Air Warriors (2014–…): Season 2, Episode 1 - A-10 Warthog - full transcript
Some of the A-10 Warthog's toughest battles were against the very people who created it.
Narrator: IT'S MEAN...
IT'S UGLY...
AND IT'S THE AIRCRAFT
GROUND TROOPS CALL ON FIRST
WHEN THEY'RE CAUGHT IN A JAM.
Woman: THEY WERE TAKING FIRE
AND NEEDED IMMEDIATE SUPPORT.
Narrator: ITS WEAPON OF CHOICE?
THE MOST POWERFUL
GATLING-TYPE CANNON
IN THE AIR FORCE INVENTORY.
Man: IT'S CAPABLE OF FIRING
70 ROUNDS PER SECOND.
Man: THEY ARE THREATENED
JUST BY THE SOUND
OF THE AIRPLANE.
Narrator: THE A-10 THUNDERBOLT
IS THE AIRCRAFT
THAT CHANGED THE DEFINITION
OF CLOSE AIR SUPPORT.
Man: EVERY ASPECT OF HOW
WE PUT THE A-10 TOGETHER
WAS LIKE A RADICAL INNOVATION.
Narrator:
IT'S CAUSED MORE CONTROVERSY
THAN ANY OTHER
AIR FORCE FIGHTER.
Woman:
THE A-10 SEEMED TO VIOLATE
EVERY PRECEPT OF STREAMLINED,
HIGH-SPEED DESIGN.
Narrator:
AND SOME OF ITS TOUGHEST BATTLES
WERE AGAINST THE VERY PEOPLE
WHO BROUGHT IT TO LIFE.
Man: THE AIR FORCE
HAD NO INTENTION
OF DEPLOYING THE AIRPLANE.
Narrator: 2012.
OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM,
AFGHANISTAN.
NATO HAS BEEN WAGING WAR
AGAINST THE TALIBAN
FOR 11 LONG AND DEADLY YEARS.
OVER 60,000 U.S. SOLDIERS
HAVE BOOTS ON THE GROUND.
THE A-10 THUNDERBOLT
IS THERE, TOO.
Paul Zurkowski: THE A-10s
HAVE BEEN AN INTEGRAL
PART OF THE OPERATION
SINCE THE BEGINNING.
Narrator: LIEUTENANT COLONEL
PAUL ZURKOWSKI
WAS COMMANDER
OF AN A-10 SQUADRON
IN OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM.
Zurkowski: WE PROVIDED
PRETTY MUCH 24-HOUR COVERAGE
WITH THE A-10,
WHERE WE HAD AIRPLANES AIRBORNE
JUST ABOUT ALL HOURS
OF THE DAY AND NIGHT.
Narrator: IN MAY,
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA
ANNOUNCES THAT
OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM
WILL SOON COME TO AN END.
President Obama:
WE'RE NOW UNIFIED BEHIND A PLAN
TO RESPONSIBLY WIND DOWN
THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN.
Narrator: COALITION FORCES
COUNT DOWN TO A TIME
WHEN THEY CAN LEAVE
THE WAR FAR BEHIND.
BUT THE TALIBAN HAS OTHER PLANS.
THEY DON'T INTEND TO LET
THE AMERICANS GET OUT ALIVE.
[MEN SHOUTING]
JUNE 2012.
AT BAGRAM AIR FIELD,
ZURKOWSKI AND HIS WINGMAN
PREPARE THEIR A-10s FOR FLIGHT.
BUT MOMENTS AFTER TAKEOFF,
THE ROUTINE MISSION
TURNS INTO SOMETHING MORE.
Zurkowski: WE WERE RE-ROLLED
TO WHAT IS CALLED
"TROOPS IN CONTACT."
THAT MEANT SOMEBODY
ON THE GROUND WAS TAKING FIRE
AND THEY WERE
REQUESTING SUPPORT.
Narrator: THAT SOMEBODY
IS A 90-MEMBER
SPECIAL OPERATIONS TEAM.
THEY'RE RETURNING FROM A MISSION
DEEP IN TALIBAN TERRITORY.
Zurkowski: THEY WERE
WORKING UP A SPINE
OR A RIDGE LINE
BETWEEN TWO RIVERS
TO A HELICOPTER LANDING ZONE,
WHERE THEY HAD PLANNED
TO BE PICKED UP.
THEY WERE COMPLETE
WITH THEIR MISSION.
THEY JUST NEEDED
TO GET UP THE SPINE
AND GET ON A HELICOPTER
TO GO HOME.
Narrator: TWO MILES BELOW
THE PICKUP POINT,
THE TEAM IS AMBUSHED
BY TALIBAN FIGHTERS.
NOW THE SAFE HAVEN
OF THE LANDING ZONE
MIGHT AS WELL BE
A MILLION MILES AWAY.
Zurkowski: AT THAT POINT,
THERE'S SO MUCH GUNFIRE
ON THE GROUND,
THEY CAN'T EVEN BRING
THE HELICOPTERS IN YET.
Narrator:
THE SOLDIERS ON THE GROUND
ARE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED.
TO GET OUT ALIVE,
THEY HAVE JUST ONE HOPE:
THE A-10.
Zurkowski: THERE WERE
90 GUYS ON THE GROUND
THAT WERE THREATENED
BY ENEMY FIRE,
AND IT WAS AN IMPERATIVE THAT
WE GET IN THERE AND HELP THEM.
AT THAT POINT,
WE JUST PUSHED IT UP
AND GOT THERE
AS QUICK AS WE COULD.
Narrator:
WHEN MARINES AND ARMY TROOPS
ARE OVERWHELMED BY THE ENEMY,
THEY WANT JUST ONE AIRCRAFT:
THE A-10.
Paul Doran: WHAT WE GOT HERE
IS THE A-10 THUNDERBOLT II,
MORE COMMONLY KNOWN
AS THE WARTHOG,
OR JUST "THE HOG"
BY THOSE WHO FLY IT.
Narrator: THE WARTHOG:
IT'S THE ULTIMATE GOLD STANDARD
FOR CLOSE AIR SUPPORT.
Doran: CLOSE AIR SUPPORT IS
PROTECTING TROOPS ON THE GROUND.
WE WORK CLOSELY
WITH THOSE TROOPS
TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ABLE
TO EFFECTIVELY OPERATE SAFELY
ON A COMPLEX BATTLEFIELD,
AND WE'VE GOT SOME GREAT
FIREPOWER TO HELP THEM DO IT.
Narrator: GREAT FIREPOWER
IS THE A-10'S SPECIALTY.
THE WARTHOG IS BASICALLY A GUN
WITH AN AIRPLANE ATTACHED.
Doran: THE A-10 GUN
IS CALLED THE GAU-8 AVENGER,
OR JUST "THE GUN"
BY A-10 PILOTS.
IT'S 21 FEET LONG.
IT'S THE HEAVIEST GUN, AUTOMATIC
CANNON, MOUNTED ON AIRCRAFT.
IT WEIGHS MORE THAN 4,000 POUNDS
WHEN IT'S FULLY LOADED.
Narrator: THE AVENGER'S MAGAZINE
HOLDS OVER A THOUSAND ROUNDS
OF 30-MILLIMETER AMMUNITION,
SPIT OUT AT
70 ROUNDS PER SECOND.
Doran: IT'S EFFECTIVE ENOUGH
TO KILL ARMORED VEHICLES, TANKS,
ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIERS,
ALL THE WAY DOWN
TO SMALL SOFT POINT TARGETS.
WE CAN USE IT
AGAINST MOVING TARGETS,
WE CAN USE IT AGAINST
STATIC TARGETS,
WE CAN USE IT AGAINST BUILDINGS.
PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING
THAT A REALLY POWERFUL GUN
CAN BE USED FOR
WE USE IT AGAINST.
Narrator:
THE GUN ISN'T JUST POWERFUL;
IT'S PRECISE.
4,000 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND,
THE WARTHOG CAN STRIKE
WITHIN 40 FEET OF ITS TARGET.
Doran: YOU CAN BE ASSURED THAT
ANYTHING WITHIN THAT 40 FEET
IS NOT GOING TO HAVE A GOOD DAY.
THE OUTER PYLONS ARE RESERVED
FOR LIGHTER ORDNANCE,
SPECIFICALLY
AIR-TO-AIR MISSILES.
AS YOU MOVE INBOARD,
WE MOUNT SENSORS, FLARES,
AND SOME ROCKETS
OUT ON THE OUTER PYLONS.
AS WE MOVE IN TOWARDS
THE CENTER OF THE PLANE,
WE CAN CARRY HEAVIER ORDNANCE,
SO AIR-TO-SURFACE
PRECISION-GUIDED MISSILES.
AND THE BOMBS ARE MOST COMMONLY
LOADED ON THE INBOARD STATION.
THIS RIGHT HERE IS KNOWN
AS A TRIPLE EJECTOR RACK,
SO THE T.E.R. CAN CARRY
THREE BOMBS, 500 POUND EACH.
IT CAN ALSO PUT ROCKET PODS
WITH SEVEN ROCKETS EACH
ON THESE STATIONS.
SO YOU CAN PICTURE THE VARIETY
AND NUMBER OF ORDNANCE
THAT THE A-10 CAN CARRY INTO
THE BATTLEFIELD ENVIRONMENT.
Narrator: IT'S NOT GOING
TO WIN ANY BEAUTY CONTESTS.
BUT FOR GENERATIONS OF SOLDIERS,
THE A-10 AND ITS PILOTS
HAVE BEEN A LIFESAVER.
Doran:
IF I DO MY JOB CORRECTLY,
MORE AMERICAN MEN AND WOMEN
ARE COMING HOME SAFELY
AT THE END OF THE DAY.
[ROCKET FIRES]
[GUNFIRE]
Narrator: IN AFGHANISTAN,
ZURKOWSKI AND HIS WINGMAN
FLY FAST THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS.
IT TAKES JUST MINUTES
TO GET TO THE FIREFIGHT.
Zurkowski:
WHEN WE FIRST ARRIVED,
WE HAD OTHER ASSETS ON STATION
THAT WERE
SUPPORTING THE MISSION.
THERE WAS AN AC-130, AN MC-12,
AND THEN THERE WAS A B-1
THAT WAS ABOVE HIM.
Narrator:
THE A-10s SOON DISCOVERED
THAT TROUBLE
ISN'T JUST ON THE GROUND;
IT'S IN THE AIR, TOO.
Zurkowski:
THERE WAS A PRETTY GOOD CELL
OR RAIN STORM
THAT WAS DEVELOPING.
THE ENEMIES TACTICALLY
USED THIS TO THEIR ADVANTAGE.
SO THEY HAD WAITED FOR THE
WEATHER TO ROLL INTO THE VALLEY
BEFORE THEY STARTED TO SHOOT.
Narrator:
AS THE WEATHER ROLLS IN,
COALITION PLANES ARE FORCED
TO FLY LOWER AND LOWER,
OR RISK CRASHING INTO
A CLOUD-COVERED MOUNTAIN.
FOR THE A-10s,
FLYING LOW IS NO PROBLEM.
Zurkowski:
WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY
TO WORK IN POOR WEATHER,
WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO WORK
AT LOW ALTITUDE
AND PROVIDE FIRE SUPPORT
TO THE GUYS ON THE GROUND
WHEN THEY NEED IT.
Narrator: BUT THE OTHER PLANES
ARE DESIGNED TO FLY
HIGH AND FAST.
NAVIGATING THE RAIN CLOUDS
IS TOO MUCH OF A RISK.
Zurkowski: AT THAT POINT,
THERE WASN'T ENOUGH ROOM
UNDERNEATH THE WEATHER
WHERE THEY COULD OPERATE SAFELY.
THEY, ONE BY ONE,
STARTED TO CHECK OUT
BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T
PROVIDE ANY SUPPORT.
Narrator: BY NOW,
THE A-10 PILOTS
CAN BARELY SEE THE GROUND.
Zurkowski:
OPERATING IN THAT RAIN STORM
WAS VERY CHALLENGING.
WHEN IT STARTS RAINING,
YOU CAN'T SEE AS FAR
IN FRONT OF YOU
AND YOUR SENSORS CAN'T SEE
THROUGH THE WEATHER EITHER.
Narrator: IN ORDER
TO LOCATE THE GROUND TROOPS,
A-10 PILOTS HAVE TO RELY
ON THEIR GROUND-TO-AIR RADIOS.
FOR MOST FIGHTERS,
THIS COULD BE A CHALLENGE.
BUT NOT FOR THE A-10s.
THE WARTHOG IS OPTIMIZED
TO COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY
WITH TROOPS ON THE GROUND.
Doran:
CLOSE AIR SUPPORT MISSIONS
START WITH DETAILED INTEGRATION
BETWEEN AIRCRAFT
AND GROUND TROOPS.
IN ORDER FOR US TO DO THAT,
WE NEED TO BE ABLE
TO TALK TO THEM,
SO MY TOOLS ARE THREE RADIOS
THAT I HAVE BY MY LEFT HIP HERE
THAT ALLOW ME TO TALK TO
AND COORDINATE WITH
PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE.
Narrator: A WARTHOG PILOT
CAN TAP INTO THREE
DIFFERENT RADIO NETWORKS.
THE FIRST ALLOWS THEM TO SPEAK
WITH TROOPS ON THE GROUND.
THE SECOND NETWORK
IS DEDICATED TO TALKING
TO THE OTHER AIRCRAFT.
THE A-10'S THIRD RADIO NETWORK
CONNECTS IT WITH A JTAC,
OR JOINT TERMINAL
AIR CONTROLLER.
THAT'S AN OFFICER ON THE GROUND
WHO OVERSEES THE ENTIRE
OFFENSIVE OPERATION.
Doran: THE RADIOS ARE CRUCIAL
TO THE EXECUTION
OF CLOSE AIR SUPPORT
SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND,
WE CAN INTEGRATE,
AND WE CAN ADJUST TO DYNAMIC
BATTLEFIELD ENVIRONMENTS.
Narrator: OVER AFGHANISTAN,
ZURKOWSKI AND HIS WINGMAN
RADIO DOWN TO THE TROOPS.
THE NEWS THAT COMES BACK
ISN'T GOOD.
Zurkowski:
THE TROOPS ON THE GROUND
SAID THEY WERE TAKING FIRE
AND THEY WERE TAKING FIRE FROM
THE NORTH AND FROM THE WEST.
Narrator:
ZURKOWSKI AND HIS WINGMAN
ARE RELUCTANT
TO USE THEIR CANNON.
IF THEY CAN'T FIND THE TROOPS,
THEY RISK SHOOTING
THEIR OWN SOLDIERS.
Zurkowski: IT'S VERY DIFFICULT
TO SEE THE ACTUAL PERSONNEL
IN THE KIND OF ROCKY TERRAIN,
AND THEY'RE ALL
WEARING CAMOUFLAGE
AND THEY BLEND IN PRETTY WELL.
Narrator: BY NOW, THE NEWS
FROM THE GROUND IS URGENT.
THE TALIBAN IS CLOSING IN FAST.
Zurkowski: IT WAS CRITICAL
WE PROVIDE SUPPORT,
OR IT WAS LIKELY THAT
THEY WOULD BE OVERRUN,
AND THERE WERE 90 LIVES AT STAKE
ON THE GROUND THERE.
Narrator: IF THE A-10s
DON'T SHUT THE ENEMY DOWN SOON,
IT WILL BE TOO LATE.
Narrator: TWO A-10s CIRCLE LOW
THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS
OF AFGHANISTAN.
BELOW THEM,
90 SPECIAL OPERATIONS TROOPS
ARE SURROUNDED
BY TALIBAN SOLDIERS.
IT'S TIME FOR THE A-10
TO GO IN FOR THE KILL.
Zurkowski: I CAME AROUND
FOR A SECOND PASS.
I PUT ABOUT 300 ROUNDS
ON THE RIDGE LINE
JUST NORTH OF THE ROCKET.
