Posted on 11/21/2017 5:34:40 AM PST by w1n1
It’s a stupid idea because one of the Air Force’s most frequent criticisms of the A-10 is it isn’t a “fast-mover,” i.e., it’s not supersonic-capable. As yet there are no supersonic prop jobs, and I don’t expect to see one in my lifetime.
Bottom line, the A-10 is the most nearly perfect weapon system the world has seen since the Roman gladius. It’s robustness, maneuverability, maintainability, survivability, lethality and combat effectiveness all are the stuff of legend. The only people (with a minimum of two surviving brain cells) who think it needs wholesale replacement are in the military-industrial complex and stand to make billion$ in the deal. The most logical alternative is to make systems upgrades as technology arises to support them while remaining as close to the original design as possible. But that’s never going to yield the sort of gross profits that scrapping the a/c and creating its replacement from whole cloth would.
Unfortunately, you can only use the F-18 Bayonet once, because as soon as you launch it, the thrust burns your fingers (and face) off, never to be seen again.
Hope he doesn’t fall Down!
Predator “B” costs?
Let me check.
$4,700 per flight hour.
Also, when you are fighting in an environment where you cannot let your pilots be shot down and captured it only makes sense to have a two engine aircraft to protect against the ‘Golden BB”.
How good is the plane’s material at limiting damage from a RPG strike? How many small and heavy weapons hits can it take before it becomes unflyable?
The A-10 looks good now, but that is because of many years of expensive improvements.
I was on the original OT&E team at Nellis Range 63 when the first versions started flying. The first time the gun was fired, the pilot had to declare an IFE due to the canopy being so fouled as to have lost all forward visibility *and* an engine out due to gas ingestion.
It is hell on siting tanks. Moving, not so much.
IOW - the A-10 you see today is only remotely like the first production models.
Would a cheaper, lighter aircraft with a 20 or 30 MM chain gun in an underbody pod work? Bradley's brewed up T90s with a chain gun, so, yes, I believe they would.
For now & for the same dough, you could build/fly 5x or even 10x as many aircraft - literally swarming a target...
http://taskandpurpose.com/a-10-warthog-fighter-replacement/
BTW - the A-10 Thunderbolt costs just $11,000 an hour to fly. Oh, plus ammo.
Remember this competitor?
Very interesting...
Thanks.
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