NORAD Exercise & A-10's
Howdy
The use of A-10's might be, perhaps, one of several reasons:
1. Folks 'violating' airspace may-not be using supersonic or near-supersonic capable aircraft
a. Helo's
b. Low & slow types...
c. Ultra-Lights (as recently seen in AZ)
2. As folks content on these type actions, they already 'know' our locations of F-15 & F-16's, et al.. So:
a. They steer clear of those areas, bases that do-not have 'prototypical intercept' aircraft
b. Many think an A-10 or like aircraft can not be used, but the only things they a short on is speed really
3. Also other multiple forms of 'asymmetrical warfare'.....sending 'multiple targets of multiple types'..,at once from different and unexpected points on the compass (interior & exterior)...
So I would suspect this would be one-of-many possible reasons, other than simple test Radar, Response and related decision-tree's....perhaps to 'see' if any of the FAA guys are awake at the Radars and provide ample warning and not let the planes fly past the routes (remember the recent incident a few months ago...) without proper hand-off and comm's...etc...
Just some thoughts and let us know what you guys hear...
Thx
Bill