The 422nd and 59th Take a look at and Analysis Squadrons proved that modern-day armored autos geared up with Explosive Reactive Armor are susceptible to the A-10C Thunderbolt II’s GAU-8 Avenger. This primary-ever take a look at was carried out on the Nevada Take a look at and Coaching Vary, February 14-25, 2022. Via post-shot evaluation of video, picture imagery, and visible inspection of the targets, analysts had been in a position to verify the battle injury inflicted upon the tanks and decide that the tanks had been rendered inoperative. Every take a look at mission included a two-ship of A-10Cs using armor-piercing incendiary rounds towards two surrogate major battle tanks geared up with ERA. The pilots diverse assault parameters and instructions to judge weapons’ results towards the up-armored targets.
“This has been an ongoing take a look at effort for the reason that concept originated in 2020. Now that it’s come to fruition and confirmed profitable, we’ll work in direction of testing different forms of anti-armor munitions within the Air Pressure stock towards ERA and accumulate extra knowledge,” mentioned 1st Lt. Christopher Earle, 59th TES A-10C operations take a look at analyst.
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“A typical A-10 gun employment makes use of 120 rounds, which suggests an A-10 is able to using fires on 9 to 10 targets earlier than exhausting its gun munitions. Towards massive fielded forces, A-10 formations are able to partaking almost 40 armored autos with 30 mm munitions,” mentioned Maj. Kyle Adkison, 422nd TES A-10C division commander.
Along with 30mm gun rounds, the take a look at additionally collected knowledge on AGM-65L Maverick and AGR-20E Superior Precision Kill Weapons System effectiveness towards armored autos. The A-10 is nicely fitted to Agile Fight Employment roles, and this take a look at proves the A-10 can proceed to ship huge speedy firepower with devastating results on enemy autos in a contested surroundings. A number of businesses had been included all through the take a look at together with the 422nd TES, 59th TES, 53rd Take a look at and Analysis Group, and the Air Pressure Lifecycle Administration Heart’s Operational Weaponeering and Evaluation Division.
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is a single-seat, twin-turbofan, straight-wing, subsonic assault plane developed by the Fairchild Republic for the U.S. Air Pressure. In service since 1976, it’s named for the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt however is often known as the “Warthog” or “Hog”. The A-10 was designed to supply shut air assist (CAS) to pleasant floor troops by attacking armored autos, tanks, and different enemy floor forces. Though the A-10 can carry a substantial quantity of munitions, its major built-in weapon is the 30×173 mm GAU-8/A Avenger autocannon. Probably the most highly effective plane cannons ever flown, it fires massive depleted uranium armor-piercing shells.
