A-10 survives again

[Guest SrPilot]

A-10 Warthogs just keep on ticking. They survived the planned budget cut once again. Looks like they may be good through 2020 now. The F-35 woes keep reminding everyone just how reliable and useful the A-10 is in the air superiority established battle area.

 

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/02/22/legendary-10-warthog-wins-another-fight-vs-budget-ax.html

 

Warthog images - nice photos

 

http://www.foxnews.com/tech/slideshow/2015/05/15/11-amazing-10-warthog-images.html#/slide/afghanistan-combat-mission

 

 

[SSCBD]

Really like the A-10.

 

However why are we buying this substandard F35 JSF junk that will cost billions. I like the Russian units these days and they are tough and work if you look at the comparisons.

 

 

[cooperplace]

you don't think the politics of buying from the US come into this?

 

I think we could do worse than buy some A10s. I saw one in an air museum in the US, and standing there looking at it, you can see that it was designed around the cannon, which is huge. one of those diving towards you in ground attack would be terrifying. If ever we have hostile foreign forces on the ground here, they would add a useful capability.

 

 

[SSCBD]

you don't think the politics of buying from the US come into this?I think we could do worse than buy some A10s. I saw one in an air museum in the US, and standing there looking at it, you can see that it was designed around the cannon, which is huge. one of those diving towards you in ground attack would be terrifying. If ever we have hostile foreign forces on the ground here, they would add a useful capability.

Yes it is politics for the useless JSF, we are being done over by the U.S. because of politics, however the A10 as stated I like.

 

 

[Spooks]

The U.K. is suffering the F35 too for our carriers. Would have been far better going for the proposed naval typhoon or just purchasing a batch of F18s. But again, politics wins over common sense and we'll probably end up sticking helicopters on there instead.

 

Glad the A10 is staying in service. Majority of current action in conflicts is against ground units so it is perfect for the role.

 

 

[Kiwi303]

Personally I think what would suit the RNZAF to bring it back to a combat capable force would be the latest model of the Chinese J8, fitted with the APG-66 radar the B model was designed around before Tianamian Square meant an embargo on military co-operation from the US.

 

The APG-66 is still made, in the latest and greatest upgraded models, for new build F16s et al. Fit a dual mode Sea/Air search mode and you have an aircraft with similar performance to the legacy F/A-18 C/D models. Slightly faster and longer ranged in Air-to-Air mode, similar bomb weight in Air-to-Ground. Fit it for Meteor and ASRAAM plus Brinstone and a Paveway pod and it will do what we need a plane for.

 

MUCH cheaper than American fighters, through fitting an American radar and combat system will bring the cost up.

 

It may not match the likes of the F-22, but for anything liable to head towards NZ, it's quite capable of hauling a pair of Harpoons or a quad of Naval Strike Missiles out to meet them half way.

 

As well as being a cheap bomb truck for the likes of post-air-superiority-attained operations.

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

The US will not sell the YF22 raptors to anyone....they are the ones I would get

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

what would suit the RNZAF to bring it back to a combat capable force would be the latest model of the Chinese J8

If you get into a tussle with the Chinese they can remotely switch off your aircraft?

 

The US will not sell the YF22 raptors to anyone....

Nor the A10's apparently.

 

 

[Kiwi303]

If you get into a tussle with the Chinese they can remotely switch off your aircraft? .

They've already hacked the US DOD/CIA and stolen the off-switch codes for the SuperHornets you guys fly! So why not? :P

 

 

[facthunter]

How unsporting of them. Nev

 

 

[Kiwi303]

when everyone has the offswitch codes for everyone elses hardware, it suddenly becomes very sporting as the old steam gauge mk-1 eyeball aimed machine gun equipped prop planes with no electronics get rolled out of museum hangars to go fly once more.

 

Welcome to the High Tech Cyber War :P where a low tech 1940's airplane is the weapon of choice :D lol