Posted on 05/27/2017 6:25:58 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Air Force leaders have reversed an Obama administration decision on the A-10 attack plane known as the Warthog.
The previous administration had decided to retire the aircraft, viewing it as an unaffordable extra in what had been a time of tight budgets.
Three years ago the Pentagon proposed scrapping the Warthog fleet as a way of saving $3.5 billion. Congress rejected that idea. Each of the next two years the military tried again, putting off the Warthog's retirement a bit further in the future each time....
(Excerpt) Read more at usnews.com ...
They do hate the Warthog, and they hate the AC-130H Spectre.
Years ago I read about al Qaeda in Afghanistan running out of their caves to moon our forces when we were shelling them (was told Brave Heart was one of al Qaeda’s favorite movies). They made the mistake once too often and Spectre unloaded on them before the could reach cover of cave. Wipe out.
Chafe and flares help. Both equipped.
That’s what the sole purpose for all those F-XX jocks are for .... running interference for the real close ground support .... Low and Slow and punishing as Hell!
Interesting interpretation: Our previous Muslim administration would likely do exactly that. Void a weapon that is effective against the Muslims.
I’m an Air Force veteran, and the USAF rules above 10,000 feet. Between 5,000 feet and 10,000 feet the USAF is very, very good. From 2,500 feet to 5,000 feet the USAF is still pretty good. But from the deck to 2,500 feet the USMC jockeys are hard to beat.
Long live the Warthog!
CAS is a core mission in Marine Aviation, they train very hard at it and take pride in it.. They are also very good at it.
The A-10 was designed to be effective flying into the teeth of the Warsaw Pact.
It can lose a lot of parts and return home.
One reason the army has attack helicopters. Fighter pilots make movies. Bomber pilots make history.
Veruca Salt
Cool!
And it can deliver a very accurate beating
I was thinking exactly the same thing. That plane was designed precisely for that kind of armor.
I have seen a photo of an A-10 which had an engine shot full of holes but then most twin engines military planes can make it back with one engine.
An Israeli F-15 was able to make it back to base without a wing. Yes the wing was missing on one side.
I have also seen a report of one being shot down by a hand held surface to air missile.
I like them and they definitely have their uses but they are not invulnerable.
Exactly what we've been fighting for the last 40 years
Navy or Marine. It was designed as a Navy aircraft, but early problems and squeamishness of navy brass relegated it to the Corps initially until they worked out carrier ops.
I envision the future of the A-10 as being the leader of a drone “wing” team. That is, the drones, either generic or specialized, tag along, and the A-10 pilot can designate a particular drone to attack an assigned target.
Once directed at a target, it would use a combination of its own targeting, the A-10 pilot modifying its directions, and remote drone pilots as they operate right now.
And while this is going on, the A-10 pilot can also do his own mischief.
Change the law that relegates fixed wing aircraft to the Air Force. Let the US Army fly them and they will suddenly become the greatest thing since sliced bread.
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