Fixed wing gunships with howitzers firing guided shells would be the most overpowered asset in a high intensity war

Source: tried it in a video game

Literally the most vulnerable thing in the sky, to the point where its not allowed to fly sorties during the day for fear of being brought down by ground fire.

>>64018976
You just fly it behind a well defended perimeter of AA with some CAP and you're alright. Just tilt the gun up and you can get kills from 30-40km away at a rapid pace, especially if you have drones to provide terminal guidance

>>64019301
Shut the fuck up with your drones, faggot.

>>64018903 (OP)
Useless against anyone that isn't a goat-herder with zero AA systems.

>>64019301
long range a2a/sams will be able to get it without much trouble.

you've been playing too much Nuclear Option

The Tarantula is only OP when the enemy isn't deploying fighters, and is utterly helpless against ARH missiles. ECM pods aren't nearly as reliable IRL as they are in >>64019353 so you wouldn't be safe from long range SAMs. Maybe a megawatt laser would be sufficient for anti-missile defense

>>64018903 (OP)
This piece of shit is one of the dumbest wastes of money in the air force inventory.

>>64018903 (OP)
So, the max gun range for a howitzer from ground is like 30km at 45 degrees. Now elevate that to a cruising altitude of 33,000ft and some egghead crunch the math. Now drive it in a REVERSE pylon turn on a moving battlefield frontline faster than traditional artillery can move or set up behind an armored push making constant flightpaths, slinging targeted excalibur rounds.

This could work, right?

>>64019475
no lol

>>64019475
Make it so the howitzer can fire a shell that then ignites its own booster after the apex in its angle trajectory for a gazilllion added range.

>>64018903 (OP)
They are stupid for removing the 25mm machine gun from their gunship in place of AGMS under their hardpoints.

>>64018903 (OP)
>only allowed to take off if the enemy cannot contest the air in any way
>not even with SAMs/AA/MANPADS
At that point, in a high intensity war, haven't you basically won except for the clean up?

>>64018903 (OP)
GWOT abomination

>>64018903 (OP)
>Left side
105mm howitzer
25mm chaingun
40mm Bofors
>Right side
155mm howitzer
GAU-8 Avenger
M230 chain gun
>Bottom
Mk45 gun
bomb bays and hardpoints, retractable
high energy lasers
>Rear
M134 Minigun
Dual M2 Brownings
Cargo door that can be opened to drop a few JDAMs
>Wings
Hardpoints for more bombs and even missiles
>Top
Refueling unit
2x M134 Minigun in a 360 cupola
2x M2 Brownings in a 360 cupola
point defense lasers

>>64018976
I could have sworn there are some sexy vids of an AC-130 fucking up ISIS during the battle for kobane.

>>64018903 (OP)

Awhat about mounting flak on a bomber?

>>64023127
CUTE