Richard Aboulafia, a US aerospace expert, told Breaking Defense “Many people, understandably, see that Russian column heading to Kiev and hear that distinctive A-10 BRRRT noise. Over the past two decades, the US Congress has repeatedly thwarted attempts by the US Air Force to begin retiring the A-10 fleet, in part due to pressure from companies supplying components for the jets.Ĭritics of the A-10 have argued it has not been 'tested' in a battle environment where the enemy has sophisticated fighters and air defences. Faster aircraft generally have lower loitering capability. The A-10 has been praised by analysts and veterans for its capacity to endure battle damage and also 'loiter' over a battlefield, flying for extended periods of time. It also served in conflicts in the Balkans and invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. The A-10 earned its spurs in the Gulf War of 1991, when it was used to destroy scores of Iraqi tanks. However the Su-25 is smaller and carries lesser quantity of weapons than the A-10. Ukraine already operates a subsonic close air support aircraft, the Sukhoi Su-25.
He was quoted by Breaking Defense as saying it would take time for any air force getting new capabilities to “train and get ready to do”. Brown also denied there were plans to give the A-10 to Ukraine. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall was quoted by Breaking Defense as saying “I’m not aware of any current plan, or even any discussion of a current plan to field or provide A-10s to the Ukrainians.” Air Force Chief of Staff General C.Q. However, the US government and Air Force have denied there are any plans to supply A-10 jets to Ukraine. If spare parts and maintenance are required, use part of the US $1bn funding to allow Ukraine to hire private contractors, rather than involving US personnel directly,” Breedlove and Volker wrote.
“Thanks to prior military exchange programs, Ukraine already has a small number of pilots trained to fly the A-10. In a joint article with Kurt Volker in Center for European Policy Analysis, he argued for supply of A-10 jets that are scheduled to be mothballed. Breedlove was supreme allied commander of NATO from 2013 to 2016. Philip Breedlove, a retired general of the US Air Force, also called for supplying the A-10 to Ukraine. All that is needed is painting Ukrainian insignia and delivering the aircraft. The airplane was designed to operate in Europe from ill-prepared facilities. Pyatt wrote “It is available since the service wants to retire most of the 30-year-old fleet. The gun and other weapons on the A-10 give it the capability to destroy enemy tanks and other targets and have earned it the moniker 'tank killer'.Įverett Pyatt, a former assistant secretary of the US Navy, wrote in Defence News on Thursday that the US should supply three squadrons (approximately 60 aircraft) of A-10 jets. For the close air support role, the A-10 is equipped with a 30mm Gatling gun that is significantly more powerful than the 20mm guns carried by most US fighter jets.
It is subsonic and meant for low-level operations in support of friendly forces, in an operational concept called 'close air support'.
The A-10 is a unique aircraft in the US 'tactical' fleet. On Thursday, articles appeared in multiple US strategic affairs and defence media outlets calling for the US government to ramp up assistance, including supplying an aircraft that was designed during the Cold War to destroy Russian tanks: The A-10 Thunderbolt II. In recent days, voices have grown for the US and NATO to boost the nature of assistance to include more 'offensive' weapons. Both types of weapons are meant to delay Russian forces. The US and NATO nations have, so far, provided defensive weapons such as short-range, shoulder-fired anti-tank missiles and Stinger anti-aircraft missiles. As the conflict in Ukraine continues, the West is debating the nature of assistance it intends to provide to the Volodymyr Zelenskyy government.
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