The Warthog stays alive...for now.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

When I was a kid in Brooklyn, I would stay with my Grandmother in Long Beach, NY. She rented an apartment to a naval flier and his family. When he was out in his A-4 Skyhawk, he would buzz the house. Probably can't do that nowadays. Also, we used to go fishing from Sheepshead Bay. A big boat would leave in the morning and rent you gear and bait. Then you went out to sea for blue fish primarily. The A-4s from Floyd Bennett field would practice sinking us, so it seemed.

In San Antonio before I left, there is an upscale market called the Quarry. it is on path to the airport. One two F-35s, came in so low over the market as to see the cockpit. Scared the crap out of everyone because of the noise and the thought that this was the real deal for them to be so low. Wonder if they got yelled at. It was something to see. Not the little dot in the sky - but right there!

[Guerrero]

What's more awesome than the A-10?

(I'll forgive anyone out there answering, "nothing".)

How about 33 of them in a "biennial bombing, missile, and tactical-gunnery competition"?

[Glenn E. Meyer]

So I'm still confused. The AF wants to get rid of them but they are too obsolete to give to Ukraine but we are still spending money on upgrading them?

Read an article that we are not producing enough new planes to have a modern air force in the future and will have to fly ancient F-16s and becoming ancient F-22s and old school F-15EXs will be part of the 'new ones'. Waiting for the wonder 6th gen planes and robot planes in 2054. Like I care but if we have to fight now - confused!?

[Guerrero]

A-10's sporting AVG "Flying Tigers" camo. The shark's teeth come full circle

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...ers-camouflage

[Coyotesfan97]

A-10's sporting AVG "Flying Tigers" camo. The shark's teeth come full circle

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...ers-camouflage

Okay that’s awesome!

[Joe in PNG]

From the drunken porcine Scotsman:

[El Cid]

So I'm still confused. The AF wants to get rid of them but they are too obsolete to give to Ukraine but we are still spending money on upgrading them?

Read an article that we are not producing enough new planes to have a modern air force in the future and will have to fly ancient F-16s and becoming ancient F-22s and old school F-15EXs will be part of the 'new ones'. Waiting for the wonder 6th gen planes and robot planes in 2054. Like I care but if we have to fight now - confused!?

Nothing the AF management does with regard to the A-10 involves reason and logic.

As for the closing of the F-22 production and the F-15EX…. here is good information on why the Raptor was cancelled.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMOzbzh-Fpc

My understanding is we can get the F-15EX only because the line was still open and producing them for customers overseas. In fact the ANG wanted single seat EX’s but that would cost too much so they’ll just fly the two seaters with one crew member.

[Andy in NH]

A-10s Were Saved from Retirement for Years. Congress May Not Swoop to the Rescue This Time.

https://www.military.com/daily-news/...paign=20230621

Lawmakers are open this year to letting the Air Force retire more A-10 Warthogs under a draft defense policy bill, a sign that past fights to keep the aging aircraft in the fleet may be starting to lose steam.

A draft of the House's version of the annual National Defense Authorization Act policy bill -- which is being finalized this week -- would allow the service to reduce the number of A-10s to 218, shrinking the fleet by more than 40 aircraft from last year's number of 260.

[Trigger]

Nothing the AF management does with regard to the A-10 involves reason and logic.

As for the closing of the F-22 production and the F-15EX…. here is good information on why the Raptor was cancelled.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMOzbzh-Fpc

My understanding is we can get the F-15EX only because the line was still open and producing them for customers overseas. In fact the ANG wanted single seat EX’s but that would cost too much so they’ll just fly the two seaters with one crew member.

Mmmm. The F-15EX issue is more complicated than that. LockMart makes the F-22 and the F-35 right now, and has the sustainment contracts and upgrades contracts. They have to Pentagon over a barrel when it comes to money. Buying Eagles keeps Boeing relevant and sends a message to LockMart. Separate issue, we need missile rails. Rails are easier to add to Eagles than to F-22s. Then we can bring more missiles to the engagement. Boeing sold the EX because it could carry 14 or 22 missiles. Furthermore, I spoke with a friend who worked in the F-22 SPO in the 90’s when the buy got chopped from 750 to 381 to 187. His info regarding meetings with Congress and SAF/LL seems to be a little more accurate than youtube.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Read that Indonesia was toying with a F-15EX buy. However, they are buying 12 used Qatari Mirage 2000s now. 42 Rafales later.

Having just one fighter plane in production from one company - certainly not a WWII model of production for the upcoming WWIII.