The Air Force doesn't want to be bogged down supporting terrestrial tactical engagements.
For the Air Force top brass, the glory and the new shiny things exist in strategic programs.
Where's the sexiness in maintaining or updating the A-10? All the cool kids want shiny new satellites, missiles, missile defense systems, strategic long-rang stealth aircraft, and Black Budget double secret probabation projects.
Why should the Air Force waste its budget to protect Army and Marine forces? The Army and Marines should be using their own budgets for their own close air support. Isn't that what Marine and Army attack helicopters are supposed to do?
If the Marines and Army want A-10 close air support, why don't they setup their own tactical close air support wings with A-10's? If they had their own A-10 units and budgets, they wouldn't have to quabble with the Air Force. It's obvious the Air Force wants to vacate the tactical close air support space, making it available for other services.
@DefiantMassRINO Because the USAF brass won't let them. I am not old enough to have been in the army when this hissy-fit was going on between the army and the zoomies,but I heard about it.
The zoomies were outraged when the Army wanted to outfit and command their own close-support fighter-bomber programs. Somehow or another,a compromise was reached when the army was ALLOWED to have helicopter flight squadrons,which the USAF didn't want to start with.
So Army Aviation was born,and it wasn't long before the helicopter "troop transport helicopters" started getting fitted with things like gatling guns,rocket pods,chain guns in the noses,etc,etc,etc,and the USAF started having hissy-fits again.
IIRC,the USAF response was to bring back the old WW-2 and Korean War propeller fighter bombers and configure them for ground support. Stuff like A1E Skyraiders. Stuff that could take a LOT of damage and still fly,like the old folding wing carrier fighter/bombers that could carry an amazing amount of ordinance,and fly slow enough to put it where you needed it.
The irony here is from what I have been told,the competition between young pilots to fly these old prop airplanes was unbelievable,and these pilots were indeed some bold young men. I do not mind admitting that I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for these brave young men in their flying machines laying down the "Damn-Damn" at altitudes so low when they would do a barrel roll over the SOG teams that were pined down and in danger of being overran,you could look up and see them smiling at you.
Plus,those old radial engines made the best sounds you ever heard in your life.
