What’s going to replace its function as the greatest ground support/tank killer ever? And the geniuses are going to retire it just as war with China and Russia is on the horizon for the 2027 timeframe. SMH!
“What’s going to replace its function as the greatest ground support/tank killer ever? And the geniuses are going to retire it just as war with China and Russia is on the horizon for the 2027 timeframe. SMH!””
I love the warthog. But I don’t see how it survives in a near-peer battlespace. It’s pretty much a sitting duck for even moderately advanced air to ground systems.
I don’t know what will replace its CAS function. But it cannot perform CAS in contested airspaces. And that’s what we will have should we have troops engaged with China or Russia.
One has to wonder if those old Warthogs will be coming out of retirement eventually.
I’m generally skeptical about drone technology, but watching the vehicle kills that drones are making in Ukraine, I’d say that the anti-armor role of the A-10 will largely be taken by drones.
“What’s going to replace its function as the greatest ground support/tank killer ever?”
The F-35 with precision munitions...and drones.
The A-10 today would not survive 2 minutes on a modern battlefield.
They would be decimated in a massive scale armor war. The air defenses are too good. And, the same thing could be accomplished with drone swarms at a significant cost savings.
Drones.
Lots and lots and lots of drones.
Too bad the Air Force doesn't like flying slow, low, or close to combat.
Too bad we have the artificial and unnecessary ban on fixed wing aircraft for the Army.
Too bad there isn't a carrier capable A-10 equivalent for the Navy and Marines.
Too bad the last thing jihadis see looking up will no longer be a Cross in the sky.
So sad to lose the ugliest most beautiful aircraft ever.
The plan was the F-35, but not sure that is working out as intended.
“What’s going to replace its function as the greatest ground support/tank killer ever?”
In Gulf War One, the F-111Fs destroyed more tanks than the A-10s. Or so I was told by a guy who worked on the post-war analysis. A laser-guided 500 pound bomb worked better than 30mm.
Given modern targeting pods and modern bombs, you can get BETTER close air support from higher altitude and guided weapons than from the A-10 going in low. I suspect drones will change things even more.