McSally hails reports Air Force backing off A-10 retirement

TucsonSentinel.com ^ | Dylan Smith

[SandRat]

The Pentagon "is finally coming to its senses," said U.S. Rep. Martha McSally, welcoming reports Wednesday that the military is backing off plans to retire the Air Force's A-10 fleet, including planes based at Tucson's Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.

The plans, leaked from the Pentagon, indicate a change of policy from the Obama administration's last two budget requests, which called for retiring the entire A-10 program, McSally said. Congressional pressure, including support from McSally and her predecessor, Rep. Ron Barber, kept the planes on active duty.

"It appears the administration is finally coming to its senses and recognizing the importance of A-10s to our troops' lives and national security," the former A-10 pilot said in a news release.

The Pentagon has not yet submitted a 2017 budget request, but insiders are pointing to ongoing deployments of the jets in the campaign against ISIS in Iraq and Syria as factoring into the decision to maintain the program, according to reports.

[MeganC]

This turn-about is a recognition of the fact that the F-35 is a total failure.

[blackdog]

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

[teeman8r]

now if they would only bring back the cool video game...

A-10: Tank Killer

i miss that game.

t

[TalonDJ]

‘Total failure’ is gross hyperbole but it is good that the A-10 is staying around.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

The awesome A-10 video the Air Force doesn't want you to see.. now maybe it's OK to see. :)

[SkyDancer]

They were wanting a sports car to take the place of a pickup truck. Good for keeping the “Hog” ...

[MeganC]

You’re right. The F-35 is not a total failure. It’s succeeded at making a lot of people rich.

[House Atreides]

For those of you who don’t know, McSally was an A-10 pilot in the Air Force before she retired -— if I’m recalling correctly.

[USMCPOP]

Good. Having driven one in the Gulf, I’m sure she knows what the A-10 can do.

[dangerdoc]

I understand why Obama dislikes the A10, just when you think you have a Marine unit pinned down, one of those things come roaring up and kill the followers of allah.

[Gamecock]

***indicate a change of policy from the Obama administration's last two budget requests, which called for retiring the entire A-10 program***

A fleet of A10s is extremely effective against ground forces, like ISIS. Why would we even need such an aircraft?

[SandRat]

It points out that the “Fighter Pilot EGO Mentality” was trying to over rule ground combat reality

[blackdog]

Obama loves the concept of pushbutton, no boots warfare. The media loves it. The enemy loves it. We and our allies die.

Right off an Obama wish list.

[Carry_Okie]

A flying tank is a valuable weapon?

Who knew?

[skimbell]

[skimbell]

We need to find a country that still has a couple of these and reverse engineer a few...

[NonValueAdded]

Such lively editing ... do I take it from the third paragraph that McSally is a former A-10 pilot? or was it Barber? Pronoun reference!

[MeganC]

That made me laugh! Thank you!!! (-:

[MeganC]

I think Iran is the last country to have (somewhat) operational F-14 fighters.