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Could This Airplane Replace the A-10 Warthog? (Textron Scorpion)
The Motley Fool ^ | March 15, 2015 | Rich Smith

Posted on 03/15/2015 5:15:56 PM PDT by EveningStar

After more than four decades in service, the A-10 Warthog is due for a replacement. So says the U.S. Air Combat Command.

What's more, ACC says it's already "thinking about" fielding such a replacement. But what might that replacement be?

Last week, we got a clue. As reported by Reuters, the Air Force has recently begun evaluating Textron's Scorpion fighter jet as a potential 21st-century replacement for the 20th-century Warthog.

(Excerpt) Read more at fool.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: a10; a10warthog; aerospace; aviation; gouglyearly; motleyfool; nyse; scorpion; textron; textronscorpion; themotleyfool; warthog
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To: EveningStar

Looks like a Canadian Snowbird (CT-114 Tutor) with a V-Tail. Another ballerina aircraft for airshows. Nothing whatsoever like a Hog.


61 posted on 03/15/2015 8:09:07 PM PDT by steve86 (Prophecies of Maelmhaedhoc OÂ’Morgair (Latin form: Malachy))
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To: EveningStar
I am probably missing something but can't the F-16 and other FAs do what proponents claim that the Scorpion can do better than the A10?

The advantage of the A10 is its close in support, loitering capability and survivability.

62 posted on 03/15/2015 8:19:10 PM PDT by dhs12345
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To: norton

The F-5 still looks sexy compare to this pudgy thing. A hell of a lot faster, too.


63 posted on 03/15/2015 8:22:53 PM PDT by USNBandit (sarcasm engaged at all times)
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To: EveningStar

I get a couple Air Force magazines and they say they’ve run the numbers and the A10 isn’t survivable. But for the foreseeable future the A10 would be employed mostly to kill Jihadi armies and I don’t believe we’ve lost a single one.

There is just something weird about the Air Force fetish for replacing the A10 with the F35.


64 posted on 03/15/2015 8:27:09 PM PDT by DaxtonBrown (http://www.futurnamics.com/reid.php)
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To: Taxman

That’s right but your range will be diminished to a great degree.I don’t know what the range is clean.


65 posted on 03/15/2015 8:41:18 PM PDT by HANG THE EXPENSE (Life's tough.It's tougher when you're stupid.)
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To: EveningStar

It may be a good jet for some missions.

It can’t replace the A-10.


66 posted on 03/15/2015 8:44:37 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: EveningStar

They don’t call it motley FOOL for nothing. Just a promo of a piss poor plane. That thing couldn’t get out of its own way. Tell the sob’s who are promoting it to go down in the mud with a bunch of rag heads with golden bb’s and see how long they last... You go first meat heads.

The flying A-10 fleet is essentially new having been rebuilt in just the last few years. Considering to retire it is just stupid... there is a payoff going on some where to get someone to require a replacement. Bank on it.

This is the most corrupt country on the planet. US politicians and bureaucrats are not even up front about being dishonest. The nigerians at least admit it.


67 posted on 03/15/2015 8:57:32 PM PDT by Sequoyah101
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To: EveningStar

The Scorpion looks like a F/A-18 and F-111 hybrid. Why not just keep the A-10 and build a couple hundred more of them?


68 posted on 03/15/2015 8:59:09 PM PDT by CivilWarBrewing
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To: EveningStar

I have the “Shoot to Thrill” video.

I have no download account. If somebody wants it I will send it to your mail.


69 posted on 03/15/2015 9:03:05 PM PDT by eyedigress
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To: Blood of Tyrants
Looking at it, I'd say not. Used to be an F-111D crewchief, and was a photographer doing some of the operational testing of the A-10, and especially the GAU-8 gun system.

It's not designed to be as powerful or survivable as the A-10, apparently, just cheaper to operate and replace.

Old Student
WRM, MSgt, USAF(ret.)

70 posted on 03/15/2015 9:40:44 PM PDT by Old Student (Do NOT make me get out the torches and pitchforks...)
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To: DaxtonBrown

“There is just something weird about the Air Force fetish for replacing the A10 with the F35.”

No, it’s perfectly understandable if you know that the generals commanding the USAF are mostly fighter pilots, and they look down on “trash-haulers” and other non-figher pilots. “There are two kinds of aircraft: fighters and targets.”

Honestly, what would probably make the most sense would be to cross-deck the A-10’s to the Army and Marine Corps, and let the USAF have their toys. At least that way ground pounders would know they had the support they needed.

