The 1948 Key West Agreement put all fixed-wing combat air with the air force. That's why the Army mostly just has helicopters, and why the mostly-fixed-wing V-22 Osprey is unarmed.
I'm for folding the Air Force back into the Army. Let Army generals decide Air Force careers according to how well they handle air support for the army.
“I’m for folding the Air Force back into the Army. Let Army generals decide Air Force careers according to how well they handle air support for the army.”
Then you are just making a fool of yourself by disregarding the purpose of the Air Force, the success of the Air Force CAS missions, and the Army Chief of Staff’s agreement that the Congress has denied the Air Force and the Army the funds necessary to maintain the A-10 squadrons in service. You keep acting like the Air Force doesn’t want the A-10, which is exactly contrary to the facts. The Air Force and the Army are being forced to sacrifice combat air squadrons they both know are badly needed, because Congress will not fund all that are needed. Before you make any more such foolish comments take note of how the Obama Administration submitted a 2016 proposed Budget to Congress which will be cutting the Department of Defense by another third in the next ten years in adjusted future dollars per population. This means the Air Force is set to lose not only the A-10 squadrons, but they’ll also be losing F-15, F-16, the B-1 bomber fleet, AWACs, air refuelers, and more. The Navy Air Forces will also be losing some of its Navy and Marine Corps squadrons that support the CAS mission. The Army is losing the OV-10 Bronco, AH-64 Apache, and much more. So, stop bad mouthing the Air Force with false and derogatory comments which are ridiculously contrary to reality.
Interesting. I suppose that means "...except for planes on aircraft carriers."
Yep.
An agreement made in another time that has no place in our military structure.
Formed in the demobilization following WWII the newly formed USAF grabbed as much power as it could in a drastically reduced force size.
It was also a time that the newly developed helicopter was viewed as useful only for observation and light medical evac. Kind of similar to beginnings of fixed wing aircraft. A role that the AF was willing to concede to its mother service not envisioning the advances in size, performance, and armaments possible.
The bomber and fighter crowd saw the rotor craft as a sort of flying jeep, too lowly for them.
Technology started significantly changing the game only during the Viet Nam war IIRC.
It’s long past time to re-evaluate and re-assign assests. And because of entrenched power structures within the military that will not voluntariy surrender their ricebowels the change has to come from civilian authority.