Fighter jet from Vietnam times
Ukrainian military wants US “tank killers”.
January 12, 2024, 8:15 p.m
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Kiev says it also needs military aircraft from the West to defend itself against the Russian invasion. The commander-in-chief of the army is specifically keeping an eye on an old US jet from the 1970s, whose strength lies in combating ground targets.
According to the commander of the ground forces, Olexander Syrskyj, Ukraine needs ground attack aircraft for the war against the Russian invading troops. This included US A-10 jets to support the infantry. The A-10 is not a new machine but has proven itself in many wars, he told Reuters. It has a large arsenal for destroying ground targets.
The A-10 would be a crucial support to ground forces in regaining the initiative. “It is designed to destroy land-based targets: tanks, artillery, anything that counteracts the infantry,” Syrsky said. Attack helicopters such as the AH-64 Apache and the AH-1 Super Cobra as well as the UH-60 Black Hawk could also play an important role, said the colonel general. Airplanes that can fire long-range cruise missiles are also needed.
The single-seat American Fairchild A-10 “Thunderbolt” ground attack aircraft is used to combat tanks and is designed for extreme low-altitude flying. Two jet engines on the rear fuselage can bring the hulking-looking machine, which is also known as a “warthog” in soldiers’ jargon, to a top speed of 700 kilometers per hour.
The aircraft, which is not particularly fast due to its heavy armor, has a seven-barreled revolver cannon as its main weapon, which can fire up to 70 armor-piercing 30-millimeter projectiles per second. In addition, the “tank killer” can carry various types of bombs and laser-guided explosive devices.
A large wing area gives the aircraft great maneuverability even at slow speeds. The “Thunderbolt”, which has been used by the US armed forces since 1978, was originally developed for the Vietnam War.