Army Not Interested in Taking A-10 Warthogs from Air Force

Foxnews ^ | 2/25/15 | Unknown

[Blood of Tyrants]

The U.S. Army has no interest in taking over the Air Force’s fleet of A-10 attack planes, even if it would save the venerable Cold War-era aircraft from the bone yard.

The service’s top civilian, Army Secretary John McHugh, rejected the idea of accepting hand-me-down A-10 Warthogs from the Air Force.

“No chance,” he said during a breakfast meeting with reporters on Wednesday in Washington, D.C. “That’s not even been a topic of casual conversation.”

“With our own aircraft fleet we’re taking some pretty dramatic steps to reconfigure and become more affordable, and the A-10 mission is not something we considered. That’s an Air Force mission as it should be and I’m sure the Air Force feels the same way,” McHugh said.

[Drew68]

They have been re-winging a few A-10s as well as updating their cockpits.

So we spend $1.1 billion to extend the A-10s' service life out to 2040 and now we're going to scrap them?

Typical military waste.

[sten]

Agreed. That’s what drone tech will evolve into

[Sequoyah101]

Every single A-10 flying is now a C model. Totally remanufactured and upgraded within the last few years.

We argue to try to keep airplanes that are nearly new and paid for while the Russians are increasing the number and upgrading their similar but less capable counterpart.

[elcid1970]

Looked it up; in the Johnson-McConnell Agreement of 1966 the Army gave up its tactical airlift aircraft to the Air Force in return for a near monopoly on helicopters.

This was made between the Army & Air Force Chiefs of Staff.

I suppose one solution would be to transfer the A-10s to the Marine Corps & assign it a mission to provide CAS to the Army upon request. It’s a fine & proven aircraft that should not be lost from our warfighting capabilities.