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The US Air Force has kicked off the procurement for another round of wing replacements for A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft, known affectionately by many as the Warthog. With new wings, the A-10s will help fill a gap left by the delayed volume delivery of F-35A fighters, which were intended to take over the A-10's close air support (CAS) role in "contested environments"—places where enemy aircraft or modern air defenses would pose a threat to supporting aircraft. For now, the A-10 is being used largely in uncontested environments, where the greatest danger pilots face is small arms fire or possibly a Stinger-like man-portable air defense system (MANPADS) missile. But the Warthog is also being deployed to Eastern Europe as part of the NATO show of strength in response to Russia.
While the A-10 will keep flying through 2025 under current plans, Air Force leadership has perceived (or was perhaps convinced to see) a need for an aircraft that could take over the A-10's role in low-intensity and uncontested environments—something relatively inexpensive and easy to maintain that could be flown from relatively unimproved airfields to conduct armed reconnaissance, interdiction, and close air support missions. The replacement would also double as advanced trainer aircraft for performing weapons qualifications and keeping pilots' flight-time numbers up.
So, last year the Air Force kicked off the Light Attack Experiment (OA-X), a four-aircraft competition to determine what would best fit that bill.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 20 2018, @07:08AM (10 children)
Imagine the F35A for close air support, aka "low and slow"... The only time the F35A is capable of low and slow is on the runway.
Even compared to the other F35s, the F35A is the worst. The F35C has larger wings and is at least capable of going slow enough to land on a carrier, while the F35B can technically go as slow as you want, though only with an empty tank.
Not that the F35 is fast. It's still the slowest fighter plane outside of a museum (it's slower than a Russian White Swan bomber). It's the jack of all trades, master of none.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 20 2018, @07:26AM (6 children)
Well, if the air space is uncontested, then the enemy obviously doesn't have a lot of game, and army grunts can handle things on the ground by themselves.
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 20 2018, @07:37AM (1 child)
Kinda of the cowardly American approach. I prefer the Browncoats. "We are just too pretty for God to let us die!"
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 20 2018, @11:32PM
No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making some other poor dumb bastard die for his country.
(Score: 2) by frojack on Wednesday June 20 2018, @07:56AM (3 children)
And if the airspace IS contested, you can't afford to go slow.
Just because the A10 is slow doesn't mean it is optimum.
Hitting the target while being too fast to be hit your self is far more preferable.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 20 2018, @10:47AM (1 child)
"Too fast to be hit yourself" is a lot faster than "too fast to aim".
(Score: 3, Insightful) by frojack on Wednesday June 20 2018, @07:09PM
Too fast for humans to aim.
Hint: Its not 1944 any more.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 20 2018, @06:05PM
That is what the pilot tub is for.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by MostCynical on Wednesday June 20 2018, @08:40AM
the F35: close air support when you don't *need* close air support.
Perfect for war games and parades!
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 20 2018, @09:55AM (1 child)
I thought F-35s were supposed to have VTOL/loitering in air capability?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 20 2018, @10:04AM
The VTOL version is the F35B, aka the marines version. And it's actually STOVL (short take off, vertical landing) except at airshows, because it can only hover with no weapons or with an empty tank.
F35A (the one discussed here) is the small winged airforce version.
F35C is the larger winged carrier version.