Posted on Feb 28, 2025
Air Force Names OA-1K Skyraider II as New Aircraft Prepares to Come Online
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Interesting aircraft. I wonder if the USAF is still hell bent on axing the A-10?
Air Force Names OA-1K Skyraider II as New Aircraft Prepares to Come Online
Posted from airandspaceforces.comPosted in these groups: 
A-10
Close Air Support (CAS)
A-10 Close Air Support (CAS)
Posted 10 mo ago
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From the article, this aircraft doesn't seem to be a replacement for the A-10. I'm also not sure that a reconnaissance manned platform is necessary when the force has a battle tested inventory of unmanned assets
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Maj Robert Thornton
I hope not CSM Chuck Stafford. But it does have an OA designation, Observation and Attack.
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The USAF has been talking about axing the A-10 since 1982.
Mostly because they want to move away from any single role combat aircraft in favor of multi-role F/A or E/A, etc.
But the A-10 is unmatched in ground attack capability, loiter time, survivability, everything that close air support is..
That said, the USAF sent 39 more to the boneyard in the last year.
Mostly because they want to move away from any single role combat aircraft in favor of multi-role F/A or E/A, etc.
But the A-10 is unmatched in ground attack capability, loiter time, survivability, everything that close air support is..
That said, the USAF sent 39 more to the boneyard in the last year.
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CPT Lawrence Cable
Unmatched in a low threat environment. The Air Force had concerns about its survivability even back during the Cold War and the A10 is an expensive air frame to do the job originally meant for an OV10 Bronco. The Soviets had extensive and layered AA defenses that were taking a toll in Vietnam, even the original A1 Skyraider took a beating, and we expected Europe to be worse.
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MSG Thomas Currie
We have spent the last four decades fighting in an essentially zero air threat environment, I doubt any of the services are fully ready for what "Close Air Support" would mean against a peer or near-peer opponent.
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SGM Jeff Mccloud
MSG Thomas Currie - We spent the most recent two decades where we still couldn't get CAS unless the area, and ingress and egress, had zero MANPAD threat...
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