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Subject: And they want to bin the A10?
Heorot    6/4/2003 5:58:43 AM
Have a look at this story of an A-10 that took massive damage over Baghdad and made it home safe, including some amazing pictures of the damage. Also equal opportunity rules: the pilot was a woman. http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Stories1 /001-100/0016_A-10-battle-damage/story0016.htm
 
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Heorot    RE:And they want to bin the A10?   12/29/2003 7:53:19 AM
Bottom line. It won't happen. The airforce don't want it and won't give it to the army or marines to operate. So no updates. Planned obsolescence.
 
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   RE:And they want to bin the A10?   1/27/2004 9:49:32 AM
The A10 is an amazing platform, to be sure. And it served us well. However, it is obsolete. Air launched cruise missiles and PGMs are changing the notion that close air support has to be "close" at all. The Army is doing the same to its helicopter gunship fleets, and the Air Force is shelving the Spectre. Why risk a downed bird when you dont have to?
 
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Horsesoldier    RE:And they want to bin the A10?   1/31/2004 1:40:47 PM
>>The Army is doing the same to its helicopter gunship fleets, and the Air Force is shelving the Spectre.<< Shelving the AC-130? When was this announced?
 
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   RE:And they want to bin the A10?   2/1/2004 6:01:24 PM
Not sure, recently? They have a planned retirement via attrition in 2012 I believe.
 
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Lubdub    RE:And they want to bin the A10?   2/11/2004 11:49:00 AM
The last post as to retiring the spectre. A little bit of research will tell you that spec/ops has orders 4 new ones.
 
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davoj    RE:And they want to bin the A10?   10/4/2004 5:59:21 AM
ditto, if the AF do n;t want them give them to the guys that need them and being flown by their own branch they'll be there on queue stacked up for CAS... davoj
 
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B.Smitty    RE:And they want to bin the A10? - davoj   10/4/2004 6:53:42 PM
Your information is out of date. The Air Force IS upgrading them and does plan on keeping them around for the foreseeable future. Plus, OIF showed a massive commitment by all U.S. services towards CAS.
 
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ret13f    RE:And they want to bin the A10?   12/30/2004 6:48:48 PM
CAS, means close. If it isn't, then its something else-BAI, maybe. BTW, tried the URL but 'File not Found'. Posted this somewhere else and seems appropriate here- many years ago, '78 or 79' we watched an A-10 put its wingtip in the dirt at Ft. Irwin. It quickly leveled off and linked up with the wingman and flew away. As this was about 500 meters from our position, a few men went over and collected some pieces (mostly the end of the wing that slants down). About an hour or so later a small group of AF investigators came out and confiscated all the pieces, so no souveniers. The A-10 is an incredibly tough aircraft that has survived a number of attempts at its demise. Hope it survives many more. Sometimes, in the view of the guy on the ground, less is more. A historical example from WW2 is the continued production and use of the Henschel 126(?), a slow biplane. German ground commanders demanded the plane stay in use because they found it to be very useful in that particular environment.
 
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Professor Fickle    RE:And they want to bin the A10?   2/25/2005 2:54:35 PM
They are upgading the A-10 Thunderbolt it is called A-10C they are only making 50 of them Tuesday, 23 November 2004 Warthogs get color screens & hot joysticks The U.S. Air Force is beginning it’s A-10 upgrade, that will convert most of the current A-10A aircraft to A-10Cs (the A-10B was a two seat version produced in small quantities). Most of the changes will not be visible, and many will be in the pit. The pilots will now have color LCDs, new instruments and a new joystick with enough buttons on it to allow the pilot to control just about everything without having to fiddle with any other controls. This is called HOTAS (Hands-On Throttle And Stick). The A-10C will be able to use JDAM (GPS guided) smart bombs, as well as many current, and future, missiles. This makes the A-10 even more versatile. The Air Force has been trying to dump the A-10 for some two decades now. But the army combat troops like it, as do the air force pilots who fly it and, most importantly, so does the media. The A-10C will be the most versatile combat warplane the air force operates. The A-10 is the only warplane that can get down low (the better to figure what is really going on), and deliver effective firepower (via the 30mm automatic cannon). The A-10C will also be able to drop smart bombs from higher altitudes, making it able to deal with just about any combat support mission that comes up. In addition, the A-10 is designed to operate from crude airbase facilities and, in general, take a lot of punishment and keep going. A-10C Thunderbolt IIs have Night Vision Imaging Systems (NVIS), a completely modern, digital optical, single-seat pit forward of the wings and a large armored bubble canopy which provides the pilot with all-around vision. The pilot is encircled by an upgraded "bath tub" made up of a ceramic/titanium armor much stronger and offering more protection than the original titanium armor. Looks like those who recognize the FA-22 can never be as effective in CAS as the A-10 have won the day The A is for "Attack." I'd say the Army and Marines should have the Warthog under their direct control, but the AF has this thing about wanting a monopoly on fixed-wing aircraft, with only a few exceptions
 
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The Drill SGT    SAR?   3/12/2005 11:34:43 PM
My understanding was that the A-10 developed a lot better AF image when it ws used for GW1 Search and rescue missions of hot fighter pilots after their toys broke. Ala the old A-1 SkyRaider, it was a perfect SAR plane. Flew low and slow to finf em, was very tough in the AAA envelope, had a great loiter time and could do nice tight turns and keep eye balls and gub sights on the pilot until a helo arrived. Fighter pilots may abuse the A-10 guys when it comes to kills and CAS, but SAR guys never have to pay for drinks at the O'Club :)
 
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