Big mistake. Keep them...add more.
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature currently requires accessing the site using the built-in Safari browser.
Big mistake. Keep them...add more.
Something else to consider, the F-35 will never be used for CAS. They are too valuable to the Air Force and will be husbanded for CAP missions. The Army needs its own fixed wing CAS aircraft to work with its helos. The only reason the A-10 was ever produced was that the Army was insisting it needed its own CAS in Vietnam because the helos were so limited.That's bullshit. No way the F35 can do everything the A10 can do. And the A10 is cheap to make. This is just another excuse for wanting to spend a lot of money.
Someone needs to tell the military they get no F35s. They have enough. They can get some new warthogs or NOTHING.
No sane person is combat wants a fair fight. Yes, the A-10 will use stand-off ordnance as long as it has it, but when its gone, the A-10 still has an armor killing weapon and the F-35 doesn't. A simple heavy rain will ground an F-35 because it can damage the stealth coating, the F-10 ignores such minor inconveniencesYou bar flies sure do like to play with the lives of others, don't you. No A-10 in the right mind will try and take on any MBT with his gun when he has too many other weapons that can it better hung under his wing. And that Mouse might be one mean SOB.
The F-35 is a monument to government inefficiency and corruption. It is DECADES late, countless billions over budget and fraught with issues.
Something else to consider, the F-35 will never be used for CAS.
A simple heavy rain will ground an F-35 because it can damage the stealth coating
Not by the Air Force.Oh, I am sure it will be, but likely not the F-35A. Too expensive and not suited to the task, when the Air Force has much more suitable CAS aircraft available to them.
But the F-35C and most specifically the F-35B? I bet those will be used for CAS, as that is a primary role for the Marines that will be flying those variants. And a lesser task for the Navy pilots that will be flying the F-35C.
nahFirst of all, usaf already had a better CAS. The shortcomings of the A-10 is it's too slow, it has a tiny range and it's so underpowered that the pilots have to worry about stalling it out if it's jinks to avoid ground fire. And Congress did another "Cheat" during the flyoff against the A-7E. The A-7 also had an external 30mm canon. And, unlike the A-10, the A-7 had air to air kills against fighters. To kill an A-10 with a fighter, you just have to extend away from it, come in fast and nail it. Okay, it may take a few hits from the 20mm but the 30 will do the job. Plus, like the A-10, the A-7 carried 2 Aim7s.
Now, about the cost of the A-10. In todays dollars, it would have to take 89,560,875.91 dollars. Considering the F-35A is about 2 million cheaper and can do so much more then the F-35A ends up being the best buy.
You keep dragging in the CAS mission. Well, the Navy and Marines have their T-29A for that mission and the AF has it's AT-6B. And they do CAS a lot better and cost about 15% of a remanufactured A-10.
Either plane could ruin your whole day if you're the enemy...agreed?
Actually, I go back to servicing the Orginal that the A-10 replaced but the A-10 was a very poor replacement. Except for the cost of operation, that is. The A-1 was a recip prop job.
And other than loiter time, is inferior in every way to the A-10.Actually, I go back to servicing the Orginal that the A-10 replaced but the A-10 was a very poor replacement. Except for the cost of operation, that is. The A-1 was a recip prop job.
They are old and outdated and expensive to build and vulnerable to modern weapons.