Narrator:
THE A-10 MAKES ANOTHER PASS.
IT CAN'T SEE THROUGH THE CLOUDS
TO TELL IF IT'S HIT ITS TARGET.
BUT GROUND TROOPS
RADIO UP THE GOOD NEWS.
Zurkowski: ON THE LAST PASS,
THEY WERE CONFIRMED
THAT, YEAH,
JUST HIT YOUR LAST IMPACTS,
THAT WAS EFFECTIVE.
Narrator: FINALLY, TWO RESCUE
HELICOPTERS ARE CLEARED TO LAND.
Zurkowski: IT WAS A VERY
SUCCESSFUL MISSION.
WE GOT EVERYBODY OUT THAT DAY.
THERE WERE 90 PEOPLE
ON THE GROUND.
Narrator: TENACITY...
TOUGHNESS...
RELIABILITY...
HALLMARKS OF THE AIR FORCE'S
GO-TO PLANE
FOR CLOSE AIR SUPPORT.
Zurkowski: IT REALLY HIGHLIGHTED
THE CAPABILITIES OF THE A-10
IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO
OPERATE UNDERNEATH THE WEATHER,
BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE
ACCURATE PINPOINT FIRES
TO SUPPORT THE GUYS
ON THE GROUND.
Narrator: NOT BAD FOR A WEAPON
THAT SOME SAY THE AIR FORCE
NEVER WANTED AT ALL.
1965.
THE U.S. AIR FORCE
AND THE ARMY ARE AT WAR.
NOT JUST IN VIETNAM,
BUT WITH EACH OTHER.
IT'S A BATTLE THAT'S
BEEN BREWING FOR YEARS.
Rebecca Grant: THE AIR FORCE HAD
HAD A VERY CLOSE RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE ARMY DURING KOREA,
BUT AS THE 1950s
AND EARLY 1960s PROGRESSED,
THE ARMY AND THE AIR FORCE
MOVED FARTHER APART.
Narrator: REBECCA GRANT
IS AN AIR FORCE HISTORIAN
AND DEFENSE ANALYST.
Grant: DURING WORLD WAR II,
CLOSE AIR SUPPORT WAS
ONE OF THE PRIMARY MISSIONS
FOR THE AIR FORCES.
BUT IN THE 1950s,
THE NUCLEAR MISSION TOOK OVER,
AND CLOSE AIR SUPPORT
WAS NEGLECTED.
Narrator: THE AIR FORCE BELIEVES
THAT CLOSE AIR SUPPORT
IS A THING OF THE PAST.
FUTURE WARS WILL BE WON
BY AIR POWER ALONE.
Grant: THE AIR FORCE THOUGHT
THAT THE NEXT WAR
WOULD BE ALL ABOUT NUCLEAR
DETERRENTS AND NUCLEAR STRIKE,
INVOLVING MASSES OF BOMBERS
AND ALSO INTERCEPT FIGHTERS,
BUT WITH VERY LITTLE ROLE
FOR GROUND FORCES.
Narrator:
TO FIGHT THIS NEW WAR,
THE AIR FORCE PUTS ALL
THEIR MONEY INTO FAST BOMBERS,
DESIGNED TO COUNTER
THE NUCLEAR THREAT.
Grant: THE NEW FIGHTERS WERE
DESIGNED EITHER AS INTERCEPTORS
OR TO DELIVER NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
THAT MEANT THAT
THERE REALLY WEREN'T
ANY AIRCRAFT IN THE 1950s
DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR
THE CLOSE AIR SUPPORT MISSION.
Narrator: THE AIR FORCE DOCTRINE
LOOKS GOOD IN THEORY.
BUT THE REALITY OF VIETNAM
CATCHES THEM OFF-GUARD.
IN THE JUNGLES
OF SOUTHEAST ASIA,
GROUND TROOPS ARE
AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE WAR.
HIGH-FLYING AIR FORCE FIGHTERS
STRUGGLE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT.
Grant: AS MORE U.S. TROOPS
ENDED UP IN VIETNAM,
THE AIR FORCE REALIZED
THAT THEY'D REALLY LET THEIR
ABILITIES IN CLOSE AIR SUPPORT
SLIP.
Narrator:
AS THE CASUALTIES PILE UP,
THE ARMY FEELS THAT
IT'S BEEN LEFT OUT TO DRY.
SO IT COMES UP WITH A BOLD PLAN:
TO MAKE THE CLOSE
AIR SUPPORT MISSION ITS OWN.
JUNE 1966.
THE U.S. ARMY REVEALS ITS PLAN
FOR AN ATTACK HELICOPTER.
THEY CALL IT THE CHEYENNE.
IT'S A CLOSE
AIR SUPPORT PLATFORM
DESIGNED TO PUT
AIR FORCE BOMBERS TO SHAME.
Grant:
WITH THE CHEYENNE PROGRAM,
THIS WAS THE ARMY'S INITIATIVE
TO DO CLOSE AIR SUPPORT
THEIR WAY, ON THEIR OWN.
Narrator:
THE CHEYENNE IS FAST,
IT'S HEAVILY ARMED,
AND IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE.
THE AIR FORCE
LOOKS ON WITH ALARM.
IF THE CHEYENNE PROGRAM
GOES THROUGH,
THEY COULD LOSE THE CLOSE
AIR SUPPORT MISSION ALTOGETHER
AND THE BUDGET
THAT GOES WITH IT.
Grant: SO, THE AIR FORCE REACTED
TO THE CHEYENNE PROGRAM
BY STARTING
A NEW PROGRAM OF ITS OWN.
Narrator: SEPTEMBER 1966.
THE PENTAGON.
GENERAL JOHN P. McCONNELL STARTS
A NEW AIR FORCE INITIATIVE:
THE ATTACK EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM.
Pierre Sprey: McCONNELL WAS
A HUNDRED-PERCENT BOMBER GUY.
HE HAD NO INTEREST
IN CLOSE SUPPORT,
BUT HE SURE DIDN'T WANT
TO GO DOWN IN HISTORY
AS THE CHIEF OF STAFF
WHO LOST A MAJOR MISSION
FOR THE AIR FORCE.
Narrator: PIERRE SPREY IS
A DEFENSE ANALYST AND ENGINEER.
HE WROTE THE INITIAL
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE A-10.
Sprey:
THE OBJECTIVE WE WERE GIVEN
WAS TO DEVELOP A REALLY
EFFECTIVE COMBAT MACHINE
AT VERY LOW COST,
LOWER COST THAN THE CHEYENNE,
AND MORE EFFECTIVE.
Narrator:
VIETNAM ISN'T THE ONLY WAR
THAT HAS THE PENTAGON WORRIED.
SOVIET TANKS LINE UP ALONG
EUROPE'S COLD WAR BATTLEFIELD,
WAITING TO STRIKE.
THE NEW AIRCRAFT
WILL HAVE TO DO DOUBLE DUTY:
PROTECT SOLDIERS
AND DESTROY THE SOVIET THREAT.
Grant: FOR THE U.S. AIR FORCE,
HAVING A DEDICATED,
TANK-KILLING,
CLOSE AIR SUPPORT,
GROUND-ATTACK PLANE
WAS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL.
Narrator:
STANDARD AIR FORCE DOCTRINE
GETS TURNED ON ITS HEAD.
FORGET HIGH AND FAST;
THIS NEW PLANE
HAS TO HOLD ENOUGH FUEL
TO HANG OVER THE BATTLEFIELD
AS LONG AS TROOPS NEED.
Sprey: FIRST AND FOREMOST,
YOU GOT TO BE ABLE
TO GET IN CLOSE ENOUGH
TO FIND THE TARGETS,
SO WE DEMANDED AN AIRPLANE
WITH A LOT OF LOITER TIME.
TWO HOURS OR MORE WAS ESSENTIAL.
Narrator:
TO HOVER LOW AND SLOW
THE NEW PLANE
WILL HAVE TO BE TOUGH.
Sprey: THE SECOND THING IS
YOU HAD TO HAVE AN AIRPLANE
THAT COULD REALLY WITHSTAND
HITS FROM MACHINE GUNS,
SMALL CANNONS, AND EVEN
SHOULDER-FIRED MISSILES.
YOU NEED AN AIRPLANE
THAT COULD TAKE THOSE HITS
AND GET THE PILOT BACK.
Narrator:
FINALLY, YOU NEED FIREPOWER.
LOTS OF IT.
Sprey: YOU NEED
FIREPOWER THAT'S PRECISE.
THIS HAS TO BE FIREPOWER
THAT WILL SUPPRESS THE BAD GUYS,
GET RID OF THEM,
AND NOT HURT YOUR GUYS.
AND IT HAS TO BE ABLE
TO PUNCH THROUGH TANKS
OR ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIERS.
Narrator:
A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
GOES OUT IN MAY 1970.
THIS AIRCRAFT
WILL BE FAR DIFFERENT
FROM ANYTHING THE AIR FORCE
HAS EVER PRODUCED.
Sprey: ALMOST EVERY ASPECT
OF HOW WE PUT THE A-10 TOGETHER
WAS LIKE A RADICAL INNOVATION.
Narrator: MARCH 30, 1976.
LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE.
THE U.S. AIR FORCE
ANNOUNCES THE WINNER:
FAIRCHILD REPUBLIC'S A-10.
IT'S THE ONLY AIR FORCE AIRCRAFT
DESIGNED SOLELY
FOR CLOSE AIR SUPPORT.
THE A-10'S BODY MAKES
AN INSTANT IMPRESSION.
Grant: THE A-10
SEEMED TO VIOLATE
EVERY PRECEPT OF STREAMLINED,
HIGH-SPEED DESIGN.
Sprey: THEY IMMEDIATELY
DUBBED IT THE WARTHOG
BECAUSE IT HAD WARTS
AND BUMPS ALL OVER IT.
IT WAS UGLY...
UGLY AS SIN.
Narrator: MANY IN THE AIR FORCE
ARE SKEPTICAL
RIGHT FROM THE GET-GO.
Sprey: GENERALS
ALMOST UNIFORMLY HATED IT.
THEY THOUGHT THE A-10 WEAKENS
THE REAL MISSION
OF THE AIR FORCE,
WHICH IS BOMBING
AND MULTI-MISSION FIGHTERS.
Narrator: THE POWERS THAT BE
ARE SKEPTICAL.
BUT THE A-10 PILOTS
LOVE IT RIGHT FROM THE START.
Doran: THE A-10 IS A WONDERFUL
AIRPLANE TO FLY.
IT'S EASY TO FLY, IT'S STABLE.
YOU FEEL LIKE YOU COULD
GET IN THERE,
GET THE JOB DONE, GET OUT,
SO THOSE YOUNG AMERICANS
CAN COME HOME SAFELY
AT THE END OF THE DAY.
Narrator: PROTECTING TROOPS
IS ITS MISSION.
BUT THE WARTHOG WAS DESIGNED
TO GET PILOTS
OUT OF ANY SITUATION, TOO.
Doran: ITS HIGH-MOUNTED
STRAIGHT WINGS
GIVE IT EXCELLENT
LOW-ALTITUDE MANEUVERABILITY,
EXCELLENT SLOW-SPEED
MANEUVERABILITY,
AND THE ABILITY
TO TAKE OFF AND LAND
ON RELATIVELY SHORT AIR FIELDS.
Narrator: ITS MANEUVERABILITY
MAKES THE A-10 TOUGH TO HIT.
THE POSITION OF ITS ENGINES
MAKES THE A-10 TOUGH TO FIND.
Doran: UNDERNEATH THE COCKPIT
AND JUST BEHIND
THE COCKPIT, UNDERNEATH,
ARE PROTECTED BY TITANIUM ARMOR,
WHICH PROTECTS AGAINST ARTILLERY
ROUNDS FIRED FROM THE GROUND.
IT'S DESIGNED TO STOP
UP TO 23-MILLIMETER
ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE,
WHICH IS SIGNIFICANT
ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE.
Narrator:
PILOTS LIKE THE DESIGN,
AND THE A-10 DOES LOOK GOOD...
ON PAPER.
BUT HOW WILL
SUCH A STRANGE-LOOKING PLANE
HOLD UP IN FLIGHT?
JUNE 3, 1977.
LE BOURGET AIR FIELD IN PARIS.
FAIRCHILD REPUBLIC GETS READY
TO ROLL OUT ITS FANCY NEW PLANE
ON THE WORLD STAGE.
Grant: THE PARIS AIR SHOW
WAS STARTED IN 1909,
AND IT'S THE WORLD'S PREMIERE
SHOWCASE FOR NEW AIRCRAFT
AND THE MOST SOPHISTICATED
DESIGNS.
Narrator:
TO SHOW OFF ITS NEW BABY,
FAIRCHILD REPUBLIC SELECTS
TEST PILOT SAM NELSON.
HE'S LOGGED OVER 500 HOURS
IN THE AIRCRAFT.
Grant: SAM NELSON
GOT IN THE PLANE,
TAXIED DOWN THE RUNWAY,
TOOK OFF UNEVENTFULLY.
HIS PLAN
WAS TO COME BACK AROUND,
DO A LOW-ALTITUDE LOOP,
AND WOW THE CROWD.
Narrator: BUT AS NELSON
COMES OUT OF HIS LOOP,
IT BECOMES CLEAR THAT THE A-10
IS FLYING MUCH TOO LOW.
AND THEN...
THE UNTHINKABLE HAPPENS.
Narrator: THE AIR FORCE HOPES
THAT ITS NEW
CLOSE AIR SUPPORT PLATFORM
WILL WOW THE WORLD.
BUT THE A-10'S DEBUT
QUICKLY TURNS INTO DISASTER.
Barbara Walters:
THE PARIS INTERNATIONAL AIR SHOW
OPENED TODAY WITH TRAGEDY.
Grant:
THE A-10 SINKS TOO LOW,
IT STRIKES THE GROUND,
DIRTY BLACK SMOKE AND FLAMES
SHOOT OUT EVERYWHERE.
IT'S A FATAL CRASH.
Narrator: PILOT SAM NELSON DIES
ON THE WAY TO THE HOSPITAL.
Grant: SAM NELSON WAS
A VERY EXPERIENCED PILOT,
A GOOD TEST PILOT,
AND KNEW THE A-10 VERY WELL,
BUT HE GOT OVERCONFIDENT.
HE PUSHED THE AIRCRAFT TOO FAR,
AND IT RESULTED
IN A FATAL ACCIDENT.
Narrator:
THE A-10 IS STARTING TO LOOK
LIKE A FAILED EXPERIMENT.
BUT IT'S STILL THE COLD WAR,
AND SOVIET TANKS
ARE STILL A THREAT.
THE ARMY PUTS PRESSURE
ON THE AIR FORCE
TO KEEP THE PLANE FLYING.
Grant: THEY KNEW
FOR THE U.S. TO BE A SUPERPOWER
WITH A SUPERPOWER ARMY,
IT NEEDED THE A-10
FOR THAT DEDICATED
CLOSE AIR SUPPORT ROLE.
Narrator:
FOR TWELVE LONG YEARS,
A-10 SUPPORTERS WAIT TO SHOW
HOW THEIR PLANE CAN PERFORM.
FINALLY, THE WARTHOG
GETS PUT TO THE TEST.
AUGUST 1990.
SADDAM HUSSEIN SENDS
HALF A MILLION IRAQI TROOPS
INTO NEIGHBORING KUWAIT.
THE REST OF THE WORLD
IS PANICKED.
MOST OF THE EARTH'S OIL
IS NOW IN HUSSEIN'S HANDS.
IN NOVEMBER,
A 39-MEMBER COALITION
DEMANDS THAT HUSSEIN
REMOVE HIS TROOPS.
President Bush:
MR. SADDAM HUSSEIN,
YOU MUST SIMPLY DO
WHAT THE WORLD
IS CALLING UPON YOU TO DO:
GET OUT.
Narrator:
BUT HUSSEIN REFUSES.
