This is why the Air Force wants to get rid of the A-10

and other Aircraft and their associated systems.

"From what I have gathered over the years on the topic via talking to pilots directly and seeing mentions of the decision in publications from time to time, the USAF justifies not procuring CFTs because it already has so many tanker aircraft. Additionally, in a major air battle they don’t need the extra weapons stations freed up by the inclusion of CFTs as a great advantage because they can simply assign more F-16s to target set. For longer-range strike missions they can use the F-15E or even a bomber."

That article is about why the US Air Force does not use Conformal Fuel Tanks (CFT) on the F-16 Viper. Can you read between the lines and figure out the reason?

It's simple. They have all these OTHER aircraft, that they "Need" to have in inventory, to do the job.

Those Aircraft, are jobs in Congressional districts. Those Aircraft are kick backs and jobs after retirement for Procurement Officers and Generals who make recommendations.

They don't WANT to buy the less expensive option which allows the mission to get completed with fewer aircraft.

And it is not just the Air Force. It is also the Army, the Marine Corps, the Navy, and there have even been a few cases of the Coast Guard only getting a system because of certain deal sweeteners.

The US Military, heck the US Government's entire Procurement apparatus, is broken.

Needed materials unless under certain conditions can ONLY be procured under bidding conditions that stretch out and add additional costs to the total cost. Keeping hundreds if not thousands of unnecessary Government employees on the payroll, jacking up the expenditures.

The whole Procurement process needs an enema.

MISSION FIRST should be the mantra, NOT whatever it currently is.

For more on the boondoggle that is the US Air Force Procurement programs read this article about the KC 46.

Broken Booms: Why Is It So Hard To Develop & Procure A New USAF Tanker?