Photo Of The Day and we begin with a question. “How much is too much air power?” The correct answer is that no such limit exists. Above you see an A-10 Thunderbolt II from the U.S. Air Force, as it releases countermeasure flares over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. The image dates from August 2020.

As this A-10 flies “belly up”, it exposes its payload, including the front-mounted GAU-8/A Avenger 30 mm Gatling gun. According to Wikipedia, 80% of the rounds fired at 4,000 feet (1,200 m) range hit within a 40-foot (12 m) diameter circle. That’s not a place you want to be around.

A U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II flies over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Sept. 2, 2020. The A-10 Thunderbolt II is a highly accurate airframe that provides U.S. and coalition forces a maneuverable close air support and precision strike platform.

U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Duncan C. Bevan

Source: United States Air Force | U.S. Air Forces Central Command | 379th Air Expeditionary Wing | U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). Photo by Staff Sgt. Justin Parsons and Senior Airman Duncan C. Bevan.