USAF F-35A to replace A-10

[jedi]

Link to a cool pic of the A-10

I left as just a link cause there are bad words in the caption.

http://www.motolobo.com/gallery/d/2361-1/gau8ep6.jpg


A-10 > F-35

 

[IncendiaryGunner]

Honestly, I think it's stupid to replace the A10's. The Air Force says that the F16 is still the best air to air fighter in the world. Yet the Chinese are working on a stealth fighter, and they canceled production of the F22's. From what I have seen, the F35 will never measure up to the F22. Thank are retarded Gumberment. The way things are looking. China is going to pull ahead in the arms race.

F35 & F22 > F16

Although China is working on a stealth fighter, they are nowhere near us in number of fourth and fifth generation fighters, and on that front not so much of a risk.

It really saddens me the F22 is no longer being produced, but they cite monetary reasons when comparing the aircraft to the F35. I still do not like the idea once you put it head to head with russian fighters... but my opinion is not worth my to the air force. I do not know the actual numbers on cost, so maybe they figure putting multiple F35's in the air is better than F22's?

We still have the F22's that we already produced though...

 

[shooter521]

Who was the freaking moron that says this is even a decent trade out for what the old A-10 can do?!

Indeed. Back in the early 1990s, there was talking of replacing the A-10 with an F-16 variant equipped with a 30mm cannon, IRST and FLIR sensors, and a reinforced internal structure. It never went beyond the testing stages, due to issues with the cannon, and the fact that the -16 just couldn't get low and slow enough to do the job. Now they're saying the F-35 Boondoggle can replace both the A-10 *and* the F-16? Gimme a friggin' break.

 

[ocsdor]

I predict that after billions of dollars is spent (wasted) in R&D, the F-35 (pos) will get canceled just like the Comanche helicopter. After all, R&D is easier money for the manufacturers than is actual line production.

 

[thej27]

The only way to successfully replace the A-10 is to design a BIG gun first, THEN strap the wings to it.

 

[jeremy]

The A-10 was developed with Direct input from Tree Top Flyers (CAS) from 3 Major Combat Generations.

 

[Disposable Heart]

Man, who knew that there was so much animosity on something that we cannot fly and have no input on! I was called a moron for liking the F35, wowza! lol

I agree, the A-10 cannot be beat FOR IT'S ROLE. I had an aunt that worked on them during her stint in the Air Force (now works for IBM!). She said that if they remove the cannon for service, they have to put a strut underneath the rear of the aircraft or it will tip backwards!

What I see is the F35 being heavily pushed by it's manufacturer and winning a potental bid. Look at programs, like the ACR and others. Manufacturers of weird military products had news and other crap media outlets (Future Weapons for one) claim it was going to be phased in. Nothing happened.

I see the F35 as a CAS only if we decide to go head to head with a advanced superpower, such as China for example. I am a bit of an aircraft head sometimes, and love studying them. We may not face Russia anytime soon (sorry folks who want to fight Daddy's fight ), but to compare the F35 against Russian aircraft isn't a bad idea, considering that mainline Chinese fighters/bombers are roughly equivalent to Russian designs. It's like being at a gunstore asking about a Glock and saying you need it to protect you from hoodlums, but meanwhile staring at a shady looking guy who is looking at another gun.

For another perspective: Face to face with another superpower will need technology instead of brute force. We need a CAS platform that can do a decent job on ground forces, but can also escape/evade/fight decently against fighters. We are in conflicts against terrorists who do not have aircraft right now, but as resources begin to dwindle, I would imagine future wars being against large, advanced countries, not just faceless terrorist trash.

The F35 isn't the best, but I see alot of push for Multi-role aircraft: One frame, many modules. This would probably be optimum in a fight against someone like China (instead of having a carrier full of differing aircraft, have one type with many mission "modules" and parts compatibility amoung most aircraft on deck). Aircraft like the F-18 was a good example. Is the F18 a great CAS aircraft? No. But it can work if needed.

It's about money/resources in the future. We want to replace aging aircraft with newer designs to combat future enemies, like emerging superpowers that are improving their infrastructure. BUT, we are still mired in conflict that requires an excellent CAS platform (Iraq, Afghanistan, etc...). Notice the date given for "phase out"? Seems awefully far out, potentially after we are "done" (if one can call it that) with Afghanistan but getting towards peak oil and other resource apocolyptic estimated times. We aren't phasing out something for something "better", we are preparing to face other technologically advanced countries like Europe, China, Eurasia, etc...

