The newly upgraded A-10C Warhog is now being sent to support ground troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Costing about $13 million per upgrade, the Warhog now has many of the computer, communication, targeting and video displays as F-16’s. Extremely popular with the grunts, the Warhog just won’t go away….as much as some would like a new ground support vehicle, the guys that count - infantrymen - won’t let it happen.

A-10C Goes To War

September 1, 2007: The new A-10C is headed for Iraq and Afghanistan, as the first of the new models became available last month. That’s because the U.S. A-10 “Warhog” ground attack aircraft is so popular with ground troops that even the air force brass took note of it. So they speeded up the plan to upgrade the electronics of the aircraft. The A-10 can fly low and slow, and is designed, and armored, to survive lots of ground fire. The troops trust the A-10 more than the F-16, or any other aircraft used for supporting the ground troops. The new goodies for the A-10C equip the pilot with the same targeting and fire control gadgets the latest fighters have. The new A-10C cockpit has all the spiffy color displays and easy to use controls. The basic A-10 is a three decade old design, so the new stuff is quite spectacular in comparison. New commo gear is installed as well, allowing A-10 pilots to share pix and vids with troops on the ground. The A-10 can now use smart bombs, making it a do-it-all aircraft for troops support.

The entire article at The Strategy Page is available HERE.