[Pollster1]

I have not see a proposed aircraft that provides close air support as well as the A-10 does. If I was SecDef, I would ask people to explain why we should by an airplane for that mission that is anything other than a new-construction A-10 built to the old plans. In the absence of justification for buying something new, I would short-circuit the bloated procurement process and request the purchase of 80-100 Warthogs. That part of the Air Force exists to support our ground forces, not as some sort of jobs program for crony capitalists in key congressional districts.

[BwanaNdege]

Exactly!

Air Superiority and Close Air Support are two entirely different missions. The Air Force tolerates the CAS mission to keep the Army & Marines off their backs.

Thankfully, the Marines have our own CAS, plus the Navy doesn’t do too bad a job of providing CAS either.

The Air Force needs to turn the A-10s and their CAS role over to the Army and Marines. Then the Air Force can go play in their “wild, blue yonder” with their Mach-Gazillion fighters. Let them ensure Air Superiority over the battlefield.

[skinkinthegrass]

unfortunately, that would take bravery, integrity and broad
knowledge of real combat (not Congre$$ional @$-ki$$ing) to
bring useful/tried aircraft back into production..something not
apparent in negotiations
buy them for troops, not corrupt Congressional staffers.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

That part of the Air Force exists to support our ground forces,

Which is why they should take it from the Air Force and give it to the Army.

The USAF likes fighters, they tolerate bombers, they never have liked being close air support.

[tanknetter]

I would short-circuit the bloated procurement process and request the purchase of 80-100 Warthogs

Completely unnecessary.

The A-10C upgrade has all the capabilities it needs for all aspects of its CAS mission, plus many other missions as well.

With the new wings, the aircraft is essentially zero-timed from a fatigue standpoint. And if necessary a huge chunk of the original A-10 production run is sealed up nice and tight in long-term storage/mothballs at AMARG/Davis-Monthan.