An update to THIS post thanks to a link from XBRADTC.
"The A-10 Thunderbolt II — better known as the Warthog — was the darling of the first Gulf War, destroying some 4,000 military vehicles and artillery pieces in that conflict.Today, it remains one of the most requested aircraft by ground commanders in Afghanistan, according to one Air National Guard representative.But its day may be coming to an end."
The Air Force is trying to replace the A-10 with the F-35, you know the plane that might be CANCELED, instead of letting the tech geeks go ahead and design workarounds for the upgraded sensors for the A-10. In my first post I noted how the Air Force seems to forget one of their main missions is to "Support the ground force elements" You know, the Grunts and Jarheads who get down in the dirt take and hold an objective against any and all opponents.
The Air Force has for years been blowing smoke up the nether regions of Congress and the White House with their talk about "Strategic Bombing and Precise Munitions". Yes those do have a place in the power structure of our County's offensive armament, however to hear the Air Force say it, that is ALL we need. They'll just bomb everything until they surrender then send a few Airman in to hold it for the paperwork to be signed.
This whole brouhaha is because the Air Force is all about their "Strategic" fleet of planes. Strategic Bombers, Strategic Fighters, Strategic Transports. Strategic, Strategic, Strategic.
They forget that without "Tactical" control of the ground there can be no Strategic Plan.
The Air Force brass doesn't want to support the ground pounders, they feel that mission is beneath them. Read my first posting on this and you will see my proposed solution.
Split the Air Force up, make it subordinate to the Army, Navy and Marine Corps. The Army and the Marine Corps need Tactical and Strategic Transport and Tactical Close Air Support, the Navy needs Force Protection for it's fleets and resupply.
And yes the Air Force does have what could be seen as a mission of Strategic Force Projection ie: President Reagan's Bombing of Libya, seriously just how often is that actually required? Look at the Vietnam War, with the Strategic Bombing Campaign Operation Linebacker I and II. Just how effective were they for the situation on the ground? In the jungles of Vietnam what was there to actually bomb? Then as now, the ground force elements NEED Close Air Support and Tactical Air Support. They don't need billion dollar bombers, or hundred million dollar fighters that don't have the loiter time nor the ordnance supply to stay on station to support the troops on the ground. And yet the Air Force STILL Refuses to listen to it's primary Customers. The Ground Forces.
If they put a dog carrier on the roof, they might have a chance
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