[null and void]

P.S. So knowing that pilots took longer to train than it did to build an aircraft, could the idea have been to kill the pilot so he couldn't eject and mount up in another jet?

Ummm, yes. Kill people and break things, remember?

[Blood of Tyrants]

P.S. The A-10 is discussed further down the thread. I rember in boot camp my CC telling us forget the crap about the mission of the Navy is to keep the sea lanes open for safe trade. The mission of the Navy and the other branches is to break things and kill people.