BRRRRT in the Strait: A-10s Target IRGC Speedboats Amid Epic Fury Ops
By Ward ClarkEveryone who is a fan of videos featuring American aircraft and other military equipment will never fail to identify one distinct sound: The BRRRRT of the 30mm Avenger cannon that is the primary weapon of the A-10 Warthog. This tough, simple, and deucedly effective attack jet has survived every effort to take it out of service. From the Cold War days when someone said, "Hey, I just invented this tank-busting 30mm rotary cannon," and someone else said, "Cool, let's put wings on it," the A-10 has been in service, and in every operation where it's been employed, it's been busting stuff up.
Bbrrrttttttt (video for illustration purposes only) pic.twitter.com/XTCL42js63
— OakLeafDefense (@OakLeafDefense) March 19, 2026
General Caine said:
The A-10 Warthog is now in the fight across the southern flank, and is hunting and killing fast attack watercraft in the Straits of Hormuz. In addition, AH-64 Apaches have joined the fight on the southern flank, and they continue to work on the southern side, and that includes some of our allies who are using Apaches to handle one-way attack drones.
The A-10, as well as the Apaches, are largely dependent on the U.S. forces having air superiority. Of course, what we have in Iranian airspace now is utterly complete air domination, so the Warthogs and the Apaches can work without having to look over their shoulders.
It's fun to twit the Iranians about their air force, which consisted of old, busted, Cold War-era aircraft. Now, the A-10, along with the B-52, also operating in the skies over Iran, is also Cold War-era tech; the difference is, ours works.
Like the B-52, the A-10 requires air superiority. We have it. Like the B-52, the A-10 is a creation out of a different time. It's Cold War technology. Like the B-52, it's slow, although highly maneuverable. Like the B-52, it's about as stealthy as Illinois Governor JB Pritzker at an all-you-can-eat buffet. And like the B-52, the A-10 is more than ready to deliver a world of hurt - in this case, to any Iranians stupid enough to try to take a speedboat out into the waters of the Strait.
Defense News has more details:
The announcement marks an expansion of the Warthog’s confirmed role in Epic Fury. On March 15, U.S. Central Command released imagery of A-10C Thunderbolt IIs receiving fuel in flight while supporting the operation, the first official visuals of the aircraft in the campaign.
“The A-10 Thunderbolt II can loiter for hours, standing by and ready to execute a mission whenever needed,” CENTCOM said in the accompanying post on X.
Designed for close air support, the A-10 was built to fly low, slow and close to the fight, providing direct fire support to ground forces and, increasingly, to joint forces operating in contested littoral environments. Its titanium-armored cockpit, often referred to as a “titanium bathtub,” and redundant flight systems allow it to absorb significant punishment and continue flying under conditions that would ground less hardened aircraft.
In other words, goblins with AKs can shoot at the A-10 all day long and not hurt it much. And Iran's air defenses are pretty much scattered parts now. The Warthog may be a simple beast, but it's got sharp teeth, and it's in an environment now where not much of anything can stand in its way.
Also, there's this: Missiles and drones are expensive. But 30mm cannon shells are cheap, and we have a lot of them.
BRRRRRT!
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