A-10s Can Beat F-22s In Dogfights. Here’s Why

How can an A-10 Warthog beat an F-22 Raptor in a dogfight? Well, a couple of years ago, several pictures surfaced online of an A-10 showcasing an F-22 kill marking that was painted on the side of its fuselage. 

The Real Reason

Obviously, this didn’t really happen in a real fight, but during an air combat exercise. Nonetheless, what’s impressive is the fact that this type of jet managed to take out the reigning “King of the Skies”. 

The A-10 wasn’t built for air-to-air combat. Instead, it was purposely built for its massive 30 mm GAU-8 Avenger rotary cannon.

This cannon is all about engaging targets on the ground but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have serious air-to-air chops. In fact, the same 30 mm canon can be deadly, and most A-10s usually carry a pair of AIM-9 Sidewinder, infrared-guided, or heat-seeking air-to-air missiles. 

Not to be Underestimated

The A-10 may be slow, but it has an extremely tight turn radius. In most circumstances, it can out-turn the F-22.

Thus, the A-10 has the best chance of orienting its nose on an enemy plane to get a fatal shot with that cannon. 

Unfair Fight? 

It’s worth noting that it’s not as if these two planes squared off in a fair fight. In fact, these kinds of exercises are specifically designed to place the more capable platform at a significant disadvantage. As a result, this allows A-10 pilots to train in unique circumstances. 

At the same time, it also gives pilots of more capable aircraft, such as the F-22 or F-16, a different set of unique challenges wherein they find themselves making quick decisions to get themselves out of danger.