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0 pointsgpderetta1mo ago0 comments

What are A-10s doing there? There isn't yet any ground operation, right?

0 comments

They were largely being used for maritime patrol against fast boats. I saw a newsblurb a couple days ago that more were being sent to the region.

AdrianB11mo ago

Cheaper to operate than any fighter, longer endurance, good for patrolling over the Strait. Filling the gap between helicopters and fighters with a big, but cheap cannon.

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stackghost1mo ago

The A-10 carries AGM 88 anti-radiation missiles, and while it's a slow aircraft it can still passably perform SEAD with the AGM 88.

bijowo16761mo ago

Geran-2 (which is Russian licenced Shahed drone) also carries air-to-air missile, so sending slow archaic manned airframe is just suicide mission (aka shaheed)

https://militarnyi.com/en/news/russia-used-shahed-drone-arme...

chithanh1mo ago

That is not a Shahed drone, that is a Geran-2 drone. Which is similar from the outside but not the same. Also Iran doesn't have stock of R-60s I think.

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elictronic1mo ago

Manpads (man portable air defense) works just fine.

pc861mo ago

"Just fine" for what? AGM88 is air-to-ground and manpads are surface-to-air. If you're implying that manpads work just fine instead of A-10s, you're wrong.

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stackghost1mo ago

I'm not sure that I understand what you are implying.

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alfalfasprout1mo ago

Well, A-10s are well suited for strafing runs, etc. Presumably they'd be sent in if the area they're entering is presumed safe. That clearly didn't pan out.

The reality is avoiding a ground operation was probably the wrong move at this point (ignoring the spicier broader debate of if the whole Iran campaign was the right call or not)

It's really hard to truly guarantee surface to air capabilities are gone when you're relying purely on sat images + aerial surveillance (and obviously this carries risk). Iran has fairly portable SAM systems that are public knowledge.

ifyoubuildit1mo ago

> ignoring the spicier broader debate of if the whole Iran campaign was the right call or not

How spicy of a debate is that really? How many people outside of the admin and the dwindling hardcore trump base actually thought this was a good idea?

YZF1mo ago

Apparently 37.7% of Americans, so roughly 116 million people, support the war. I'm not sure "this was a good idea" was a the exact question though.

https://yougov.com/en-us/articles/54454-most-americans-oppos...

https://www.natesilver.net/p/iran-war-polls-popularity-appro...

Clearly this war isn't popular but that's a far cry from saying there's no debate. Like many other topics/questions we're seeing people following their tribe and bubbles rather than actual debating.

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iugtmkbdfil8341mo ago

Surprisingly so, I would say. Without going into any identifying details, my buddy, who is otherwise fairly reasonable, thinks it was. I disagree. Reported country split ( US ) seems to fall some along common political lines though, so maybe we shouldn't be so surprised.

Then again.. I can no longer can rely on those surveys in any meaningful way.

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dotancohen1mo ago

  > How many people outside of the admin and the dwindling hardcore trump base actually thought this was a good idea?

Almost every single Iranian in the diaspora. And every person who heard Iran chant Death To America while building a nuclear program and a ballistic missile program.

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drnick11mo ago

I think that you will find that many people think that we ought to solve the 50 year old problem in the Mideast once and for all. Now that the Russians are busy, that Venezuela is down, that Syria has fallen, and that the Chinese are minding their own business is a good time to decapitate Iran. Also Cuba is next.

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elictronic1mo ago

To my understanding blowing up drone boats designed to destroy shipping.

jabwd1mo ago

The A-10 is a horrible friendly-fire as a service. Might as well use the thing as a bomb truck while you are still forced to keep it in service because certain brain cell lacking individuals think brr is good.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 comments

thinkcontext1mo ago

They were largely being used for maritime patrol against fast boats. I saw a newsblurb a couple days ago that more were being sent to the region.

AdrianB11mo ago

Cheaper to operate than any fighter, longer endurance, good for patrolling over the Strait. Filling the gap between helicopters and fighters with a big, but cheap cannon.

1 more reply

stackghost1mo ago

The A-10 carries AGM 88 anti-radiation missiles, and while it's a slow aircraft it can still passably perform SEAD with the AGM 88.

bijowo16761mo ago

Geran-2 (which is Russian licenced Shahed drone) also carries air-to-air missile, so sending slow archaic manned airframe is just suicide mission (aka shaheed)

https://militarnyi.com/en/news/russia-used-shahed-drone-arme...

chithanh1mo ago

That is not a Shahed drone, that is a Geran-2 drone. Which is similar from the outside but not the same. Also Iran doesn't have stock of R-60s I think.

1 more reply

elictronic1mo ago

Manpads (man portable air defense) works just fine.

pc861mo ago

"Just fine" for what? AGM88 is air-to-ground and manpads are surface-to-air. If you're implying that manpads work just fine instead of A-10s, you're wrong.

1 more reply

stackghost1mo ago

I'm not sure that I understand what you are implying.

1 more reply

alfalfasprout1mo ago

Well, A-10s are well suited for strafing runs, etc. Presumably they'd be sent in if the area they're entering is presumed safe. That clearly didn't pan out.

The reality is avoiding a ground operation was probably the wrong move at this point (ignoring the spicier broader debate of if the whole Iran campaign was the right call or not)

ifyoubuildit1mo ago

> ignoring the spicier broader debate of if the whole Iran campaign was the right call or not

How spicy of a debate is that really? How many people outside of the admin and the dwindling hardcore trump base actually thought this was a good idea?

YZF1mo ago

Apparently 37.7% of Americans, so roughly 116 million people, support the war. I'm not sure "this was a good idea" was a the exact question though.

https://yougov.com/en-us/articles/54454-most-americans-oppos...

https://www.natesilver.net/p/iran-war-polls-popularity-appro...

Clearly this war isn't popular but that's a far cry from saying there's no debate. Like many other topics/questions we're seeing people following their tribe and bubbles rather than actual debating.

7 more replies

iugtmkbdfil8341mo ago

Then again.. I can no longer can rely on those surveys in any meaningful way.

1 more reply

dotancohen1mo ago

  > How many people outside of the admin and the dwindling hardcore trump base actually thought this was a good idea?

Almost every single Iranian in the diaspora. And every person who heard Iran chant Death To America while building a nuclear program and a ballistic missile program.

1 more reply

drnick11mo ago

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elictronic1mo ago

To my understanding blowing up drone boats designed to destroy shipping.

jabwd1mo ago

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse