Some of the very greatest planes just keep on keepin on.
Posted on 11/17/2010 11:39:35 PM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
The US military has deployed an upgraded A-10 Thunderbolt II ground attack aircraft to its base in South Korea.
The new aircraft was deployed at the US air base in Osan near the South Korean capital Seoul late last month, the Korean news agency Yonhap reported Tuesday quoting a statement from the US Forces Korea (USFK).
With this deployment, the 25th Fighter Squadron of the USFK has received its last batch of A-10C aircraft with “improved precision strike capability”, the statement said.
The A-10 Thunderbolt is a twin-engine combat aircraft used to provide close-air support to ground forces and employs a wide variety of conventional munitions, including general-purpose bombs.
(Excerpt) Read more at brahmand.com ...
Well, Europe and Korea was exactly the theater of ops Fairchild had in mind when they designed this winged beast.
I agree
Thanks!
Excellent! It’s funny when you think about just how many times the A-10’s death has been reported.
Thread bump.
Some of the very greatest planes just keep on keepin on.
I think the A-10 presents a truly unique opportunity for some entrepreneur. Were they in production today, fully military equipped they would run about $15-20m each. But as a basic aircraft, without their advanced electronic gear, but still flyable, they could probably be produced, and warehoused, for about $10m a copy.
Just plug in the latest technology, and they would be good to go. Fully operational and in theater in less than a month.
Once the aircraft were in storage, just continue to update the plans for the modular high tech components, which could be produced relatively quickly.
Imagine how much money could be made if, just before the start of a major ground conflict, a company announced that it had 50, brand new A-10s that could be delivered in a few weeks.
I always have a hard time understanding how there isn't a role for such aircraft today.
they were flown a lot in Iraq. They are all gun with a couple of wings. I get GUN ENVY everytime I see one.
Obviously you never went to business school.
I do know that there are at least a dozen friendly countries who would right now pay through the nose for any A-10s they could get their hands on. If a company could make them for around $20m, fully operational, they could easily flog as many as they made for $50m a pop.
If anything, the idea of warehousing them is the quaint part. Though the USAF has a love-hate thing going with them, if nothing else they would pay through the nose for spare parts.
The total market is probably in excess of 500 aircraft, right now. If there is a major conflict, that could increase again by half.
Thanks. I was actually referring to the photo of the A1 Skyraider and why with it's long loiter time, rugged frame and versatile payload there isn't a modern role for it.
Ping
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