Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: Reverend Saltine
Other than the venerable B-52, the A-10 is the oldest plane in the inventory.

Nope.

The KC-135 is also older than the A-10.

3 posted on 01/29/2015 7:18:22 AM PST by DuncanWaring (The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]


To: DuncanWaring

As is the C-130, the UH-1 and a few others.


26 posted on 01/29/2015 7:43:34 AM PST by AzSteven ("War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." Jean Dutourd)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies ]

To: DuncanWaring
So true. And among the other controversial opinions in the article:

The U.S. military, with the exceptions of the Sherman Tank and F-16, has almost always chosen quality over quantity.

The original decision to procure the F-16 was as a "low cost fighter" supplement to the F-15 fleet. However that has been overshadowed by 40 years of reality.

In practice, the F-16 has been an outstanding performer far exceeding the original design expectation. It has performed so well it's systems were used to define the avionics and flight control systems baseline requirements of the next generation of fighters, the F-22 and F-35.

The author was also a little harsh regarding the F-111. The TFX concept was ugly and the F-35 is doing nothing to dispel the perception. Robert Strange McNamara masterminded the bad idea, one among his many. However as the 'Vark matured it was the one manned bomber system the soviets feared. They tried to negotiate it's demise during arms limitation talks.

53 posted on 01/29/2015 8:45:12 AM PST by pfflier
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies ]

To: DuncanWaring
The KC-135 is also older than the A-10.

Such is the "expertise" of the author.

67 posted on 01/29/2015 10:00:27 AM PST by Half Vast Conspiracy (!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson