[IrishCop]

Good article, couple of really nice mini-documentaries.

I'm no pilot, and I have never been in combat, but if I were on the ground, I think the two things I would like to see most in the sky above would be an AC -130 and an A-10 or two.

The USAF Has Finally Released a Glowing Film About the A-10 It Tried to Suppress

 

[Snake45]

Good article, couple of really nice mini-documentaries.

I'm know pilot, and I have never been in combat, but if I were on the ground, I think the two things in I would to see most in the sky above would be an AC -130 and an A-10 or two.

The USAF Has Finally Released a Glowing Film About the A-10 It Tried to Suppress

You will hear the A-10s long before you see them. Too bad someone gave the name "Whistling Death" to the F4U Corsair 70 years ago and took the moniker, as it would be perfect for the Warthog.

I live near the factory that built the things. Every so often, a flight of them will return home to visit the nest (long shut down) and buzz it a few times. I hear them inside my house and run out to watch, and I haven't been disappointed yet.

 

[stand watie]

To All,


I still say, as much as the USAF despises the HOG, that they should offer it to the ARMY's aviators.
(Our young Warrant Officers & LTs/CPTs will make EXCELLENT use of it in the Close Support Mission.)

To Non-Combat Arms warriors & Non-Combat Support folks, we CS MPs mean 10 METERS in front of "our tender bodies", when we ask for CLOSE FIRE SUPPORT. = "The HOG Drivers" are THAT good at their craft.

yours, sw

 

[GunGeek]

I really think it would be a good idea to develop a “3rd world” CAS aircraft. If there’s no real anti-air threat, why not operate something that’s cheap & reliable? In the short term, the A-10 is our “cheap” CAS aircraft, but it’s FAR from cheap to operate…it’s just cheaper than our other alternatives.

I kinda feel for the Air Force, and not at the same time. Their mission demands they whip anyone on any block, anytime. This means they need large stores of top ranked aircraft. But we haven’t faced a competent anti-air threat since the first Gulf War, and even then, not that much; so it’s really back to Vietnam.

The problem is, the Air Force is so worried about fighting WW III, they’re a bit less than prepared to fight the wars we’re actually in. Budget wise, it’s a tough tight rope to walk…but I have to say; they’re not walking it too well IMO.

The F-35 was a chit-show, and everyone knew it would be going into the project. And yet they still went into it, and I understand there were a lot of good reasons why they thought it was their only option…but I refuse to believe they can’t prevent things like the F-35 program. I mean, we did it once before with the F-4 and it was a train wreck as well…so no one can say they didn’t know better. In both cases, we’ll end up spending WAY more than was sold to Congress for an aircraft that is a little better than what our enemies have, yet costs twice as much…if not 3x.

 

[GunGeek]

Here's a good example. 108 F-35's are not combat capable...and never will be.

https://www.realcleardefense.com/ar..._f-35s_will_not_be_combat_capable_112477.html

 

[William R. Moore]

There are several excellent third world CAS aircraft already in existence. Except they're not built here. We do, however, buy them and supply them to some of our allies in certain areas.

As to no "real air to air threat", man portable anti air missiles have shown up in surprising places and they're not that expensive. Doesn't have to be one of the Sov-Blok radar aimed multi gun rigs.

 

[TommyGunn]

The F-35 thing ticks me off ROYALLY. The idea that 108 will never be combat ready :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :cluebat::headbonk::argh::ek: sorry, got carried away with the emojis. There have been changes, alterations, and so forth to this thing, a regular type and a vtol type.
I hope it is better -- at least a little -- than other countries aircraft.
But I heard somewhere a beagle-dog in a flying doghouse shot it down in air to air Sim combat once.:bolt::sm_angel::sm_angel:

 

[Skeptic49]

One of two things, either terminate the contract for default..and there have been several defaults already.

Or terminate for Convenience of the Government, pay billions to the contractors for absolutely nothing.

In either case Congress should REVOKE the commissions of all military officers involved in managing the program. (Of course the ancient dilemma remains, when you start shooting SOBs where do you stop?)

Geoff
Who notes "Too Big To Fail" should be purged from the Congressional vocabulary.

 

[Diamondback]

The F-35 thing ticks me off ROYALLY. The idea that 108 will never be combat ready :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :cluebat::headbonk::argh::ek: sorry, got carried away with the emojis. There have been changes, alterations, and so forth to this thing, a regular type and a vtol type.
I hope it is better -- at least a little -- than other countries aircraft.
But I heard somewhere a beagle-dog in a flying doghouse shot it down in air to air Sim combat once.:bolt::sm_angel::sm_angel:

Hell, TG, *I* whacked a couple with a freakin' B-52 in the sim once. When you play Prison Whore to a StratoPig... (To be honest, I had modded the sim to turn that BUFF into a Dale Brown Special, then threw on some further mods of my own with COTS or near-COTS hardware like uprated GE90 engines powerful enough to dead-lift a grossed-out 52 STRAIGHT UP.)

OTOH, JSF does have some impressive sensor capabilities... most of which went into that hotrod in the sim.

EDIT:
The difference between a Hog and its driver is the former quits whining when the flight's over.--Hogwife saying