Watch a HUD View of an A-10 Warthog Rescuing Troops in Ambush Showdown

A video that shows a head-up display (HUD) view from an A-10 Warthog during an ambush situation in Afghanistan. The video offers a look at how modern close air support works when troops need help on the ground. The A-10, known for its gun runs and steady support, is seen flying over a small village and assisting American soldiers in a difficult situation.

Setting and Context

The video is set above a village in Afghanistan. The area is surrounded by steep mountains and consists of many low-rise structures that look very similar to each other. In this scene, American soldiers are under heavy fire from fighters who have taken cover near a group of buildings. The soldiers are in a tight spot, and they urgently require air support. Two A-10 Warthogs, identified by the callsigns HOG 01 and HOG 04, have arrived in the area. Their arrival brings a new level of protection to the troops who are caught in an ambush.

Close Air Support in Action

After arriving overhead, the A-10 pilots perform a series of gun runs. They use their 30mm GAU-8 Avenger cannons to engage enemy fighters. The aircraft move quickly to reduce the threat on the ground. During these gun runs, a voice on the radio, with the callsign NIGHT OWL, directs the pilots. This voice belongs to a ground-based JTAC who is in charge of calling in the support. The careful coordination between the aircrew and the ground forces is key to providing effective cover for the soldiers.

HUD Display Details

The video shows several important details on the A-10’s HUD. At the center bottom of the screen, a heading indicator shows the jet’s current direction, with the jet pointing north. A clear “ARM” signal indicates that the master arm switch is active, meaning the aircraft is ready to fire. Directly above this, the display shows the selected weapon profile along with the type and number of rounds available. In this case, the system indicates that there are 950 rounds of high-explosive incendiary 30mm ammunition. In the upper left area, a figure shows the current G-force on the aircraft, which is 1.4G at that moment. The central part of the display features a pitch ladder with the gun’s aiming reticle located toward the top. When the aircraft is within firing range, the inner circle of the reticle shrinks, displaying the computed impact point on the ground in miles, here shown as 1.5 miles. A small ball-like bar inside the reticle represents the velocity vector, which tells the pilot the direction of travel.

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