Sweet sound of a 20mm Hispano Cannon

[CaptainMattJ.]

Originally Posted by Stealhead

I think the worst "dumb" weapon to face would by far be a barrage of rockets be they 70mm Hydra or 80mm Russian air to surface or from a GRAD or an MLRS or HIMARS with flechette war heads.

Depending on the rocket and warhead size several hundred to several thousand steel darts raining onto and right through you at a velocity past the speed of sound.

Modern artillery is also extremely devastating.My brother had his skin saved a few times in Afghanistan by a few well placed 155mm from the M777(a British design though their army dose not use that gun)with standard rounds they can hit you from 15 miles away with rocket assist 18 miles and an Excalibur shell 25 miles.

My dad in Vietnam missed death by minutes when he left a bunker it got hit by just a few moments later an NVA 155mm the guys inside where blown to mist.

Arty dose not get the headlines like JADAMS and the A-10 but with modern technology it is still the king of battle.Another thing about arty is so long as you are in range she will always be there to rain death unlike a airplane or helicopter.

Depending on the situation, the A-10 is still more devastating. The A-10 can pop an armored vehicle like a soda can and vaporize any personnel unlucky enough to be a target. Its fast, can be deployed on call, is more precise, and has the benfit of being up close and personal with a pilot behind the trigger. Artillery is still an area of effect weapon, even though we have the capability of putting a round through a window at 20 miles. Its also highly vulnerable, rarely has direct line of sight for the target, relies on spotters, does not have the capability to destroy a moving target precisely, and is much more slowly deployed.

Now again, the situation is what determines the effectiveness of both an A-10 and artillery. An A-10 is usually in and out. It doesnt have alot of munitions, it cant stay on location very long, and can be taken out by stingers or enemy aircraft. It still has the ability to accurately and immediately annihilate most threats faced on the ground and can do it in no time at all. Artillery has the ability, in contrast, to level a whole block, can stay on location indefinitely, and usually carries much much more ammunition, making artillery a better option for prolonged combat in a fixed radius. And although artillery is becoming more and more mobile with mobile rocket artillery trucks and various mobile platforms, the majority of our artillery corps is still made up of towed 155mm cannons. This means that on the whole our artillery is still alot less mobile than our mechanized and armored divisions, which limits their role. The A-10, barring the lack of air superiority, can always be useful and can always bring the hurt and bring it hard.