Pentagon to test F-35 Joint Strike Fighter against A-10 Warthog in upcoming showdown
- 8 years ago
WASHINGTON — The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will compete against the A-10 Thunderbolt II in missions including close air support, combat search and rescue in order to determine whether the new fighter jet can replace the aging warthog.
"To me, comparison testing just makes common sense," J. Michael Gilmore, the Defense Department's director of operational test and evaluation was quoted as saying by Stars and Stripes. "If you're spending a lot of money to get improved capability, that's the easiest way to demonstrate it is to do a rigorous comparison test."
The F-35, with a wingspan of 36 feet and the top speed of Mach 1.6, has a unit price of $98 million. It has been designated to replace the A-10, a four-decade-old warplane which only costs about a fifth of an F-35. The F-35 costs $67,500 per flight hour while the A-10 only costs $11,500.
The F-35 allows pilots to share data immediately with others and is equipped with advanced stealth and radar-jamming capabilities. Its helmet also gives the pilot a 360-degree view of their surroundings. With its stealth features, the F-35 is designed to destroy its target from long distance instead of engaging in a close distance dogfight.
The A-10 is designed for close air support, so it can fly at low speeds and altitudes. Its GAU-8 Avenger 30mm gatling gun fires depleted uranium bullets at 3,900 rounds per minute. Pilots in the A-10 are protected by a titanium compartment. The aircraft can survive direct hits and high explosives projectiles up to 23 mm.
The A-10 is now deployed in Iraq and Syria in the war against the Islamic State. Despite its old age, members of Congress and troops believe the A-10 has unique capabilities in supporting ground forces.
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"To me, comparison testing just makes common sense," J. Michael Gilmore, the Defense Department's director of operational test and evaluation was quoted as saying by Stars and Stripes. "If you're spending a lot of money to get improved capability, that's the easiest way to demonstrate it is to do a rigorous comparison test."
The F-35, with a wingspan of 36 feet and the top speed of Mach 1.6, has a unit price of $98 million. It has been designated to replace the A-10, a four-decade-old warplane which only costs about a fifth of an F-35. The F-35 costs $67,500 per flight hour while the A-10 only costs $11,500.
The F-35 allows pilots to share data immediately with others and is equipped with advanced stealth and radar-jamming capabilities. Its helmet also gives the pilot a 360-degree view of their surroundings. With its stealth features, the F-35 is designed to destroy its target from long distance instead of engaging in a close distance dogfight.
The A-10 is designed for close air support, so it can fly at low speeds and altitudes. Its GAU-8 Avenger 30mm gatling gun fires depleted uranium bullets at 3,900 rounds per minute. Pilots in the A-10 are protected by a titanium compartment. The aircraft can survive direct hits and high explosives projectiles up to 23 mm.
The A-10 is now deployed in Iraq and Syria in the war against the Islamic State. Despite its old age, members of Congress and troops believe the A-10 has unique capabilities in supporting ground forces.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to TomoNews, where we animate the most entertaining news on the internets. Come here for an animated look at viral headlines, US news, celebrity gossip, salacious scandals, dumb criminals and much more! Subscribe now for daily news animations that will knock your socks off.
Visit our official website for all the latest, uncensored videos: http://us.tomonews.net
Check out our Android app: http://bit.ly/1rddhCj
Check out our iOS app: http://bit.ly/1gO3z1f
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Facebook http://www.facebook.com/TomoNewsUS
Twitter @tomonewsus http://www.twitter.com/TomoNewsUS
Google+ http://plus.google.com/+TomoNewsUS/
Instagram @tomonewsus http://instagram.com/tomonewsus