THE CLOCK BEGINS
TO COUNT DOWN TO WAR.
AIR FORCE GENERAL CHARLES HORNER
LAYS OUT THE STRATEGY
FOR THE UPCOMING WAR.
Charles Horner:
WE'VE WORKED HARD
TO BRING TOGETHER
THIS VERY COMPLEX
AND VERY LARGE CAMPAIGN PLAN.
Narrator: HIS LIST IS HEAVY
WITH STEALTH PLANES AND BOMBERS.
A-10s ARE NOT IN THE PLAN.
Tom Norris: GENERAL HORNER
DIDN'T WANT THE AIRPLANE THERE,
HATED THE AIRPLANE,
DID NOT WANT IT THERE.
Narrator:
LIEUTENANT COLONEL TOM NORRIS
WAS AN A-10 PILOT
DURING THE FIRST GULF WAR.
Norris:
THE AIR FORCE HAD NO INTENTION
OF DEPLOYING THE AIRPLANE.
GENERAL HORNER BELIEVED
THAT THE F-15E AND THE F-16
COULD HANDLE CLOSE AIR SUPPORT.
Narrator: BUT ALLIED COMMANDER
NORMAN SCHWARZKOPF
HAS OTHER IDEAS.
SCHWARZKOPF IS AN ARMY GENERAL.
THE CLOSE AIR SUPPORT MISSION
IS NEAR AND DEAR TO HIS HEART.
Norris: GENERAL SCHWARZKOPF
MANDATED THAT THE A-10
BE BROUGHT OVER TO THE THEATRE.
HE THOUGHT IT WAS LUDICROUS
THAT THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
THOUGHT THAT YOU COULD TAKE
AN AIR INTERDICTION
DESIGNED AIRCRAFT
AND APPLY IT TOWARDS
A CLOSE AIR SUPPORT ROLE.
General Schwarzkopf:
WE HAVE A CAMPAIGN PLAN.
WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW
THAT CAMPAIGN PLAN
UNTIL WE ACCOMPLISH
THE OBJECTIVES
SET OUT BY
THE UNITED NATIONS RESOLUTION
AND AS ANNOUNCED BY THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
Narrator:
SCHWARZKOPF'S ENDORSEMENT
IS A HUGE BOOST
FOR THE UNPROVEN PILOTS.
Norris: WE WERE THRILLED
THAT WE WERE GETTING TO GO.
AND WE WERE CHARGED UP BECAUSE
GENERAL SCHWARZKOPF WANTED US,
AND HE REPRESENTED THOSE
MEN AND WOMEN ON THE GROUND.
Narrator: FEBRUARY 1991.
THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF IRAQ.
NORRIS IS ON A NIGHT PATROL
WITH OTHER A-10s.
SUDDENLY,
HIS RADIO BEGINS TO BUZZ.
Norris: IT WAS
AN EMERGENCY CAST CALL,
MEANING THAT
THIS WAS AN ARMY TEAM,
AND THEY WERE INDICATING
THAT THEY WERE TRAPPED.
THE ENEMY HAD ENCIRCLED THEM,
AND THEY HAD NO WAY TO ESCAPE.
Soldier: WE HAVE
ENEMY QRF APPROACHING
3-0-0 METERS FROM THE EAST.
Norris: YOU COULD TELL
FROM THEIR VOICES
THAT THEY WERE IN TROUBLE
AND THEY NEEDED HELP.
Narrator:
NORRIS AND HIS WINGMAN
PUT THEIR A-10s
INTO FULL THROTTLE.
MINUTES LATER, THEY LOOK DOWN
AT A CHAOTIC SCENE.
Norris: WHEN I LOOKED OUT THE
HUGE BUBBLE CANOPY ON THE A-10,
I SAW PROJECTILES.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IS LITTLE
RED, ORANGE BBs, IF YOU WILL,
FLYING EVERY WHICH DIRECTION
AROUND THIS TEAM.
THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE
ANY SET PATTERN TO IT.
Narrator: PILOTS CAN SEE THAT
THEIR TROOPS ARE IN TROUBLE.
BUT IN THE DARK,
THEY CAN'T TELL FRIEND FROM FOE.
Norris: WE HAD NO SENSORS
IN THE AIRPLANE
TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE
INFRARED ENERGY
TO SEE DIFFERENT OBJECTS AND
USE THOSE THINGS FOR TARGETING.
Narrator:
TRAINING WITH GROUND TROOPS
HAS ITS ADVANTAGES.
THE WARTHOGS KNOW EXACTLY
WHAT THE SOLDIERS CAN USE
TO PINPOINT THEIR LOCATION.
Norris:
THE FLIGHT LEAD, YOU KNOW,
HE KNEW WHAT THEY HAD WITH THEM,
YOU KNOW, SO WHEN HE SAID,
"DO YOU HAVE A STROBE LIGHT?
DO YOU HAVE YOUR STROBE LIGHT
WITH YOU?"
HE KNEW IT WAS KIND OF
IN THEIR BASIC EQUIPMENT LIST.
Narrator: WARTHOG PILOTS ARE
KNOWN FOR BEING RESOURCEFUL.
EVEN SO, IT'S AN INGENIOUS PLAN.
Norris: HE SAID, "OKAY,
SO HERE'S WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO.
I WANT YOU TO DIG A HOLE.
I WANT YOU TO
TURN THAT STROBE LIGHT ON
AND DROP IT IN THE HOLE."
ONCE THEY DID THAT,
WE COULD DETERMINE EXACTLY
WHERE THE FRIENDLIES WERE
AND THAT THERE WAS FIRE
ALL AROUND THEM.
AND THAT, THEREFORE,
WAS THE ENEMY.
Narrator: GROUND TROOPS
GIVE THE GO-AHEAD.
Norris: AT THAT POINT
WE BEGAN EMPLOYING
THE 30-MILLIMETER GUN...
AND THEN WE JUST
LAID WASTE TO THEM.
AND BECAUSE OUR RE-ATTACK TIME
IS VERY QUICK,
WE WERE ABLE TO KEEP
CONSTANT PRESSURE ON THE ENEMY.
Narrator:
ITS LONG LOITER TIME
MEANS THE A-10 CAN STICK AROUND
TO SEE THE FIGHT THROUGH.
THE FINAL SCORE?
A-10s: SIXTY.
IRAQI SOLDIERS: ZERO.
Norris:
THERE WAS AN ALL-SAFE CALL
45 MINUTES AFTER
WE HAD SHOWN UP.
Narrator: CLOSE AIR SUPPORT IS
JUST ONE OF THE A-10'S TRIUMPHS.
THE WARTHOG PROVES TO BE A FORCE
IN THE AIR WAR, TOO.
A-10s DESTROY
MORE SCUD LAUNCHERS
THAN ANY OTHER AIRCRAFT.
Norris: SCUDS WERE
THE BALLISTIC WEAPON
THAT COULD CARRY CHEMICALS,
ET CETERA,
THAT COULD VERY EASILY BE
LAUNCHED FROM IRAQ TO ISRAEL.
AND THE A-10s HAD GREAT SUCCESS
AT KILLING SCUDS.
Narrator:
TAKING OUT AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS
PROVES TO BE EASY, TOO.
[INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER]
Norris:
THAT MISSION IS SUPPOSED TO BE
FOR AIR INTERDICTION AIRPLANES
LIKE THE F-16 AND F-15E.
WELL, UNFORTUNATELY
THE DAY BEFORE,
F-16s HAD BEEN
TASKED AGAINST IT, AND MISSED.
SO, A-10s THE FOLLOWING DAY
WERE TASKED TO GO IN,
AND THEY SHACKED IT.
THAT ASSET
WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED.
Narrator: ALTOGETHER, THE A-10
FLIES OVER 8,000 MISSIONS.
IT DESTROYS MORE THAN
900 IRAQI TANKS,
AND IT TAKES OUT OVER 300
ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIERS
AND ARTILLERY SITES.
Norris: WE PUT THE HURT
ON THEM PRETTY GOOD.
Narrator: THE WARTHOG
IS THE LOW-TECH STAR
OF A HIGH-TECH WAR.
EVEN GENERAL HORNER
IS IMPRESSED.
Norris:
THE THIRD DAY OF THE WAR,
HE WROTE, "I TAKE BACK
ALL THE BAD THINGS
I EVER SAID ABOUT THE A-10.
THEY'RE SAVING OUR ASSES.
GENERAL HORNER."
Narrator: BUT THE A-10s
HAVE LITTLE TIME
TO SAVOR THEIR SUCCESS.
NO SOONER ARE THEY
BACK IN THE STATES
THAN THEY GET
SOME DISAPPOINTING NEWS.
Norris: WE HAD BEEN BACK
JUST A FEW MONTHS.
IT WAS ANNOUNCED
THAT THE A-10s,
THE BULK OF THEM WERE
ALL GOING IN THE BONEYARD.
SO, IT WAS A HUGE SLAP
IN THE FACE,
GIVEN HOW WELL
THE AIRPLANE HAD PERFORMED.
Narrator:
TO MANY WARTHOG PILOTS,
IT FEELS LIKE THE SAME OLD SONG.
Norris: THEY DID NOT CUT,
YOU KNOW, PERCENTAGE-WISE
NEAR THE NUMBER OF F-16s
AS THEY CUT A-10s.
AGAIN, THEY DID NOT
WANT THE AIRPLANE.
Narrator: BUT IF THE A-10
HAS POWERFUL OPPONENTS
IN THE AIR FORCE,
IT HAS FRIENDS IN THE ARMY.
THANKS TO
ITS STREET FIGHTER IMAGE,
THE A-10 MANAGES TO HANG ON.
AND IN JUST A FEW YEARS,
IT GETS A CHANCE TO UNDERTAKE
THE ULTIMATE
CLOSE AIR SUPPORT MISSION:
PROTECTING A DOWNED PILOT.
MARCH 24, 1999.
SERBIA.
NATO ANNOUNCES
A BOMBING CAMPAIGN
AGAINST PRESIDENT
SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC.
THE GOAL:
TO STOP HIS VICIOUS
ETHNIC CLEANSING CAMPAIGN
OF ALBANIAN MUSLIMS.
President Clinton:
WE ALL AGREE
THAT WE CANNOT ALLOW
PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC
TO CONTINUE THE AGGRESSION
WITH IMPUNITY.
Narrator: THE COALITION
BEGINS WITH A MASSIVE AIR WAR
TO DESTROY
THE SERBIAN INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE U.S. BRINGS DOZENS
OF CHOPPERS AND FIGHTERS
TO THE FIGHT.
JUST HOURS INTO THE WAR,
THE A-10 SQUADRONS
GET AN URGENT CALL.
THE SERBS HAVE SHOT DOWN ONE OF
AMERICA'S MOST VALUABLE ASSETS,
A STEALTH F-117.
Reporter: ACCORDING
TO THE YUGOSLAV ARMY,
THE STEALTH FIGHTER
WAS SHOT DOWN
BY A SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE.
Narrator: THE PILOT
HAS BEEN FORCED TO EJECT
DEEP INSIDE ENEMY TERRITORY.
John Cherrey: THE FIRST THING
THAT COMBAT SEARCH AND RESCUE
CREWS CARE ABOUT IS THE PERSON.
WE WANT TO GET HIM OUT.
Narrator:
BRIGADIER GENERAL JOHN CHERREY
WAS AN A-10 COMMANDER
DURING THE BALKAN WARS.
Cherrey: THE SECOND THING
WE MIGHT HAVE
IN THE BACK OF OUR MIND
IS THE STRATEGIC VALUE
OF THAT PERSON TO THE ENEMY,
AND WE KNEW THAT IF THEY
COULD CATCH A 117 PILOT,
THAT IT WOULD BE
A HUGE STRATEGIC LOSS
FOR THE NATO COALITION
AT THE TIME.
Narrator:
COALITION AIR FORCES
QUICKLY ASSEMBLE
A SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATION.
CHERREY AND FIVE OTHER A-10s
TAKE THE LEAD.
Cherrey: WE TOOK OFF
ABOUT 9:45 IN THE EVENING,
WHICH IS ABOUT AN HOUR AFTER
THE F-117 HAD BEEN
REPORTED SHOT DOWN.
Narrator: THE ONLY TROUBLE IS,
THEY AREN'T SURE
WHERE THEY'RE HEADING.
Cherrey: WE HAD
FIVE SETS OF COORDINATES
AS TO WHERE THE SURVIVOR
POTENTIALLY COULD BE.
THOSE COORDINATES
SPANNED OVER 76 MILES.
Narrator: 76 MILES
ISN'T A LOT OF TERRITORY
FOR THE A-10s TO COVER.
BUT IT IS DANGEROUS.
SERB RADAR ARE ON HIGH ALERT.
Cherrey: WITHIN
THE SURVIVOR'S SMALL RADIUS,
THERE WERE NUMEROUS
SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES,
AND WE KNEW THAT
THE SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES
WERE TRACKING US.
Narrator: CHERREY MANEUVERS
HIS A-10 ABOVE THE MISSILES,
TRYING TO LOCK ON
TO THE PILOT'S LOCATION.
Cherrey: THE A-10 IS UNIQUE
IN THAT IT HAS
AN AUTOMATIC DIRECTION FINDER
IN THE UHF RANGES OF THE RADIO,
AND SO IF A PILOT
IS USING A RADIO,
THE AIRCRAFT ITSELF
CAN DETECT THAT SIGNAL
AND GIVE ME BEARING
TO THE PILOT.
Narrator: AS HE CIRCLES,
CHERREY HEARS A VOICE
COME THROUGH HIS RADIO.
IT'S THE PILOT.
THE A-10 HOMES IN ON HIS SIGNAL.
Cherrey: AT THAT POINT,
I'M FOCUSED COMPLETELY
ON MAKING SURE THAT HE IS SECURE
AND THAT HE'S
READY TO BE PICKED UP.
Narrator:
BUT CHERREY ISN'T THE ONLY ONE
TRACKING THE SIGNAL.
Cherrey: THE SERBIANS WERE
ON THE RADIOS AS WELL,
AND SO THE MORE THE PILOT
TALKED ON THE RADIO,
THE MORE THAT THE ENEMY
WOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO USE
THAT CAPABILITY AGAINST HIM.
Narrator: FINDING THE PILOT
WON'T COUNT FOR MUCH
IF THE SERBS GET TO HIM FIRST.
Cherrey:
FOR THE LAST THREE NIGHTS,
WE HAD BEEN HITTING TARGETS
ALL AROUND THOSE AREAS,
AND WE KNEW THAT THE PEOPLE
IN THOSE AREAS
WERE NOT GOING TO BE NICE
TO ANYONE THAT THEY FOUND
THAT WAS AN AMERICAN PILOT.
Narrator: AS THE A-10s
CIRCLE OVERHEAD,
THEY KNOW THAT THE PILOT'S FATE
IS RESTING IN THEIR HANDS.
Cherrey:
THE ONLY THING I COULD PICTURE
WAS HIM KNEELING ON THE GROUND
WITH A GUN TO HIS HEAD.
WE WERE GOING TO STAY THERE
UNTIL WE GOT HIM OUT.
Narrator: THE A-10s
HAVE THE PILOT'S LOCATION.
BUT THE SERBS ARE CLOSING IN
ON THE GROUND.
NOW IT'S A RACE AGAINST TIME.
Narrator:
ENEMY FORCES IN SERBIA
ARE CLOSING IN
ON A DOWNED AMERICAN AIRMAN.
A-10 PILOT JOHN CHERREY
KNOWS THAT IF HE CAN'T
GET THE PILOT OUT SOON,
IT MAY BE TOO LATE.
Cherrey: ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT I HAVE TO DO
AS THE ON-SCENE COMMANDER
IS FIGURE OUT,
IS HE READY TO BE PICKED UP?
I THOUGHT THAT WE WERE
GOOD TO GO AT THAT POINT
AND DECIDED TO BRING
THE HELICOPTERS IN.
