Why Things Will Never Get Better

[Minimalist]

[Autumnlicious]

Pork oink oink

[Jackalope]

If only al-Qaeda had tanks and armored vehicles perhaps a case could be made. Instead, we are to be saddled with this dinosaur for eternity because there is a base located in AZ.

Indeed. The A-10 made a fuckton of sense when the Army's most likely foe was the Soviet Union (who at the time had about a bazillion metric fucktons of tanks).

The A-10's primary intended role was to reduce T-72's to swiss cheese with the GAU-8/U primary cannon and AGM-65 air-to-surface missiles. It's other role is a close-air-support platform utilizing cluster bombs and rocket pods. It can also be used to deliver laser-guided bombs but IMHO it is not a good platform for that purpose.

IMHO, the only good argument for retaining the platform is that it's intended replacement is the F-35 joint strike fighter, which is an enormous money pit. The F-35 appears to me to be a platform in search of a mission.

[Minimalist]

[Cato]

Defense appropriations needs a radical change to eliminate this type of shit. My proposal is to cap defense spending at 3.5% GDP (2000 level and lowest since WWII). Nobody can make a ridiculous readiness argument at this level.

The DoD has their allowance and can make appropriate mission fulfullment decisions. Only a declaration of war by congress, that pesky little constitutional requirement, can trigger increased spending.

[Heywood]

If only al-Qaeda had tanks and armored vehicles perhaps a case could be made. Instead, we are to be saddled with this dinosaur for eternity because there is a base located in AZ.

Indeed. The A-10 made a fuckton of sense when the Army's most likely foe was the Soviet Union (who at the time had about a bazillion metric fucktons of tanks).

The A-10's primary intended role was to reduce T-72's to swiss cheese with the GAU-8/U primary cannon and AGM-65 air-to-surface missiles. It's other role is a close-air-support platform utilizing cluster bombs and rocket pods. It can also be used to deliver laser-guided bombs but IMHO it is not a good platform for that purpose.

IMHO, the only good argument for retaining the platform is that it's intended replacement is the F-35 joint strike fighter, which is an enormous money pit. The F-35 appears to me to be a platform in search of a mission.

I can think of many conflicts we could get into where an A-10 would be an effective system. However If the Army doesn't want them, then lets get rid of them.

We keep building M1 tanks that the Army doesn't want any more of for political reason. I'd like politics taken out of defense programs completely. Let the people charged with defending the country buy what they want, or keep what they want, with the money that we give them.

[Jackalope]

I can think of many conflicts we could get into where an A-10 would be an effective system.

Sure, so can I. Not any likely ones, however - and that's really the point. The military trains and appropriates(*) for likely threats, not any possible threat.

(*) Subject to political interference, of course.

[Heywood]

I can think of many conflicts we could get into where an A-10 would be an effective system.

Sure, so can I. Not any likely ones, however - and that's really the point. The military trains and appropriates(*) for likely threats, not any possible threat.

(*) Subject to political interference, of course.

A-10 would be a huge asset in a conflict on the Korean peninsula and I would classify an action there as likely as anywhere else.

But if the military wants to get rid of them....let them.

[Isun]

It still amazes me that anyone believes that republicans actually are financially responsible. As soon as it affects their state or their political position, you can't spend enough for them. They just want to make sure to cut funding to any democratic state or constituients.

[Cato]

A-10 would be a huge asset in a conflict on the Korean peninsula and I would classify an action there as likely as anywhere else.

But if the military wants to get rid of them....let them.

The AH-64 Longbow Apache is a far superior anti-tank platform. The A-10 served well and should be retired.