Insane F-35 Four-Barrel Cannon Fires 3,300 Shots Per Minute (A-10 Warthog Replacement)

Legendary aerospace company Lockheed Martin recently merged its F-35 Lighting II Joint Strike Fighter with the impressive 25-millimeter GAU-22/A Gatling gun, creating a powerful weapon of devastating potential.

Several tests have been carried out with mixed results.

While the objective is for the gun to support the aircraft for a more precise execution in air-to-air strikes and close air support for ground troops, a neverending list of setbacks has diminished the impact of the engineering feat.

And even though many experts question the program, its supporters are determined to push the F-35 with its new Gatling gun to its highest potential.

[HildegardActual]

F-35A maintainer here, and I'll keep this completely un-class; while there's a lot of accurate info here, and there are issues with the jet, it's not nearly bad enough to abandoned the JSF program as some analysts want to do. This thing is a monster, and while it's cannon is (in my opinion) lackluster, the rest of the airframe is great, and pretty easy to work on. We just need a better cannon. Also keep in mind, that whatever you, the public, are able to learn about this thing from public affairs or the JSF Program Office, it's typically old news.

[patrickbaker]

no matter how fast these gatling guns can fire, the difficulty lies in the few rounds the aircraft can carry.

[Hawk]

I don't see this replacing the Warthog. The A-10 is designed for low and slow with an incredible loiter time over a battlefield. It also had a titanium tub to protect the pilot from ground fire. The F-35 can't do the same job.

[bowez]

As someone with more tha two decades experience with the DOD, that last quote from the Marine Commander is just one of a career politician, just towing the company line in attempt to make rank.

[trich]

Replacing the A-10 with an F-35 is like me replacing my 3 ton pickup with a BMW.

A-10 FOREVER

[PjPjPaul]

This is like trying to put a snow plow on a Corvette. Yeah its possible, but why? This kind of weapon needs its own air frame to handle it. Ya know, kinda like an A-10.

[timaahhh]

The F-35A holds 180 rounds of ammo the F-35B and C hold 220 rounds. The A-10 holds 1174 rounds. This is a real head scratcher. Well keep throwing good money after bad trying to make the F-35 a ground attack aircraft.

[negativeindustrial]

Let’s get one thing straight. The only thing that can replace the A10 is an upgraded newer variant of the same A10.

[Scruffy-LookingNerfHerder]

When people say it’s the most expensive weapons program ever, what they miss is that it’s really THREE weapons programs (for better or worse).

[dr.ofdubiouswisdom]

GET the reliability issues & service time down on the F-35, THEN work out the gatling gun feasibility. Every branch is tweaking & over engineering before the paint is dry from the last customization.

[OpaKnows]

Great video. Excellent content. Love the F-35, but I think we’re going to regret it if we mothball the A-10.

[ter]

This channel and line of channels deserve so much more recognition. Always coming through clutch with great content gets rewarded eventually though 🙂

[Greg]

Fit the Gatling gun to a drone, much cheaper, more practical.

[kencolvin]

Remember the F111- it too had bad teething problems but eventually became one of the finest weapons platform of its era .

[edwinsalau]

No loiter time!
Airframe cannot take the punishment of A-10!
How many retired military types are in the employe mod the programs?
Starts a line up for the Warthog!

[dextermorgan]

We can bitch and complain about the F35 all we want, but the actual Pilots who fly it all seem to love it. There's something we're not being told. Fighter pilots wouldn't speak so highly of it it, if it were truly as bad as its made out to be. Flaws or not, it still has a 5 to 1 kill ratio in red flag events.

[SIG_X]

They been spending more money trying to figure out something to replace the A10 instead of just modernizing the A10

[cdp]

The F-35 is nothing short of a weapon 50 years past what else is flying right now ..almost magic .. seeing through the cockpit with a insane hi tech helmet and even paint that makes it almost invisible to radars .. or human eye at altitude

[patrickthebig]

Title is misleading, F-35 was never meant to replace the A-10.

[Its-Just-Zip]

It most certainly will not be a full replacement for the A10 thunderbolt. It will, however, be a pretty nice compliment to it. I would expect that we will eventually get a true successor to the A10, but we'll just have to wait and see

Also, while these are not meant to dogfight, having a cannon on board is important. Even in the age of missiles, we've learned that a few times