As most people here know it is a Turboprop, i.e., a gas turbine powered aircraft. A jet engine with a prop out front, what one might call an "extremely high bypass ratio" fanjet.
Turboprops are efficient, reliable and fast. The Russian TU-95 Bear was a good example of the turboprop exploited to it's utmost.
So the good general is doing his job: he's explaining that sex appeal doesn't always win wars, the right tool for the job does.
And as the U.S. Air Force learned with the A-10, the A4-Skyraider, and other COIN aircraft ( OV-10 Bronco being my favorite ), ugly may be ugly, but it often wins.
I read recently that there is interest in bringing back the OV-10. In the right environments these type of aircraft work out just fine.
Raytheon / Hawker Beechcraft AT-6 Texan II.
Boeing OV-10X Super Bronco
I think an A-10 type aircraft would be invaluable for long term ground operations!
I also wonder why we dont have an airborne missile system for coastal defense against anything, you can put a fairly large missile inside a 747 or DC-10 with an awsome range for standoff capability, and many of those missiles, too
I think something like that off Iran with medium range missiles from the air to defend against small craft would be awsome. :)