Martha McSally was the first female fighter pilot and fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. She served in the military for 26 years, before she became a Congresswoman in Arizona.
When she retired in 2010, she was a full Colonel. Over the course of her career, she flew 325 combat missions and was deployed to the Middle East six times. She also was awarded a Bronze Star and six air medals.
Flying the A-10
When she spoke at the Center for Strategic and International Studies event, she says she told President Trump that the A-10 was a "badass airplane with a big gun on it."
The Republican Congresswoman also spoke about her time flying the A-10 in the 2000s and how she would lay down close-range air support for ground troops.
“It’s an amazing airplane to fly, but it’s really cool to shoot the gun. The folklore as A-10 pilots that we pass around is that we built the gun, and told the engineers ‘figure out how to fly this gun. The gun, 30 millimeters is just amazing. When you shoot the gun, the whole airplane shakes. The first time you shoot the gun, you think the airplane’s breaking up.”
Congresswoman Martha McSally
Mighty A-10
The aircraft is well known for the "BRRRT" sound that comes from firing the A-10s 30mm gun that holds over 1,150 rounds of ammunition. The sound signals salvation and safety for infantrymen on the ground.
The gun on the A-10 is incredibly accurate. Some would say that is even more accurate than GPS or laser-guided bombs.
Those cost the US military close to a million dollars each. McSally said that when they were in Afghanistan, they primarily used the gun.
“It’s a very precise weapon and it allows for minimizing collateral damage and fratricide because the weapon’s footprint is so tight. We can roll in and precisely go after the target while it keeps Americans safe.”
Martha McSally
That was a very impressive story I’m sure your family is proud of and I would like to thank you for your service
I have heard those guns being fired as I don't live very far from Camp Shelby Army Base outside Hattiesburg Ms.
"Warthog" "Thunderbolt" It's all the same. Armored on the bottom. A great weapon, flown by great pilots - male and female.
Proud Air Force G-Ma. My grandson works on the A-10. ❤️
Nice article.
What an awesome weapon. Wish I was young enough to fly one of these planes. However, at age nearing 81, only a fantasy for me. When I was young, a female fighter pilot was not even a consideration.
I'm so proud of you and what you've done...Thank You....
While the A 10 is a awesome Combat Aircraft against Tanks & Troops. I am Republican and I support Martha Mc Sally & Donald Trump 110 %, but Martha McSally knows nothing about the Infantryman on the ground many times we have been the victim of the A-10 aircraft with friendly fire. She or Donald Trump knows nothing of the Combat Infantryman on the ground unless you have been there as an Infantryman you know nothing of what it's like to be in ground combat. The Infantryman Feels it, sees it, smells it, hears it, tastes it every day. For many years after they still have those horrible memories that haunts them for the rest of their life's. Martha McSally knows nothing about the Infantryman on the ground. U.S. ARMY RETIRED
RICK COMBAT INFANTRYMAN THE QUEEN OF BATTLE FOLLOW ME!
It's called war combat son. We all had our jobs.
Just Ungrateful
Awesome Bravo
McSally is one of the better one's
Thank you for you service to kill in far away land as per your government instructions
I love this! I am 85, and got my pilot’s license in Tacoma Washington when I was 21, when my husband was an officer in the Air Force. The men at the Tacoma airport were sceptical that a female could fly. Look At This, Guys!!!
So proud of you and all our serving and retired veterans. Too bad sleepy senile joe isn’t. He uses you and you let him. How many of our veterans has to let go because of his idiocracy? He needs to be impeached, but he won’t know what’s going on. He’ll just go to Delaware for another vacation and hunker down in his basement.