The A-10s “will not close our skies, they will not stop bombers and missiles,” Sak said in a statement. “They will be a target for Russian fighters and anti-aircraft defense, because we do not have the means to effectively cover them or break through the Russian anti-aircraft defense.”
“The A-10 can destroy ground targets very well, perhaps better than anyone else. But other aircraft offer much more to Ukraine,” Sak said in his message.
He compared the A-10s to the Soviet Su-25s they now use in combat. While the A-10 has more modern precision-guided weapons, Sak believes it has the same tactical disadvantage as the Su-25. “Using conventional unguided missiles and bombs, the A-10 is as easy a target for Russian air defense as the Su-25,” Sak said.
It is not yet clear which aircraft the US officials will settle on, but the Ukrainian Air Force continues to request F-16s.
Source: Ferra
