[Commander Wallace]

Originally Posted by Andreas86

Without top cover by friendly fighters, a sqadron or 3 of A-10s would be a turkey shoot for russian fighter jets. The A-10 is also very slow and would probably struggle if the russians has any decent anti air capability in its convoys. The US was able to utilize the A-10 successfully in Desert Storm against armor, because not only was most of Iraqi IADS and general AA capability completely devastated by endless sorties by F-117s, F-15E Strike Eagles, F-16s, F-18s (to name a few,), the Iraqi air force had fled (what was left), and the skies were completely saturated with F-15Cs, F-16s, F-14s, F-4Gs, and so on, flying top cover. Not counting the rest of the coalitions air power.

Total air superiority. Would it have fared as well against the Soviet Union in the 80s, we will never know. But as you all conclude, we will hardly find out now either.

Hardly.

Originally Posted by Commander Wallace

However, I believe that if an attack like that were made, delivery of fragmentation and cluster munitions would be used on the advancing formations long before A-10's arrived to " soften " them up. The planners would certainly understand the Russians would also field anti aircraft batteries and shoulder fired weapons and try to take the necessary precautions for the strike aircraft.

Those fragmentation and cluster munitions are incredibly deadly against " soft targets " and would also have a demoralizing effect on the Russian formations only to have A-10's swoop in and finish the job. It's all in how you use your assets. I'm not an expert but i believe this would have been one possible scenario.

Munitions like those can be delivered through cruise missiles and it's variants. The A-10's would have supporting aircraft including attack helicoptors armed with Aim-9 sidewinders and supporting anti aircraft batteries along with other fighters. The Russians would have their own aircraft as well. Who knows but it would be entertaining.



#1599of this thread.