![The story of the A-10 and why the F-35 cannot replace it. [VIDEO]](https://gentlemint-media.s3.amazonaws.com/images/2014/08/25/2326c183.jpg.757x975_q85.jpg)
Pin it! sam_acw, LP, Chet_Manly and 8 others like this
So many reasons why the A10 is one of my absolute favorite planes...if the military lets it go, it will be incredibly unfortunate.
sam_acw, LP, Chet_Manly and 8 others like this
So many reasons why the A10 is one of my absolute favorite planes...if the military lets it go, it will be incredibly unfortunate.
8 comments
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Chet_Manly 9 years, 7 months ago
I completely agree.
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LP 9 years, 7 months ago
These are truly amazing machines. I tip my hat to the men (and women) who designed and fly them.
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Nickolas 9 years, 7 months ago
Great machines. I hope that Chucky Hagle and Barry are gone before they can put it out to the Desert.
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sam_acw 9 years, 7 months ago
Perfectly designed, very much the opposite of the jack of all trades planes the military is moving towards
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Bradleyd16 9 years, 7 months ago
Fully agree. I can definitely see the F-35 as a great replacement for the F-16, and maybe the F-18, however the lack two engines makes me nervous. But I feel that it will feel miserably as an A-10 replacement.
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ahnyerkeester 9 years, 7 months ago
I worked A-10s for 5 years in England. Loved that plane! The problem with the A-10 is that the Air Force never wanted it to begin with. It was developed for close air support, chiefly tank busting in the Fulda Gap in Germany. Air Force brass, I'm told, thought that should be an Army role but congress or the Joint Chiefs wouldn't approve the fixed-wing waiver for the Army so the Air Force got it. They tried to can it when the Cold War ended but that wouldn't fly. They tried to can it just before the first Gulf War but the A-10 shined in Iraq so it got a midlife upgrade.
So back to the "problem" with the A-10. It is a single role, non-nuclear aircraft. As the Air Force gets smaller and leaner, they need increased high tech, multirole aircraft. A-10 doesn't fit the bill even after the midlife upgrade that included a glass cockpit and the (foolish/useless) addition of air-to-air missiles.
The F-35 will eventually be an incredible aircraft. It won't replace the A-10 because the Air Force doesn't WANT to replace the A-10. They want out of that role.
Now I'll go read the article. :)
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Bradleyd16 9 years, 7 months ago
Thanks for the insight! Never heard the Air Force side of not wanting the plane.
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Cobrapilot 9 years, 7 months ago
We are the obvious choice to put the Warthog to its ultimate purpose. This plane practically begs to have United States Marine Corps pilots at the controls. I love ALL of my fellow warriors who actually have volunteered to defend our constitution, but NO ONE does close air support better than the Corps.
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