The U.S. Air Force Is Starving Its A-10 Squadrons—Again

[rangerrebew]

The U.S. Air Force Is Starving Its A-10 Squadrons—Again


Flying branch continues to cut the Warthog fleet, ignoring Congressional requirements.
Dan Grazier [2]Mandy Smithberger [3]

Since February 2016 the U.S. Air Force has been trumpeting that it has ended—or at least paused—its extended campaign against the A-10 [4] and the close air support mission. “As a mission, we’re fully committed to close air support,” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Dave Goldfein assured reporters [5] at a press conference.

But as first reported by Travis Tritten [6] at the Washington Examiner, Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) spotted in written testimony [7] that the Air Force was only committed to maintaining six active A-10 squadrons out to 2030—three less than the nine active squadrons in service today.


Source URL (retrieved on June 19, 2017): http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/the-us-air-force-starving-its-10-squadrons%E2%80%94again-21211

[EC]

For God's sake, Mattis - sign the damned planes over to the Army or the Marines. Someone who knows what the hell to do with them, anyways.

[driftdiver]

I think they should limit people's time in the Pentagon to about 30 days.  They forget what the military is really for otherwise

[Joe Wooten]

I remember reading a quote from an AF general over 30 years ago calling the A-10 just another damn Stuka. The brass running the AF have always hated it because it was not in their vision of "air power".

[rodamala]

I think this would be an excellent opportunity for private enterprise to come in and contract out to the U.S. military for Close Air Support Services.

If the U.S.A.F. doesn't want to do it, I WILL, and it will, undoubtedly cost a lot less.

Suggested tail art:

[driftdiver]

I remember reading a quote from an AF general over 30 years ago calling the A-10 just another damn Stuka. The brass running the AF have always hated it because it was not in their vision of "air power".

The air force was run by bomber pilots, then it was run by fighter pilots, now its run by guys who sit in Pentagon chairs and push buttons.   The air force won't give up the mission but they certainly wont play nice with it.

[Joe Wooten]

The air force was run by bomber pilots, then it was run by fighter pilots, now its run by guys who sit in Pentagon chairs and push buttons.   The air force won't give up the mission but they certainly wont play nice with it.

This guy was one of the fighter mafia. He called it too slow to survive.

[driftdiver]

This guy was one of the fighter mafia. He called it too slow to survive.

They'll say that but the real problem with the A-10 is its not a fighter.  It doesn't go fast and it isn't sleek.  I spent 10 years in the Air Force.  They don't like anything that gets close to the dirt.