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I agree...the Army and the Marines could use the A-10 for close ground support missions, but from what I am seeing, the Army isn't interested and for it to be acceptable for USMC use, it would most likely have to be navalized.
Well, I don't think it's actually as simple as that. And bear with me for a minute here while I play Devil's advocate.The Army is not interested because helicopters are better suited for what they need. Simple as that.
The A-10 can deliver a far greater punch than just about any combat helicopter around (except perhaps, for the Mi-24VM) and has a far greater survivability margin than any rotary wing aircraft.
When the A-10 takes AA over a target, remains on station until misson accomplished and then returns to base intact with it's pilot unharmed, you have just gotten a 100% return on your investment.
Not many other aircraft (of any type) can match that.
Well, I don't think it's actually as simple as that. And bear with me for a minute here while I play Devil's advocate.
Since WWII (and to a lesser degree, Korea), the U.S. has not fought a large-scale war against a technically equal opponent. During the Gulf wars, the U.S. was against Soviet trained and Soviet/French equipped Iraqi forces, but certainly not on a level of the Soviet Union of the cold-war era.
So all the U.S. has been against in recent years, is assclowns in Afghanistan and Iraq playing cat and mouse in a low-tech hide-and-seek brawl.
We should not assume that this will be the face of warfare in the future, especially with Putin playing from Hitler's playbook and China playing the silent game over in the corner.
I give alot of credit to rotory wing aircraft, they have proven their value time and again on the battlefield but how well will the attack helos do against top of the line Russian T-90 tanks with their reactive armor, Kontact-5 ERA and Shtora countermeasures? And when Russian armor deploys, it is in a composite group that includes mobile AA batteries (like the BUK system) and is all well drilled and co-ordinated. With the T-90, comes the equally capable T-80 and upfit T-72.
On the other end of Asia, China has some serious stuff like Norinco's Type 99 and to a lesser degree, the Type 98. These forces are not a bunch of clowns wearing sweatsuits, yelling and waving RPGs or riding in the back of Toyota pickups armed with MGs...these are some serious contenders.
For attack helos to get into the mix with Soviet style deployments (ground forces supported by an AFV mix) would be a difficult and costly proposal without heavy backup in the form of a dedicated armor hunter/killer like the A-10. Which, by the way, would rip any of the afore-mention AFVs to shreds.
The armed forces need to stop and rethink the cold war possibilities and keep real threats in mind.
Greyman,
Everyone focuses on the A-10 and yet it's the F-16 and F/A-18 that have provided the bulk of air-to-ground CAS-type munition delivery in recent conflicts. The A-10 simply isn't needed anymore - other aircraft can drop the same ordnance and its gun isn't much use for current operations (spreading depleted uranium across terrain that's being used by ordinary folk trying to scratch a living isn't going to win the hearts-and-minds campaign). The biggest problem with the A-10 is its lack of utility for larger-scale operations against a well-developed adversary (too easily detected, too slow to evade and, despite its legendary toughness, not sufficiently survivable - it's SAM fodder). Simply put, the cost of maintaining a specialized platform like the A-10 isn't justified.
And then you also have the "golden BB."
The biggest problem with the A-10 <SNIP> despite its legendary toughness, not sufficiently survivable - it's SAM fodder).
Has Air Force lack of enthusiasm for CAS and the like been a driver of rotary wing aircraft like the AH-64?
I.E., if we can't depend on the USAF, then we better field our own air support.
To each man his own, including to their opinions on the A-10. I'm just going to say that the A-10 is the kind of ac which can do this:
Bagram pilots save 60 Soldiers during convoy ambush > U.S. Air Force > Article Display
No one is denying the A-10 is not a great acft. I personally love it. A guy I used to fly with in the Army is now an AF A-10 piot. He loves it as well.
I am just saying that every acft has its role, and each of our branches utilizes the acft they use based off of their needs and type of mission.
As for your example, I have seen personally several other types of acft do the same thing. Including rotary wing types.