IMO, in this kind of capacity the F-16 is like the M4 Carbine, whereas the A-10 would be more like the Browning BAR, both have their specialties. Great content GS, thank you.
In Iraq i think ( or arghanistan ) an F16 provided close air support to special forces troops who were pinned by enemy. I think the F16 only had cluster bomb (no guns) so instead of bombing he dived and used the sonic boom to disorientate the enemy and trick them into taking cover as it probably sounded like a bomb going off. It apparently worked and gave the guys time to GTFO of dodge.
I heard a similar story like this on yt somewhere, it was an F-14 that was Winchester, that supposedly disobeyed orders to cover ground troops making an escape using the sonic boom. As wel as it's general presence to keep the enemy defensive. No idea how real it is tho.
All I have to say is don't piss off your mechanics. Especially on convoy. I'm not military but my best friend is. He was a mechanic in the army and drove a hemt on convoy in Iraq. one day his alternator or something gave up and he limped it to the next checkpoint or fob and told the convoy leader hey we can't go anywhere I'm gonna break down, I need to radio back and get this part. Convoy leader said nope you're fine we're moving out. Needless to say the wrecker that's basically the heart and lifeline of the convoy breaks down. Shit hits the fan, they get shot at and when they got back to base that convoy leader got his ass handed to him and from there on out he was under very strict orders to move or not move basically under motor pools discretion regardless of rank.
Pilotm especially times two, when you budget in their schooling/training, are more valuable than a single aircraft. That was not cowardice, but the wise move.USA.
The best CAS is the one that checks in with you and delivers as requested on your 9 line. I've had all sorts of aircraft show up to help and they all were appreciated.
Fun video I work for Pratt &Whitney on F 35 engines. The fact a gun slinger like the 16 can also do some of the 10’s duties is impressive. I think we are reading from the same page here.
@@dieyproductions4403it had everything the Hornet was designed to do. A in the designation means that it was designed to be a ground attack platform as well.
@@traviswalker8933 Those designations, in practice, don't mean very much. Simply look at the F-117 as an example. The F-117 isn't fighting anything. There was an "F/A-16" planned, however, all of those requirements were simply met by the block 40 F-16CG with its addition of GPS and LANTRIN pods so the name was never changed.
@@Danlovestrivium yup. That I know for sure. Because the F-15E is a ground attack platform and doesn't use the A designation. Just going by their theoretical sense here. Would have been cool to see a naval F-16 but Northrop and MD lobbied too hard to get the navy to pick up the YF-17.
The Viper did great work in this video. You left the area ready for the A-10 to come in and clean up those tanks and other targets. Could have landed, switched aircraft and had 15 more minutes of video content!
During the initial invasion into Iraq we used practice 2000lbs jdams on tanks parked next to hospitals. So it was essentially a 2000 lbs rock. We had video of it and it ripped the turret off and flung it 50 yards away. This was done by F15E.
Really depends on what the CAS entails, if there are SAMs and enemy aircraft, f16 and f35, if there are moving targets, a10, if it's mainly emplacenents and we're trying to open the door for our troops, ac130.
Yeah, this is why you need both. Got to use the best tool for the job. Send in the F-16 first to take out all the air threats, then after the skies are clear, have the A-10 do all the heavy CAS work.
A10 gets on station when the air superiority and sead is already done, well, you passed through and accomplished that, plus a bit of additional help before you go, now they can show up and do their own magic...
Tbh I would see it has a good pairing a-10's with group of vipers could make for an impressive push force. Ngl I feel the a-10 and the f-16c are the best example of multi role while being more suited for either ground or air combat. Would love to see a-10 strike squads with f-16c support maybe a 2 player mission?
Back in 2003 the base my squadron was operating from for OIF also had multiple A-10 squadrons. I never saw an A-10 carrying anything bigger than a 500 lb bomb.
Being an 0311 ground pounder, I can say any air support is greatly appreciated. (We need to give the flyboys something to do in between their spa treatment and luxury dinners). However, there is nothing more motivating than the brrrrrrrrt coming from the A-10, and the loitering ability the A-10 is also a big bonus.
Definitely different tools for different environments. If you already have control of an airspace and are primarily providing CAS there is no question the A10 is the proper choice. If the airspace is still contested or you are needing to fill multiple roles the F16 is the best option.
The F-16 is definitely the more versatile airplane, and if you have to have only one that's the best option. The A-10 is specialized, even within the context of CAS, for situations requiring getting in really closer and visually identifying targets. That role has proven to be indispensable time and time again though and the A-10 truly shines in it.