Narrator: WITH SERB MISSILES
ON HIGH ALERT,
A-10 PILOTS KNOW
THAT THE HELICOPTERS
WILL BE SITTING DUCKS.
SO THE WARTHOGS
DECIDE TO CREATE A DECOY.
Cherrey: WHILE THE HELICOPTERS
WERE COMING IN LOW
TO PICK UP THE SURVIVOR,
MY WINGMAN AND I TRIED
TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE AREA.
Narrator: THE A-10s TURN AWAY
FROM THE DOWNED PILOT.
AND THE SERBS TAKE AIM
WITH THE VERY SAME
SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES
THAT SHOT DOWN THE F-117.
Cherrey: HERE IS
THE MOST STEALTHY AIRCRAFT
THAT WAS JUST SHOT DOWN
BY SOMETHING,
AND I WAS IN
THE LEAST STEALTHY AIRCRAFT
IN THE AIR FORCE INVENTORY.
Narrator:
CHERREY'S DECOY WORKS.
TWO CHOPPERS TOUCH DOWN
FOR THE RESCUE.
AND THE A-10s
FINALLY GET THE WORD THAT
THEY'VE BEEN WAITING FOR.
Cherrey: WHEN WE FINALLY
GOT WORD THAT HE WAS ON BOARD
AND HAD EGRESSED OUT
OF SERBIAN AIRSPACE,
IT WAS JUST SUCH
A TREMENDOUS RELIEF.
IT WAS EXTREMELY REWARDING
IN THAT WE GOT HIM OUT.
Narrator: BY NOW, THE A-10
ISN'T JUST A FAVORITE OF PILOTS;
IT'S A FAVORITE OF THE MEN
AND WOMEN WHO MAINTAIN IT, TOO.
Matthew Newson:
THE A-10 IS RESILIENT.
IT'S RESILIENT TO WEATHER,
IT'S RESILIENT
TO THE SMALL ARMS FIRE,
IT'S RESILIENT IN
ALMOST EVERY WAY.
THAT'S ONE OF THE MAJOR PROS
TO MAINTAINING THIS AIRCRAFT.
Narrator: IT'S A LOT OF BANG
FOR YOUR BUCK.
AND JUST HOW MUCH
WAS GETTING READY
TO BE PROVEN AGAIN IN IRAQ.
APRIL 7, 2003, IRAQ.
FIGHTING RAGES ACROSS BAGHDAD.
AMERICAN AND ALLIED SOLDIERS
STORM THROUGH THE STREETS,
UNDER HEAVY FIRE
FROM PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN'S
REPUBLICAN GUARD.
Kim Campbell:
THAT DAY WE GOT A CALL
SAYING THAT TROOPS
WERE IN CONTACT
AND THEY NEEDED
IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE.
Narrator:
LIEUTENANT COLONEL KIM CAMPBELL
WAS AN A-10 PILOT
IN OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM.
HER CALL SIGN: KILLER CHICK.
[SOLDIERS SHOUTING]
Campbell: THEY SAID
THEY WERE TAKING FIRE
AND THEY NEEDED
IMMEDIATE SUPPORT
FROM OUR AIRCRAFT
OVERHEAD THEIR LOCATION.
Narrator: MOMENTS LATER,
THE WARTHOGS FIND THEMSELVES
LOOKING DOWN
AT AN EPIC GUN BATTLE,
WITH AMERICAN TROOPS
ON THE LOSING SIDE.
THE A-10s DON'T WASTE A MINUTE.
THEY DIVE DOWN
AND GET RIGHT TO WORK.
Campbell:
WE MADE SEVERAL PASSES,
BOTH WITH OUR GATLING GUN
AND HIGH-EXPLOSIVE ROCKETS
ON THE ENEMY LOCATION.
Soldier: GO, GO, GO...
Narrator: AMERICAN TROOPS
SCRAMBLE TO SAFETY.
BUT THE IRAQI FIGHTERS
DON'T GIVE UP EASILY.
AS THE A-10s HEAD OUT,
ANTI-ARTILLERY FIRE
AND RPGs STREAK BY.
Campbell: I HAD COME DOWN LOW
TO DO THE ROCKET PASS
AND WAS CLIMBING BACK UP,
AND THAT'S WHEN I JUST FELT
AND HEARD A VERY LARGE IMPACT
AT THE BACK OF THE JET.
I KNEW IMMEDIATELY
I HAD BEEN HIT BY ENEMY FIRE.
Narrator: THE IMPACT DUMPS
THE WARTHOG'S NOSE FORWARD.
SUDDENLY,
LIEUTENANT COLONEL CAMPBELL
FINDS HERSELF
LOOKING STRAIGHT DOWN
AT A CITY
OF 11 MILLION PEOPLE...
MANY OF THEM HOSTILE.
Campbell: SO I'M STARING
AT BAGHDAD THINKING THAT
THIS IS NOT THE LOCATION
THAT I WANT TO EJECT IN.
AND SO I JUST FOCUSED
ON THE TASK AT HAND
OF GETTING THE AIRCRAFT
UNDER CONTROL.
Narrator:
CAMPBELL HAS JUST SECONDS
TO SIZE UP HER SITUATION.
SHE CAN SEE RIGHT AWAY
THAT IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD.
Campbell: I HAD
SEVERAL CAUTION LIGHTS,
LOTS OF THINGS FLASHING,
LOTS OF NOISES,
THE AIRPLANE IS NOT
RESPONDING TO MY INPUT.
THE BIGGEST THING TO ME WAS
THE HYDRAULIC GAUGES READ ZERO,
AND I HAD COMPLETELY
LOST HYDRAULICS
WHEN THE AIRCRAFT GOT HIT.
Narrator: HYDRAULICS
PROVIDE THE POWER
TO MOVE AN AIRCRAFT'S FLIGHT
CONTROLS AND LANDING GEAR.
FOR MOST AIRCRAFT,
LOSING HYDRAULIC POWER
WOULD MEAN SURE DISASTER.
BUT NOT FOR THE STURDY A-10.
Campbell: IF YOU LOSE
ONE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM,
THEN OUR AIRCRAFT IS BUILT SO
THE OTHER SYSTEM WILL TAKE OVER.
IF YOU LOSE
BOTH HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS,
THEN WE HAVE THIS SYSTEM
CALLED MANUAL REVERSION.
Narrator: THE A-10
IS THE ONLY AIR FORCE FIGHTER
WITH THE MANUAL
REVERSION OPTION.
TO ACTIVATE IT,
THE PILOT SIMPLY FLIPS A SWITCH.
THIS DEACTIVATES
THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM
AND ALLOWS THE PILOT
TO STEER THE PLANE
USING A SERIES
OF CABLES AND PULLEYS.
SHE CONTROLS THESE
THROUGH SHEER MUSCLE POWER.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE DRIVING
A 25,000-POUND CAR
WITHOUT POWER STEERING
AT 400 MILES AN HOUR.
Campbell:
IT'S JUST A MANUAL WAY
OF CONTROLLING THE AIRCRAFT,
KIND OF BACK TO
THE EARLY DAYS OF FLYING.
Narrator:
CAMPBELL RADIOS BACK TO BASE
TO TELL THEM SHE'S COMING IN.
ONLY TWO A-10 PILOTS HAVE EVER
ATTEMPTED A MANUAL LANDING,
AND ONLY ONE OF THEM SURVIVED.
Campbell: MY GUT FEELING WAS
THAT I WAS GOING TO TRY
TO LAND THE AIRPLANE.
THE A-10 HAD, IT HAD
SERVED ME WELL UP THIS POINT,
AND I WASN'T READY
TO EJECT OUT OF IT.
Narrator: THE RUNWAY IS LINED
WITH EMERGENCY PERSONNEL.
CAMPBELL IS SO FOCUSED
ON LANDING
THAT SHE DOESN'T EVEN NOTICE.
ONCE SHE'S ON THE GROUND,
CAMPBELL CAN FINALLY SEE
HOW BADLY SHE'S BEEN HIT.
Campbell: I HAD HUNDREDS
OF HOLES IN THE FUSELAGE
AND TAIL SECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT
AND A GIANT FOOTBALL-SIZED HOLE
IN THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER
AT THE BACK OF THE AIRCRAFT.
I REALLY FELT LIKE
IF I HAD BEEN FLYING
ANY OTHER AIRCRAFT THAT DAY
THAT MAYBE MY SITUATION WOULDN'T
HAVE TURNED OUT IN THE SAME WAY.
Narrator: LIEUTENANT COLONEL
CAMPBELL'S MISSION
SHOULD HAVE CEMENTED
THE A-10'S REPUTATION.
BUT NOT A MONTH AFTER,
THE NEW YORK TIMES GETS HOLD
OF A CONFIDENTIAL MEMO
PLOTTING THE WARTHOG'S DEMISE.
Dave Deptula: SOME OF
THE SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE TODAY
YOU PUT IN
A HIGH-THREAT ENVIRONMENT
AND THEY'LL START FALLING
FROM THE SKY LIKE RAIN.
Sprey:
MAJOR GENERAL DAVE DEPTULA
PROPOSED THAT
THE A-10 FLEET BE WIPED OUT
WITHIN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
Narrator: IT LOOKS LIKE THE A-10
HAS ITS HEAD
ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK YET AGAIN.
AND THIS TIME, THE AIR FORCE
IS DETERMINED TO SUCCEED.
Narrator: MAY 27, 2003.
IT SEEMS LIKE THE A-10
HAS FINALLY WON
THE AIR FORCE'S RESPECT.
BUT THE NEW YORK TIMES
REVEALS THAT THE SERVICE
HAS SECRETLY BEEN PLANNING
FOR THE WARTHOG'S DEMISE.
Sprey: THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME
I CAN REMEMBER
THAT SOME AIR FORCE GENERAL
PROPOSED KILLING
100 PERCENT OF THE FORCE.
Narrator: THE PENTAGON DENIES
THAT IT HAS PLANS
TO MOTHBALL THE WARTHOG.
BUT FOR ANYONE
WHO'S BEEN PAYING ATTENTION,
THE WRITING
IS ALREADY ON THE WALL.
Grant: FOR ALL THE A-10'S
GREAT COMBAT REPUTATION,
THE AIR FORCE KNEW
THAT IT WAS TIME TO THINK ABOUT
REPLACING THE A-10,
AND THE AIR FORCE PLANNED FOR
THE F-35 JOINT STRIKE FIGHTER
TO REPLACE BOTH THE A-10
AND THE F-16.
Narrator:
THE LOCKHEED MARTIN F-35.
IT FLIES HIGH, IT FLIES FAST,
AND IT'S ULTRA STEALTHY.
Grant: THE F-35 COULDN'T BE MORE
DIFFERENT IN LOOKS OR DESIGN
FROM THE A-10.
IT BRINGS A VERY SOPHISTICATED
SUITE OF SENSORS AND WEAPONS
THAT WILL GIVE
THE SOLDIER ON THE GROUND
A LOT OF CHOICES ABOUT THE KIND
OF CLOSE AIR SUPPORT THEY WANT.
Narrator: AT $1.5 TRILLION,
IT'S THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE'S
COSTLIEST WEAPONS PROGRAM EVER.
BUT THE BENEFITS
OUTWEIGH THE COSTS.
Grant: THE ABILITY TO GATHER
AND SHARE INTELLIGENCE,
THE ABILITY
TO TALK TO CONTROL CENTERS,
TO OTHER AIRCRAFT,
AND TO FORCES ON THE GROUND...
IN THE F-35,
THESE ALL GO WAY BEYOND
WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE A-10.
Narrator:
THAT'S WHAT THEY SAY.
BUT THE F-35 PROGRAM
HAS MANY CRITICS.
THERE ARE SOFTWARE DELAYS,
COST OVERRUNS, ACCIDENTS.
Scott Pelley: THE PENTAGON TODAY
STOPPED TEST FLIGHTS
OF THE F-35 FIGHTER JET.
THE F-35 HAS COST TAXPAYERS
ABOUT $400 BILLION ALREADY
AND IS YEARS BEHIND SCHEDULE.
Narrator: THE F-35
WAS ORIGINALLY PLANNED
TO ENTER THE AIR FORCE IN 2015.
BUT IT STILL HAS
YEARS OF TESTING
BEFORE IT PROVES ITS WORTH.
Norris: THE AIRPLANE
IS GOING THROUGH TESTS.
I MEAN, WE AREN'T GOING TO KNOW
WHAT IT CAN AND CANNOT DO
UNTIL 2021 OR BEYOND.
Narrator: FEBRUARY 2014.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
AIR FORCE CHIEF OF STAFF
GENERAL MARK WELSH
UNVEILS HIS 2015 BUDGET.
THE AMOUNT FOR THE A-10: ZERO.
THE WARTHOG HAS FACED DOWN
MANY OPPONENTS IN ITS 37 YEARS,
BUT NONE AS TOUGH AS THIS.
Sprey:
THIS WAS AN ALL-OUT ASSAULT.
THIS WAS A BIG PR CAMPAIGN
TO KILL THE A-10.
Narrator: A-10 ADVOCATES
DON'T GO DOWN EASY.
THEY PLEAD WITH CONGRESS
TO SAVE THEIR FAVORED PLANE.
Woman: AND THAT IS TO KEEP
THE A-10 FLYING.
Campbell: THE A-10 IS LOVED
BY MANY PEOPLE,
ESPECIALLY
THE GUYS ON THE GROUND,
AND IT'S LOVED
BY THE PILOTS THAT FLY IT.
Narrator: A-10 ADVOCATES
ACCUSE THE AIR FORCE
OF NEGLECTING
THE CLOSE AIR SUPPORT MISSION.
Mrs. Hartzler: I DO NOT AGREE
THAT A B-1 IS THE SAME
OR A REMOTELY PILOTED AIRCRAFT
IS THE SAME
TO THE SOLDIERS ON THE GROUND.
THEY WANT TO SEE THE A-10.
Narrator: 2014.
THE SENATE ARMED SERVICES
COMMITTEE
PREPARES FOR A HISTORIC VOTE.
IT'S YET ANOTHER NEAR-DEATH
EXPERIENCE FOR THE STURDY PLANE.
THE A-10 IS FUNDED
THROUGH THE REST OF 2014.
BUT EVEN ITS SUPPORTERS AGREE
THAT ITS DAYS ARE NUMBERED.
Grant: IT'S VERY UNDERSTANDABLE
THAT PEOPLE LOVE THE A-10,
BUT IT IS TIME TO MOVE ON
AND LOOK FOR
AN INFORMATION-AGE PLATFORM,
THE F-35,
THAT CAN DO THAT CLOSE
AIR SUPPORT MISSION EVEN BETTER.
Narrator: THE A-10 WARTHOG.
IT'S NOT SLEEK.
IT'S NOT SUPER FAST.
AND IT'S NOT GOING
TO WOW THE CROWDS
WITH HIGH-FLYING BARREL ROLLS.
THE A-10 IS MORE OF
THE STRONG, SILENT TYPE.
IT JUST SHOWS UP,
PUTS UP, AND GOES HOME.
Norris: IT'S A TOUGH AIRPLANE.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT
TO TAKE IT OUT OF THE SKY.
Narrator:
ITS REVOLUTIONARY DESIGN
REFLECTS THE NEED
TO UNITE THE AIR WAR
WITH TROOPS ON THE GROUND.
Grant: WE'LL REMEMBER THE A-10
AS A PLANE THAT WAS DESIGNED
WITH THE PERSON IN MIND.
THAT PLANE WAS DESIGNED
FOR THE PILOT
AND FOR THE SOLDIER
ON THE GROUND,
AND TO BRING
THE TWO OF THEM TOGETHER.
Narrator: TOUGH,
DEADLY,
UGLY,
DECEPTIVELY MANEUVERABLE,
IT CAN TAKE MORE PUNISHMENT
THAN ANY OTHER PLANE
IN THE AIR FORCE'S ARSENAL.
