The Air Farce has been bound and determined to get rid of the Warthog despite it being loved by the Army and Marines. Unfortunately they got Trump on board with it as he gave a speech at Selfridge ANG Base in Michigan where the F-35 will replace the A-10s.
The A-10 needs to be retired. The loiter time is about 2 hours. Reapers can do 24 hours at 1/4 the cost per flight hour. During the rescue, an A-10 was almost shot down, had to ditch in the Gulf. Nice thing about the Reaper is never having to worry about retrieving the pilot from the drink or some godforsaken mountain range. Reapers were credited with zapping any Iranian who came too close, within 2 miles - presumably portable mortar range. Supposedly 64 fighters were involved over 2 days, but at 90 minutes a pop, that’s just 2 fighters overhead at any time. It was the Reapers doing the heavy lifting. Fighters were in anti-SAM mode and maybe also on the prowl for enemy fighters held in reserve that might materialize.
They’ve tried to retire the A-10 for decades..never made sense when you have an aircraft like that which has been proven over and over to be an amazing aircraft. It gets the job done whenever it’s tasked.
The A10 being used in that role reminds me of the modified B25 gunships used during WWII to attack shipping. They actually mounted a 75mm cannon in the nose of that critter…
SeaHog!
Idaho ANG has some of these based at Gowen. They fly over my house all the time.
I can tell they’re A10s without looking, as the engines have a distinctive sound.
“...hunting and killing fast attack watercraft ...”
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Democrats: “Those are just poor fishermen”
Maybe it’s time for an A-11 Quahog.