For getting in really close and IDing and striking targets, UAVs do a much better job than a piloted aircraft without the risk of loss of life of a pilot which is an asset to the airforce.
@@Avera9eWh1teShark6 the MQ-9 is much more suited to the CAS where visual ID is needed before striking. The effectiveness of this has been seen to a greater length in Afghanistan and in Iraq.
@@Avera9eWh1teShark6 Even the F-16 can carry higher magnification electrooptical systems but those can’t see through clouds and infrared ones can but don’t always show details that the mark one eyeball can pick up on.
I planned on only getting the Afghanistan, Iraq, and MiG 29A modules this year but after these videos and me trailing the F-16, I think I’m getting it too.
I think they both fill their respective roles well. You definitely wouldn't want to go buzzing a SAM sites in an A-10, and air to air would be dicey, even against a Frogfoot. At the same time, it's hard for any ground vehicle to argue with 30mm freedom raining down on them, or some 2000 lb high explosive care packages, which an F-16 isn't as well suited (or even capable in the case of the 30mm) to deliver. I think both of them can be effective in a mission like this, probably more so the F-16 because of its superior SEAD potential, but they both bring some specialized capabilities which make them each suited to somewhat different mission profiles, even if there is some substantial overlap.
From someone who was practicing A-10CII A-G and now practicing F-16C A-G, I would say that the A-10C II is the A-G King. YMMV but HMCS , creating and accessing Markpoints is superior on the A-10C II and more intuitive as well. On the F-16, Markpoints/Steer points always start on #26?? and they also offset sometimes away from the target area. Might be a bug? Sometimes the new Markpoints are saved in sequence or sometimes they overwrite a previous created Markpoint.
Really makes you wonder about retiring the A-10. But the F-35 should have more precision from further away. One would hope it will. But it’ll take several given its low capacity of weapons.
Great to see a mission that supports the USAF’s concept of near future CAS rather than the politicians’ dogmatic support of the A10. As you mentioned, the A10 is excellent in the CAS role so long as it’s operating in uncontested airspace with no/minimal SAM threat. Great for the asymmetric battle space of Iraq and Afghanistan where it can safely operate unsupported. Not so great against near peer, or forces enhanced with near peer, weaponry. If the A10 can only be safely operated with F15/16/35 support to provide SEAD and air to air cover then you may as well just load up the F15/16/35 to complete the mission and leave the A10 back in the barn.
if its a GWOT troops in contact, where its not anti vehicle etc the A10 is great, like closer contact fire fights/ ambushes the a10 is great for that, where i feel slower speeds are needed
I think the f-16, f-15 and a-10 all work together to have complete aerial supremacy. 15s for long range bvr capabilities, 16 for flexible strikes between air and ground(emphasis on radar). A-10 for CAS dominance. It’s silly to try to give every role to one aircraft because they are going to fall short of optimal in every instance.
F-16's make excellent Wild Weasel's but their CAS lacks a lot to be desired. Usually they stay high very rarely getting low unless they can't avoid it for some reason because just how vulnerable to ground fire they are.
@@JebHoge Never said anyone was cavalier but when it comes to CAS and getting down low the A-10 is much better to have than an F-16. I say that as a crew chief who has worked both airframes.
i think the f16 is more suited for this kind of scenario where you've got sam's and air assets going aroud. If you're only going to do cas with no sam's (or at least someone taking care of them) and airspace sanitized or some sort of air cover i'd definitely go for the a10
I believe you can lase the spi to refine the target point for the jdam, but I find lgbs or mavericks are preferrable when attacking tanks. At least with the current damage model. And it's also best to aim at the base of the vehicle, if not the spi might be a point on the ground somewhere behind the target.
Different tools for different environments. The A10 is phenomenal for CAS, but the F16 is capable but limited to its capacity. I've seen both provide CAS in iraq and both allowed me and my platoon to get safe. I will always have a love for both birds
Great title for a new channel and ideas... What if? What if the f-16, could do the A-10's job better? What if we send a F-15E instead of the F-16? What if a pilot is shot down and has to eject, can we get him in a timely manner say the F-16, F-18 to clear the air space, F-15E for long range A/G, F-18 for Meduim A/G, A-10 and the apache for close air support followed by Black Hawks to touch down and pick up pilot. All in a set time with no KIA. (sorry got carried away) but you get the idea. What if.... a channel was done in such a manner so others could download and try the missions as well and post their results on that missions. What If?
She got tore up pretty good from that ground fire, but got you home. Definitely two different tools for two different (and sometimes the same) environments.
You need both. The A-10 can't do what the F-16 does, the F-16 can't deliver the same ordinance the A-10 does. The A-10 does need replaced but not by anything currently in the inventory we need a dedicated attacker.
