Tank buster alternatives to the A10?

For quite a while now I have developed a great admoration for the A10 Thunderbolt, commonmly refered to as the 'warthog'.

Are there any tank busters either in development or production from any power (US, UK, Russian, etc.) that can equal or out-do an A10 in this specific role?

I remember when they tried to replace the A-10 with the F-16 that had a pod-mounted 30mm cannon,This failed miserably. I think the plan is now to have the F-35 replace the A-10 when the come into service.

I dont really know of any current planes in Russia or China that have a role like that of the A-10. It seems that role has been given more too the new helicopters like the Russian Ka-50 Black Shark and the United States AH-64D LongBow both of which are great tank killers. Though I dont know if they will ever be called ''Tank busters'' like the good old A-10

the Su-25 is an extremely durable, easy to maintain and capable tankbusting aircraft. It has proven it's worth and ferocity in the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. While it isn't as advanced as the A-10 it certainly has proven its worth and effectiveness

The updated version, the su-39 is even better and introduces things like extra avionics, radar and support for a variety of newer weapons.

They are gorgeous aircraft and shouldn't be underestimated.

Thanks for the info.

I also heard a while ago there was going to be a new generation of A-10, possibly just rumour. As I can't really find a major fault in the design and function.

By the way, there was the flight manual for teh A-10 floating about a A10 fan site but it got pulled down a while ago by teh administrator. Does anyone have a copy of this (it was the hardcopy manual scanned and each page was an individual .jpeg)? I would greatly appreciate it.

Originally posted by drfunk
The updated version, the su-39 is even better and introduces things like extra avionics, radar and support for a variety of newer weapons.

They are gorgeous aircraft and shouldn't be underestimated.

WOW, i didnt even know that su-39 existed (!)



The Su-39 peculiar features:

Round-the-clock performance at active counteraction of the enemy air defense, under simple and adverse weather conditions; sighting through the on-board optical-television 23-times zoom system or through the radar sighting device:
- detection and destruction of moving targets such as tanks, speed boats or helicopters with 0,9 probability;
- autonomous detection and destruction of warships, from high-speed boats and up to torpedo-boat destroyers;
- destruction of modern air defense platforms in any of their operation modes;
- Self protection against fighters and Air-to-Air close combat;
- High maneuverability at low and medium altitudes;
- Operation from mountains airfields with runway elevation up to 3000 m;
- Almost 100 % protection of pilots and all vital aircraft systems against destruction by 30 mm caliber of cannon armament and its splinters.
The Su-39 aircraft provides application of the following:


`Air-to-Surface` weapons:

- Missiles with laser homing with accuracy 0,5 m at targets up to 10 km away and universal aircraft weapons
- antitank guided missile `Vihre` (16 pieces);
- Antiship, antiradar and TV-homing missiles;
- Corrected bombs with TV-homing.


`Air-to-Air` weapons:

- Close-in and long-distance missiles with active and semi-active seekers; with IR-guidance seekers.
Unguided weapons:
- Bombs, rockets and built-in cannon of 30 mm caliber.





[edit on 30-8-2004 by titus]

The topic of the A-10 update came up a few months ago. Here is a link to the old discussion:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Global Security has an article on the "Hog Up" upgrade program.

Man that is one nice plane! I have no bias towards country of origin and appreciate all forms of air warfare.

good to hear the lack of bias. Both the A-10 and the su-25 aircraft have been proven to be great combat aircraft and the su-39 and the "hog up" program will only make them greater.

Although not in the same league as the A-10, in the 1980's BAe thought there might be a market for a smaller cheaper 'A-10 Lite' and undertook a project called the SABA (Small Agile Battlefield Aircraft).

This was intended to be a tankbuster and helicopter killer (hence the AAM's depicted on the artists impression) and several different designs were studied. the propfan driven P.1233-1 was the favoured design but the others are interesting to see too. The circle that is demarcated on the top design of the second picture depicts a 'high speed high velocity' gun turret! This was supposed to have extremely rapid rotation to allow multiple hits on a single pass.

However all these private venture studies went the same way as most UK projects, ie into the bottom of a filing cabinet.


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well there is the GR4
Tornado GR4

Engines:
Two Turbo-Union RB199s

Length:
54ft 10in (16.70m)

Wingspan:
45ft 7in (13.90m) at 17� sweep; 28ft 2in (8.60m) at 68� sweep

Top Speed:
1,452mph (2,336km/h, Mach 2.2) at 36,000ft (11,000m); 710mph (1,140km/h) at sea-level

Crew:
Pilot and Weapons Systems Operator

Originally posted by devilwasp
well there is the GR4

If it ever get's Brimstone finished off maybe. Harrier's are pretty good at CAS. Oh and they get mavericks too



[edit on 30-8-2004 by Cjwinnit]

Does anyone have pics of the plane that lost to the A-10 in a flyoff?. I think it was an A-9. Not sure. Never been able to see a decent pic of it.

Also, it's hard to find pics of the Cheyenne, the copter that lost out to the apache.

Here ya go, the daddy of the Su-25 no less.

Much as I love 'em I don't think you can include the Tornado and Harrieras the A-10 was specifically designed as a low speed highly manouverable tank killer whereas those two are quite different. Only the Fairchild A-10, Northrop A-9, and Sukhoi 'Frogfoot' family really spring to mind as being so specialised. If you ignore planes like the Enforcer and OV-10.

Here's another one of the Northrop A-9A in flight.

Originally posted by waynos
Much as I love 'em I don't think you can include the Tornado and Harrieras the A-10 was specifically designed as a low speed highly manouverable tank killer whereas those two are quite different. Only the Fairchild A-10, Northrop A-9, and Sukhoi 'Frogfoot' family really spring to mind as being so specialised. If you ignore planes like the Enforcer and OV-10.

the tornado is designed for it.
its a low level supersonic bomber.

This airplane puts its pilot in harms way. As long as the opposing force has surface to air missles this plane will become a victim. Poster do your homework and find out why they have been withdrawn from the battlefield. They are not being used in Iraq, wonder why?

Originally posted by flycatch
This airplane puts its pilot in harms way. As long as the opposing force has surface to air missles this plane will become a victim. Poster do your homework and find out why they have been withdrawn from the battlefield. They are not being used in Iraq, wonder why?

wha?
the gr4 is faster than most planes. its a fine plane.

Originally posted by devilwasp
the tornado is designed for it.
its a low level supersonic bomber.

The Tornado is a kick ass low level supersonic bomber. However, thats one reason its not a suited to the CAS role. Its to fast. and its loiter time is not as good as the A-10's. Low and slow and heavily armoured is the name of the game

devilwasp,

I was not refering to the attack aircraft you mentioned. I was refering to the A-10 and SU-25. Battle damage, lost aircraft and pilots proved to be there achillies heel.

[edit on 30-8-2004 by flycatch]