-4Es against hard targets, made strafing runs either impossible or ineffective. The F-4 Phantom II was pressed into close air support, but usually in emergencies, as its high cruising speed and fuel consumption hindered its ability to loiter. In addition, the UH-1 Huey and AH-1 Cobra helicopters of the day, which USAF commanders had said should handle close air support, were ill-suited for use against armor, carrying only anti-personnel machine guns and unguided rockets meant for soft targets. In the Vietnam War, large numbers of ground-attack aircraft were shot down by small arms, surface-to-air missiles, and low-level anti-aircraft gunfire, prompting the development of an aircraft better able to survive such weapons. Air Force did not take close air support seriously prompted a few service members to seek a specialized attack aircraft. (Image: USAF A-10 Thunderbolt II from 1975)Ĭriticism that the U.S. ![]() A-10s used primarily in this role are designated OA-10. As a secondary mission, it provides airborne forward air control, guiding other aircraft against ground targets. However, the A-10 is more commonly known by its nickname "Warthog" or simply "Hog". The A-10's official name comes from the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt of World War II, a fighter that was particularly effective at close air support. Air Force aircraft designed exclusively for close air support. The A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic for the United States Air Force to provide close air support (CAS) of ground forces by attacking tanks, armored vehicles, and other ground targets, with a limited air interdiction capability. Role: Close air support ground-attack aircraft ![]()
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