Well, one of the plusses of the A 10 is two engines and survivability. Most of Ruttans designs border on the weird, tough sell.
Grizz
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It was never even in consideration. The USAF needs about 200 more of two types; the A-10c and the F-22. There is an argument to be made to add 100 or slightly more A-29's, to augment the Reapers, in mixed composition squadrons. The last thing anyone is calling for is a light attack turbojet powered airplane.
For some reason the silk scarf club at the USAF has always hated the A10..
They hate it even though it does the job it was intended to do so very well.
I for one want to see the aircraft maintained in inventory because I have younger cousins who served in the first Gulf war that have a ground pounders appreciation for their capability
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Posts: 4601 | Location: Pennsylvania | Registered: 21 March 2005
Originally posted by Allan DeGroot: For some reason the silk scarf club at the USAF has always hated the A10..
They hate it even though it does the job it was intended to do so very well.
I for one want to see the aircraft maintained in inventory because I have younger cousins who served in the first Gulf war that have a ground pounders appreciation for their capability
The people with brains in the USAF dislike it because it's slow speed makes it VERY vulnerable. It simply can't ingress and egress fast enough. After Desert Storm, I attanded a briefing by one of the generals that prosecuted the air war in DS. He said the A-10 did a great job as long as they didn't send it where it could get shot at. He described how they sent A-10s to a robust battle area and how they got the shit shot out of them, forcing them to change how they employed the A-10.
Posts: 3701 | Location: Oregon | Registered: 27 May 2004
The people with brains in the USAF dislike it because it's slow speed makes it VERY vulnerable. It simply can't ingress and egress fast enough. After Desert Storm, I attanded a briefing by one of the generals that prosecuted the air war in DS. He said the A-10 did a great job as long as they didn't send it where it could get shot at. He described how they sent A-10s to a robust battle area and how they got the shit shot out of them, forcing them to change how they employed the A-10.
I have heard this also but what makes no sense is the strong desire to use Apaches for the same role.
One HUGE advantage of the A-10 for ground troops is its ability to linger on station once air superiority has been achieved. Having air support available 10 minutes sooner can save lives.