For SEAD/DEAD, the F-16C is a beast and the A-10C is a non-factor, so that one is an easy call. For ground attack in general, the A-10C carries a lot more weapons and has better ability to loiter and shrug off ground fire. Plus, you know, the GAU-8 Avenger. The Viper is no slouch given a more targeted objective ("Go in and take out X"); with the Warthog you can just send it into an area and tell it to take out whatever it finds.
Went pretty much how I expected. The F-16, being more broadly capable than the A-10, was able to deal with just about every kind of threat it came up against but ultimately lacked the firepower to really perform extended CAS. The A-10 would have had more trouble operating in contested airspace like that without support but once that airspace was cleared it would've had the payload and the staying power to absolutely decimate any ground forces.
The A10 was made for close air support. Each bird in the Air Force has its on job. They can swap over but their main mission is what they are great at. We need a well balanced force.
I think you've shown before the F16 is great at SEAD and airspace sanitation which should make way for the a10s to do close air support. If the battlefield requires it. However if there's 2 tanks and a bunch of planes just send an f22 with aim120's because we know how good they are at being an AGM
As cool as the A10 is, it's the epitome of the sunken cost fallacy. We didn't keep it because it was great or even the best in its role. We kept them because we had them. In its shining moment during Desert Storm, 99% of its usefulness came from using guided munitions, which other craft were able to use just as if not more effectively, while its unique aspect turned out to be a hinderance. Take the A10 out of Desert Storm next to nothing changes aside from fewer blue on blue incidents. With it gone, we may have gotten the F16XL to compliment the F15E, a cheaper and in every practical way a better plane than the A10.
Completely different beast. F16, Tornado, F18,... all can/could do decent CAS, especially helped by their speed and carrying capacity. The Warthog is bristling with weapons and ammunition, but it's a pretty slow beast comparatively. If at any point, you're in a Warthog, and air superiority isn't secured (anymore), you're in trouble. Meanwhile, the F16 has more than enough bite in order to defend itself.
You should show more love to the f 35 rarely see you use it on the channel. I’d like to see if it could perform the same stealth and behind enemy lines tasks you often do with the f 22. Love the content.
Hence f16 is way better for high value/priority targets, a2a, contested fronts, pin point strikes etc. In desert storm f16s took out soo many buildings with 2* mk84
Your points are only with a single platform and as we all know, USAF doesn't fly a single aircraft alone. The F-16's pilot is the limitation when determining loiter time, not the airframe. F-16's refuel in the air just like every other aircraft in the inventory. But even without, it can stay in the air of 4 hours. The difference is that the F-16 can get to where it's critically needed in 1/4 of the time it would take an A-10 to get there. Furthermore, there are 260 A-10s and close to 1,200 F-16. The USAF never considers cost of a mission, only the ability to complete the mission successfully. If they need 10 F-16s to do a job, they'll use them. Aircraft loadout is easily covered by having the next F-16 up to bat when the first one expends it's munitions. And lets not even get into the maintenance issues the A-10 has how but effort it takes to get them Fully Mission Capable. The F-16 runs circles around the antiquated A-10 in this regard and that is extremely important on the battlefield.
@@Danlovestrivium f16 are good for real life cas and your points are 100% valid. F16 way more survivable, anything with a tpod and guided weapons can do cas very well tbh One f16 can carry 16 small diameter bombs, they also have laser guided heat rockets
I think you just demo'd why the A10 is going away; red air would do to them exactly what you did to their Frogfoots. Also since you would certainly have at least one wing man it might make more sense to ditch some of your AIM-120s for AGM-65s. Great mission, great flying.
As much as i love the A10 i really don't think it's necessary. With the F16 and F15e being able to do the same mission and the F15 being able to carry more. It's the same reason the navy dropped the A6 and A7 when they got the Hornet.
I feel like the F-16 is better for strike missions where the target is known and it can fly in take out the target and fly out, where the A-10 is better for lingering support to take out targets of opportunity as it can withstand surprise attacks from a machine gunner on the ground, lucky RPG shot, etc.
Definitely two different tools for me, there's some aspects under the CAS umbrella that the F-16 can do but the A-10 can't, and there's some aspects where the A-10 whoops the F-16s butt. They're complementary, you need both.
