--- title: "Watch an A-10’s GAU-8 cannon fire on an enemy building" description: "What happens when U.S. troops in Afghanistan take fire from Taliban fighters, fortified inside a building? It's pretty simple: A-10." date: "2021-06-08" modified: "2021-06-09" authors: - name: "Blake Stilwell" job_title: "Editor-In-Chief, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/blake/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/popular/watch-the-effects-of-an-a-10s/" categories: - "Aircraft" - "Tactical" tags: - "Air Force" - "Aircraft" --- # Watch an A-10’s GAU-8 cannon fire on an enemy building ![]() *The A-10 Thunderbolt II wrecks anti-American dreams, forces, and structures with the GAU-8 Avenger cannon, which is 16% of its total weight. (U.S. Air Force/Master Sgt. Jeffrey Allen)* What happens when U.S. troops in Afghanistan take fire from Taliban fighters, holed up inside a fortified building? It's pretty simple. Call in the Warthogs to bring on the BRRRRRT. The distinctive BRRRRRT comes from the A-10's GAU-8 Avenger cannon, which fires beer-bottle-sized 30-millimeter chunks of aluminum alloy at 3,342 feet per second. This is enough to chew through Soviet armor, so anything going up against the Avenger cannon that is less reinforced than a T-72 tank is going to have a bad time. It's not every day that we can share slamcam footage of actual combat operations, especially when it comes to the A-10 and its gian cannon. We presume that the Taliban fighters occupying the structure died, but you can't see it. Not overtly, anyway. More than one re-upload on the internet says the attack in the video below is from a Pakistan Air Force F-16, but the distinctive BRRRRRT from the GAU-8 is an unmistakable sound. Also unmistakable are the American voices watching it all go down. Sorry, F-16. You've had your day in the sun. This is about the A-10's massive cannon. So whatever this building is made of, be it concrete, cinderblocks—who knows—it just didn't stand a chance. It's no wonder everyone who calls in close air support and gets an A-10 gun run has the same reaction to the jaw-dropping power of the GAU. Listen closely. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMMGywAxBmg Nice. ## Author Blake Stilwell is We Are The Mighty's Editor-in-Chief, covering military news, entertainment, and history, along with veteran education, employment and entrepreneurship. He is a former U.S. Air Force combat cameraman with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations, Business Management and Middle Eastern Affairs. After leaving the military, he began working in film and television production in New York and Los Angeles, work that included ABC News, NBC Olympics, and HBO Sports. He then spent two years in Washington with White House Communications, before joining the Near East Foundation. At NEF he served as an International Development Fellow, then Communications Officer, and finally, Media Officer for the Middle East and Africa. Based in the Palestinian Territory, he coordinated strategic communications between eight country offices, international media, and government and NGO partners. He began a career focused on writing and editing in 2015 with We Are The Mighty. He left in 2019 for Military.com, but returned as Editor-in-Chief in 2025. Blake’s work has been seen on CBS News, Fox News, CBC, The Chicago Tribune, Task & Purpose, Military Times, Recoil, Skillset, American History, and was shockingly even used in a Supreme Court argument. He is an avid traveler and small business owner in Ohio, where he spends most of his energy fixing up a very old house. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()