A-10 done?

[jamieooh]

The A-10 will likely see its last flight sooner than planned if sequestration continues, the chief of US Air Combat Command said today.

The Air Force will be forced to look at cutting single-mission aircraft under continuing budget cuts because more savings will be realized by ending the full weapon system, including infrastructure and training, as opposed to cutting just squadrons. With the F-35 coming online to take over the close-air support role, the venerable Thunderbolt II will be a likely target, Gen. Mike Hostage told reporters at the Air Force Association's Air and Space Conference.

“This is not something I want to do,” Hostage said, explaining that no decisions had been made.

Hostage said he had already talked to Army officials about losing the A-10 and using other jets to take over the close-air support role. The Army was “not happy” about the possibility, Hostage said.

“I will not lose what we have gained in how we learned to support the Army,” Hostage said. “I had to make sure the Army understood that I am not backing away from the mission.”

Hostage said the service can do the close-air support role with the F-35, but it would be more expensive and “not as impressive” without the famous GAU-8 Avenger 30 millimeter gun.

“In a perfect world, I would have 1,000 A-10s,” Hostage said. “I can’t afford it. I can’t afford the fleet I have now. If I cut the fleet in half, do I save enough to get through this problem?

“My view is, while I don’t want to do it, I would rather lose the entire fleet and save everything I do in the infrastructure.”

Hostage’s comments follow similar statements from both acting Secretary of the Air Force Eric Fanning and Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh that single-mission aircraft would need to be cut if budgets continue to decrease.

“If we go into [fiscal year 2014] with sequestration still in effect, and we need to achieve those savings, you have to look at cuts,” Fanning said Monday. “You can’t get your money out of installations because they won’t support [base realignment and closure]. You can’t get money out of people fast enough. It takes about a year to get savings out of people."
http://www.defensenews.com/article/20130917/DEFREG02/309170032/USAF-General-10-Fleet-Likely-Done-Sequestration-Continues

[serpa6]

Bring the army air corp back and give it to them i am sure they can find the money to support such a vital asset.

[Towedjumper]

Bring the army air corp back and give it to them i am sure they can find the money to support such a vital asset.

Yeah, no joke. I don't like the statement about the F-35's cannon not being as impressive as the GAU-8, as if thats what people really love about the A-10. Those that don't know, mebbe, but crew protection, loiter time, bomb truck status, weapons delivery, etc etc is really the A-10's strenth. THe F-35 is not that platform. Find some titanium armor and redundant systems then come back and we'll talk. Jackasses never know when they have a good thing going and for some damn reason they keep trying to kill this platform.

[MadeInRu]

Yeah, no joke. I don't like the statement about the F-35's cannon not being as impressive as the GAU-8, as if thats what people really love about the A-10. Those that don't know, mebbe, but crew protection, loiter time, bomb truck status, weapons delivery, etc etc is really the A-10's strenth. THe F-35 is not that platform. Find some titanium armor and redundant systems then come back and we'll talk. Jackasses never know when they have a good thing going and for some damn reason they keep trying to kill this platform.

I remember reading somewhere that A-10 was build on the short note as an answer to Russian tanks on the eastern boarder in case of war. As such, it was largely made from the parts already available on the market. So he ended up being not so profitable for large corporations and sort of black sheep for all senators. If i'm correct, whenever there was a discussion about its upgrades, it was always difficult to pull it thru the senate.

And yes, I agree, F-35 is in no way a good replacement for A-10.

[serpa6]

I remember reading somewhere that A-10 was build on the short note as an answer to Russian tanks on the eastern boarder in case of war. As such, it was largely made from the parts already available on the market. So he ended up being not so profitable for large corporations and sort of black sheep for all senators. If i'm correct, whenever there was a discussion about its upgrades, it was always difficult to pull it thru the senate.