I would love to see how effective the Strike Eagle is at the A-10 role doing CAS. If the US Air Force is going to retire the A-10, I would think the F-15E would be the logical replacement
i believe the a10 best for cas because both aircrafts can carry the same payload, with the a10 having an edge on guns. The only thing is if enemy fighters are scrambled, then its a sitting duck to an extent. Overall, if it was an in and out situation, i would choose the f16, but for a stick-around operation, a10
Hi I was an ECM (electronic countermeasures) tech back in the 80's -90's and I worked on F4G Wild Weasels. We used AGM 88's and just for your info, once you select a target SAM sight, the ECM reciever triangulates on the radar and has an exact position in the memory and even if the radar sight turns off the missile will still hit the target, as long as it hasn't gone mobile after launching.
Viper is like the F-18, multi role fighter. Hence why so many smaller countries operate either the F-18 or the F-16. Personally if I was an Air Force commander of a small country I would go for the F-16.
At the end you wouldn't be flying that helicopter until it had been repaired and the other thing you hit with the cannon aren't rated for 20mm rounds. Something tells me they would be out of action for a while. Which since there were ground forces in the area means those units would be lost too. The tank probably made it out but the 500 pounder could have damaged its tracks. I do love the a10 though.
Check out the Merch Store: growling-sidewinder.creator-spring.com/
DCS F-16 Viper: www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/shop/modules/viper/?
IMO, in this kind of capacity the F-16 is like the M4 Carbine, whereas the A-10 would be more like the Browning BAR, both have their specialties.
Great content GS, thank you.
@GrowlingSidewinder so buddy one 1v1 I would really love to see is the su57 felon vs the su47 berkut or su47 vs f22 or f35 please
NGAD vs F-15 ACTIVE, dogfight, guns and missles plzkthx
SU-57 vs F-15 ACTIVE, dogfight, guns only plzkthx
Why SU-25 not shooting?
Scud hunting at night in syria.. f16 targets in a box but unknow where.. enemy a/a threats etc..
Thanks for bringing back the drop tank. The American tax payer thanks you.
i was so hoping he'd drop it on the mi-24 as the last-ditch effort ))
@@dmitrynova I would have loved to see that! 😆
@@dmitrynova I wonder if an enemy casualty has ever been recorded from a drop tank!
Glad someone else noticed it too🤣
@@johnandrewmunroe sadly no, the closest I've heard was that f15e that killed a heli with a laser guided bomb
That buzz by the downed pilot was absolutely savage.
No eyebrows left on that poor bloke.
Lucky he didn't take a pop with his side arm.
Eardrums - annihilated.
That frogfoot pilot did not want the smoke lol
In Iraq i think ( or arghanistan ) an F16 provided close air support to special forces troops who were pinned by enemy. I think the F16 only had cluster bomb (no guns) so instead of bombing he dived and used the sonic boom to disorientate the enemy and trick them into taking cover as it probably sounded like a bomb going off.
It apparently worked and gave the guys time to GTFO of dodge.
This was in Iraq.
It was Iraq, and I think it was an FA-18
I heard a similar story like this on yt somewhere, it was an F-14 that was Winchester, that supposedly disobeyed orders to cover ground troops making an escape using the sonic boom. As wel as it's general presence to keep the enemy defensive. No idea how real it is tho.
@@sunray501 it could've easily been shot down if it was Winchester.
It did, but an A10 would have been able to neutralize the ground threat. And im pretty sure it was an F14, not a 16. But don’t quote me on that. Lol
16:53 looks like someone is getting an unpleasant talk with the chief mechanic
All I have to say is don't piss off your mechanics. Especially on convoy. I'm not military but my best friend is. He was a mechanic in the army and drove a hemt on convoy in Iraq. one day his alternator or something gave up and he limped it to the next checkpoint or fob and told the convoy leader hey we can't go anywhere I'm gonna break down, I need to radio back and get this part. Convoy leader said nope you're fine we're moving out. Needless to say the wrecker that's basically the heart and lifeline of the convoy breaks down. Shit hits the fan, they get shot at and when they got back to base that convoy leader got his ass handed to him and from there on out he was under very strict orders to move or not move basically under motor pools discretion regardless of rank.
Pilotm especially times two, when you budget in their schooling/training, are more valuable than a single aircraft. That was not cowardice, but the wise move.USA.
The best CAS is the one that checks in with you and delivers as requested on your 9 line. I've had all sorts of aircraft show up to help and they all were appreciated.
Fun video
I work for Pratt &Whitney on F 35 engines. The fact a gun slinger like the 16 can also do some of the 10’s duties is impressive. I think we are reading from the same page here.
Interesting Pro-Words I’ve found out, in-addition to WINCHESTER: ARIZONA means “out of HARMs,” and DAKOTA means out of all air-to-ground munutions.
Strictly CAS it is A-10 all day. If you want true CAS, you choose the platform I used to crew and that would be the AC-130U!
loved her as a customer. rubble. but you also know the shortcomings.
