[DesertRhino]

“What better, cheaper, more durable system to bring max firepower down on them?”

You were speaking of the Skyraider. It’s a fact that since the A-6 was introduced every change has made the carrier ground attack package have shorter legs, and less weight on target. Losing the A-6 and A-7 and A-4 and going only to F-18 was a loss in strike range and weight.
Losing the F-14D was another blow. The Super Hornet is less than the original.
And now we are going to go to the F-35. The shortest ranged, less weapon carrying attack plane we’ve had since the 1950s.

You aren’t entirely off base.

[frithguild]

You were speaking of the Skyraider. It’s a fact that since the A-6 was introduced every change has made the carrier ground attack package have shorter legs, and less weight on target.

By the looks of this A-1J, truer words were never said.