WHEN YOU NEED
TO GET DOWN AND DIRTY,
JUST CALL THE A-10.
IT'S UGLY...
AND IT'S THE AIRCRAFT
GROUND TROOPS CALL ON FIRST
WHEN THEY'RE CAUGHT IN A JAM.
Woman: THEY WERE TAKING FIRE
AND NEEDED IMMEDIATE SUPPORT.
Narrator: ITS WEAPON OF CHOICE?
THE MOST POWERFUL
GATLING-TYPE CANNON
IN THE AIR FORCE INVENTORY.
Man: IT'S CAPABLE OF FIRING
70 ROUNDS PER SECOND.
Man: THEY ARE THREATENED
JUST BY THE SOUND
OF THE AIRPLANE.
Narrator: THE A-10 THUNDERBOLT
IS THE AIRCRAFT
THAT CHANGED THE DEFINITION
OF CLOSE AIR SUPPORT.
Man: EVERY ASPECT OF HOW
WE PUT THE A-10 TOGETHER
WAS LIKE A RADICAL INNOVATION.
Narrator:
IT'S CAUSED MORE CONTROVERSY
THAN ANY OTHER
AIR FORCE FIGHTER.
Woman:
THE A-10 SEEMED TO VIOLATE
EVERY PRECEPT OF STREAMLINED,
HIGH-SPEED DESIGN.
Narrator:
AND SOME OF ITS TOUGHEST BATTLES
WERE AGAINST THE VERY PEOPLE
WHO BROUGHT IT TO LIFE.
Man: THE AIR FORCE
HAD NO INTENTION
OF DEPLOYING THE AIRPLANE.
Narrator: 2012.
OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM,
AFGHANISTAN.
NATO HAS BEEN WAGING WAR
AGAINST THE TALIBAN
FOR 11 LONG AND DEADLY YEARS.
OVER 60,000 U.S. SOLDIERS
HAVE BOOTS ON THE GROUND.
THE A-10 THUNDERBOLT
IS THERE, TOO.
Paul Zurkowski: THE A-10s
HAVE BEEN AN INTEGRAL
PART OF THE OPERATION
SINCE THE BEGINNING.
Narrator: LIEUTENANT COLONEL
PAUL ZURKOWSKI
WAS COMMANDER
OF AN A-10 SQUADRON
IN OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM.
Zurkowski: WE PROVIDED
PRETTY MUCH 24-HOUR COVERAGE
WITH THE A-10,
WHERE WE HAD AIRPLANES AIRBORNE
JUST ABOUT ALL HOURS
OF THE DAY AND NIGHT.
Narrator: IN MAY,
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA
ANNOUNCES THAT
OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM
WILL SOON COME TO AN END.
President Obama:
WE'RE NOW UNIFIED BEHIND A PLAN
TO RESPONSIBLY WIND DOWN
THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN.
Narrator: COALITION FORCES
COUNT DOWN TO A TIME
WHEN THEY CAN LEAVE
THE WAR FAR BEHIND.
BUT THE TALIBAN HAS OTHER PLANS.
THEY DON'T INTEND TO LET
THE AMERICANS GET OUT ALIVE.
[MEN SHOUTING]
JUNE 2012.
AT BAGRAM AIR FIELD,
ZURKOWSKI AND HIS WINGMAN
PREPARE THEIR A-10s FOR FLIGHT.
BUT MOMENTS AFTER TAKEOFF,
THE ROUTINE MISSION
TURNS INTO SOMETHING MORE.
Zurkowski: WE WERE RE-ROLLED
TO WHAT IS CALLED
"TROOPS IN CONTACT."
THAT MEANT SOMEBODY
ON THE GROUND WAS TAKING FIRE
AND THEY WERE
REQUESTING SUPPORT.
Narrator: THAT SOMEBODY
IS A 90-MEMBER
SPECIAL OPERATIONS TEAM.
THEY'RE RETURNING FROM A MISSION
DEEP IN TALIBAN TERRITORY.
Zurkowski: THEY WERE
WORKING UP A SPINE
OR A RIDGE LINE
BETWEEN TWO RIVERS
TO A HELICOPTER LANDING ZONE,
WHERE THEY HAD PLANNED
TO BE PICKED UP.
THEY WERE COMPLETE
WITH THEIR MISSION.
THEY JUST NEEDED
TO GET UP THE SPINE
AND GET ON A HELICOPTER
TO GO HOME.
Narrator: TWO MILES BELOW
THE PICKUP POINT,
THE TEAM IS AMBUSHED
BY TALIBAN FIGHTERS.
NOW THE SAFE HAVEN
OF THE LANDING ZONE
MIGHT AS WELL BE
A MILLION MILES AWAY.
Zurkowski: AT THAT POINT,
THERE'S SO MUCH GUNFIRE
ON THE GROUND,
THEY CAN'T EVEN BRING
THE HELICOPTERS IN YET.
Narrator:
THE SOLDIERS ON THE GROUND
ARE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED.
TO GET OUT ALIVE,
THEY HAVE JUST ONE HOPE:
THE A-10.
Zurkowski: THERE WERE
90 GUYS ON THE GROUND
THAT WERE THREATENED
BY ENEMY FIRE,
AND IT WAS AN IMPERATIVE THAT
WE GET IN THERE AND HELP THEM.
AT THAT POINT,
WE JUST PUSHED IT UP
AND GOT THERE
AS QUICK AS WE COULD.
Narrator:
WHEN MARINES AND ARMY TROOPS
ARE OVERWHELMED BY THE ENEMY,
THEY WANT JUST ONE AIRCRAFT:
THE A-10.
Paul Doran: WHAT WE GOT HERE
IS THE A-10 THUNDERBOLT II,
MORE COMMONLY KNOWN
AS THE WARTHOG,
OR JUST "THE HOG"
BY THOSE WHO FLY IT.
Narrator: THE WARTHOG:
IT'S THE ULTIMATE GOLD STANDARD
FOR CLOSE AIR SUPPORT.
Doran: CLOSE AIR SUPPORT IS
PROTECTING TROOPS ON THE GROUND.
WE WORK CLOSELY
WITH THOSE TROOPS
TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ABLE
TO EFFECTIVELY OPERATE SAFELY
ON A COMPLEX BATTLEFIELD,
AND WE'VE GOT SOME GREAT
FIREPOWER TO HELP THEM DO IT.
Narrator: GREAT FIREPOWER
IS THE A-10'S SPECIALTY.
THE WARTHOG IS BASICALLY A GUN
WITH AN AIRPLANE ATTACHED.
Doran: THE A-10 GUN
IS CALLED THE GAU-8 AVENGER,
OR JUST "THE GUN"
BY A-10 PILOTS.
IT'S 21 FEET LONG.
IT'S THE HEAVIEST GUN, AUTOMATIC
CANNON, MOUNTED ON AIRCRAFT.
IT WEIGHS MORE THAN 4,000 POUNDS
WHEN IT'S FULLY LOADED.
Narrator: THE AVENGER'S MAGAZINE
HOLDS OVER A THOUSAND ROUNDS
OF 30-MILLIMETER AMMUNITION,
SPIT OUT AT
70 ROUNDS PER SECOND.
Doran: IT'S EFFECTIVE ENOUGH
TO KILL ARMORED VEHICLES, TANKS,
ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIERS,
ALL THE WAY DOWN
TO SMALL SOFT POINT TARGETS.
WE CAN USE IT
AGAINST MOVING TARGETS,
WE CAN USE IT AGAINST
STATIC TARGETS,
WE CAN USE IT AGAINST BUILDINGS.
PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING
THAT A REALLY POWERFUL GUN
CAN BE USED FOR
WE USE IT AGAINST.
Narrator:
THE GUN ISN'T JUST POWERFUL;
IT'S PRECISE.
4,000 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND,
THE WARTHOG CAN STRIKE
WITHIN 40 FEET OF ITS TARGET.
Doran: YOU CAN BE ASSURED THAT
ANYTHING WITHIN THAT 40 FEET
IS NOT GOING TO HAVE A GOOD DAY.
THE OUTER PYLONS ARE RESERVED
FOR LIGHTER ORDNANCE,
SPECIFICALLY
AIR-TO-AIR MISSILES.
AS YOU MOVE INBOARD,
WE MOUNT SENSORS, FLARES,
AND SOME ROCKETS
OUT ON THE OUTER PYLONS.
AS WE MOVE IN TOWARDS
THE CENTER OF THE PLANE,
WE CAN CARRY HEAVIER ORDNANCE,
SO AIR-TO-SURFACE
PRECISION-GUIDED MISSILES.
AND THE BOMBS ARE MOST COMMONLY
LOADED ON THE INBOARD STATION.
THIS RIGHT HERE IS KNOWN
AS A TRIPLE EJECTOR RACK,
SO THE T.E.R. CAN CARRY
THREE BOMBS, 500 POUND EACH.
IT CAN ALSO PUT ROCKET PODS
WITH SEVEN ROCKETS EACH
ON THESE STATIONS.
SO YOU CAN PICTURE THE VARIETY
AND NUMBER OF ORDNANCE
THAT THE A-10 CAN CARRY INTO
THE BATTLEFIELD ENVIRONMENT.
Narrator: IT'S NOT GOING
TO WIN ANY BEAUTY CONTESTS.
BUT FOR GENERATIONS OF SOLDIERS,
THE A-10 AND ITS PILOTS
HAVE BEEN A LIFESAVER.
Doran:
IF I DO MY JOB CORRECTLY,
MORE AMERICAN MEN AND WOMEN
ARE COMING HOME SAFELY
AT THE END OF THE DAY.
[ROCKET FIRES]
[GUNFIRE]
Narrator: IN AFGHANISTAN,
ZURKOWSKI AND HIS WINGMAN
FLY FAST THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS.
IT TAKES JUST MINUTES
TO GET TO THE FIREFIGHT.
Zurkowski:
WHEN WE FIRST ARRIVED,
WE HAD OTHER ASSETS ON STATION
THAT WERE
SUPPORTING THE MISSION.
THERE WAS AN AC-130, AN MC-12,
AND THEN THERE WAS A B-1
THAT WAS ABOVE HIM.
Narrator:
THE A-10s SOON DISCOVERED
THAT TROUBLE
ISN'T JUST ON THE GROUND;
IT'S IN THE AIR, TOO.
Zurkowski:
THERE WAS A PRETTY GOOD CELL
OR RAIN STORM
THAT WAS DEVELOPING.
THE ENEMIES TACTICALLY
USED THIS TO THEIR ADVANTAGE.
SO THEY HAD WAITED FOR THE
WEATHER TO ROLL INTO THE VALLEY
BEFORE THEY STARTED TO SHOOT.
Narrator:
AS THE WEATHER ROLLS IN,
COALITION PLANES ARE FORCED
TO FLY LOWER AND LOWER,
OR RISK CRASHING INTO
A CLOUD-COVERED MOUNTAIN.
FOR THE A-10s,
FLYING LOW IS NO PROBLEM.
Zurkowski:
WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY
TO WORK IN POOR WEATHER,
WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO WORK
AT LOW ALTITUDE
AND PROVIDE FIRE SUPPORT
TO THE GUYS ON THE GROUND
WHEN THEY NEED IT.
Narrator: BUT THE OTHER PLANES
ARE DESIGNED TO FLY
HIGH AND FAST.
NAVIGATING THE RAIN CLOUDS
IS TOO MUCH OF A RISK.
Zurkowski: AT THAT POINT,
THERE WASN'T ENOUGH ROOM
UNDERNEATH THE WEATHER
WHERE THEY COULD OPERATE SAFELY.
THEY, ONE BY ONE,
STARTED TO CHECK OUT
BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T
PROVIDE ANY SUPPORT.
Narrator: BY NOW,
THE A-10 PILOTS
CAN BARELY SEE THE GROUND.
Zurkowski:
OPERATING IN THAT RAIN STORM
WAS VERY CHALLENGING.
WHEN IT STARTS RAINING,
YOU CAN'T SEE AS FAR
IN FRONT OF YOU
AND YOUR SENSORS CAN'T SEE
THROUGH THE WEATHER EITHER.
Narrator: IN ORDER
TO LOCATE THE GROUND TROOPS,
A-10 PILOTS HAVE TO RELY
ON THEIR GROUND-TO-AIR RADIOS.
FOR MOST FIGHTERS,
THIS COULD BE A CHALLENGE.
BUT NOT FOR THE A-10s.
THE WARTHOG IS OPTIMIZED
TO COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY
WITH TROOPS ON THE GROUND.
Doran:
CLOSE AIR SUPPORT MISSIONS
START WITH DETAILED INTEGRATION
BETWEEN AIRCRAFT
AND GROUND TROOPS.
IN ORDER FOR US TO DO THAT,
WE NEED TO BE ABLE
TO TALK TO THEM,
SO MY TOOLS ARE THREE RADIOS
THAT I HAVE BY MY LEFT HIP HERE
THAT ALLOW ME TO TALK TO
AND COORDINATE WITH
PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE.
Narrator: A WARTHOG PILOT
CAN TAP INTO THREE
DIFFERENT RADIO NETWORKS.
THE FIRST ALLOWS THEM TO SPEAK
WITH TROOPS ON THE GROUND.
THE SECOND NETWORK
IS DEDICATED TO TALKING
TO THE OTHER AIRCRAFT.
THE A-10'S THIRD RADIO NETWORK
CONNECTS IT WITH A JTAC,
OR JOINT TERMINAL
AIR CONTROLLER.
THAT'S AN OFFICER ON THE GROUND
WHO OVERSEES THE ENTIRE
OFFENSIVE OPERATION.
Doran: THE RADIOS ARE CRUCIAL
TO THE EXECUTION
OF CLOSE AIR SUPPORT
SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND,
WE CAN INTEGRATE,
AND WE CAN ADJUST TO DYNAMIC
BATTLEFIELD ENVIRONMENTS.
Narrator: OVER AFGHANISTAN,
ZURKOWSKI AND HIS WINGMAN
RADIO DOWN TO THE TROOPS.
THE NEWS THAT COMES BACK
ISN'T GOOD.
Zurkowski:
THE TROOPS ON THE GROUND
SAID THEY WERE TAKING FIRE
AND THEY WERE TAKING FIRE FROM
THE NORTH AND FROM THE WEST.
Narrator:
ZURKOWSKI AND HIS WINGMAN
ARE RELUCTANT
TO USE THEIR CANNON.
IF THEY CAN'T FIND THE TROOPS,
THEY RISK SHOOTING
THEIR OWN SOLDIERS.
Zurkowski: IT'S VERY DIFFICULT
TO SEE THE ACTUAL PERSONNEL
IN THE KIND OF ROCKY TERRAIN,
AND THEY'RE ALL
WEARING CAMOUFLAGE
AND THEY BLEND IN PRETTY WELL.
Narrator: BY NOW, THE NEWS
FROM THE GROUND IS URGENT.
THE TALIBAN IS CLOSING IN FAST.
Zurkowski: IT WAS CRITICAL
WE PROVIDE SUPPORT,
OR IT WAS LIKELY THAT
THEY WOULD BE OVERRUN,
AND THERE WERE 90 LIVES AT STAKE
ON THE GROUND THERE.
Narrator: IF THE A-10s
DON'T SHUT THE ENEMY DOWN SOON,
IT WILL BE TOO LATE.
Narrator: TWO A-10s CIRCLE LOW
THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS
OF AFGHANISTAN.
BELOW THEM,
90 SPECIAL OPERATIONS TROOPS
ARE SURROUNDED
BY TALIBAN SOLDIERS.
IT'S TIME FOR THE A-10
TO GO IN FOR THE KILL.
Zurkowski: I CAME AROUND
FOR A SECOND PASS.
I PUT ABOUT 300 ROUNDS
ON THE RIDGE LINE
JUST NORTH OF THE ROCKET.
Narrator:
THE A-10 MAKES ANOTHER PASS.
