"U.S. Senator John McCain Saves The A-10" Topic

"Air Force Chief of Staff General Mark Welsh testified before the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee on March 3rd. He discussed the posture of the entire Department of the Air Force. During the testimony, he talked about the service's plans for the Air Force's slow but powerful flying tank, the A-10 Thunderbolt II, affectionately known to troops as the "Warthog."

For years, the USAF fought a bitter battle with Congressional leaders about the fate of the Warthog, which the Air Force intends to retire. In 2015, Congress required the Air Force to find a viable replacement for the airframe's close-air support (CAS) role before they would be allowed to retire it. Originally, the Air Force determined that role would be filled by the fledging F-35 program, but the F-35 has seen so much trouble in its development, Congress rejected it as an option. Thus, the A-10 lived to support ground troops until a Congressionally-mandated, independent study determined the Air Force has a suitable replacement…"

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Amicalement
Armand

One of the other supporters in congress was a former Hog driver (Rep from AZ, can't remember her name)

I am not a fan of Senator McCain, nor neo-cons in general, but I am a fan of the A-10.

Kevin

it does the job and gives the pilot a very good chance of making it home.

Yep, the only viable alternative, currently.

Here is what I was thinking of:

From WarisBoring.com

"It appears the administration is finally coming to its senses and recognizing the importance of A-10s to our troops' lives and national security. Since before I took office and after, I've consistently highlighted the A-10's irreplaceable capabilities and worked to expose the administration's flawed argument for wanting to retire it prematurely," Rep. Martha McSally — a former A-10 squadron commander and current member of the House Armed Services Committee — said in a statement.

She added:

"With A-10s deployed in the Middle East to fight ISIS, in Europe to deter Russian aggression, and along the Korean Peninsula, administration officials can no longer deny how invaluable these planes are to our arsenal and military capabilities. But our fight does not end here. The administration has been persistent in its efforts to send our best close air support asset to the boneyard without a replacement. That's unacceptable, and I'll continue to lead the fight to ensure we keep these planes flying until we know without a doubt we can replace their capabilities."

What stops the Airforce from converting the A-10 into a pilotless drone?

I'm sure McCain and McSally will ensure that the A-10's are used properly and remain a manned aircraft.

I rather imagine it would help for some of us to let our reps know how we feel.

Doug

A deadly plane, that flies slow enough you can see the nose art before it shoots up you tank. Whats not to love.

What stops the Airforce from converting the A-10 into a pilotless drone?

The loss of pilot slots.