[MNJohnnie]

They fought tooth and nail to get rid of a superb CAS aircraft in the low-stall-speed, long-legged, well-protected, and well-armed A-10 to replace it with more F-16s, which had none of those qualities. They've always considered strategic bombing and interdiction to be a much higher priority.

Not actually true. They got rid of an airplane designed to do one thing, shoot the crap out of large Russian armor columns and replaced it with a multi purpose aircraft. And they did it because new technology has been developed for killing armor that are far better at it, and much better able to survive a hostile air envelope the the big slow A-10 with the big gun.

During the 2003 liberation of Iraq 2 F-16s flew to the support of a forward detachment facing an overwhelming attack by a battalion of Republican Guard armor. They each dropped 2 Self forging penetrators bombs and wasted half a battalion of Iraqi armor in about 1 minute. The rest of the battalion promptly soiled themselves, then surrendered. The F-16s could deliver that munition in a most timely fashion, the big slow A-10 couldn't have.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. It ain't broke.

[Portcall24]

The first time that Falcons competed in Gunsmoke at Nellis that blew the others away. What was interesting was that the pilots were LTs and Capts flying against senior Majs and LTCs flying F-4s and A-10s. The difference was the avionics on the F-16s.

[SIDENET]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. It ain't broke

Thank you.

Wow, this thread has really brought out the History Channel generals, hasn't it?