Wait a minute. Nobody gives the A-10 a bad rap. It's beautiful in form and function. Come one. It's an incredible "here I am, now I'm gone" flying acrobat built around a huge gatling gun. Who could ask for more when a call goes out for close air support. Brilliant!
What Famous said!
The A10 is Brilliant! There is no finer ground support aircraft around. IMO- The assembly line should be retooled to produce them again.
Note: Back during the Balkans days, I was with a group that was sent to ETAC (Enlisted Terminal Air Controller) course. The Air Force told us they were going to replace all the A10's with F16's for ground support. We told them that they were crazy, and we'd kick their ever loving fourth-point-of-contact if they did that. F16's just can't loiter long enough, and that pathetic 20mm cannon they carry won't do the job. It's not all bombs and rockets.