IT CAN'T SEE THROUGH THE CLOUDS
TO TELL IF IT'S HIT ITS TARGET.
BUT GROUND TROOPS
RADIO UP THE GOOD NEWS.
Zurkowski: ON THE LAST PASS,
THEY WERE CONFIRMED
THAT, YEAH,
JUST HIT YOUR LAST IMPACTS,
THAT WAS EFFECTIVE.
Narrator: FINALLY, TWO RESCUE
HELICOPTERS ARE CLEARED TO LAND.
Zurkowski: IT WAS A VERY
SUCCESSFUL MISSION.
WE GOT EVERYBODY OUT THAT DAY.
THERE WERE 90 PEOPLE
ON THE GROUND.
Narrator: TENACITY...
TOUGHNESS...
RELIABILITY...
HALLMARKS OF THE AIR FORCE'S
GO-TO PLANE
FOR CLOSE AIR SUPPORT.
Zurkowski: IT REALLY HIGHLIGHTED
THE CAPABILITIES OF THE A-10
IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO
OPERATE UNDERNEATH THE WEATHER,
BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE
ACCURATE PINPOINT FIRES
TO SUPPORT THE GUYS
ON THE GROUND.
Narrator: NOT BAD FOR A WEAPON
THAT SOME SAY THE AIR FORCE
NEVER WANTED AT ALL.
1965.
THE U.S. AIR FORCE
AND THE ARMY ARE AT WAR.
NOT JUST IN VIETNAM,
BUT WITH EACH OTHER.
IT'S A BATTLE THAT'S
BEEN BREWING FOR YEARS.
Rebecca Grant: THE AIR FORCE HAD
HAD A VERY CLOSE RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE ARMY DURING KOREA,
BUT AS THE 1950s
AND EARLY 1960s PROGRESSED,
THE ARMY AND THE AIR FORCE
MOVED FARTHER APART.
Narrator: REBECCA GRANT
IS AN AIR FORCE HISTORIAN
AND DEFENSE ANALYST.
Grant: DURING WORLD WAR II,
CLOSE AIR SUPPORT WAS
ONE OF THE PRIMARY MISSIONS
FOR THE AIR FORCES.
BUT IN THE 1950s,
THE NUCLEAR MISSION TOOK OVER,
AND CLOSE AIR SUPPORT
WAS NEGLECTED.
Narrator: THE AIR FORCE BELIEVES
THAT CLOSE AIR SUPPORT
IS A THING OF THE PAST.
FUTURE WARS WILL BE WON
BY AIR POWER ALONE.
Grant: THE AIR FORCE THOUGHT
THAT THE NEXT WAR
WOULD BE ALL ABOUT NUCLEAR
DETERRENTS AND NUCLEAR STRIKE,
INVOLVING MASSES OF BOMBERS
AND ALSO INTERCEPT FIGHTERS,
BUT WITH VERY LITTLE ROLE
FOR GROUND FORCES.
Narrator:
TO FIGHT THIS NEW WAR,
THE AIR FORCE PUTS ALL
THEIR MONEY INTO FAST BOMBERS,
DESIGNED TO COUNTER
THE NUCLEAR THREAT.
Grant: THE NEW FIGHTERS WERE
DESIGNED EITHER AS INTERCEPTORS
OR TO DELIVER NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
THAT MEANT THAT
THERE REALLY WEREN'T
ANY AIRCRAFT IN THE 1950s
DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR
THE CLOSE AIR SUPPORT MISSION.
Narrator: THE AIR FORCE DOCTRINE
LOOKS GOOD IN THEORY.
BUT THE REALITY OF VIETNAM
CATCHES THEM OFF-GUARD.
IN THE JUNGLES
OF SOUTHEAST ASIA,
GROUND TROOPS ARE
AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE WAR.
HIGH-FLYING AIR FORCE FIGHTERS
STRUGGLE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT.
Grant: AS MORE U.S. TROOPS
ENDED UP IN VIETNAM,
THE AIR FORCE REALIZED
THAT THEY'D REALLY LET THEIR
ABILITIES IN CLOSE AIR SUPPORT
SLIP.
Narrator:
AS THE CASUALTIES PILE UP,
THE ARMY FEELS THAT
IT'S BEEN LEFT OUT TO DRY.
SO IT COMES UP WITH A BOLD PLAN:
TO MAKE THE CLOSE
AIR SUPPORT MISSION ITS OWN.
JUNE 1966.
THE U.S. ARMY REVEALS ITS PLAN
FOR AN ATTACK HELICOPTER.
THEY CALL IT THE CHEYENNE.
IT'S A CLOSE
AIR SUPPORT PLATFORM
DESIGNED TO PUT
AIR FORCE BOMBERS TO SHAME.
Grant:
WITH THE CHEYENNE PROGRAM,
THIS WAS THE ARMY'S INITIATIVE
TO DO CLOSE AIR SUPPORT
THEIR WAY, ON THEIR OWN.
Narrator:
THE CHEYENNE IS FAST,
IT'S HEAVILY ARMED,
AND IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE.
THE AIR FORCE
LOOKS ON WITH ALARM.
IF THE CHEYENNE PROGRAM
GOES THROUGH,
THEY COULD LOSE THE CLOSE
AIR SUPPORT MISSION ALTOGETHER
AND THE BUDGET
THAT GOES WITH IT.
Grant: SO, THE AIR FORCE REACTED
TO THE CHEYENNE PROGRAM
BY STARTING
A NEW PROGRAM OF ITS OWN.
Narrator: SEPTEMBER 1966.
THE PENTAGON.
GENERAL JOHN P. McCONNELL STARTS
A NEW AIR FORCE INITIATIVE:
THE ATTACK EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM.
Pierre Sprey: McCONNELL WAS
A HUNDRED-PERCENT BOMBER GUY.
HE HAD NO INTEREST
IN CLOSE SUPPORT,
BUT HE SURE DIDN'T WANT
TO GO DOWN IN HISTORY
AS THE CHIEF OF STAFF
WHO LOST A MAJOR MISSION
FOR THE AIR FORCE.
Narrator: PIERRE SPREY IS
A DEFENSE ANALYST AND ENGINEER.
HE WROTE THE INITIAL
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE A-10.
Sprey:
THE OBJECTIVE WE WERE GIVEN
WAS TO DEVELOP A REALLY
EFFECTIVE COMBAT MACHINE
AT VERY LOW COST,
LOWER COST THAN THE CHEYENNE,
AND MORE EFFECTIVE.
Narrator:
VIETNAM ISN'T THE ONLY WAR
THAT HAS THE PENTAGON WORRIED.
SOVIET TANKS LINE UP ALONG
EUROPE'S COLD WAR BATTLEFIELD,
WAITING TO STRIKE.
THE NEW AIRCRAFT
WILL HAVE TO DO DOUBLE DUTY:
PROTECT SOLDIERS
AND DESTROY THE SOVIET THREAT.
Grant: FOR THE U.S. AIR FORCE,
HAVING A DEDICATED,
TANK-KILLING,
CLOSE AIR SUPPORT,
GROUND-ATTACK PLANE
WAS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL.
Narrator:
STANDARD AIR FORCE DOCTRINE
GETS TURNED ON ITS HEAD.
FORGET HIGH AND FAST;
THIS NEW PLANE
HAS TO HOLD ENOUGH FUEL
TO HANG OVER THE BATTLEFIELD
AS LONG AS TROOPS NEED.
Sprey: FIRST AND FOREMOST,
YOU GOT TO BE ABLE
TO GET IN CLOSE ENOUGH
TO FIND THE TARGETS,
SO WE DEMANDED AN AIRPLANE
WITH A LOT OF LOITER TIME.
TWO HOURS OR MORE WAS ESSENTIAL.
Narrator:
TO HOVER LOW AND SLOW
THE NEW PLANE
WILL HAVE TO BE TOUGH.
Sprey: THE SECOND THING IS
YOU HAD TO HAVE AN AIRPLANE
THAT COULD REALLY WITHSTAND
HITS FROM MACHINE GUNS,
SMALL CANNONS, AND EVEN
SHOULDER-FIRED MISSILES.
YOU NEED AN AIRPLANE
THAT COULD TAKE THOSE HITS
AND GET THE PILOT BACK.
Narrator:
FINALLY, YOU NEED FIREPOWER.
LOTS OF IT.
Sprey: YOU NEED
FIREPOWER THAT'S PRECISE.
THIS HAS TO BE FIREPOWER
THAT WILL SUPPRESS THE BAD GUYS,
GET RID OF THEM,
AND NOT HURT YOUR GUYS.
AND IT HAS TO BE ABLE
TO PUNCH THROUGH TANKS
OR ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIERS.
Narrator:
A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
GOES OUT IN MAY 1970.
THIS AIRCRAFT
WILL BE FAR DIFFERENT
FROM ANYTHING THE AIR FORCE
HAS EVER PRODUCED.
Sprey: ALMOST EVERY ASPECT
OF HOW WE PUT THE A-10 TOGETHER
WAS LIKE A RADICAL INNOVATION.
Narrator: MARCH 30, 1976.
LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE.
THE U.S. AIR FORCE
ANNOUNCES THE WINNER:
FAIRCHILD REPUBLIC'S A-10.
IT'S THE ONLY AIR FORCE AIRCRAFT
DESIGNED SOLELY
FOR CLOSE AIR SUPPORT.
THE A-10'S BODY MAKES
AN INSTANT IMPRESSION.
Grant: THE A-10
SEEMED TO VIOLATE
EVERY PRECEPT OF STREAMLINED,
HIGH-SPEED DESIGN.
Sprey: THEY IMMEDIATELY
DUBBED IT THE WARTHOG
BECAUSE IT HAD WARTS
AND BUMPS ALL OVER IT.
IT WAS UGLY...
UGLY AS SIN.
Narrator: MANY IN THE AIR FORCE
ARE SKEPTICAL
RIGHT FROM THE GET-GO.
Sprey: GENERALS
ALMOST UNIFORMLY HATED IT.
THEY THOUGHT THE A-10 WEAKENS
THE REAL MISSION
OF THE AIR FORCE,
WHICH IS BOMBING
AND MULTI-MISSION FIGHTERS.
Narrator: THE POWERS THAT BE
ARE SKEPTICAL.
BUT THE A-10 PILOTS
LOVE IT RIGHT FROM THE START.
Doran: THE A-10 IS A WONDERFUL
AIRPLANE TO FLY.
IT'S EASY TO FLY, IT'S STABLE.
YOU FEEL LIKE YOU COULD
GET IN THERE,
GET THE JOB DONE, GET OUT,
SO THOSE YOUNG AMERICANS
CAN COME HOME SAFELY
AT THE END OF THE DAY.
Narrator: PROTECTING TROOPS
IS ITS MISSION.
BUT THE WARTHOG WAS DESIGNED
TO GET PILOTS
OUT OF ANY SITUATION, TOO.
Doran: ITS HIGH-MOUNTED
STRAIGHT WINGS
GIVE IT EXCELLENT
LOW-ALTITUDE MANEUVERABILITY,
EXCELLENT SLOW-SPEED
MANEUVERABILITY,
AND THE ABILITY
TO TAKE OFF AND LAND
ON RELATIVELY SHORT AIR FIELDS.
Narrator: ITS MANEUVERABILITY
MAKES THE A-10 TOUGH TO HIT.
THE POSITION OF ITS ENGINES
MAKES THE A-10 TOUGH TO FIND.
Doran: UNDERNEATH THE COCKPIT
AND JUST BEHIND
THE COCKPIT, UNDERNEATH,
ARE PROTECTED BY TITANIUM ARMOR,
WHICH PROTECTS AGAINST ARTILLERY
ROUNDS FIRED FROM THE GROUND.
IT'S DESIGNED TO STOP
UP TO 23-MILLIMETER
ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE,
WHICH IS SIGNIFICANT
ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE.
Narrator:
PILOTS LIKE THE DESIGN,
AND THE A-10 DOES LOOK GOOD...
ON PAPER.
BUT HOW WILL
SUCH A STRANGE-LOOKING PLANE
HOLD UP IN FLIGHT?
JUNE 3, 1977.
LE BOURGET AIR FIELD IN PARIS.
FAIRCHILD REPUBLIC GETS READY
TO ROLL OUT ITS FANCY NEW PLANE
ON THE WORLD STAGE.
Grant: THE PARIS AIR SHOW
WAS STARTED IN 1909,
AND IT'S THE WORLD'S PREMIERE
SHOWCASE FOR NEW AIRCRAFT
AND THE MOST SOPHISTICATED
DESIGNS.
Narrator:
TO SHOW OFF ITS NEW BABY,
FAIRCHILD REPUBLIC SELECTS
TEST PILOT SAM NELSON.
HE'S LOGGED OVER 500 HOURS
IN THE AIRCRAFT.
Grant: SAM NELSON
GOT IN THE PLANE,
TAXIED DOWN THE RUNWAY,
TOOK OFF UNEVENTFULLY.
HIS PLAN
WAS TO COME BACK AROUND,
DO A LOW-ALTITUDE LOOP,
AND WOW THE CROWD.
Narrator: BUT AS NELSON
COMES OUT OF HIS LOOP,
IT BECOMES CLEAR THAT THE A-10
IS FLYING MUCH TOO LOW.
AND THEN...
THE UNTHINKABLE HAPPENS.
Narrator: THE AIR FORCE HOPES
THAT ITS NEW
CLOSE AIR SUPPORT PLATFORM
WILL WOW THE WORLD.
BUT THE A-10'S DEBUT
QUICKLY TURNS INTO DISASTER.
Barbara Walters:
THE PARIS INTERNATIONAL AIR SHOW
OPENED TODAY WITH TRAGEDY.
Grant:
THE A-10 SINKS TOO LOW,
IT STRIKES THE GROUND,
DIRTY BLACK SMOKE AND FLAMES
SHOOT OUT EVERYWHERE.
IT'S A FATAL CRASH.
Narrator: PILOT SAM NELSON DIES
ON THE WAY TO THE HOSPITAL.
Grant: SAM NELSON WAS
A VERY EXPERIENCED PILOT,
A GOOD TEST PILOT,
AND KNEW THE A-10 VERY WELL,
BUT HE GOT OVERCONFIDENT.
HE PUSHED THE AIRCRAFT TOO FAR,
AND IT RESULTED
IN A FATAL ACCIDENT.
Narrator:
THE A-10 IS STARTING TO LOOK
LIKE A FAILED EXPERIMENT.
BUT IT'S STILL THE COLD WAR,
AND SOVIET TANKS
ARE STILL A THREAT.
THE ARMY PUTS PRESSURE
ON THE AIR FORCE
TO KEEP THE PLANE FLYING.
Grant: THEY KNEW
FOR THE U.S. TO BE A SUPERPOWER
WITH A SUPERPOWER ARMY,
IT NEEDED THE A-10
FOR THAT DEDICATED
CLOSE AIR SUPPORT ROLE.
Narrator:
FOR TWELVE LONG YEARS,
A-10 SUPPORTERS WAIT TO SHOW
HOW THEIR PLANE CAN PERFORM.
FINALLY, THE WARTHOG
GETS PUT TO THE TEST.
AUGUST 1990.
SADDAM HUSSEIN SENDS
HALF A MILLION IRAQI TROOPS
INTO NEIGHBORING KUWAIT.
THE REST OF THE WORLD
IS PANICKED.
MOST OF THE EARTH'S OIL
IS NOW IN HUSSEIN'S HANDS.
IN NOVEMBER,
A 39-MEMBER COALITION
DEMANDS THAT HUSSEIN
REMOVE HIS TROOPS.
President Bush:
MR. SADDAM HUSSEIN,
YOU MUST SIMPLY DO
WHAT THE WORLD
IS CALLING UPON YOU TO DO:
GET OUT.
Narrator:
BUT HUSSEIN REFUSES.
THE CLOCK BEGINS
TO COUNT DOWN TO WAR.
