They are designed to fly even after suffering enormous damage. It's why the engines are mounted above the wings not under the aircraft.

They feature a gatling gun that fires ammo made from depleted uranium naturally heavy enough to pierce well armored tanks.

Aristus

(72,206 posts)

29. The tanker's friend.

Reply to FarPoint (Reply #1)

Fri Apr 3, 2026, 05:20 PM

9 hrs ago

Tank crewmen love the A-10 because it’s basically a flying tank. We tankers knew that, if we got in a little over our heads on a tank-rich battlefield, the A-10 would come help us out.

I remember during live fire training at Fort Knox, Air Force A-10’s would train at an adjacent range. They’d swoop low over the range, fire that immense Gatling gun, then pull away and fly off. The gun sounded like a buzz saw.

We tankers always cheered when they did their targeting run.

jmowreader

(53,206 posts)

31. One of the hardest aircraft we have to shoot down

Reply to FarPoint (Reply #1)

Fri Apr 3, 2026, 06:30 PM

8 hrs ago

On April 7, 2003, one being flown by Captain Kim Campbell, US Air Force, got shot to shit by the Iraqis. They managed to shoot "hundreds" of holes in the airframe, shoot off a large part of the horizontal stabilizer and destroy both hydraulic systems...but after an hour in the air she landed safely at her air base.

sarisataka

(22,696 posts)

5. Source?

Reply to SamuelTheThird (Original post)

Fri Apr 3, 2026, 03:06 PM

12 hrs ago

ruet

(10,301 posts)

8. Times of Israel...

Reply to sarisataka (Reply #5)

Fri Apr 3, 2026, 03:08 PM

12 hrs ago

is the source I'm seeing. Nothing that can be posted on LBN as of yet.

Lifeafter70

(988 posts)

27. Watching msnow and they just reported

Reply to sarisataka (Reply #5)

Fri Apr 3, 2026, 05:07 PM

10 hrs ago

Two Blackhawks were hit bit no further information. They also stated the warthog went down near the strait pilot rescued

Renew Deal

(85,179 posts)

6. Where?

Reply to SamuelTheThird (Original post)

Fri Apr 3, 2026, 03:06 PM

12 hrs ago

highplainsdem

(62,227 posts)

9. The A-10 went down in the Persian Gulf near the Strait of Hormuz. Pilot rescued. Links:

Reply to Renew Deal (Reply #6)

Fri Apr 3, 2026, 03:10 PM

12 hrs ago

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/second-american-plane-involved-in-iran-war-crashes-us-officials-say-pilot-safely-rescued/

https://www.rawstory.com/a-10-crashes-iran/

Catlady123

(48 posts)

7. https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/second-american-plane-involved-in-iran-war-crashes-us-officials-say-pilot-s

Reply to SamuelTheThird (Original post)

Fri Apr 3, 2026, 03:08 PM

12 hrs ago

ruet

(10,301 posts)

10. Now being reported by the NY Times.

Reply to SamuelTheThird (Original post)

Fri Apr 3, 2026, 03:15 PM

12 hrs ago

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/04/03/world/iran-war-trump-oil

Still nothing that can be posted in LBN.

A second Air Force combat plane crashed in the Persian Gulf region on Friday, and the lone pilot was safely rescued, according to two U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters. The A-10 Warthog attack plane went down near the Strait of Hormuz about the same time that an Air Force F-15E was shot down over Iran, the officials said. In that incident, one crew member was rescued and search-and-rescue operators are looking for the second airman. Officials provided scant details about the A-10 crash, including how and where it happened.

SamuelTheThird

(1,169 posts)

11. Rescue helicopter may also have been downed

Reply to SamuelTheThird (Original post)

Fri Apr 3, 2026, 03:16 PM

12 hrs ago

Not sure of source yet

EarthFirst

(4,156 posts)

14. I saw MediasTouch mention a Blackhawk...

Reply to SamuelTheThird (Reply #11)

Fri Apr 3, 2026, 03:18 PM

11 hrs ago

No link/source.

BREAKING: A U.S. Black Hawk was hit by Iranian fire during a rescue mission for the downed F-15 crew.

Irish_Dem

(81,359 posts)

23. This is turning into a nightmare scenario for military aircrews.

Reply to EarthFirst (Reply #14)

Fri Apr 3, 2026, 04:31 PM

10 hrs ago

ruet

(10,301 posts)

13. Posted to LBN -NT-

Reply to SamuelTheThird (Original post)

Fri Apr 3, 2026, 03:17 PM

11 hrs ago

Lovie777

(23,009 posts)

15. 2 are down .....

Reply to SamuelTheThird (Original post)

Fri Apr 3, 2026, 03:40 PM

11 hrs ago

they rescued the F-15 pilot and still searching for the other down aircraft pilot.

superpatriotman

(6,873 posts)

18. This is impossible

Reply to SamuelTheThird (Original post)

Fri Apr 3, 2026, 04:19 PM

10 hrs ago

Because I heard the precedent of America say all their anti aircraft capabilities were destroyed back on March 5.

allegorical oracle

(6,482 posts)

19. Pete and Donnie tend to underestimate their foes...all foes. nt

Reply to SamuelTheThird (Original post)

Fri Apr 3, 2026, 04:25 PM

10 hrs ago

Irish_Dem

(81,359 posts)

21. Trump is not used to his victims fighting back.

Reply to allegorical oracle (Reply #19)

Fri Apr 3, 2026, 04:26 PM

10 hrs ago

Botany

(77,352 posts)

24. But Trump said that Iran has no anti-aircraft weapons.

Reply to SamuelTheThird (Original post)

Fri Apr 3, 2026, 04:52 PM

10 hrs ago

“They have no anti-aircraft equipment,” Trump told the nation. Two days later, a pair of US planes and a helicopter were hit.

herding cats

(20,051 posts)

25. The pilot is safe per the WSJ

Reply to SamuelTheThird (Original post)

Fri Apr 3, 2026, 04:55 PM

10 hrs ago

“A second American warplane was hit by Iran Friday and the pilot is safe, according to people familiar with the matter. The plane was an A-10 Thunderbolt, commonly known as a Warthog.
Earlier Friday, a F-15E fighter jet was shot down over Iran and one of the two crew members was rescued, two U.S. officials have confirmed. The status of the second crew member is unknown as a search-and-rescue operation continues.
Iranian state broadcaster IRIB said earlier that an American warplane was targeted by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps air defenses. An Iranian news agency with close ties to the country’s security services circulated photographs purporting to show wreckage of a downed jet. Iranian state television said Iranians would be rewarded for finding any American crewmembers and turning them over alive”
https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/iran-war-news-2026

doc03

(39,089 posts)

28. This reminds me of Jimmie Carters failed hostage rescue back

Reply to SamuelTheThird (Original post)

Fri Apr 3, 2026, 05:15 PM

10 hrs ago

In 1978 or 9.

John1956PA

(4,972 posts)

30. 1980

Reply to doc03 (Reply #28)

Fri Apr 3, 2026, 06:17 PM

9 hrs ago

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