A-10A Thunderbolt Warthog

"The A-10A Warthog’s official name came from the P-47 Thunderbolt of World War II. Known for its nickname Warthog or Hog, the A-10A aircraft provides airborne forward air control to guard all aircraft against ground targets. The A-10A Warthog aircraft is a single seat twin engine and one of the variants of A-10 aircrafts. Developed by the Fairchild Republic for the United States Air Force, the A-10A Warthog provides close air support of ground forces and attacks tanks, armored vehicles and other ground targets. It is the first US Air Force aircraft designed for CAS use only. The first flight of the A-10A Warthog was on May 10, 1972. The A-10A aircraft has the following weapons: one single General Electric GAU-8/A 30mm, avenger cannon, AGM-65 maverick, AIM-9M sidewinder, conventional low drag and retarded bombs, cluster bombs, the OA/A-10A’s also carry the AN/ ALQ-119 ECM pod or the AN/ALQ-131 ECM. The A-10A Warthog is built around single 300 mm cannon which can disable a main battle tank from 6.580 m distance. Moreover, the A-10A is well armored for the protection of its pilot and systems. The pilot of the A-10A Warthog is shielded by a bullet proof wind screen and encircled by a titanium armor weighing 544 kg and varies in thickness up to 3.8 cm. 144 A-10A Warthog were deployed by the USAF from January to February 1991. The A-10A Warthog was used in various roles such as a daytime tank killer, Scud hunter, suppressed Iraqi air defenses, attacked early warning radars and shot down two Iraqi air defenses. "