TOT
The AC-130U won't be nimble enough to defend itself against tracer file and also take out the SAM threats in the area.
@@traviswalker8933 A-10s will also get smoked by SAMs there is a reason they do SEAD before sending them
AC-130 is a cheat code for CAS
The Viper could do it all. Such a gorgeous bird. Wanted to fly her so badly when I was younger.
same
It actually wasn’t.
Twas made as a lightweight air superiority daytime fighter, actually. It's subsequently become a multirole do it all machine yes.
You gonna commission to fly them, then?
Thank you for making these missions available! I've been dying for this, appreciate it GS
my pleasure, hope you enjoy.
Do it with the Hornet too, it is the one which has the "A" in its official designation.
did it last video
@@vantaaax that video didn't have CAS in my opinion.
@@dieyproductions4403it had everything the Hornet was designed to do. A in the designation means that it was designed to be a ground attack platform as well.
@@traviswalker8933 Those designations, in practice, don't mean very much. Simply look at the F-117 as an example. The F-117 isn't fighting anything. There was an "F/A-16" planned, however, all of those requirements were simply met by the block 40 F-16CG with its addition of GPS and LANTRIN pods so the name was never changed.
@@Danlovestrivium yup. That I know for sure. Because the F-15E is a ground attack platform and doesn't use the A designation. Just going by their theoretical sense here. Would have been cool to see a naval F-16 but Northrop and MD lobbied too hard to get the navy to pick up the YF-17.
I like these “Jack of all trades” mission type scenarios that you do, keep up the great work. 👍
The Viper did great work in this video. You left the area ready for the A-10 to come in and clean up those tanks and other targets. Could have landed, switched aircraft and had 15 more minutes of video content!
doing a gun run on a tank, aim for the back. the front is where the armor is thickest. back is thinner.
even with 500 lb JDAMs, aim for the back.
Good eye.
Love CAS missions with the Viper. Also really love having the mission download
That Frogfoot pilot just got his eardrums busted lol. Great Vid
The better comparison with something we have in DCS would be the Strike Eagle, one all of it's ordnance options are implemented..
I love using the viper for A/G work! Thanks for the mission download - I'm really loving these!
It’s far easier to be shot down by ground fire in the F16 than the A10 which is very well armored. You made the point of this and quite a bit more.
Thank you fo making the mission available for download! Would love to see more advanced SEAD with the f16. Thanks.
During the initial invasion into Iraq we used practice 2000lbs jdams on tanks parked next to hospitals. So it was essentially a 2000 lbs rock. We had video of it and it ripped the turret off and flung it 50 yards away. This was done by F15E.
Thank you for the mission file! That mission was very entertaining to watch.
Finally some F-16 A-G action. Thank you!
Really depends on what the CAS entails, if there are SAMs and enemy aircraft, f16 and f35, if there are moving targets, a10, if it's mainly emplacenents and we're trying to open the door for our troops, ac130.
Yeah, this is why you need both. Got to use the best tool for the job. Send in the F-16 first to take out all the air threats, then after the skies are clear, have the A-10 do all the heavy CAS work.
Nah, you don't need the A10 in the world of UAVs.
@@FlexibleToast Do they have UAVs with GAU-8s? 🤔
@@SovereignVis do they need GAU-8s? A10s getting gun kills is actually rare in the real world despite it being romanticized.
@@SovereignVisthey can easily make that if needed. With those fancy laser guided bullets that DARPA is working on too.
@@SovereignVis UAVs don't need that, they can provide CAS without those armaments and without the risk of loss of pilot life.
Thank you GS for the mission!
A10 gets on station when the air superiority and sead is already done, well, you passed through and accomplished that, plus a bit of additional help before you go, now they can show up and do their own magic...
As far as the F-16C vs A-10C debate is concerned, you said it best: "Different tools for different environments." I love 'em both!!
Tbh I would see it has a good pairing a-10's with group of vipers could make for an impressive push force. Ngl I feel the a-10 and the f-16c are the best example of multi role while being more suited for either ground or air combat. Would love to see a-10 strike squads with f-16c support maybe a 2 player mission?
Back in 2003 the base my squadron was operating from for OIF also had multiple A-10 squadrons. I never saw an A-10 carrying anything bigger than a 500 lb bomb.
Being an 0311 ground pounder, I can say any air support is greatly appreciated. (We need to give the flyboys something to do in between their spa treatment and luxury dinners). However, there is nothing more motivating than the brrrrrrrrt coming from the A-10, and the loitering ability the A-10 is also a big bonus.
