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Here's why US soldiers love the A-10

Here's why US soldiers love the A-10

The A-10 is essentially a flying gun. The air frame is built around a 19-foot-long, 4,000 pound GAU-8 30 mm auto cannon that fires at a blistering rate of 65 rounds per second.

Here's why US soldiers love the A-10

The A-10's cannon makes a distinctive "BRRRT" sound while being fired faster than the speed of sound. "The aircraft sparked panic in the ranks of ISIS after bombing its elements and flying in spaces close to the ground," Iraqi News reported. Listen to the sound in the video below.

The A-10

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Source: We are the Mighty

Here's what the A-10's GAU-8 cannon rounds look like on an armored vehicle:

Here

And here's what the GAU-8 cannon can do to a building:

And here

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The very thought of replacing the A-10 is troubling to many soldiers. “When you’re talking to a 19-year-old man with a rifle, who’s scared on the other end of a radio, you know he doesn’t care about fiscal constraints, ‘big picture’ Air Force policy, the next fancy weapons system coming down the pipeline. He cares about being saved right then and there," an Air Force pilot said of the A-10.

The very thought of replacing the A-10 is troubling to many soldiers. “When you’re talking to a 19-year-old man with a rifle, who’s scared on the other end of a radio, you know he doesn’t care about fiscal constraints, ‘big picture’ Air Force policy, the next fancy weapons system coming down the pipeline. He cares about being saved right then and there," an Air Force pilot said of the A-10.

Pilots also love the heavy armor plating of the A-10. As a close air support plane, the A-10 is vulnerable to ground fire, but has proven to be resilient time and time again.

Pilots also love the heavy armor plating of the A-10. As a close air support plane, the A-10 is vulnerable to ground fire, but has proven to be resilient time and time again.

Another great feature of the A-10 is its ability to take off and land in harsh conditions. Here we see an A-10 land on a gravely runway that wouldn't even be an option for some of the Air Force's new planes.

Another great feature of the A-10 is its ability to take off and land in harsh conditions. Here we see an A-10 land on a gravely runway that wouldn

The A-10 is also a bargain. The unit cost is just $18.8 million, which compared to the $195 million price tag on the F-35 that is intended to replace it, is a steal.

The A-10 is also a bargain. The unit cost is just $18.8 million, which compared to the $195 million price tag on the F-35 that is intended to replace it, is a steal.

Currently, A-10s are taking part in Operation Inherent Resolve, softening ISIS targets in Syria so our allies on the ground can move in.

Currently, A-10s are taking part in Operation Inherent Resolve, softening ISIS targets in Syria so our allies on the ground can move in.

At the heart of the effort to save the A-10 is this video produced by Air Force Combat Camera operators and posted on the blog John Q Public.

At the heart of the effort to save the A-10 is this video produced by Air Force Combat Camera operators and posted on the blog John Q Public.

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Though the future of the A-10 beyond 2017 is uncertain, and the F-35 nears combat readiness, another year of A-10 close air support shows that the Pentagon has taken to heart the concerns of US combat troops.

Though the future of the A-10 beyond 2017 is uncertain, and the F-35 nears combat readiness, another year of A-10 close air support shows that the Pentagon has taken to heart the concerns of US combat troops.

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