Posted on Apr 10, 2014
Should the A10 Thunderbolt II be an Army / Marine asset due to the Air Force's plans to drop the platform in 2015?
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<p>As Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced last week, the Air Force plans to retire its A-10 Thunderbolt fleet, a plane built for close air support and long and widely appreciated by ground troops. But the Air Force considers the plane, dubbed the “Warthog,” as a single-mission aircraft at a time when it needs weapons able to conduct multiple missions.</p><p>Air Force leaders have said retiring the A-10 “achieves large savings while preserving multi-role [aircraft].” Of course, the Air Force tried this last year, and was promptly denied by Congress who included legislation in last year’s budget ordering the service not to spend a dollar toward retiring the fleet.</p>
Army
Officers
Marine Corps
Air Force
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 42
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MSgt Scott Gaston
Used to hate refueling A-10s, but with all the redundant systems and the mission of the Aircraft, it will remain necessary in Close-In and Battlefield Assault Missions in support of engaged ground troops. Therefore I think if the Air Force is sending it to the "Bone Yard", it would be better to send it over to both the Marines and the Army...Just may need some Air Force "Zipper Suited Sun Gods" to train them on the Air Frame...;-D)...!
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SSG John Bacon
MSgt Scott Gaston - Nice you have a picture of the 334th FS refueling I was in the 336th at SJAFB in the earaly 90's
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MSgt Scott Gaston
Yeah the F-15s were one of my favorite aircraft to refuel. You call them down into position and they were so stable as if they were parked! Nothing like F-4s that were so eratic, but I'm glad you enjoyed the picture just as much as I loved my job until grounded for my 4th Ear Drum replacement. Stay safe and don't forget to tell your buddies about Cigars For Warriors when they're Forward deployed. We are now up to 16,000 a month of donations shipping into theater. All they have to do is go to cigarsforwarriors.org and fill out a request form and they'll receive them free of charge (we're a 501 (c) 3 1005 non profit. 152 un-paid volunteers, our time our dime!
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You damn right the Army should take it!! It's a flying tank for goodness sake. There was a female Air Force Pilot that flew her A10 back to base during Desert Shield/Storm with half the vertical fin shot off and holes all over the aircraft. That was proof enough for me that this aircraft is BADASS!!!
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SSG John Bacon
I remember that But it was the Port vertical fin was completely gone and 1/4 of the port wing tip was shredded. She said that it didn't make the aircraft handle any different and she landed with out incident.
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I see a movie in the making. Some of you may be aware that the Australian MoD's offering jobs to former US servicemen. So I'm thinking a rogue wing of A-10 drivers led by an unhinged COL along with a zany KC crew should steal their birds and fly them off to down under where they'd get commissions in exchange for handing over the planes to the RAAF. Then, as we've fought alongside the Aussies more so than either the Brits or the Canucks, they can provide the Army and USMC with proper CAS. Think Cannonball Run meets Dr. Strangelove meets Firefox.
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LTC Paul Labrador
LT Martin, had you been in Iraq during the early phases of OIF1, you would have seen the Road Warrior come true..... ;o)
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LTC Paul Labrador
Don't think an A-10 can land or take off from a carrier....kinda precludes them from being a Navy tactical asset....
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MSgt Scott Gaston
Glad to see someone else from Columbia, SC! Its a bad A$$ Aircraft (just ask any Iraqi who may have survived the highway of death as they tried to Un-A$$ Kuwait during DSI)...But then, I hated to see the old SR-71 moth balled as well...Just Saying!
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