The option to download the missions is so great! Thank you for that :D
Great video. Also F35 with added bombs on wings might make a better comparison since it was built with CAS in mind.
Definitely different tools for different environments. If you already have control of an airspace and are primarily providing CAS there is no question the A10 is the proper choice. If the airspace is still contested or you are needing to fill multiple roles the F16 is the best option.
The F-16 is definitely the more versatile airplane, and if you have to have only one that's the best option. The A-10 is specialized, even within the context of CAS, for situations requiring getting in really closer and visually identifying targets. That role has proven to be indispensable time and time again though and the A-10 truly shines in it.
For getting in really close and IDing and striking targets, UAVs do a much better job than a piloted aircraft without the risk of loss of life of a pilot which is an asset to the airforce.
The F-35's EODAS as well as the MQ-9's sensor suite has rendered low and slow passes for visual ID obsolete and outmoded.
@@Avera9eWh1teShark6 the MQ-9 is much more suited to the CAS where visual ID is needed before striking. The effectiveness of this has been seen to a greater length in Afghanistan and in Iraq.
@@Avera9eWh1teShark6 Even the F-16 can carry higher magnification electrooptical systems but those can’t see through clouds and infrared ones can but don’t always show details that the mark one eyeball can pick up on.
I planned on only getting the Afghanistan, Iraq, and MiG 29A modules this year but after these videos and me trailing the F-16, I think I’m getting it too.
I think they both fill their respective roles well. You definitely wouldn't want to go buzzing a SAM sites in an A-10, and air to air would be dicey, even against a Frogfoot. At the same time, it's hard for any ground vehicle to argue with 30mm freedom raining down on them, or some 2000 lb high explosive care packages, which an F-16 isn't as well suited (or even capable in the case of the 30mm) to deliver.
I think both of them can be effective in a mission like this, probably more so the F-16 because of its superior SEAD potential, but they both bring some specialized capabilities which make them each suited to somewhat different mission profiles, even if there is some substantial overlap.
You should now do the exact same mission with the A10!
Thank you for uploading the mission. I'm new still trying to learn how to fly.
From someone who was practicing A-10CII A-G and now practicing F-16C A-G, I would say that the A-10C II is the A-G King. YMMV but HMCS , creating and accessing Markpoints is superior on the A-10C II and more intuitive as well. On the F-16, Markpoints/Steer points always start on #26?? and they also offset sometimes away from the target area. Might be a bug? Sometimes the new Markpoints are saved in sequence or sometimes they overwrite a previous created Markpoint.
Would love to see the japanese f2 variant of the viper.
Great mission, GS!
Thanks for sharing the missions!
Oooo! Sheepskin seats! Those are seriously a lot more comfortable that the mil spec green pads. Good choice!
I love both and they're definitely different tools for different jobs
Your video literally made the case for why we need BOTH aircraft.
Awesome video. The A-10 gun is unique but hey, good show!
Really makes you wonder about retiring the A-10. But the F-35 should have more precision from further away. One would hope it will. But it’ll take several given its low capacity of weapons.
You’d need several F-35s to accomplish the same mission that two A-10s would.
@@mikemontgomery2654counter argument, you’d need 4 f-35 for the a10 to actually do their job
It doesn't make me wonder at all. UAVs do the job of A10s cheaper and without putting any lives in danger.
F35 for SEAD, UAVs for CAS
@@jacobdoolan4978 fair point
Now I think we need a video like this of the strike eagle.
This is why teamwork makes the dream work. Each has their place on the battlefield.
Great to see a mission that supports the USAF’s concept of near future CAS rather than the politicians’ dogmatic support of the A10.
As you mentioned, the A10 is excellent in the CAS role so long as it’s operating in uncontested airspace with no/minimal SAM threat. Great for the asymmetric battle space of Iraq and Afghanistan where it can safely operate unsupported. Not so great against near peer, or forces enhanced with near peer, weaponry. If the A10 can only be safely operated with F15/16/35 support to provide SEAD and air to air cover then you may as well just load up the F15/16/35 to complete the mission and leave the A10 back in the barn.
Different tools for different missions. The F16 has it's strengths as you have shown, but the A10 is a much heavier hitter in its proper use-case.
Would it be crazy to do an F/A-18 Super or Legacy Hornet vs a F-35C, like an old vs new US Navy dogfight?
if its a GWOT troops in contact, where its not anti vehicle etc the A10 is great, like closer contact fire fights/ ambushes the a10 is great for that, where i feel slower speeds are needed
That F-16 loadout in the opening roll is crazy!