And yes, I agree, F-35 is in no way a good replacement for A-10.
The need for a CAS plane was badly needed after the vietnam war Yes its original intention was to fight off an attack in Europe in case of russian attack what they came up with was the A-10 it was almost scrapped just before the Persian gulf where it proved its worth I had seen an article about bringing the a-10 procduction line up and running again But the cost of retooling would have been to much to bring the plane back in production
I had seen a video the other day about the A10 on the test range I had made a comment about how they where testing a new helmet that lines the plane up when rockets and the gau 8 is in use to make it more accurate the pilot just looks and the computer takes the plane lines it up and the pilot pulls the trigger I do not thing the hog is going anywhere soon They where talking about cost of sending a f35 on a cas mission what would cost with the total package carrying out the mission Then they talked about the A-10 in the same mission
The a10 came out on top with less fuel consumption and more loiter time for the buck When they start talking like that I dont think the a-10 is going anywhere soon espicially with our military forces haveing to do more with less

[Bigfoot13]

There goes the neighborhood

[jamieooh]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/05/06/veterans-defend-warthog-as-pentagon-looks-for-replacement-amid-cuts-report-says/?intcmp=latestnews
Maybe not.

[serpa6]

I read a story today there might be grim news for the f35 if it keeps running over budget, they might cut the production of the aircraft like the f-22.
Good news and bad news Good news, this is just what the a-10 needs to stay alive!!

[gutro]

I don't see the F-35 as a solid CAS bird. IT's the bread and butter of the A-10 and in my mind, nothing does it better. I see the F-35 in more of a multi role with Air-to-Air Defence and planned ground targeting. I don't see the F-35 taking the fight to the front line and getting down and dirty the way the A-10 does. The A-10 is a street fighter while the F-35 is a professional boxer. A pro Boxer can't fight the same or as effective as the street fighter.

[jamieooh]

I agree with you gutro.
I would be hesitant to send a jet with a price tag that high down near the ground to do it's fighting.
Unless it was in an emergency situation.

[serpa6]

I agree with you both and said that since they put out the plans for the f35 and what its roll will be in future combat missions There is no way that the f35 could cover a SAR mission or a CAS mission as good as the A-10 I doubt very much the A-10 is going anywhere. If it does go anywhere its back to the factory for more upgrades and refits to make it last. Think about this What happened to the F15 Its mission should have been long over by like 14 yrs ago what do they do they Make the F15 e now its going no where The Navy and its F-14 tomcats that was a different story the They did convert it to a CAS plane but the air Frames where getting weak and they had a great CAS and CAP plane already the F-18 But also think about this The navys I think the AB 6 B the converted Intruder to wild weasel and counter measure's plane How long did they last F-18 Wild Weasel missions are just getting off the ground within the past couple of years Think about it A-10 is going no where

[Clodius]

As a child of the Cold War, and saw service during it, I can appreciate the numbers facing us in a NATO/WP confrontation. The Soviets alone had a total of 50,000 tanks, with 19,000 of those based in European Russia. Our primary platoon level AT weapon was the 84mm Carl Gustav. Needless to say in a ground to ground hardware exchange we'd have been steam rollered. If there is one lesson from WWII it is the Germans built superior tanks but that doesn't matter when confronted with numbers. NATO needed to offset those numbers, ergo hardware like the A10. That time has long past and now we're in the era of COIN. The A10 requires an airstrip, and a lot of resources to keep them going. From 2015 to 2019 it will cost USAF almost 4 billion to maintain its fleet of A10's. In this day and age isn't it better to ask why is Delta Force only about 700 strong? Why is our fleet of AC130's over stretched and so small? Why do we not have a replacement for it? The A10 is and always will be awesome but it's time to move on. Just my opinion.

[louielopez]

It's all about the most cost efficient way to do the job. Nothing out there handles the role of the A-10. It may not be perfect for the total CAS role, but it's pretty perfect. The F-35 is so damn expensive, will also require tons of resources for support and maintenance, so, what is best? It's an awful risky role for the expensive and vulnerable F-35. Along the lines of losing one F-117 or B-2. We can't afford much of that. The questions are a long way from being fully answered, and the role has GOT to be filled.