Air Force Delays A-10 Axing

[Ben]

A-10s have been given an indefinite reprieve:

http://dailycaller.com/2016/01/13/air-force-caves-agrees-to-delay-a-10-retirement-indefinitely/

[TechMan]

Is that an admission that the F35 can't do everything?

[Hawkmoon]

Is that an admission that the F35 can't do everything?

It seems to be more an acknowledgement that the F35 isn't ready, combined with bowing to common sense political pressure.

It isn't reasonable or logical to expect anything that can compete with the best fighters in the world to also be able to fly low and slow in a close air support role.

[roo_ster]

If the Army wants to keep a-10 capability, move them over to Army and get warrant officers to fly them.  Matter of fact, give Army the CAS mission and leave Air Force with air superiority, deep strike, and air lift. 

I prefer the phrase "Army Air Corps" to 'Air Force" anyway.

[wmenorr67]

There has been talk of giving the A-10 to the Army since back in the early 90's.  I was in an Aerial Exploitation Battalion stationed in Korea and they were discussing replacing the OV-1 Mohawks with the A-10.  A couple of pilots were scheduled to go to a transition course.

All was canceled after the Desert Shield/Storm when the A-10's destroyed Iraq's tanks.

[Devonai]

If the Army wants to keep a-10 capability, move them over to Army and get warrant officers to fly them.  Matter of fact, give Army the CAS mission and leave Air Force with air superiority, deep strike, and air lift. 

I prefer the phrase "Army Air Corps" to 'Air Force" anyway.

Me too, our enlisted ranks are upside down.

[Scout26]

I thought that was part of the NDAA ??

[TommyGunn]

If the Army wants to keep a-10 capability, move them over to Army and get warrant officers to fly them.  Matter of fact, give Army the CAS mission and leave Air Force with air superiority, deep strike, and air lift. 

I prefer the phrase "Army Air Corps" to 'Air Force" anyway.

Just DO NOT give them to BATFE!

[Scout26]

If the Army wants to keep a-10 capability, move them over to Army and get warrant officers to fly them.  Matter of fact, give Army the CAS mission and leave Air Force with air superiority, deep strike, and air lift. 

I prefer the phrase "Army Air Corps" to 'Air Force" anyway.

This.  The Chair Force hates the CAS mission and isn't all that thrilled with the Airlift mission, especially the Airborne mission.  Give those missions back to the Army and the let the Zoomies drive all the fighter jets and fast movers...

[Devonai]

Hey, hands off our Hercs!

[dogmush]

They might not like CAS, but they get really touchy when we start arming our fixed wing aircraft.

[Hawkmoon]

If the Army wants to keep a-10 capability, move them over to Army and get warrant officers to fly them.  Matter of fact, give Army the CAS mission and leave Air Force with air superiority, deep strike, and air lift. 

My thoughts exactly.

I prefer the phrase "Army Air Corps" to 'Air Force" anyway.

There's nothing new under the Sun. My father was in the Army Air Corps during WW2.

[KD5NRH]

Just DO NOT give them to BATFE!

BATFE needs Bonanzas...and doctors to fly them.

[HankB]

. . . There's nothing new under the Sun. My father was in the Army Air Corps during WW2.

Ditto.

And since it was part of the Army, I remember my Dad told me he went through what sounded like regular basic training - small arms, obstacle course, etc. (Or maybe that's just because he was an Air Commando.)

[41magsnub]

Just DO NOT give them to BATFE!

Is there something I am missing?  Where has anyone ever suggested this or considered it?

[TommyGunn]

Is there something I am missing?  Where has anyone ever suggested this or considered it?

Back in the 1990s BATF got some old "Bronco" aircraft, which were capable of being armed.   It caused  somewhat of a political commotion, as Waco was then well-remembered.   IIRC congress took those planes away  from BATF.
My  comment was an oblique reference to that kerfuffle.

[RevDisk]

Is there something I am missing?  Where has anyone ever suggested this or considered it?

ATF had 22x OV-10 Broncos, which were taken away by someone with sense. State Department got them, and I think the DEA is/was using them for anti-drug missions in Latin America. They still have a decent number of aircraft, not sure of the totals.

[Unisaw]

BATFE needs Bonanzas...and doctors to fly them.

I don't care who you are, that's funny right there!

[RoadKingLarry]

BATFE needs Bonanzas...and doctors to fly them.

Did someone say Bonanza?

[Jamisjockey]

Oh I do like me some split tails.....

[T.O.M.]

Back to the talk of giving CAS duty to the Army, I like it.  But the last talk I heard about redividing military responsibilities went like this:

If it flies, it's Air Force
If it floats, it's Navy
If it walks or rolls, it's Army
Marines are obsolete
Get rid of Air Force Academy and Coast Guard Academy, reassign to West Point and Annapolis.

[Gewehr98]

Better solution:  US Forces

Roll them all into one, just like Canada.

There was a time I was abhorrent to the idea, but that was well before I retired from the USAF.

Witnessing all the conversion of service-specific bases to joint DoD bases, why the hell not?

You could even combine the SEALs, Rangers, AF Spec Ops, Force Recon, etc into something like Special Forces.

Or for that matter, Very Special Forces so they aren't slighted by the merge...

[Andiron]

Back to the talk of giving CAS duty to the Army, I like it.  But the last talk I heard about redividing military responsibilities went like this:

If it flies, it's Air Force
If it floats, it's Navy
If it walks or rolls, it's Army
Marines are obsolete
Get rid of Air Force Academy and Coast Guard Academy, reassign to West Point and Annapolis.

Haters gonna hate.

Keep in mind that the hajis knew who NOT to *expletive deleted*ck with.  Mickey mouse boots were good for something.

[Fly320s]

Oh I do like me some split tails.....

We're talking about airplanes, Jason.

[Gewehr98]

Not airplanes.

V-Tailed Doctor Killers.