What's new
British Ordnance Collectors Network

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Say goodbye to the best of the best....

V40

V40

Well-Known Member
Well, say goodbye to one of the best (if not the best), Close Air Support machine ever built. Seems the USAF has some new thinkers around who think the replacement should be a two seater, single turboprop, and twin .50cals. That is unless they can convince the infantry & SpecOps that the F-35 is better suited for CAS. What a shame. By the way, they are converting A-10s into Drones and the others will be mothballed.


www.dodbuzz.com/2013/09/18/air-force-mourns-likely-passing-of-a-10-warthog/?ESRC=sm_DODBuzz.nl

[url]www.airforcemag.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/2010/January%202010/0110aircraft.aspx


http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2012/01/a-10-f-35-air-force-budget

[/URL]
 
Last edited:
The A10 is like a cat, it has 9 life's. It used about 5, so it will get out of the mothballs again. Nothing will beat this killer!
 
thekees said:
The A10 is like a cat, it has 9 life's. It used about 5, so it will get out of the mothballs again. Nothing will beat this killer!
Click to expand...


I hope so, brother, I hope so.


I remember in the 1970's and in Junior High School, I had a subscription to Air Force Magazine for many years and to this day I remember the AMX Program (forerunner to the final A-10) and what was being said about it. I remember the qualifications and specs for this airplane. I also remember the "Artist's Conception" drawing of would it could look like. Some things just stick in your mind.
 
The A10 was , as the French would say , "Sans Pareil" . You could never replace it . What are you Americans thinking of !
 
The most stupid descission in this decade for shure. Nothing beats an A-10 when it comes to CAS.

Regards, DJH
 
WoW! Tremble. they are arming the replacement with 2 .50 cals replacing a 30mm? There are tankers all over the world trembling in their boots over the image of this monster.
 
As much as I understand you guys you need to look at reality. The A-10 was designed as a CAS tank killer and the problem was the "C" in the CAS as in a real war "air superiority" is only a limited good due to light AA systems and MANPADS the enemy use to have today. This was the reason why the A-10 got on the black list initially. Also the AP capability is being reduced by new armor and missiles can do better. It escaped its fate due to assymetric warfare agianst camel riders which still could have been dangerous as they have the said light AA guns and MANPADS.
Also I doubt the sense of a highly specialized aircraft for just delivering 30mm HE projectiles. The AP segment can not matter here as we all know they are not needed for huts made of camel dung. The same role was assigned to AH-64s and where more punch was needed to normal jets and drones. So as the A-10 is just delivering what can be delivered by others WITHOUT putting the pilot at risk it is pointless to waste money on keeping such a system in service (with all expenses tied to that).
Future "real" wars will not allow the use of A-10s anymore and the situ today has many alternatives for it as well (mentioned above).
 
How many of you would object to resurecting this one.
 

Attachments

  • 35164.jpg
    35164.jpg
    249 KB · Views: 29
EOD said:
As much as I understand you guys you need to look at reality. The A-10 was designed as a CAS tank killer and the problem was the "C" in the CAS as in a real war "air superiority" is only a limited good due to light AA systems and MANPADS the enemy use to have today. This was the reason why the A-10 got on the black list initially. Also the AP capability is being reduced by new armor and missiles can do better. It escaped its fate due to assymetric warfare agianst camel riders which still could have been dangerous as they have the said light AA guns and MANPADS.
Also I doubt the sense of a highly specialized aircraft for just delivering 30mm HE projectiles. The AP segment can not matter here as we all know they are not needed for huts made of camel dung. The same role was assigned to AH-64s and where more punch was needed to normal jets and drones. So as the A-10 is just delivering what can be delivered by others WITHOUT putting the pilot at risk it is pointless to waste money on keeping such a system in service (with all expenses tied to that).
Future "real" wars will not allow the use of A-10s anymore and the situ today has many alternatives for it as well (mentioned above).
Click to expand...



I understand what you are saying, but, CAS isn't all about Rockets and LGB's. Every airplane we have ever used for this role had guns on board. Strafing is CAS. Ask any Veteran from the sand boxes what they loved most with CAS and you will more than likely get the answer "The Guns". Troops that find themselves in contact in jungle, rain forest, or heavy tree cover need somebody overhead with the ability to lay exploding cannon shells that can penetrate these spots and get to the enemy. Look at Vietnam for the realities of CAS in a non desert condition. Two fifties just won't work.


And that is a BIG YES!... Nabob on that one.
 
It looks like the A10 is set to go the way of our Harriers,Lightnings,TSR2,beaten not by an enemy but by bean counters and pen pushers and polititians sitting in plush offices,it will be a sad day when there are no "real"aircraft left only "modified crop dusters" and drones,the A10 like the WW2 P47 was built like a brick sh**house,for a reason,it could take punishment as well as dish it out,a drone or a "cropduster"is going to be hard put to even come close to being equal,,,,if they survive the first pass at a ground target,how many "cropdusters will it take to equal the firepower of just one pass with an A10 and a burst of 30mm,the A10 aint broke so why the hell fix it,
A sad day for the "Hog",
Regards,
Don, ps,,,,an elephant is a mouse designed by a committee,
 
I bet a few reporters and others will be a tad happier about receiving friendly fire from 50 cal instead of 30mm though :bigsmile:
 
I can remember when they were going to replace the A-10 with F-16's carrying a centerline 30mm Gum pod. That idea went away due to the frailness of the F-16 among other reasons.

Part of the push to get rid of the A-10, was because it wasn't a fighter. The guys flying them weren't going to get promoted to possible General Officer positions as fast as the fighter jocks, so no one wanted to fly the A-10, they were all fighting to get into the fighters for glory and promotions.
 
I bet the chinese have no tanks :)
 

Attachments

  • corpus 115.jpg
    corpus 115.jpg
    171.4 KB · Views: 34
Forgot to ask my great friends across the pond. Is the Tornado still being used in the CAS inventory?
 
Would be nice a flying Gau as a drone. however a antitank missile as a Hellfire is already there. Strange to see in the video that the marshalling crew signals to the unmanned vehicle (smile in the camera?).
 
thekees said:
Would be nice a flying Gau as a drone. however a antitank missile as a Hellfire is already there. Strange to see in the video that the marshalling crew signals to the unmanned vehicle (smile in the camera?).
Click to expand...

Thought about that too but gess it was for the operator who saw all on his screen as he was supposed to know what is going on..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top