I was thinking that the main issue for the A10 is that it puts pilots into far too much danger in the current SAM and Manpad enviroment CAS is no longer a viable tactic against anyone with any amount of modern air defenses.The platform however does still have an useful role even if it will likely suffer far higher combat losses than modern planes. So the logical solution would be to remove the cockpit and the expensive controls, replace it with a computer and a starlink / satellite connection so that the pilot can control it from an AC office. Without risking his life every time to some random dude with a strela or igla manpad.
Yes it can, but since the A-10 is designed to be operated by humans, it would be excessively big and heavy for its purpose and this type of jury rigging should be just a temporary measure while you design a proper rotary cannon anti armor drone.
>>65047182In theory you could. But it would be easier to just build a whole new platform from the ground up specifically to incorporate modern equipment and doctrine. Like they've done several times.I mean they couldn't be arsed outfitting them with a modern target acquisition system, and that is why they have to fly low enough to be vulnerable to ground fire and still end up misidentifying friendlies.
>>65047182Why? The only reason to convert an A-10 into a drone would be to keep the GAU, everything else that it can do (i.e. carrying bombs and missiles) is done more effectively by smaller, cheaper, more flexible, and less retarded drones. The GAU isn't a tank killer OP, it's basically just a (vaguely) targeted cluster bomb/warcrimes dispenser. You'd get much better effects and return on your money by building a drone designed to carry Mavericks/JDAMs/APKWS as needed - maybe carrying pair of M2s for anti-drone use.
>>65047182The main issue for the A-10 is that it was a one trick pony and the GAU didn't really cut the mustard anymore. The only way to fix it imo is to cut out the big ass cannon and extra armor that weighs half of the plane, replace it with a big ass radar, and put more hard points and rocket pods on it. It can be a loitering drone hunter.
Wasn't there a mission in COD ghosts where you pilot drone A-10s?
>>65048076Tbh, it never really cut the mustard in the first place. The amount of vehicles that can be breached by 30x173 but not by a 20mm is pretty narrow. Which would be okay if they hadn't built the plane around this massive gun.As an a2g weapon, I think it was fundamentally flawed based on anecdotes of the Ju-87G. A revolver cannon or two would have been better for the A-10 imo.
>>65048076>replace it with a big ass radarThe A-10 is already underpowered in the engine department, a radar needs to pull energy from a generator connected to the turbine shaft.The APU is not gonna cut it.
