Ukraine can get legendary A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft with AGM Maverick missiles and GAU-8 Avenger cannon
The day begins with good news. Ukraine may receive the legendary American aircraft A-10 Thunderbolt II nicknamed The Warthog.
What we know
It is too early to talk about transferring the attack aircraft to the Armed Forces, but Frank Kendall, Secretary of the US Air Force, did not exclude the possibility. That was his comment after General Charles Quinton Brown said that Ukraine should give up Soviet aircraft.
According to the general, there is a number of other aircrafts that Ukraine could get. In particular, the Swedish Gripen, which is used by the Czech Republic, as well as Eurofighter or Rafales. In any case, not Russian-made.
As for A-10 Thunderbolt II, it is a legendary attack aircraft that was designed to destroy convoys of enemy armored vehicles. Talks about transferring the aircraft to Ukraine first began back in the spring, when Russian tanks were heading toward Kiev in columns.
Like other attack aircraft, A-10 Thunderbolt II is designed to attack enemy forces on the front lines. It has enhanced protection and lots of armament for this purpose. The aircraft Fairchild Republic is equipped with a 30mm automatic cannon GAU-8 Avenger weighing nearly 2 tons, which can fire nearly 4,000 rounds per minute and is capable of engaging tanks at a distance of more than 1 km.
A-10 Thunderbolt II has 11 suspension units and can carry more than 7 tons of weapons. Specifically, AGM Maverick missiles with a launch range of up to 28 km. During Operation Desert Storm, the attack aircraft destroyed about 900 tanks, 1,200 artillery pieces and 2,000 pieces of other equipment.
Source: The Drive
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