The Army may get its first attack plane since World War II

???? Can I be honest???
I have questions.
1. Can it carry the same payload or more than an A-10?
2. Can it carry the same payload or more than the Sandy?
If it can then great.
If it can not then it is a failure and complete waste of money and will lose lives that it is supposed to protect.

Even thinking of scraping the A10 was never a good idea ! In Vietnam they had to take the WWII Vintage A1E Sky Raiders out of mothballs to accomplish that type of mission the fast moved couldn't do. They couldn't get down low like the A1E and stay in the are for extended periods and take a lot more battle damage than the fast movers and keep flying. The A10 was designed to take over that function and proved beyond any doubt it cold handle it better than anything else that flew. The A10 pilots and the people on the ground that needed that support knew its value, too bad some of the armchair Commandos didn't talk to them and listen ! Shown below is the old A1E Sky Raider the A10 replaced which could also do that job quite well. The A10 took what the A1E could do and improved on it. The A1E was often referred to as a sandy as they came in so low they got right down in the sand and right over treetop levels. I've seen what the A1E could do in Vietnam by watching them in airstrikes although they often also went in with Rescue helicopters to cover the choppers on picking up pilots whose aircraft had been shot down.

BAD...BAD...Move! Army is unbelievably awesome at manuevering on the ground and doing what they are good at. It is all about core competencies. History lesson. In World War II we were part of the Army (Army AIR corps). When we broke into our own service we gained the expertise and core competency of gaining and maintaining air superiority, ground support and attack, close Air Support, airdrop and resupply, air refueling, and long range deterrence. It is what we do and yes we do it best. The Marines have CAS aircraft that suport Marines and they are good at it, air to air...pretty decent. BUT the Air Force, itis what we are dedicated to. The Army needs to stick to what they do best...boots on the ground.

Maj Marty Hogan Lt Col Charlie Brown 1stSgt Glenn Brackin
Cpl Craig Morton SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth COL Mikel J. Burroughs
LTC Stephen C. CPL Dave Hoover PO3 Bob McCord
Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Sgt Wayne Wood PVT James Strait
SFC Jack Champion MSgt David Hoffman MSgt Stephen Council
SGT Elizabeth Scheck PO1 H Gene Lawrence SPC Jon O.
TSgt Joe C. 1SG Steven Imerman