The Air Force made the same bonehead move with the EF-111A and the F-111F right after the Gulf War. Both platforms performed magnificently, then were retired in order to save money for the F-22.
We modernized and re-winged the A-10s to A-10C standard, and they have been invaluable in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now they want to kill them off to save money for the F-35.
See what getting rid of the Varks did for the F-22 program? SQUAT.
Can you guess what getting rid of the A-10 will do for the F-35?
Remind me again what is the definition of insanity?
Wasn’t the A-10 designed with the cold war in mind?
And now our government is desperately trying to get the cold war going again.
No!! we are broke. We gave it all to parasites. There is no more money CUT CUT CUT!!
No F-16 can loiter like an A-10 can.
Move the A-10s to the Army.
I say that as a former zoomie.
/johnny
Cutting food stamps by 5% would save how much??
Active Duty ping.
Will they warehouse them in Nevada? I imagine you could kill a lot of cattle with one of those ...
I suggest that a minimum they let the Army pay to keep them in mothballs. That way we’ll have them when WE HAVE TO HAVE THEM AGAIN.
Anybody who thinks we’ve seen the last of dirty, low tech war is crazy, And ask any of the guys that have been on the ground what they most want to see in the air!
The USAF has always tried cutting the mighty A-10 for a long time. The main reason seems to be that they don’t find the A-10 “sexy” because it’s old-school technology and the USAF loves all the modern bells and whistles with newer planes. It’s a shame as the A-10 has proven itself again and again, and the pilots who fly them love them. Sad.
I believe I read a retired General/Admiral saying that you could agree with Obama’s Social Engineering in the Military or you could retire. I hope we still have a Military when Obama vacates the WH. If he ever does.
The F-35 is too expensive an aircraft to use for tank busting and close air support.
The Air Force has always hated close air support, passionately. All of the guiding lights of air power have relentlessly pushed long range interdiction and strategic air but all but ignored direct support of infantry (while energetically opposing any move by the army to get their own fixed wing CAS).
The A-10 was a surprising break from this mind-set but with its elimination, the Air Force is back to where it wants to be. Poor dam army will have to beg for CAS from the navy and Marines from here on.
I for one support this move. The A10 hog is one of the most effective close air support planes ever made. Given that Obama et al define US as the enemy, taking it out of service is OK with me.
“The service has said other aircraft can fill the A-10’s close-air support mission, including Lockheed Martin F-16s and F-35s.”
A screwdriver makes for a very poor hammer, General. The A-10 is most definitely a hammer.
Cost: US invaded and conquered by mortal enemy communists.
Benefit: Saved $4 billion.
Sounds like an excellent Cost/Benefit ratio to me.
Well totally disbanding the military would save a big chunk too.
LM can’t make any profit supporting ground troops. The generals want nice jobs at LM after the Army. For dead soldiers LM won’t pay much. All taxpayer will pay a small pension for the widow.
Kill the A-10 = 4.2 billion saved.
Continue the F-35 = Trillions wasted
Fighter Mafia 1, Taxpayers 0