My personal favorite of the Vietnam era, which I enlisted during, was the F-4. “World’s Largest Distributor of MIG Parts.” It was sexy. ;) Unfortunately, I wound up working on Arvaarks. Waddles like a duck. A group of them taxiing was called a baby elephant walk.

But I’m not a fighter pilot, just a crew chief, photographer, and SATCOM, and I know it take ALL kinds folks to make a war work out the way we want it to.

Old Student
WRM, MSgt, USAF(Ret.)


71 posted on 03/15/2015 9:55:32 PM PDT by Old Student (Do NOT make me get out the torches and pitchforks...)
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To: Jack Hydrazine

Big fan of Burt Rutan. He, John Madden, Ozzie Smith,
Weird Al Yankovic, Chuck Liddell, Mike Krukow, and
I all have this in common. ....our batchelor degrees
all came from the same nationally unknown college.
Of the group I am the one NOT found at Wikipedia.
I am found only at FR.


72 posted on 03/15/2015 10:32:42 PM PDT by Sivad (NorCal red turf ;-))
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To: EveningStar
With what money? Budget cuts and then Sequestration on top of that has decimated the military. The Air Force included.

Or, hasn't anyone been paying attention to this?

73 posted on 03/16/2015 2:58:15 AM PDT by SkyPilot ("I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6)
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To: EveningStar

Textron paper airplane POS

KEEP THE BEAST ! It terrifies our enemies


74 posted on 03/16/2015 3:09:26 AM PDT by LeoWindhorse
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To: Taxman

If no. 1 is true then what does that say about the “War on Women”?


75 posted on 03/16/2015 3:35:50 AM PDT by equaviator (There's nothing like the universe to bring you down to earth.)
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To: MediaMole

How old are most B52’s?
But they have been retrofitted and can continue to fly forever
Warthogs are great at doing away with tanks and ground troop protection or decimation.


76 posted on 03/16/2015 3:55:07 AM PDT by Joe Boucher ( Obammy is a lie)
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The new Tigershark


77 posted on 03/16/2015 3:58:43 AM PDT by KneelBeforeZod (I have five dollars for each of you)
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To: DaxtonBrown

“There is just something weird about the Air Force fetish for replacing the A10 with the F35.”

That’s the same red flag that went up for me. I imagine that those who are hot for the F-35 and want it “by any means necessary” can’t live without having to purchase the latest versions of every appliance, electronic instrument and component for their own homes and offices.


78 posted on 03/16/2015 4:05:20 AM PDT by equaviator (There's nothing like the universe to bring you down to earth.)
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To: bobby.223
First, nothing can “replace” the Hog. ;-)

This jet is a pretty aircraft but its payload is half of the A-10 and it doesn't have the 30MM like the A-10, and let's not forget the A-10 gun gives the Hog the capability for multiple and multiple passes, thereby affecting the battlefield and it also gives the aircraft versatility (can kill anything).

No mention of redundant flight control systems nor any mention of cockpit protection (titanium “bathtub”).

Said it can fly faster. “Speed is life” is important in the A/A arena, but for CAS this is not necessarily a good thing.

One must be able to fly in, see the tgt, aim accurately, pickle/pull the trigger and turn away from the frag pattern (or avoid over-flying the tgt/bad guys). Faster speeds mean you travel more distance once you see the tgt anmd this brings you closer to the threat. Of course, from medium to high altitude, speed doesn't affect this capability as much but it still requires the pilot to fly wider turns to keep eyes on tgt or to fly at a sustained (tiring) higher-G to stay close to the tgt to keep eyes on tgt.

Has a slower stall speed, great, but that is the wrong measure. Basically, stall speed is the slowest speed you can fly before falling out of the sky. Who the heck flies into combat at stall speed? It is maneuvering speed, “corner velocity,” who has the quickest, tightest turn and the ability to maintain that energy state. This “replacement” may be slower but at near stall speed your turn is slower and your radius is large.

Pretty tinker-toy jet. . .not an A-10 replacement.

Just IMHO. . .

79 posted on 03/16/2015 4:27:28 AM PDT by Hulka
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To: Iron Munro
Because of budget pressures, it is about the Air Force deciding on a multi-mission aircraft as opposed to a single-mission aircraft.

Accountants are driving the decision-makers, not fighter pilots or warriors.

80 posted on 03/16/2015 4:30:21 AM PDT by Hulka
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