In Hagel's words:
For the Air Force, an emphasis on capability over capacity meant that we protected its key modernization programs, including the new bomber, the Joint Strike Fighter, and the new refueling tanker.
We also recommended investing $1 billion in a promising next-generation jet engine technology, which we expect to produce sizeable cost-savings through reduced fuel consumption and lower maintenance needs. This new funding will also help ensure a robust industrial base – itself a national strategic asset.
To fund these investments, the Air Force will reduce the number of tactical air squadrons including the entire A-10 fleet. Retiring the A-10 fleet saves $3.5 billion over five years and accelerates the Air Force’s long-standing modernization plan – which called for replacing the A-10s with the more capable F-35 in the early 2020s.
The “Warthog” is a venerable platform, and this was a tough decision. But the A-10 is a 40-year-old single-purpose airplane originally designed to kill enemy tanks on a Cold War battlefield. It cannot survive or operate effectively where there are more advanced aircraft or air defenses. And as we saw in Iraq and Afghanistan, the advent of precision munitions means that many more types of aircraft can now provide effective close air support, from B-1 bombers to remotely piloted aircraft. And these aircraft can execute more than one mission.
Moreover, the A-10’s age is also making it much more difficult and costly to maintain. Significant savings are only possible through eliminating the entire fleet, because of the fixed cost of maintaining the support apparatus associated with the aircraft. Keeping a smaller number of A-10s would only delay the inevitable while forcing worse trade-offs elsewhere.
In addition to the A-10, the Air Force will also retire the 50-year-old U-2 in favor of the unmanned Global Hawk system. This decision was a close call, as DoD had previously recommended retaining the U-2 over the Global Hawk because of cost issues. But over the last several years, DoD has been able to reduce the Global Hawk’s operating costs. With its greater range and endurance, the Global Hawk makes a better high-altitude reconnaissance platform for the future.
The Air Force will slow the growth in its arsenal of armed unmanned systems that, while effective against insurgents and terrorists, cannot operate in the face of enemy aircraft and modern air defenses. Instead of increasing to a force of 65 around-the-clock combat air patrols of Predator and Reaper aircraft, the Air Force will grow to 55, still a significant increase. Given the continued drawdown in Afghanistan, this level of coverage will be sufficient to meet our requirements, and we would still be able to surge to an unprecedented 71 combat air patrols under this plan. DoD will continue buying the more capable Reapers until we have an all-Reaper fleet.
If sequestration-level cuts are re-imposed in 2016 and beyond, however, the Air Force would need to make far more significant cuts to force structure and modernization. The Air Force would have to retire 80 more aircraft, including the entire KC-10 tanker fleet and the Global Hawk Block 40 fleet, as well as slow down purchases of the Joint Strike Fighter – resulting in 24 fewer F-35s purchased through Fiscal Year 2019 – and sustain ten fewer Predator and Reaper 24-hour combat air patrols. The Air Force would also have to take deep cuts to flying hours, which would prevent a return to adequate readiness levels.
Ping.
One of the best close air anti tank and ground support platforms we have. But we still have bazookas - Right?
Chump change... What is that, maybe 10 new F-35's a year?
Because our soldiers aren’t going to need close air support anymore.
Didn’t Congress already say no?
The zoomies and the bean-counters don’t like the ‘Hog. Nobody asked the troopers.
I think the U-2 is more than 50 years old. Probably less than 60 tho.
The warthog?????? Are they nuts?
The is the most awesomeest plane in existance. I saw one in person in Tucson at an air show, and I was amazed. It seemed to float and spit death
From Mark Levin last night “when the enemy hear an A-10 they immediately wet themselves”
CAS taking a back seat again, because air force boys like their zoomers. They should transfer CAS responsibility to the Army. There won’t be any more of this baloney when that happens, and the money won’t be a problem either.
I thought the U2 was decommissioned a long time ago.
The U2 isn’t 50 years old, those birds were built in the mid 80’s and have about 80% of their airframe life left in them.
In addition, they are much more versatile and can carry a variety of larger payloads that the Global Chicken can’t.
The U2 can divert to a different mission in a matter of minutes, the Global Chicken cannot.
The only advantage to the Global Chicken is endurance...period...it’s rate of climb and time to reach max ceiling are garbage compared to the U2.
What a purely political decision...
•Russian Ships Arrive On Ukraine’s Crimean Coast As Fears Mount Over Russian Invasion In the Region
/johnny
The great state of Michigan is about to lose all of it’s remaining air power.
They’ve been predicting the death of the A-10 since about 10 minutes after the first one deployed, I’ll believe it when I stop seeing them.
I called the office of Senate minority Whip, John Wayne McCornyn and implored him to vote AGAINST the confirmation of Chuckwad Hagel as SecDef on several occasions.
Obviously, Senate Minority Whip, John Wayne McCornyn knew far better than I in this matter and voted to confirm.
Just another damned good reason why I will not be voting to keep John Wayne McCornyn in the Senate.
When the military is gutted like after WW1 the military will go back to practicing with wooden guns and horses instead of tanks.
Could not have done Afghanistan without the A 10.
Maybe that’s the point.