From @AfterburnDefense episode with "Flash"" and "Flats." Full episode here: • First A-10 Combat Mission into Afghanistan...
Join the Afterburn Podcast as retired Navy fighter pilot Seamus 'Flats' Flatley shares the untold story behind the rise of light attack aircraft, including the transformation of crop dusters into armed precision strike platforms. Discover how companies like Blackwater pioneered the concept to reduce costs and increase mission duration, keeping high-cost fighters like F-16s and F-35s available for more critical missions. Flats discusses how this low-cost, high-endurance solution, though unorthodox, proved effective in permissive combat environments like Afghanistan and Iraq.
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