How come the a10 has no AG or AA radar? All it gets is the RWR and a TGP.

Well, it was built to replace the A-1 Skyraider during the '70s. At this time, AG radars weren't that reliable to start with, and the A-10 concept that was shoved down the USAF's throat called for a day time AG attack aircraft that would fly as low as it possibly could in the fields of Germany should the Cold war turn hot, so having an AG radar at that point would hardly make much sense.

Now, why it didn't get one after the Gulf war, when it was established that due to the downfall of Communism in Eastern Europe, the A-10 would mostly fly medium altitude missions I don't know. Too big and heavy to fit, the USAF still resisting upgrades, no need being recognized for it in a AG jet that flies medium altitude at low speeds, etc. Could be any of those, and none.

Because it doesn't have room for one and was never designed to have one.



Sorry but none of this is right. The A-10 was designed around the GAU-8. As to not paying for upgrades, you obviously don't understand how much money has been pumped into the C model.

...this topic reminds me that I still do not understand what the A10 was built to do

Was it

a)to provide CAS for ground troops in wars in which we have established air superiority.
or

b) an anti-tank platform intended to mow down Warsaw Pact tank formations.


My hunch is that it is the former, but was soon represented as the latter....but I don't know, and I would love to know the answer.

The A-10 is modeled closely on the later versions of the Ju-87 Stuka (designer was a huge fan) which was mostly interdiction but reasonably capable of CAS. It's debatable but I'll put my money down on anti-armor interdiction but CAS was certainly not neglected.

I believe there was a tentative plan for a pod-mounted radar for the A-10 but it proved not feasible.

The A-10s primary role was, and is, Air Interdiction to destroy hostile ground forces before they can engage friendly forces. Or in other words, killing tanks behind the forward line of enemy troops. Providing CAS is a secondary role, along with CSAR, that has become more prominent over its life due to recent conflicts requiring such.

The A-10 was built to fly at 300ft and 300 knots weaving through the WARPAC FLET to take out tanks, APCs, and other assets. Not to sit at 15000 ft on altitude hold dropping JDAM.

Engaging things that directly threaten ground troops is first and foremost the role of attack helicopters, fixed wing assets just bolster that capability. Current conflict however don't have a need for air interdiction, or strike, or SEAD,etc. so every aircraft that can physically perform CAS is doing so. The A-10 is of course naturally the perfect CAS platform as it was one of its design roles, albeit a secondary one.

What in the first part paragraph is incorrect? It it's regarding the second paragraph, I'd like to point out that as I said, it was sheer speculation.

Sorry OP, after that question your SimHQ membership has been revoked lol

j/k