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| US Secretly Provides Training To Ukrainian Soldiers To Fly The Flying Tank A-10 Warthog |
International Military - A-10 Warthog dubbed the flying tank is not without reason, this fighter aircraft that can carry a lot of heavy weapons is also strong in getting attacked. This plane is one of the world's leading symbols. Namely as a steel armor fighter, low flying, and very high attack power.
The A-10 is the main close air support aircraft belonging to the United States Air Force or USAF, this attack aircraft was created after the US military learned from its experiences on the Vietnam battlefield. Beginning in 1972, the USAF recognized the need for specialized aircraft for ground attack purposes.
Because before, they used the F-4 Phantom, F-111, and A-1 Skyraider which were not good enough. The first thing you see on the A-10 is the iconic GAU-8 gatling gun mounted on the nose of the plane. It's a brutal machine gun that can fire 4,000 rounds per minute.
This cannon is specially designed to penetrate armor, allowing it to destroy tanks. In addition, there are 11 hardpoints on the wings of the A-10 which can carry a total of 7.2 tons of weapons. These hardpoints can carry conventional bombs, cluster bombs, air-to-air missiles such as the AGM-65 Maverick and AIM-9 Sidewinders.
Although specifically designed to carry full weapons, the A-10 has excellent maneuverability even at low altitudes. For its survivability, the A-10 can receive direct hits from bullets and high-explosive projectiles up to 23mm.
Last July, the US stated its seriousness in supplying Ukraine with fighter planes. "The USAF Chief of Staff will supply combat aircraft there," the Washington Post said.
General Brown said it would provide non-Russian fighter aircraft. And it is possible that the US will hand over the A-10 to the Ukrainian army.
Quoted from Defense View, the A-10 itself is not a "weapon" used to attack aerial objects. Given the war is now reaching a new phase, where the long-range attack system artillery is used. And in fact, the US has been providing training secretly to the Ukrainian army.
This was confirmed by a Time reporter who made a "secret" trip to where the training was held. The reporter was asked to close his eyes before driving to the training center. Arriving there, he saw that the facility consisted of two rooms.
Around the room, there are five Ukrainian pilots undergoing simulator training. Each “station”, has an airplane cockpit and VR glasses connected directly to the main computer. The pilots were also seen covering their faces with ski masks, all for the sake of safety.
The TIME reporter's opportunity came to experience the sensation of a simulator flying an A-10 fighter plane. "In the simulator, there are various kinds of bombs and missiles installed on the plane," he explained.