I’ve been wondering when this option would be put on the table.
Of note: “Overall, the Pentagon is planning to procure 2,457 aircraft by 2038. Total acquisition costs are estimated at over $400 billion making it the U.S. military’s most expensive acquisition program. Operation and support costs throughout the aircraft’s lifetime are estimated at over a $1 trillion.”
Are we MAYBE getting serious about rebuilding our eroded capabilities? This is only “expensive” in green eyeshade world. Freedom is priceless and needs to be the country’s top budget priority.
How about a couple of hundred A-10 Warthogs?
Using technological updates, this airframe design could be flying yet in 2050. Its value as a close air support for ground troops, its airworthiness, even after sustaining what would be catastrophic damage in most other designs, its capability to take out medium or even relatively heavy armor, its capability to operate from forward bases even with primitive servicing facilities, or to take off and land on rough airfields.
Coming in at treetop level at about 350 mph, and launch an air-to-surface missile at a target more than 4 miles away, circle back, and make another run. This has to shake up the morale of the enemy troops, especially if they see their entire support and supply convoy being destroyed around them.
A large part of warfare is to intimidate the enemy into surrender or flight. They run far enough, they won’t counterattack. They might even die tired.