 

[Leadeye]

Like the old Spad one of the A-10's assets is loiter time. They can hang around for a target of opportunity. A Spad loaded with napalm didn't require real precise guidance to get bad guys either running, or dead.

 

[indyjoe]

One of the coolest things I've ever seen is still when I went to Atterbury with a friend that was in the service to see F-16 and A-10 runs.

The F-16s doing practice bomb runs with some smokey SAMs going up. Meh.

The A-10s coming in and unloading holy hell on the target with their big guns. Oh, yeah. The elephant farts and the target is gone. The coolest pass involved a pilot that got on target FAST. First thing we hear with that pass is supersonic bullets cracking by, with the elephant farts finally making it too us.

I can't imagine how good it would feel to be boots on the ground in some serious crap and hear that sound and watch your enemy get shredded.

Just goes to show, putting wings on a big gun, becomes and ugly thing of beauty.

There are a couple military guns that I want a single shot version of. The A-10 is one of them.

 

[bjames]

They can try as hard as they want but they will never replace the A-10, someone mentioned earlier about the B-52 bomber. It has been retired I believe 4 times and every time a major war comes about the plane comes out of retirement. The same thing will happen with the A-10. I don't see wars coming to an end as long as there are different countries all over the world.

As for the F-22 the United States has enough of them already that they can stop production of them. The F-15 is by far the U.S's best Air asset and the mediocre F-22 pilots can defeat the Ace F-15 pilots in war games almost 10-1.

The F-35 is a joint strike fighter designed for NATO to be used by all NATO countries not just the U.S. It is to replace several of U.S.'s airplanes to mention a few, the A-10, F-16, and Harrier. Supposedly there will be about 3 actual versions of the F-35 so that it can be used by all branches of the military. But then again who really knows? We only know what they want us to know. And that isn't much. Tell me this...

WHO ACTUALLY BELIEVES THE SR-71 BLACKBIRD IS RETIRED?????

Not this Guy!!!

 

[Typhon1390]

I have a big problem with the Air Force's approach to Close Air Support. They seem to be stuck in the notion that fighter jets are adequate to perform the CAS mission when that simply isn't the case. I've heard, and would give at least some credence to, that this idea goes back to WWII when front line fighters were capable CAS platforms, but a lot has changed since then. There's just way too much going on in a single seat multi-role jet yanking and banking low level at 400+ knots to have adequate situational awareness of whats transpiring below. The A-10 has been on the chopping block time and again over the years, but we simply have nothing to replace it. As long as we're looking for these high tech end all be all platforms, we'll be unable to adapt to our hyper flexible asymmetrical enemies.

I was very excited about Navy Special Warfare Command's "Imminent Fury" project in which they intended to outfit expeditionary special ops squadrons with single engine turbro-prop light ground attack aircraft (namely the Embraer Super Tucano) in an effort to bring back a true CAS capability to our operators. Unfortunately the AF and Congress shot this down while it was still in the development phases. I believe we had leased 3 Tucanos, I know I saw one personally at NAS Oceana. AF said this was outside our purview and they were picking it up, but I don't believe they've given it any serious consideration. Now they have weaponized the T-6 Texan II, an aircraft very similar to the Tucano, for the Iraqi Air Force. I'd be happy to see that coming into our arsenal as well, but again, likely no such luck. In my opinion, that type of platform is the way to go, but it's not fun for the fighter mafia to think about and most others just don't get it.

I'll be heading to Navy flight school later this year so my hopes lie there. One thing that gives me hope is that the Navy is prioritizing developing a dedicated special operations aviation capability similar to the Army's TF-160 (Night Stalkers). I'm happy to see the further weaponization of our Seahawks for the time being, but hope someday that they might further expand that capability with something like Imminent Fury. Stealth jets and UAV's are cool and have their place, but they're certainly not the answer to every problem, especially not CAS.

 

[thej27]

I have also read that the OV-10 Bronco may be modernized for CAS. I think it would be interesting to have a tubo prop brought back for CAS. Other countries have successfully used them for COIN operations so why not us. Cost per operational hour is a lot cheaper at a few hundred for a turbo prop compared to many thousands for a jet. Besides how cool would it be to hear stories about the terrorists running scared when they heard the a prop plane flying overhead.

 

[kedie]

Besides how cool would it be to hear stories about the terrorists running scared when they heard the a prop plane flying overhead.

They already are.

 

[kedie]

Double tap.

 

[Yamaha]

nothing wrong with the a10 really.....if this happens, it will truly be a sad day