I think the f-16, f-15 and a-10 all work together to have complete aerial supremacy. 15s for long range bvr capabilities, 16 for flexible strikes between air and ground(emphasis on radar). A-10 for CAS dominance. It’s silly to try to give every role to one aircraft because they are going to fall short of optimal in every instance.
F-16's make excellent Wild Weasel's but their CAS lacks a lot to be desired. Usually they stay high very rarely getting low unless they can't avoid it for some reason because just how vulnerable to ground fire they are.
A-10s do the same thing. They stay above AAA as much as possible. Nobody's cavalier about taking hits.
@@JebHoge Never said anyone was cavalier but when it comes to CAS and getting down low the A-10 is much better to have than an F-16. I say that as a crew chief who has worked both airframes.
14:38 JDAM may not have killed the tank but it blew the Tank Commander's pants off.
It would surely be a mobility kill
i think the f16 is more suited for this kind of scenario where you've got sam's and air assets going aroud. If you're only going to do cas with no sam's (or at least someone taking care of them) and airspace sanitized or some sort of air cover i'd definitely go for the a10
Good mission and getting closer to my request!
A-10 vs F-35 CAS competition based on the USAF report.
A case for both. Depends on situation.
Thank you SO much for linking the mission download, anytime you do ground attack stuff you should for sure make this a regular thing!
I believe you can lase the spi to refine the target point for the jdam, but I find lgbs or mavericks are preferrable when attacking tanks. At least with the current damage model.
And it's also best to aim at the base of the vehicle, if not the spi might be a point on the ground somewhere behind the target.
Different tools for different environments. The A10 is phenomenal for CAS, but the F16 is capable but limited to its capacity. I've seen both provide CAS in iraq and both allowed me and my platoon to get safe. I will always have a love for both birds
Keep it up Bro.
Great title for a new channel and ideas... What if? What if the f-16, could do the A-10's job better? What if we send a F-15E instead of the F-16? What if a pilot is shot down and has to eject, can we get him in a timely manner say the F-16, F-18 to clear the air space, F-15E for long range A/G, F-18 for Meduim A/G, A-10 and the apache for close air support followed by Black Hawks to touch down and pick up pilot. All in a set time with no KIA. (sorry got carried away) but you get the idea. What if.... a channel was done in such a manner so others could download and try the missions as well and post their results on that missions. What If?
She got tore up pretty good from that ground fire, but got you home. Definitely two different tools for two different (and sometimes the same) environments.
You need both. The A-10 can't do what the F-16 does, the F-16 can't deliver the same ordinance the A-10 does.
The A-10 does need replaced but not by anything currently in the inventory we need a dedicated attacker.
For SEAD/DEAD, the F-16C is a beast and the A-10C is a non-factor, so that one is an easy call. For ground attack in general, the A-10C carries a lot more weapons and has better ability to loiter and shrug off ground fire. Plus, you know, the GAU-8 Avenger. The Viper is no slouch given a more targeted objective ("Go in and take out X"); with the Warthog you can just send it into an area and tell it to take out whatever it finds.
Went pretty much how I expected. The F-16, being more broadly capable than the A-10, was able to deal with just about every kind of threat it came up against but ultimately lacked the firepower to really perform extended CAS. The A-10 would have had more trouble operating in contested airspace like that without support but once that airspace was cleared it would've had the payload and the staying power to absolutely decimate any ground forces.
The F-16 can do it quicker and do a larger variety while also doing some CAS.
The A-10 is a CAS-focused platform that can lightly dip in other roles.
The A10 was made for close air support. Each bird in the Air Force has its on job. They can swap over but their main mission is what they are great at. We need a well balanced force.
I think you've shown before the F16 is great at SEAD and airspace sanitation which should make way for the a10s to do close air support. If the battlefield requires it. However if there's 2 tanks and a bunch of planes just send an f22 with aim120's because we know how good they are at being an AGM
As cool as the A10 is, it's the epitome of the sunken cost fallacy. We didn't keep it because it was great or even the best in its role. We kept them because we had them. In its shining moment during Desert Storm, 99% of its usefulness came from using guided munitions, which other craft were able to use just as if not more effectively, while its unique aspect turned out to be a hinderance. Take the A10 out of Desert Storm next to nothing changes aside from fewer blue on blue incidents. With it gone, we may have gotten the F16XL to compliment the F15E, a cheaper and in every practical way a better plane than the A10.
Completely different beast. F16, Tornado, F18,... all can/could do decent CAS, especially helped by their speed and carrying capacity.
The Warthog is bristling with weapons and ammunition, but it's a pretty slow beast comparatively.
If at any point, you're in a Warthog, and air superiority isn't secured (anymore), you're in trouble. Meanwhile, the F16 has more than enough bite in order to defend itself.
