This one’s always baffled me. Fine, let the AF retire it, but give it to the Army. As a tank-busting, close ground support aircraft it makes more sense for them to have it anyway.
Let the Army have it. Every time Army Aviation says ‘we’ll take it’, the AF always says ‘nah, we’ll keep it’.
Congress doesn’t get much right, but they got this right. If the air force doesn’t want the A-10, then give it to Army, after all, its primary mission is to protect them.
Gee. Again?
They’ve been saying that since the early 80’s!
Personally, the C-130 Hercules and A-10 warthog are my favorite Air Force aircraft.
The lobby generals and those who want to take on industry jobs post retirement always want to retire the A 10.
But it is a work horse. It is versatile and practically indestructible
Just before the gulf war- we’re talking 1990- It was headed for being taken out.
During that war the A 10 guys ing the dining hall always had much to say to each other while the F 16 guys were subdued.
Seeing a two ship of A10s flying over this training base every once in a while is just amazing. I can’t say why.
POLITICS AT PLAY HERE:
This nothing more than sticking a thumb in the eyes of a Trump supporting area and knocking down Tyndall Air Force base. See Below article from a couple weeks ago.
*************************
Sen. Rubio concerned federal budget could negatively impact Tyndall AFB
I’ve heard suspicions that it was a missile loaded Warthog that hit the Pentagon on 911.
It’s really just a fixed-wing Apache. It does its role well as a low-budget CSA. Congress and the Air Force ought to figure out a solution and end this yearly discussion of cancellation.
I don’t see any point in going to war with these commies in charge. They are treasonous bastards and will surrender in a New York minute. They will keep the basic military hardware in place to put down the inevitable insurrection. My granmma said in the 60s that one day the military and their weapons will be used against us. Gramma. I love you and be seeing you soon.
Remember the airforce pilot that took an A-10 and crashed it in Colorado? I wonder what the real story was behind that incident?
Who actually wants this bird?
Army?
Move them over to the Army.
And the B-1B flew more CAS missions over the last 10 years.
Retire it for something less effective but more expensive. Its the military way.
One of the big advantages is they are old enough that they don’t rely on computer chips made in China.
The Air Force wants to replace the A-10 ($10,000/hr) with the F-35 ($30,000/hr), to save money. Not sure if they worked the $80,000,000 unit cost in to the F-35 hourly rate.
Manned aircraft are great in technologically asymmetrical warfare, but in a matched all out contest, they lose to robots 100%. They should make do with the manned aircraft they have, and replace them with drones, etc, as needed.
However, we "point-of-the-spear-in-face-to-face combat with the enemy" types value the close-in and devastating use of dedicated air for frontline support. We Marines have always insisted on it and our flying Marines have always delivered it. The army would be wise to build their own direct support fixed wing units - but the Air Force would fight them tooth and nail.
Imaging how much better things would have gone if the landing forces on Omaha Beach had well-trained and gutsy Dauntless/Helldiver squadrons, delivering 500 pounders on those cliffs overlooking the landing beaches. Would have saved a lot of infantry lives.
It doesn’t have the beauy that the brass desire, so get rid of it regardless of how beneficial it is.