Go Ugly Early!
Or, ask the boots-on-the-ground guys what aircraft THEY want backing them up: 
Acive duty ping.
It boggles the mind that anyone would even consider retiring the A-10. Incredible firepower and I don’t buy the narrative it’s ‘too slow’. BS.
Similarly, I think the Navy made (or is making) a mistake by getting rid of the Prowler. Dated to be sure but it still does the job it was made to do.
There’s something basically wrong with the concept of a quadrillion-dollar jet fighter plane... Somebody wasn’t thinking as hard as he needed to.
Save a endangered species save the A-10 Warthog.
Yes, but like so many things that are designed to do more than one function, they usually perform poorly at all.
I will never forget the military skis. They are a hybrid between a cross country and a down hill. Unless you are one heck of a skier or athlete trying to cross country or downhill on those things was more than a challenge. You can do it, but your work is cut out for you. Think of using your Vise Grips or pliers for everything instead of an appropriate wrench.
Likewise, the A-10 performs well at CAS because that is all it is intended to do. Other aircraft come up short, no matter the training.
The problem is the Air Force wants to play the air to air game all the time. When was the last air to air fight? These seldom occur. Someone will bring up China or Russia, but I do not think they will pose much of an air to air threat. Besides, if you don’t let the pilots fly, as we don’t due to sequestration, they aren’t capable of air to air.
The Air Force pretty much have the long range and short range bombing covered. The fact of the matter is the Air Force has always frowned on the CAS mission but this is the service most in demand.
I am forever puzzled why the Marine Corps did not get a carrier capable version of the A-10 or something like it. I think the Osprey and other VSTOL aircraft have inherit difficulties (expense, maintenance) that a simpler plane could easily fulfill for less.
This guy should be Secretary of Defense. He sounds like Robert McNamara back in 1961.
We ended up building over 5000 F-4 Phantoms.
Typical Air Farce pilot. Let's hear a Marine pilot say the same answer to the question.
I saw the difference between AF and Marine close air support fifty years ago. The mindset could not be more stark. To the AF, it is all about survivability, to the Marines, it is about protecting the grunts.
I heard Frank Gaffney do a show devoted to saying that, if we don’t get the F-35, we’re doomed.
Frank Gaffney is on the take, isn’t he?
Don’t replace the A-10 until there is an A-11.
Go Ugly Early!
Or, ask the boots-on-the-ground guys what aircraft THEY want backing them up:
I had friends who were part of Desert Storm. They swore by the A-10 as a support vehicle....
Frankly, this is why we still need to design and procure specialty aircraft.
Too much f’ng politics in these decisions.
United States Air Force a division of Lockheed Martin.
The Army just needs to adopt A10-style drones. Then the USAF can drop this horrible, horrible tactical mission they’ve been saddled with and obviously want no part of.
The A10 Warthog is to the Mil-Industrial complex (and its revolving door generals and politicians) what aspirin is to big pharma. They despise effective solutions where they don’t profit with billions of our dollars.