Originally Posted by lvmiker
Originally Posted by satx78247
Originally Posted by g5m
Originally Posted by satx78247
oldtrapper,

I was pleased that the A10 is being "updated" & will be around to help the next generation of GIs when they need them.


Yes. In spite of the Air Force brass.



g5m,

VERY TRUE. = The brass at HQ USAF never wanted the Warthog OR the CAS mission.
(CAS is VITAL for us ground-pounders but NOT "fancy" or glamorous enough for the Zoomies.)

Btw, when we Mike Papas talk about CAS & "Danger Close", we mean well-aimed fires within 10M of our fragile bodies.

Fyi, I've said for a long time that the A10 is PREFECTLY suited to the Army Aviation missions & that our LTs, Captains & Warrants would "have a ball" tearing up things IF they had the Warthog. = NO armored column, troop concentration, railway, bridge, tunnel, MSR, strong point and/or landing field would be safe from low speed/low level strafing/bombing by the Hog, when coordinated with fires from the other Army Aviation platforms.

Note to RVN vets: As I'm sure you remember, the Army HAD fixed-wing armed A/C in country & they were VERY effective at lots of tasks. - For example, what is now USASOCOM had OV-1 Mohawks that were "locally fitted with 7.62mm miniguns.

yours, tex
USA, Retired




satx USASOC did not exist until 1987. When MPs talk about CAS and Danger Close? I am surprised to learn that calling in CAS is part of the MP mission and 10 meters certainly does call for well aimed fire.grin

The A1 D Skyraiders were the Prop CAS planes that I saw the most.


mike r


The USAF LOVES CAS missions. They train it nearly every dang sortie! The reason the A-10 was on the chopping block was it was so fatigued and the previous budgets did not allow upgrades and improvements, it was the first viable option to be cut. It is a niche filling A/C. And with the current availability of insanely accurate, low NEW munitions, the gunfights are less and less needed.