A newly released video captured the moment an A-10 Thunderbolt II conducted a strike on a Taliban vehicle fleeing the scene of an attack in Kandahar Province on Jan. 24.
According to the video, released by U.S. Air Force Central Command Public Affairs, the insurgents in the vehicle were armed with a DShK heavy machine gun, which was being used to attack Afghan people.
The A-10 Thunderbolt II 30 mm GAU-8/A Avenger auto-cannon is one of the most powerful aircraft cannons ever flown. The GAU-8 is a hydraulically driven seven-barrel Gatling-type cannon designed specifically for the anti-tank role, firing large armor-piercing shells with a high rate of fire of 65 or 70 rounds per second, or a fixed rate of 3,900 rounds per minute. It’s accurate enough to place 80 percent of its shots within a 40-feet diameter circle from 4,000 feet while in flight. In other words, it’s one of the most powerful guns ever put in the air that fires incredibly destructive ammunition at a mind-numbing speed while mortally accurate.
The A-10 Thunderbolt II is among one of the most beloved aircraft in the United States military. It was developed by Fairchild-Republic for the United States Air Force and designed for close air support of ground troops. It has been in the service for more than 40 years, as it entered the United States Air Force in 1976.
On Feb. 4, a U.S. B-52 Stratofortress conducted a strike on a Taliban training camp in Badakhshan Province and took out three defensive fighting positions around the camp, degrading the Taliban’s ability to conduct training and operations.
The Air Force B-52 set a record for the most guided munitions ever dropped from a B-52 by dropping 24 precision guided bombs on Taliban positions.
A number of U.S. airstrikes have hampered Taliban support networks and cut off their access to revenue sources. Since November, more than $30 million in revenue has been cut off from the Taliban.
Check out this video of an A-10 Thunderbolt II destroying a Taliban vehicle:
