I think they destroyed the tools to make the A-10 several decades ago as part of the strategy to retire it.
“...I think they destroyed the tools to make the A-10 several decades ago as part of the strategy to retire it....”
IF true, they need to identify ALL those that made ^this^ decision and implement Post #6 above post haste. Then retool, to start making em again...better & stronger, then give em to the Marines.
Was it Dem or Repub administration in office when that happened?
How long would it take the Chicoms to reverse engineer a bad copy of it? We should be able to re-engineer a better copy in less time. The 'problem' is they aren't so expensive to make so the builders can't overcharge us as much as on a fancy F35. The mentality of that 'problem' is Hegseth's job to kill. He understands it: sending out bids for prefab bunkers available to deliver within 30,10 and even 3 days. Get effective protection to our deployed troops as quickly as humanly possible. Maybe the next generation could remove the pilot and the associated weight of the pilot protection armor. Have several flown by cabins of humans driving laptops wirelessly linked, loitering at a safe altitude and distance, yet close enough to avoid latency problems.