tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6034478.post316004046383652159..comments2024-03-28T12:28:13.794-04:00Comments on Doug Ross @ Journal: ANOTHER KEY WEAPON SYSTEM KILLED: A-10 Warthog ISIS-Killer Axed by Uber-Competent Commander-In-ChiefUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6034478.post-63367562321168045892015-01-25T01:14:16.951-05:002015-01-25T01:14:16.951-05:00Dems can buy a lot of votes with that money.Dems can buy a lot of votes with that money.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6034478.post-12771204447160502952015-01-23T22:56:29.884-05:002015-01-23T22:56:29.884-05:00I have a book on the A-10's development. It...I have a book on the A-10's development. It's a wonder of technology, in that it is the best airplane (so far) made for the CAS mission. It is also the only plane ever made for the US military that had its initial production run completed, and no more. Every other airplane made for the US military has either been cancelled early (usually for bad performance), or had additional orders placed.<br /><br />The Air Force hates the CAS mission. That is what is behind the renewed effort to kill the A-10. The CAS mission isn't sexy. No flying at 40,000 feet at high speed turnin-and-burnin against another fighter. The CAS mission is known as air-to-mud in the Air Force. One caveat: those who actually fly the A-10, and understand that ALL aircraft are, either directly or indirectly, supporting the troops on the ground, LOVE the A-10. And of course, the troops on the ground love it, too.<br /><br />They tried to kill it before Operation Desert Storm. But it was so useful, and did so many important missions that it wasn't designed for (scud hunts, SAM suppression, airbase destruction) because the planes that were SUPPOSED to do those mission couldn't take the damage dealt out by the Iraqis, that after that war the USAF general in command stated publicly that the A-10 wasn't going anywhere. They have since upgraded them all to A-10Cs, with full night vision capabilities, a digital cockpit, and advanced HUD (lifted from the F-16). Retiring it now would be stupid. I'd bet my life that the F-35 can't do the CAS mission nearly as well as the A-10. Unfortunately, the USAF wants to bet the lives of a lot of US Army personnel on that, and I believe that's a bad bet.<br /><br />Perhaps the Army will do what was done last time this came up: ask Congress for a relaxing of the moratorium on the Army flying fixed wing aircraft.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com