Posted on 04/28/2016 12:03:53 PM PDT by Stand Watch Listen
Congress to Air Force: You Can't Retire the A-10 Until the F-35 Proves It's Better
Legislators want proof the F-35 can take over the aging tank-killer's job
Congress threw down the gauntlet at the Air Force on Monday, introducing legislation to mandate keeping the A-10 Thunderbolt II—affectionately known as the Warthog—in service until the service can prove the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter can take over its job.
As reported by DefenseNews, Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Mack Thornberry has introduced legislation to forbid the Air Force from retiring the plane. Thornberry's proposed law would prohibit the Air Force from using funds to retire the A-10, and would forbid the service from reducing manning levels for the aircraft. It would further mandate the Air Force keep a minimum of 171 A-10s in active service.
Thornberry's law would keep the A-10 in service until the results of a 2018 competition between the A-10 and F-35A are complete. The two planes will engage in a fly-off, performing various ground support duties, to see which is the most capable in supporting troops on the ground. ..................
(Excerpt) Read more at popularmechanics.com ...
Warthogs rule!
Nothing can fly low and slow and linger over the target like the Warthog. Best ground support plane ever.
Transfer them, plus the pilots, plus all the support structure, to the Army. Just do it.
The A-10 is the “People’s” plane. Hardworking, no frills, effective.
If it ever happens, it will be a long while before it does.
The A-10 just stands apart from any other aircraft ever conceived.
The F-35 is a nice plane in only one category, radar visibility. It is a fine stealth aircraft but once it is seen it is easy to knock out. It is slow, top speed is a third slower than the F-22. It has a very small weapons load out, not even half of the 22 or the 15 for that matter.
The 35 is a compromise aircraft, it is full of compromises because of the reductions in military spending. The US spends about 3/4ths of our spending on transfer payments, or redistribution of wealth. In the 50’s we spent 3/4ths of our spending on defense. The socialists don’t care about defense, they only care about bread and circuses.
It will be dangerous for the infantry if the A-10 is retired. It simply does what no other plane can and it has saved the lives of many.
They should cancel 50 of the F-35’s and order up 500 improved A10’s.
That 30mm gun is the sh!t.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Should apply to everything.
Love the A-10.
An updated A-10 could be good. If it’s even necessary.
We better hope that one of our allies makes a follow on if we aren’t smart enough to do it ourselves.
The one thing no one mentions the sound those twin engines make. They will scare the SH*T out of you so I am told.
The F[racked up] 35 program is being pushed by the manufactures, despite what the “Troops” in the field are saying. It is more of a Air Force aircraft, [high,fast flying air plane] instead of the low down & dirty knife fighting air craft like the A10. When the AF Generals wanted to get rid of the A10, the Marine Corps sounded off that they wanted it, then the AF happened to change their mind/s. Now they have their fancy plane that is NOT worth the scrap value of the materials used to make it.
The 35 is a compromise aircraft, it is full of compromises because of the reductions in military spending. The US spends about 3/4ths of our spending on transfer payments, or redistribution of wealth. In the 50’s we spent 3/4ths of our spending on defense. The socialists don’t care about defense, they only care about bread and circuses.
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I think u make a good BROADER point here. Trump’s first year should launch Constitutional Amendment efforts that enforce the tenth amendment in part by barring the federal government from ALL welfare payments of any kind or nature whatsoever and return that responsibility to the states where that power rightfully should be.
Did you ever see that A-10 some female pilot was flying in Iraq? It was shot to hell...almost like a miracle she got back safe!
The A1E was the best CAS plane of Vietnam . The others were two fast to accurately dump bombs on targets and be able to take fire.
Why not just build more A-10s?
The Russians had a Stormovik return to base heavily shot up.
They counted 600 bullet impacts on it.
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