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Israel-Palestine-Jordan
Gaza War Leaned Heavily On F-16 Close-Air Support
2014-09-20
TEL AVIV -- Hundreds of the more than 6,000 targets struck from the air during Israel's 50-day urban war in Gaza were from fighter jets delivering one-ton bombs in record time and in close proximity to friendly ground forces. After-action accounts of Operation Protective Edge show unprecedented use of fixed-wing fighters for close air support (CAS) of urban maneuvering troops.

With an F-16 dedicated to every brigade, precision air power provided "pillar of fire" protection for friendly forces fighting less than 350 meters away. That's more than a three-fold improvement, officers here said, from Israel's traditional 1-kilometer safety range for fixed-wing CAS.

"Until this last operation, we attacked in ranges of about 1,000 meters," said Brig. Gen. Amikam Norkin, Israel Air Force chief of staff. In a Sept. 10 interview, Norkin said Protective Edge marked the first time fixed-wing fighters were used as dedicated assets to division- and brigade-level forces.
Posted by:Hupiper Slesing1993

#3  According to several A-10 forum/websites, I found no mention of 1000 pounders, but a wide variety of 500 pound bombs (both dumb and guided) have been hung on the Warthog.
Couple passes with the chain gun and some Rockeye one wouldn't have any need for the 1000#.
Posted by: USN, Ret.   2014-09-20 22:12  

#2  I just wonder how my favorite current airplane, the A-10 Warthog would have done.

Of course, I don't know if A-10 can carry 1000 lb bombs. But 2 or 3 500 pounders should do the trick.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia   2014-09-20 15:37  

#1  At any given time during the 50-day campaign, the Air Force had an average of 40 air platforms of different types operating in the same congested airspace over Gaza, he said.

Terrifying thought. The air traffic controllers must have all had strong hysterics when it was over (no time for such things while it was still going on).
Posted by: trailing wife   2014-09-20 13:27  

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