Even a lot of military folks despise the A-10 because “it’s old”.
Really, does it matter how old the design is if it’s the best design for the particular purpose?
Do hammers need re-designed?
What's their excuse for the KC-135?
You might want to distinguish which “military folks” despise the A10.
The perfumed princes? More than likely.
The maintainers and pilots? Not so much.
Pilots I had a chance to speak with enjoyed it’s maneuverability vs. speed.
And I rather enjoyed my relatively few forays into working the A10.
A classic machine from a mechanic’s perspective. One has to enjoy getting dirty to fully and truly appreciate it.