AIR FORCE GENERAL CHARLES HORNER
LAYS OUT THE STRATEGY
FOR THE UPCOMING WAR.
Charles Horner:
WE'VE WORKED HARD
TO BRING TOGETHER
THIS VERY COMPLEX
AND VERY LARGE CAMPAIGN PLAN.
Narrator: HIS LIST IS HEAVY
WITH STEALTH PLANES AND BOMBERS.
A-10s ARE NOT IN THE PLAN.
Tom Norris: GENERAL HORNER
DIDN'T WANT THE AIRPLANE THERE,
HATED THE AIRPLANE,
DID NOT WANT IT THERE.
Narrator:
LIEUTENANT COLONEL TOM NORRIS
WAS AN A-10 PILOT
DURING THE FIRST GULF WAR.
Norris:
THE AIR FORCE HAD NO INTENTION
OF DEPLOYING THE AIRPLANE.
GENERAL HORNER BELIEVED
THAT THE F-15E AND THE F-16
COULD HANDLE CLOSE AIR SUPPORT.
Narrator: BUT ALLIED COMMANDER
NORMAN SCHWARZKOPF
HAS OTHER IDEAS.
SCHWARZKOPF IS AN ARMY GENERAL.
THE CLOSE AIR SUPPORT MISSION
IS NEAR AND DEAR TO HIS HEART.
Norris: GENERAL SCHWARZKOPF
MANDATED THAT THE A-10
BE BROUGHT OVER TO THE THEATRE.
HE THOUGHT IT WAS LUDICROUS
THAT THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
THOUGHT THAT YOU COULD TAKE
AN AIR INTERDICTION
DESIGNED AIRCRAFT
AND APPLY IT TOWARDS
A CLOSE AIR SUPPORT ROLE.
General Schwarzkopf:
WE HAVE A CAMPAIGN PLAN.
WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW
THAT CAMPAIGN PLAN
UNTIL WE ACCOMPLISH
THE OBJECTIVES
SET OUT BY
THE UNITED NATIONS RESOLUTION
AND AS ANNOUNCED BY THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
Narrator:
SCHWARZKOPF'S ENDORSEMENT
IS A HUGE BOOST
FOR THE UNPROVEN PILOTS.
Norris: WE WERE THRILLED
THAT WE WERE GETTING TO GO.
AND WE WERE CHARGED UP BECAUSE
GENERAL SCHWARZKOPF WANTED US,
AND HE REPRESENTED THOSE
MEN AND WOMEN ON THE GROUND.
Narrator: FEBRUARY 1991.
THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF IRAQ.
NORRIS IS ON A NIGHT PATROL
WITH OTHER A-10s.
SUDDENLY,
HIS RADIO BEGINS TO BUZZ.
Norris: IT WAS
AN EMERGENCY CAST CALL,
MEANING THAT
THIS WAS AN ARMY TEAM,
AND THEY WERE INDICATING
THAT THEY WERE TRAPPED.
THE ENEMY HAD ENCIRCLED THEM,
AND THEY HAD NO WAY TO ESCAPE.
Soldier: WE HAVE
ENEMY QRF APPROACHING
3-0-0 METERS FROM THE EAST.
Norris: YOU COULD TELL
FROM THEIR VOICES
THAT THEY WERE IN TROUBLE
AND THEY NEEDED HELP.
Narrator:
NORRIS AND HIS WINGMAN
PUT THEIR A-10s
INTO FULL THROTTLE.
MINUTES LATER, THEY LOOK DOWN
AT A CHAOTIC SCENE.
Norris: WHEN I LOOKED OUT THE
HUGE BUBBLE CANOPY ON THE A-10,
I SAW PROJECTILES.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IS LITTLE
RED, ORANGE BBs, IF YOU WILL,
FLYING EVERY WHICH DIRECTION
AROUND THIS TEAM.
THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE
ANY SET PATTERN TO IT.
Narrator: PILOTS CAN SEE THAT
THEIR TROOPS ARE IN TROUBLE.
BUT IN THE DARK,
THEY CAN'T TELL FRIEND FROM FOE.
Norris: WE HAD NO SENSORS
IN THE AIRPLANE
TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE
INFRARED ENERGY
TO SEE DIFFERENT OBJECTS AND
USE THOSE THINGS FOR TARGETING.
Narrator:
TRAINING WITH GROUND TROOPS
HAS ITS ADVANTAGES.
THE WARTHOGS KNOW EXACTLY
WHAT THE SOLDIERS CAN USE
TO PINPOINT THEIR LOCATION.
Norris:
THE FLIGHT LEAD, YOU KNOW,
HE KNEW WHAT THEY HAD WITH THEM,
YOU KNOW, SO WHEN HE SAID,
"DO YOU HAVE A STROBE LIGHT?
DO YOU HAVE YOUR STROBE LIGHT
WITH YOU?"
HE KNEW IT WAS KIND OF
IN THEIR BASIC EQUIPMENT LIST.
Narrator: WARTHOG PILOTS ARE
KNOWN FOR BEING RESOURCEFUL.
EVEN SO, IT'S AN INGENIOUS PLAN.
Norris: HE SAID, "OKAY,
SO HERE'S WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO.
I WANT YOU TO DIG A HOLE.
I WANT YOU TO
TURN THAT STROBE LIGHT ON
AND DROP IT IN THE HOLE."
ONCE THEY DID THAT,
WE COULD DETERMINE EXACTLY
WHERE THE FRIENDLIES WERE
AND THAT THERE WAS FIRE
ALL AROUND THEM.
AND THAT, THEREFORE,
WAS THE ENEMY.
Narrator: GROUND TROOPS
GIVE THE GO-AHEAD.
Norris: AT THAT POINT
WE BEGAN EMPLOYING
THE 30-MILLIMETER GUN...
AND THEN WE JUST
LAID WASTE TO THEM.
AND BECAUSE OUR RE-ATTACK TIME
IS VERY QUICK,
WE WERE ABLE TO KEEP
CONSTANT PRESSURE ON THE ENEMY.
Narrator:
ITS LONG LOITER TIME
MEANS THE A-10 CAN STICK AROUND
TO SEE THE FIGHT THROUGH.
THE FINAL SCORE?
A-10s: SIXTY.
IRAQI SOLDIERS: ZERO.
Norris:
THERE WAS AN ALL-SAFE CALL
45 MINUTES AFTER
WE HAD SHOWN UP.
Narrator: CLOSE AIR SUPPORT IS
JUST ONE OF THE A-10'S TRIUMPHS.
THE WARTHOG PROVES TO BE A FORCE
IN THE AIR WAR, TOO.
A-10s DESTROY
MORE SCUD LAUNCHERS
THAN ANY OTHER AIRCRAFT.
Norris: SCUDS WERE
THE BALLISTIC WEAPON
THAT COULD CARRY CHEMICALS,
ET CETERA,
THAT COULD VERY EASILY BE
LAUNCHED FROM IRAQ TO ISRAEL.
AND THE A-10s HAD GREAT SUCCESS
AT KILLING SCUDS.
Narrator:
TAKING OUT AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS
PROVES TO BE EASY, TOO.
[INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER]
Norris:
THAT MISSION IS SUPPOSED TO BE
FOR AIR INTERDICTION AIRPLANES
LIKE THE F-16 AND F-15E.
WELL, UNFORTUNATELY
THE DAY BEFORE,
F-16s HAD BEEN
TASKED AGAINST IT, AND MISSED.
SO, A-10s THE FOLLOWING DAY
WERE TASKED TO GO IN,
AND THEY SHACKED IT.
THAT ASSET
WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED.
Narrator: ALTOGETHER, THE A-10
FLIES OVER 8,000 MISSIONS.
IT DESTROYS MORE THAN
900 IRAQI TANKS,
AND IT TAKES OUT OVER 300
ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIERS
AND ARTILLERY SITES.
Norris: WE PUT THE HURT
ON THEM PRETTY GOOD.
Narrator: THE WARTHOG
IS THE LOW-TECH STAR
OF A HIGH-TECH WAR.
EVEN GENERAL HORNER
IS IMPRESSED.
Norris:
THE THIRD DAY OF THE WAR,
HE WROTE, "I TAKE BACK
ALL THE BAD THINGS
I EVER SAID ABOUT THE A-10.
THEY'RE SAVING OUR ASSES.
GENERAL HORNER."
Narrator: BUT THE A-10s
HAVE LITTLE TIME
TO SAVOR THEIR SUCCESS.
NO SOONER ARE THEY
BACK IN THE STATES
THAN THEY GET
SOME DISAPPOINTING NEWS.
Norris: WE HAD BEEN BACK
JUST A FEW MONTHS.
IT WAS ANNOUNCED
THAT THE A-10s,
THE BULK OF THEM WERE
ALL GOING IN THE BONEYARD.
SO, IT WAS A HUGE SLAP
IN THE FACE,
GIVEN HOW WELL
THE AIRPLANE HAD PERFORMED.
Narrator:
TO MANY WARTHOG PILOTS,
IT FEELS LIKE THE SAME OLD SONG.
Norris: THEY DID NOT CUT,
YOU KNOW, PERCENTAGE-WISE
NEAR THE NUMBER OF F-16s
AS THEY CUT A-10s.
AGAIN, THEY DID NOT
WANT THE AIRPLANE.
Narrator: BUT IF THE A-10
HAS POWERFUL OPPONENTS
IN THE AIR FORCE,
IT HAS FRIENDS IN THE ARMY.
THANKS TO
ITS STREET FIGHTER IMAGE,
THE A-10 MANAGES TO HANG ON.
AND IN JUST A FEW YEARS,
IT GETS A CHANCE TO UNDERTAKE
THE ULTIMATE
CLOSE AIR SUPPORT MISSION:
PROTECTING A DOWNED PILOT.
MARCH 24, 1999.
SERBIA.
NATO ANNOUNCES
A BOMBING CAMPAIGN
AGAINST PRESIDENT
SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC.
THE GOAL:
TO STOP HIS VICIOUS
ETHNIC CLEANSING CAMPAIGN
OF ALBANIAN MUSLIMS.
President Clinton:
WE ALL AGREE
THAT WE CANNOT ALLOW
PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC
TO CONTINUE THE AGGRESSION
WITH IMPUNITY.
Narrator: THE COALITION
BEGINS WITH A MASSIVE AIR WAR
TO DESTROY
THE SERBIAN INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE U.S. BRINGS DOZENS
OF CHOPPERS AND FIGHTERS
TO THE FIGHT.
JUST HOURS INTO THE WAR,
THE A-10 SQUADRONS
GET AN URGENT CALL.
THE SERBS HAVE SHOT DOWN ONE OF
AMERICA'S MOST VALUABLE ASSETS,
A STEALTH F-117.
Reporter: ACCORDING
TO THE YUGOSLAV ARMY,
THE STEALTH FIGHTER
WAS SHOT DOWN
BY A SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE.
Narrator: THE PILOT
HAS BEEN FORCED TO EJECT
DEEP INSIDE ENEMY TERRITORY.
John Cherrey: THE FIRST THING
THAT COMBAT SEARCH AND RESCUE
CREWS CARE ABOUT IS THE PERSON.
WE WANT TO GET HIM OUT.
Narrator:
BRIGADIER GENERAL JOHN CHERREY
WAS AN A-10 COMMANDER
DURING THE BALKAN WARS.
Cherrey: THE SECOND THING
WE MIGHT HAVE
IN THE BACK OF OUR MIND
IS THE STRATEGIC VALUE
OF THAT PERSON TO THE ENEMY,
AND WE KNEW THAT IF THEY
COULD CATCH A 117 PILOT,
THAT IT WOULD BE
A HUGE STRATEGIC LOSS
FOR THE NATO COALITION
AT THE TIME.
Narrator:
COALITION AIR FORCES
QUICKLY ASSEMBLE
A SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATION.
CHERREY AND FIVE OTHER A-10s
TAKE THE LEAD.
Cherrey: WE TOOK OFF
ABOUT 9:45 IN THE EVENING,
WHICH IS ABOUT AN HOUR AFTER
THE F-117 HAD BEEN
REPORTED SHOT DOWN.
Narrator: THE ONLY TROUBLE IS,
THEY AREN'T SURE
WHERE THEY'RE HEADING.
Cherrey: WE HAD
FIVE SETS OF COORDINATES
AS TO WHERE THE SURVIVOR
POTENTIALLY COULD BE.
THOSE COORDINATES
SPANNED OVER 76 MILES.
Narrator: 76 MILES
ISN'T A LOT OF TERRITORY
FOR THE A-10s TO COVER.
BUT IT IS DANGEROUS.
SERB RADAR ARE ON HIGH ALERT.
Cherrey: WITHIN
THE SURVIVOR'S SMALL RADIUS,
THERE WERE NUMEROUS
SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES,
AND WE KNEW THAT
THE SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES
WERE TRACKING US.
Narrator: CHERREY MANEUVERS
HIS A-10 ABOVE THE MISSILES,
TRYING TO LOCK ON
TO THE PILOT'S LOCATION.
Cherrey: THE A-10 IS UNIQUE
IN THAT IT HAS
AN AUTOMATIC DIRECTION FINDER
IN THE UHF RANGES OF THE RADIO,
AND SO IF A PILOT
IS USING A RADIO,
THE AIRCRAFT ITSELF
CAN DETECT THAT SIGNAL
AND GIVE ME BEARING
TO THE PILOT.
Narrator: AS HE CIRCLES,
CHERREY HEARS A VOICE
COME THROUGH HIS RADIO.
IT'S THE PILOT.
THE A-10 HOMES IN ON HIS SIGNAL.
Cherrey: AT THAT POINT,
I'M FOCUSED COMPLETELY
ON MAKING SURE THAT HE IS SECURE
AND THAT HE'S
READY TO BE PICKED UP.
Narrator:
BUT CHERREY ISN'T THE ONLY ONE
TRACKING THE SIGNAL.
Cherrey: THE SERBIANS WERE
ON THE RADIOS AS WELL,
AND SO THE MORE THE PILOT
TALKED ON THE RADIO,
THE MORE THAT THE ENEMY
WOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO USE
THAT CAPABILITY AGAINST HIM.
Narrator: FINDING THE PILOT
WON'T COUNT FOR MUCH
IF THE SERBS GET TO HIM FIRST.
Cherrey:
FOR THE LAST THREE NIGHTS,
WE HAD BEEN HITTING TARGETS
ALL AROUND THOSE AREAS,
AND WE KNEW THAT THE PEOPLE
IN THOSE AREAS
WERE NOT GOING TO BE NICE
TO ANYONE THAT THEY FOUND
THAT WAS AN AMERICAN PILOT.
Narrator: AS THE A-10s
CIRCLE OVERHEAD,
THEY KNOW THAT THE PILOT'S FATE
IS RESTING IN THEIR HANDS.
Cherrey:
THE ONLY THING I COULD PICTURE
WAS HIM KNEELING ON THE GROUND
WITH A GUN TO HIS HEAD.
WE WERE GOING TO STAY THERE
UNTIL WE GOT HIM OUT.
Narrator: THE A-10s
HAVE THE PILOT'S LOCATION.
BUT THE SERBS ARE CLOSING IN
ON THE GROUND.
NOW IT'S A RACE AGAINST TIME.
Narrator:
ENEMY FORCES IN SERBIA
ARE CLOSING IN
ON A DOWNED AMERICAN AIRMAN.
A-10 PILOT JOHN CHERREY
KNOWS THAT IF HE CAN'T
GET THE PILOT OUT SOON,
IT MAY BE TOO LATE.
Cherrey: ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT I HAVE TO DO
AS THE ON-SCENE COMMANDER
IS FIGURE OUT,
IS HE READY TO BE PICKED UP?
I THOUGHT THAT WE WERE
GOOD TO GO AT THAT POINT
AND DECIDED TO BRING
THE HELICOPTERS IN.
Narrator: WITH SERB MISSILES
ON HIGH ALERT,
A-10 PILOTS KNOW
THAT THE HELICOPTERS
WILL BE SITTING DUCKS.
SO THE WARTHOGS
DECIDE TO CREATE A DECOY.
Cherrey: WHILE THE HELICOPTERS
WERE COMING IN LOW
TO PICK UP THE SURVIVOR,
MY WINGMAN AND I TRIED
TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE AREA.
Narrator: THE A-10s TURN AWAY
FROM THE DOWNED PILOT.
AND THE SERBS TAKE AIM
WITH THE VERY SAME
SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES
THAT SHOT DOWN THE F-117.
Cherrey: HERE IS
THE MOST STEALTHY AIRCRAFT
THAT WAS JUST SHOT DOWN
BY SOMETHING,
AND I WAS IN
THE LEAST STEALTHY AIRCRAFT
IN THE AIR FORCE INVENTORY.
Narrator:
CHERREY'S DECOY WORKS.
TWO CHOPPERS TOUCH DOWN
FOR THE RESCUE.
AND THE A-10s
FINALLY GET THE WORD THAT
THEY'VE BEEN WAITING FOR.
Cherrey: WHEN WE FINALLY
GOT WORD THAT HE WAS ON BOARD
AND HAD EGRESSED OUT
OF SERBIAN AIRSPACE,
IT WAS JUST SUCH
A TREMENDOUS RELIEF.
IT WAS EXTREMELY REWARDING
IN THAT WE GOT HIM OUT.
Narrator: BY NOW, THE A-10
ISN'T JUST A FAVORITE OF PILOTS;
IT'S A FAVORITE OF THE MEN
AND WOMEN WHO MAINTAIN IT, TOO.
Matthew Newson:
THE A-10 IS RESILIENT.
IT'S RESILIENT TO WEATHER,
IT'S RESILIENT
TO THE SMALL ARMS FIRE,
IT'S RESILIENT IN
ALMOST EVERY WAY.
THAT'S ONE OF THE MAJOR PROS
TO MAINTAINING THIS AIRCRAFT.
Narrator: IT'S A LOT OF BANG
FOR YOUR BUCK.
AND JUST HOW MUCH
WAS GETTING READY
TO BE PROVEN AGAIN IN IRAQ.
APRIL 7, 2003, IRAQ.
FIGHTING RAGES ACROSS BAGHDAD.
AMERICAN AND ALLIED SOLDIERS
STORM THROUGH THE STREETS,
UNDER HEAVY FIRE
FROM PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN'S
REPUBLICAN GUARD.
Kim Campbell:
THAT DAY WE GOT A CALL
SAYING THAT TROOPS
WERE IN CONTACT
AND THEY NEEDED
IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE.
Narrator:
LIEUTENANT COLONEL KIM CAMPBELL
WAS AN A-10 PILOT
IN OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM.
HER CALL SIGN: KILLER CHICK.
[SOLDIERS SHOUTING]
Campbell: THEY SAID
THEY WERE TAKING FIRE
AND THEY NEEDED
IMMEDIATE SUPPORT
FROM OUR AIRCRAFT
OVERHEAD THEIR LOCATION.
Narrator: MOMENTS LATER,
THE WARTHOGS FIND THEMSELVES
LOOKING DOWN
AT AN EPIC GUN BATTLE,
WITH AMERICAN TROOPS
ON THE LOSING SIDE.
THE A-10s DON'T WASTE A MINUTE.
THEY DIVE DOWN
AND GET RIGHT TO WORK.
Campbell:
WE MADE SEVERAL PASSES,
BOTH WITH OUR GATLING GUN
AND HIGH-EXPLOSIVE ROCKETS
ON THE ENEMY LOCATION.
Soldier: GO, GO, GO...
Narrator: AMERICAN TROOPS
SCRAMBLE TO SAFETY.
BUT THE IRAQI FIGHTERS
DON'T GIVE UP EASILY.
AS THE A-10s HEAD OUT,
ANTI-ARTILLERY FIRE
AND RPGs STREAK BY.
Campbell: I HAD COME DOWN LOW
TO DO THE ROCKET PASS
AND WAS CLIMBING BACK UP,
AND THAT'S WHEN I JUST FELT
AND HEARD A VERY LARGE IMPACT
AT THE BACK OF THE JET.
I KNEW IMMEDIATELY
I HAD BEEN HIT BY ENEMY FIRE.
Narrator: THE IMPACT DUMPS
THE WARTHOG'S NOSE FORWARD.
SUDDENLY,
LIEUTENANT COLONEL CAMPBELL
FINDS HERSELF
LOOKING STRAIGHT DOWN
AT A CITY
OF 11 MILLION PEOPLE...
MANY OF THEM HOSTILE.
Campbell: SO I'M STARING
AT BAGHDAD THINKING THAT
THIS IS NOT THE LOCATION
THAT I WANT TO EJECT IN.
AND SO I JUST FOCUSED
ON THE TASK AT HAND
OF GETTING THE AIRCRAFT
UNDER CONTROL.
Narrator:
CAMPBELL HAS JUST SECONDS
TO SIZE UP HER SITUATION.
SHE CAN SEE RIGHT AWAY
THAT IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD.
Campbell: I HAD
SEVERAL CAUTION LIGHTS,
LOTS OF THINGS FLASHING,
LOTS OF NOISES,
THE AIRPLANE IS NOT
RESPONDING TO MY INPUT.
THE BIGGEST THING TO ME WAS
THE HYDRAULIC GAUGES READ ZERO,
AND I HAD COMPLETELY
LOST HYDRAULICS
WHEN THE AIRCRAFT GOT HIT.
Narrator: HYDRAULICS
PROVIDE THE POWER
TO MOVE AN AIRCRAFT'S FLIGHT
CONTROLS AND LANDING GEAR.
FOR MOST AIRCRAFT,
LOSING HYDRAULIC POWER
WOULD MEAN SURE DISASTER.
BUT NOT FOR THE STURDY A-10.
Campbell: IF YOU LOSE
ONE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM,
THEN OUR AIRCRAFT IS BUILT SO
THE OTHER SYSTEM WILL TAKE OVER.
IF YOU LOSE
BOTH HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS,
THEN WE HAVE THIS SYSTEM
CALLED MANUAL REVERSION.
Narrator: THE A-10
IS THE ONLY AIR FORCE FIGHTER
WITH THE MANUAL
REVERSION OPTION.
TO ACTIVATE IT,
THE PILOT SIMPLY FLIPS A SWITCH.
THIS DEACTIVATES
THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM
AND ALLOWS THE PILOT
TO STEER THE PLANE
USING A SERIES
OF CABLES AND PULLEYS.
SHE CONTROLS THESE
THROUGH SHEER MUSCLE POWER.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE DRIVING
A 25,000-POUND CAR
WITHOUT POWER STEERING
AT 400 MILES AN HOUR.
Campbell:
IT'S JUST A MANUAL WAY
OF CONTROLLING THE AIRCRAFT,
KIND OF BACK TO
THE EARLY DAYS OF FLYING.
Narrator:
CAMPBELL RADIOS BACK TO BASE
TO TELL THEM SHE'S COMING IN.
ONLY TWO A-10 PILOTS HAVE EVER
ATTEMPTED A MANUAL LANDING,
AND ONLY ONE OF THEM SURVIVED.
Campbell: MY GUT FEELING WAS
THAT I WAS GOING TO TRY
TO LAND THE AIRPLANE.
THE A-10 HAD, IT HAD
SERVED ME WELL UP THIS POINT,
AND I WASN'T READY
TO EJECT OUT OF IT.
Narrator: THE RUNWAY IS LINED
WITH EMERGENCY PERSONNEL.
CAMPBELL IS SO FOCUSED
ON LANDING
THAT SHE DOESN'T EVEN NOTICE.
ONCE SHE'S ON THE GROUND,
CAMPBELL CAN FINALLY SEE
HOW BADLY SHE'S BEEN HIT.
Campbell: I HAD HUNDREDS
OF HOLES IN THE FUSELAGE
AND TAIL SECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT
AND A GIANT FOOTBALL-SIZED HOLE
IN THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER
AT THE BACK OF THE AIRCRAFT.
I REALLY FELT LIKE
IF I HAD BEEN FLYING
ANY OTHER AIRCRAFT THAT DAY
THAT MAYBE MY SITUATION WOULDN'T
HAVE TURNED OUT IN THE SAME WAY.
Narrator: LIEUTENANT COLONEL
CAMPBELL'S MISSION
SHOULD HAVE CEMENTED
THE A-10'S REPUTATION.
BUT NOT A MONTH AFTER,
THE NEW YORK TIMES GETS HOLD
OF A CONFIDENTIAL MEMO
PLOTTING THE WARTHOG'S DEMISE.
Dave Deptula: SOME OF
THE SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE TODAY
YOU PUT IN
A HIGH-THREAT ENVIRONMENT
AND THEY'LL START FALLING
FROM THE SKY LIKE RAIN.
Sprey:
MAJOR GENERAL DAVE DEPTULA
PROPOSED THAT
THE A-10 FLEET BE WIPED OUT
WITHIN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
Narrator: IT LOOKS LIKE THE A-10
HAS ITS HEAD
ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK YET AGAIN.
AND THIS TIME, THE AIR FORCE
IS DETERMINED TO SUCCEED.
Narrator: MAY 27, 2003.
IT SEEMS LIKE THE A-10
HAS FINALLY WON
THE AIR FORCE'S RESPECT.
BUT THE NEW YORK TIMES
REVEALS THAT THE SERVICE
HAS SECRETLY BEEN PLANNING
FOR THE WARTHOG'S DEMISE.
Sprey: THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME
I CAN REMEMBER
THAT SOME AIR FORCE GENERAL
PROPOSED KILLING
100 PERCENT OF THE FORCE.
Narrator: THE PENTAGON DENIES
THAT IT HAS PLANS
TO MOTHBALL THE WARTHOG.
BUT FOR ANYONE
WHO'S BEEN PAYING ATTENTION,
THE WRITING
IS ALREADY ON THE WALL.
Grant: FOR ALL THE A-10'S
GREAT COMBAT REPUTATION,
THE AIR FORCE KNEW
THAT IT WAS TIME TO THINK ABOUT
REPLACING THE A-10,
AND THE AIR FORCE PLANNED FOR
THE F-35 JOINT STRIKE FIGHTER
TO REPLACE BOTH THE A-10
AND THE F-16.
Narrator:
THE LOCKHEED MARTIN F-35.
IT FLIES HIGH, IT FLIES FAST,
AND IT'S ULTRA STEALTHY.
Grant: THE F-35 COULDN'T BE MORE
DIFFERENT IN LOOKS OR DESIGN
FROM THE A-10.
IT BRINGS A VERY SOPHISTICATED
SUITE OF SENSORS AND WEAPONS
THAT WILL GIVE
THE SOLDIER ON THE GROUND
A LOT OF CHOICES ABOUT THE KIND
OF CLOSE AIR SUPPORT THEY WANT.
Narrator: AT $1.5 TRILLION,
IT'S THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE'S
COSTLIEST WEAPONS PROGRAM EVER.
BUT THE BENEFITS
OUTWEIGH THE COSTS.
Grant: THE ABILITY TO GATHER
AND SHARE INTELLIGENCE,
THE ABILITY
TO TALK TO CONTROL CENTERS,
TO OTHER AIRCRAFT,
AND TO FORCES ON THE GROUND...
IN THE F-35,
THESE ALL GO WAY BEYOND
WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE A-10.
Narrator:
THAT'S WHAT THEY SAY.
BUT THE F-35 PROGRAM
HAS MANY CRITICS.
THERE ARE SOFTWARE DELAYS,
COST OVERRUNS, ACCIDENTS.
Scott Pelley: THE PENTAGON TODAY
STOPPED TEST FLIGHTS
OF THE F-35 FIGHTER JET.
THE F-35 HAS COST TAXPAYERS
ABOUT $400 BILLION ALREADY
AND IS YEARS BEHIND SCHEDULE.
Narrator: THE F-35
WAS ORIGINALLY PLANNED
TO ENTER THE AIR FORCE IN 2015.
BUT IT STILL HAS
YEARS OF TESTING
BEFORE IT PROVES ITS WORTH.
Norris: THE AIRPLANE
IS GOING THROUGH TESTS.
I MEAN, WE AREN'T GOING TO KNOW
WHAT IT CAN AND CANNOT DO
UNTIL 2021 OR BEYOND.
Narrator: FEBRUARY 2014.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
AIR FORCE CHIEF OF STAFF
GENERAL MARK WELSH
UNVEILS HIS 2015 BUDGET.
THE AMOUNT FOR THE A-10: ZERO.
THE WARTHOG HAS FACED DOWN
MANY OPPONENTS IN ITS 37 YEARS,
BUT NONE AS TOUGH AS THIS.
Sprey:
THIS WAS AN ALL-OUT ASSAULT.
THIS WAS A BIG PR CAMPAIGN
TO KILL THE A-10.
Narrator: A-10 ADVOCATES
DON'T GO DOWN EASY.
THEY PLEAD WITH CONGRESS
TO SAVE THEIR FAVORED PLANE.
Woman: AND THAT IS TO KEEP
THE A-10 FLYING.
Campbell: THE A-10 IS LOVED
BY MANY PEOPLE,
ESPECIALLY
THE GUYS ON THE GROUND,
AND IT'S LOVED
BY THE PILOTS THAT FLY IT.
Narrator: A-10 ADVOCATES
ACCUSE THE AIR FORCE
OF NEGLECTING
THE CLOSE AIR SUPPORT MISSION.
Mrs. Hartzler: I DO NOT AGREE
THAT A B-1 IS THE SAME
OR A REMOTELY PILOTED AIRCRAFT
IS THE SAME
TO THE SOLDIERS ON THE GROUND.
THEY WANT TO SEE THE A-10.
Narrator: 2014.
THE SENATE ARMED SERVICES
COMMITTEE
PREPARES FOR A HISTORIC VOTE.
IT'S YET ANOTHER NEAR-DEATH
EXPERIENCE FOR THE STURDY PLANE.
THE A-10 IS FUNDED
THROUGH THE REST OF 2014.
BUT EVEN ITS SUPPORTERS AGREE
THAT ITS DAYS ARE NUMBERED.
Grant: IT'S VERY UNDERSTANDABLE
THAT PEOPLE LOVE THE A-10,
BUT IT IS TIME TO MOVE ON
AND LOOK FOR
AN INFORMATION-AGE PLATFORM,
THE F-35,
THAT CAN DO THAT CLOSE
AIR SUPPORT MISSION EVEN BETTER.
Narrator: THE A-10 WARTHOG.
IT'S NOT SLEEK.
IT'S NOT SUPER FAST.
AND IT'S NOT GOING
TO WOW THE CROWDS
WITH HIGH-FLYING BARREL ROLLS.
THE A-10 IS MORE OF
THE STRONG, SILENT TYPE.
IT JUST SHOWS UP,
PUTS UP, AND GOES HOME.
Norris: IT'S A TOUGH AIRPLANE.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT
TO TAKE IT OUT OF THE SKY.
Narrator:
ITS REVOLUTIONARY DESIGN
REFLECTS THE NEED
TO UNITE THE AIR WAR
WITH TROOPS ON THE GROUND.
Grant: WE'LL REMEMBER THE A-10
AS A PLANE THAT WAS DESIGNED
WITH THE PERSON IN MIND.
THAT PLANE WAS DESIGNED
FOR THE PILOT
AND FOR THE SOLDIER
ON THE GROUND,
AND TO BRING
THE TWO OF THEM TOGETHER.
Narrator: TOUGH,
DEADLY,
UGLY,
DECEPTIVELY MANEUVERABLE,
IT CAN TAKE MORE PUNISHMENT
THAN ANY OTHER PLANE
IN THE AIR FORCE'S ARSENAL.
WHEN YOU NEED
TO GET DOWN AND DIRTY,
JUST CALL THE A-10.