You should show more love to the f 35 rarely see you use it on the channel. I’d like to see if it could perform the same stealth and behind enemy lines tasks you often do with the f 22. Love the content.
I would like to see the same mission ran with the F-35. F-16 a great plane but it's lack of loiter time and light load out is a hindrance.
Hence f16 is way better for high value/priority targets, a2a, contested fronts, pin point strikes etc.
In desert storm f16s took out soo many buildings with 2* mk84
Your points are only with a single platform and as we all know, USAF doesn't fly a single aircraft alone. The F-16's pilot is the limitation when determining loiter time, not the airframe. F-16's refuel in the air just like every other aircraft in the inventory. But even without, it can stay in the air of 4 hours. The difference is that the F-16 can get to where it's critically needed in 1/4 of the time it would take an A-10 to get there. Furthermore, there are 260 A-10s and close to 1,200 F-16. The USAF never considers cost of a mission, only the ability to complete the mission successfully. If they need 10 F-16s to do a job, they'll use them. Aircraft loadout is easily covered by having the next F-16 up to bat when the first one expends it's munitions.
And lets not even get into the maintenance issues the A-10 has how but effort it takes to get them Fully Mission Capable. The F-16 runs circles around the antiquated A-10 in this regard and that is extremely important on the battlefield.
@@Danlovestrivium f16 are good for real life cas and your points are 100% valid.
F16 way more survivable, anything with a tpod and guided weapons can do cas very well tbh
One f16 can carry 16 small diameter bombs, they also have laser guided heat rockets
I think you just demo'd why the A10 is going away; red air would do to them exactly what you did to their Frogfoots. Also since you would certainly have at least one wing man it might make more sense to ditch some of your AIM-120s for AGM-65s. Great mission, great flying.
As much as i love the A10 i really don't think it's necessary. With the F16 and F15e being able to do the same mission and the F15 being able to carry more.
It's the same reason the navy dropped the A6 and A7 when they got the Hornet.
Holy shit it’s viper
Eject :D
I feel like the F-16 is better for strike missions where the target is known and it can fly in take out the target and fly out, where the A-10 is better for lingering support to take out targets of opportunity as it can withstand surprise attacks from a machine gunner on the ground, lucky RPG shot, etc.
Different platforms for different environments. It all depends on the environment and mission, but but have their place in the American arsenal.
I love the Falcon. But would be so great if it would be possible to give the A-10 a radarpod and use AIM-120 and AGM-88. And other long range stuff
It will not outperform the Thunderbolt II in CAS, but it will help troops live long enough for the A-10 to get there
14:55 _for the _*_W._* ;-)
good show
p.s. high-speed run = dispersion?
That gun run you were going fast!!!!
A-10 is the super soldier that flys.
F-16 can clear the Air then clear the of the SA's and allow the A-10 to mop up the heavy stuff....
Loved this
F16 is the total package. A10 is a very specific package that has outclassed any other aircraft for that role thus far.
Definitely two different tools for me, there's some aspects under the CAS umbrella that the F-16 can do but the A-10 can't, and there's some aspects where the A-10 whoops the F-16s butt. They're complementary, you need both.
I would love to see how effective the Strike Eagle is at the A-10 role doing CAS. If the US Air Force is going to retire the A-10, I would think the F-15E would be the logical replacement
In reality for close air support the A-10 is the better option but when you are in the chit whatever gets there first is an angel !
i believe the a10 best for cas because both aircrafts can carry the same payload, with the a10 having an edge on guns. The only thing is if enemy fighters are scrambled, then its a sitting duck to an extent. Overall, if it was an in and out situation, i would choose the f16, but for a stick-around operation, a10
Hi I was an ECM (electronic countermeasures) tech back in the 80's -90's and I worked on F4G Wild Weasels. We used AGM 88's and just for your info, once you select a target SAM sight, the ECM reciever triangulates on the radar and has an exact position in the memory and even if the radar sight turns off the missile will still hit the target, as long as it hasn't gone mobile after launching.
Viper is like the F-18, multi role fighter. Hence why so many smaller countries operate either the F-18 or the F-16. Personally if I was an Air Force commander of a small country I would go for the F-16.
GS please recreate the BF3 F-18 mission “Going Hunting”
Nice run…👍 🦅
At the end you wouldn't be flying that helicopter until it had been repaired and the other thing you hit with the cannon aren't rated for 20mm rounds. Something tells me they would be out of action for a while. Which since there were ground forces in the area means those units would be lost too. The tank probably made it out but the 500 pounder could have damaged its tracks. I do love the a10 though.
Damn that's one stacked Viper