In fact, the Warthog has sparked panic in the ranks of ISIS after bombing its elements and flying in spaces close to the ground. A sortie took out several terrorists in ISIS-controlled territory near Mosul and even though the fighters tried to bring it down with 4 Strela missiles, the aircraft remained intact – it has covering shell made of titanium.
The result was that the ISIS fighters literally ran away leaving the bodies of their dead behind and carrying the wounded with them to escape.
In the opinion of some, the A-10 Thunderbird or Warthog is ideal to counter the ISIS – the plane is not as fast as fighter aircraft and also lacks the graceful lines of other fighter jets. But it requires extremely low maintenance, flies low, can practically hover over a battlefield, land almost anywhere. It also packs a 20-foot-long, 2.5-ton, seven-barrel Gatling gun that can fire more than 1,100 rounds of 30-mm. bullets. Moreover, the titanium shell that wraps around the bottom of its cockpit invincible - and difficult to shoot down. In short, ideal in the role of close air support.
Unfortunately, the Warthog is fighting for survival because the Pentagon believes it can save $4.2 billion in operation and maintenance costs over five years by retiring all 283 of the Air Force’s A-10s – the last of these aircraft had rolled off Fairchild Republic’s assembly line in 1984.
In view of its show of strength in its tackling of the ISIS fighters in Iraq, it is possible that the A-10 would get a new lease of life and be spared retirement in fiscal 2015.
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