The Hog That Saves the Grunts [A-10s To Be Decommissioned?]

The New York Times ^ | May 27, 2003 | Robert Coram

[Blood of Tyrants]

That is because the P-51 was built for the British, not the Americans. As it was originally built, it was a good aircraft but it didn't have the power or the range wit the U.S. built Allison engines. So the British took the first few P-51's and replaced the underpowered gas guzzler with a powerful, fuel efficient, Rolls Royce Merlin engine and the aircraft went from wheezing old nag to the Mustang.

After that, the Army Air Corps decided that the Mustang just might have a place next to the P-47's and P-38's.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

The Air Force is supposed to be the smartest branch out there

Urban legend.

[LiteKeeper]

And next thing you know they will want to decommission that youngster, the B52.

[skinkinthegrass]

I expect the same thing to happen again. When the Army begins to talk about saving money by replacing some high maintainance cost attack helicopters with low cost A-10s the AF will go Bat Shit Nuts and reconsider.

Perhap this is the fallout from DoD Sec. Rummie reorganizing the Armed Forces...of course, the grunts get killed...the breaucrats get their $$$.

[skinkinthegrass]

I hope so...

[skinkinthegrass]

Same reason the NAVAIR is getting rid of my beloved Tomcat; another big mistake.

No replacement?...an Stealth version of the A-6...was cancelled in 2000...

[Chewbacca]

Just transfer the assets from the USAF to the US Army.

The Marines have their Harriers and helicopters, let the Army have the A-10 and its helicopters.

Leave the high altitude bombing and enemy aircraft supression to the USAF to deal with.

[AbsoluteJustice]

Isn't that the truth.

[AbsoluteJustice]

It is the only aircraft that can go through the AA pounding that it can. I mean this aircraft can essentially lose its shell and still hum.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Perhaps the Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt can be saved from mothballs by the Marine Corps. If they latch onto it the way they did the Harrier jump jet it could save the aircraft from extinction as well as the lives of many US ground troops. It would seem the perfect aircraft for them.

[FRMAG]

The Zoomies have bit by bit set themselves up to be the premier piece in a set piece war. More than once they have agitated to have aircraft taken away from other branches because its "their" role (the Mowhawk and the Caribou come to mind) they freaked when the found out that the Mowhawk could be fitted with machine gun and rocket pods.

The Zoomies do very poorly against the Marine Corps (inventors of the tactic) when it comes to close air support CAS. The are simply whimpy about getting down and dirty with their hi dollar aircraft.

Best move would be to transfer the aircraft to the Marine Corps and the Army allowing them to create a combined school for CAS.

Let the zoomies fly high and dry in the clear blue sky and let the mudfeet protect their own.

For you zoomies out there just consider how many new fitness centers and officer's clubs the shift in funding would create.

[lavaroise]

Nevertheless, strategic bombing, now known as "interdiction bombing," remains the philosophical backbone of the Air Force. Anything involving air support of ground troops is a bitter reminder that the Air Force used to be part of the Army and subordinate to Army commanders. For the white-scarf crowd, nothing is more humiliating than being told that what it does best is support ground troops.

Well, good strategists know that tactical and strategical use of devices can get intermingled. A squadron commander technicaly could call a B52, just as a General could order a single sniper to kill an enemy leader.

By the way, the air force is concerned with everything that flies, including bullets, and with some ground fixtures such as roads and runways. This is called zoning the airspace.

[lavaroise]

A call for help went out, and despite heavy clouds and fog, down the river came two A-10's at an altitude of less than 1,000 feet, spitting out a mix of armor-piercing and explosive bullets at the rate of 3,900 rounds per minute. The Iraqi resistance was obliterated. This was a classic case of "close air support."

Aerial gunships and aerial sniper units should be developed in our precision weapon arsenal.

The Thunderbolt II is not as great as the impossible to beat original Thunderbolt, but it comes close.

[jim_trent]

From what I have read, the P-38 engines had some oil problems at low temperatures. A high percentage of those assigned to northern Europe during the winter were forced down due to engine failure. They did not have the same problem in hotter weather. They were a big success in Africa and the southern Pacific.

[lavaroise]

That is not true. The original Thunderbolt is credited with the only air victory over ground troops. A whole German contingent waved white flags to the P-47 pilots who then landed and basicaly took the grunts prisoners.

It is possible with such resilient flying tanks to win battles against grunts, but the design spirit has to be in the airplane as opposed to nay saying.

[lavaroise]

If the Air Force succeeds in killing the A-10, it will leave a serious gap in America's war-fighting abilities. By itself, air power can't bring about victory. The fate of nations and the course of history is decided by ground troops. The A-10 is the single Air Force aircraft designed to support those troops. For that reason alone, the Air Force should keep the A-10 and build new close support aircraft similar to the Hog, demonstrating its long-term commitment to supporting our men and women in the mud.

That is not true. The original Thunderbolt is credited with the only air victory over ground troops. A whole German contingent waved white flags to the P-47 pilots who then landed and basicaly took the grunts prisoners.

It is possible with such resilient flying tanks to win battles against grunts, but the design spirit has to be in the airplane as opposed to nay saying.

[lavaroise]

This decision will come back to bite the military planners in the form of higher cssualty rates. Idiots.

They already did stupid things, like retire 30 B1-B bombers right after their stellar job as loitering bomb trucks over Afghanistan. B1-Bs go where aircraft carriers cannot go.

[lavaroise]

... and I have a feeling it was because the B1 was used for close air support too....!

[lavaroise]

Nothing beats the 'Hog for taking advantage of air supremacy.

It was designed around the gun, and the gun is designed around the battlefield, hence the 'Hog's effectiveness.

Guns and good sniping are still part of precision weaponry, but gizmo nuts don't want to hear about a good M1 rifle winning the day.

[Maximum Leader]

LOL

An Act of Congress beats an Interservice Agreement every time. It's not a violation of anything (well, sometimes the Constitution) for Congress to change a law.