Bye-Bye to BRRRRT: Air Force Wants to Retire 44 A-10 Warthogs

They being who? They are betting on The F-35 to do it!

SSgt Robert Jorgensen - that's an absurd position for the AF to take

Lt Col Charlie Brown it’s all about politics - A-10 & F-35, thet had better destory them and never think about selling to other countries if we know whats good for us!

Great close support planes. Wish we had them in the 60's. I'm with you also in wishing they get new ones, not some reject.

Both the Marines and the Army know the value of the A10. This also isn't the first time Air Force higher ups took out and aircraft that could do the job that fast movers (which are also more expensive) could not In Vietnam the A1E Sky Raider a WWII prop. aircraft had to be taken out of mothballs to do this job. The A1E used less fuel and could stay in the area of operations for a number of hours as opposed to fast movers which used a lot more fuel just getting there and had a very time limited stay due to that high fuel consumption. . The A10 was designed to do this job and does it well and its seems many of the top armchair commandos in their air conditioned offices haven't learned a thing . The A10 pilots and the troops on the ground know the value of this aircraft.

You mention the Maines with vertical take off aircraft in which the AV8 Harrier is used. Anyplace can be an operating field for the harrier and they don't even need a runway even a car parking lot will do. McDonald Douglas and British Aerospace are developing a larger version of the harriers, the Harrier II which will have greater range and be able to carry more weapons. the United Kingdom during the Falklands War proved the value of the harrier in combat. The US Marines also are very well aware of the value of this sort of aircraft and are the only US service use it. I remember and Army Veteran friend of mine that told Me of being on an exercise when 6 Marine AV8 Harrier's jumped up from behind the trees on a vertical take were right there and took off right over them. I have had the opportunity to see an actual in person show of the Harrier and its abilities in flight and was quite impressed.

Also as a Vietnam Veteran, working a Base perimeter while We were under attack I did see the A1E Sky Raider in action. Once again a newer aircraft the A10 Thunderbolt II, more often called the "Warthog" fills that role very well.