Previous comment: “Other than go slower, I’m not sure what it can do that the A-10 can’t.”
Answer: It can be in about 10 places at once. (It’s my wild guess that 10 of these could be operated for about the same cost as operating an A-10. *) Both this and A-10’s would be vulnerable to surface-to-air missiles (including shoulder-launched) and most jet fighters.
I have great respect for the A-10, partly because of the great respect and affection my son-in-law has for it. In his 13 years in the US Army, he had about 48 months of serious combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to him, “A-10’s saved my ass many times.” In addition to having the awesome 30mm Gatling gun it can get up close and personal to the bad guys.
For counter-insurgency (COIN) operations, the extra power of the A-10’s 30mm Gatling gun vs the AT-802U’s 7.62mm Gatling guns wouldn’t make a difference against “soft” targets. Apparently, 8 gun pods can be carried, with 3000 rounds in each, and a rate of fire of 3000 round per minute. For “hard” targets, it appears that the AT-802U can carry a variety of powerful weapons, including Hellfire missiles. Comparing the firepower of just one gun pod to that of a Battle of Britain Spitfire:
The Spitfire had 8 .303 machine guns, with 300 rounds each, a total of 2400 rounds. So, just one of the AT-802U’s gun pods has more firepower than a WW2 Spitfire. Each 7.62 mm round is significantly more effective than a .303 round, and there are 25% more rounds in one pod).
Note its other qualities. Among other things, I assume that the “quick change magazine” could be changed by hand, whereas the A-10’s magazine is the size of a VW “bug” car.
From the gun pod manufacturer:
•• Self-contained system
•• Dillon M134D-H Minigun
•• 3,000-round magazine capacity
•• Rapidly removable nose and tail cone for easy gun or magazine access
•• Conformal Remote Gun Control Unit (RGCU)
•• Quick Change Ammunition Magazine
•• Last Round Switch (approx. 100 rounds remaining) with pilot override interrupt
•• Integral bore sight adjustment +/- 2.5°
- According to an online source, it appears that a 30 mm round costs roughly 20-40 times as much as a 7.62 mm round.
7.62: 0.73-$2.48 depending on the round.
30mm: $14.27–$78.90 depending on the round.