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Posted in these groups: 
A-10
Close Air Support (CAS)
A-10 Close Air Support (CAS)
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 8
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Sooner or later the A-10 is going to be retired. That is a fact of life. The real issue is that the USAF has nor real interest in CAS as a primary mission set, and no one is holding their feet to the fire to create a real and viable replacement for it. Let's face it the F35 is not a replacement for the A-10, regardless of what the powers that be want us to believe.
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LTC Paul Labrador
Well one saving grace is that a future A-X doesn't need all the whizbang, high-tech (and thus VERY expensive) gadgets that they want on the F-35 and F-22, so it could actually be CHEAPER to R&D. Stealth? Psssh....why would you need stealth when you are in Mk I eyeball detection range during CAS? In all reality, an updated version of the A-10 is really all you need.
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LTC Paul Labrador
CPO (Join to see), possibilty, but they would need to modify it for naval service before it would truely by useful to the Marines (make it carrier landing/take-off capable, modify it's air refueling method to Navy specs, etc).
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LTC Paul Labrador
SSG John Thornton, except the AC -130 isn't really a CAS platform. Yes it can bring A LOT of pain down from the sky, but it's also a very fragile bird and can only operate in very specific threat environments, so it's utility is somewhat limited.
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I remember those A-10's taking off out of Bagram Airfield and thought if I could come back in another life, I'd want to be an A-10 pilot. That is the coolest fighting aircraft ever. I would love to see the Marines take this over.
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