Rescuing the Warthog
Senator Kelly Ayotte, a New Hampshire Republican who has no political dog in the fight is trying to save the A-10 Thunderbolt also known as the “Warthog” close air support weapons platform from the Air Force and the White House budget axe. Ayotte’s only connection to the aircraft is the fact that her husband was an A-10 pilot. Well, that and how the aircraft is credited with saving countless American lives. From the Boston Globe;
Pentagon officials, including Hagel, have testified that if they can’t retire the A-10, the Air Force will have to make cuts elsewhere, including weapons and military training. The Obama administration maintains that retiring the planes will save an estimated $4.2 billion and has told Congress it “strongly objects” to the efforts to keep the planes, insisting that the military will retain several types of aircraft that can do the same job as the Warthog.
The White House has also indicated that President Obama may veto any defense bill that forces the Air Force to retain the A-10 fleet.
None of this has deterred Ayotte. She is pressing her campaign to save the aircraft on grounds that lives could be lost if the A-10 is retired before there is an adequate replacement.
One of the first aircraft sent to fight ISIS was the A-10, because there really is nothing else in the inventory that can do the job of close air support for folks on the ground like the Thunderbolt. I can’t adequately explain the feeling, as an infantryman, of seeing the Warthog over the battle space. But it’s a comfort, just trust me on that.
The Warthog has been declared dead no less than three times since it entered the service and every time the program gets resurrected because of the realities of war. If Hagel wasn’t such a political hack, he’d admit that.
Category: Military issues
Okay, to save the Warthog, I will sacrifice 10 chocolate chip cookies tonight, plus a few bits of goat cheese on crackers, and perform the ‘keep da hog’ ritual. All of it after dark, of course.
And skyclad, of course. 😀
You Wiccan you.
Not exactly, but I did attend a Holiday Inn Circle last night.
😉
/kind of familiar with the genre
Not a Jerk, right? Someone had to say it and it was old sarcastic bastard me that got it done
“insisting that the military will retain several types of aircraft that can do the same job as the Warthog.”
There are no other “types” that can do the same job as the A-10, period. And, if it takes several types to replace the A-10, that tells me it will be more cost effective to keep the battle wagon around than to kick it to the curb.
Old Trooper…Beat me to it brother. I was going to copy and past the very same line you did. Yea, what else do they think they have that can do what the A-10 has PROVEN it can do? NOTHING. Apaches, Cobras, high speed fighters? No, they are each great in their own roles but each is either too slow or too fast for the close air, ground support and anti tank missions the A-10 was…BUILT FOR! I understand Obama knows nothing of the military, its inventory or what each weapon does. Nor does he care to. That’s a no brainer because he’s a no brainer but Hagel…damned well knows better! I have never in my life seen a Pentagon leadership, or lack of leadership, as inept and ass kissing as this one led by Hagel. I love the extra kick in the guts of, “we’ll have to cut other places” to keep the A-10. That’s his way, based on what he’s helped Obama do to the pay and benefits of the troops and retirees thus far, of saying, “Okay you guys want the A-10? Then expect more pay and benefit cuts.” As he smirks and snickers about it with Obama. How about cutting just ONE of their glamorous, pie in the sky, end all be all, do everything platforms that’s either still on the drawing boards or can’t get through trials and testings due to continued design flaws. NOTHING will do everything. Nothing. Well, except maybe for nuclear weapons and they have their fallout too. No pun intended.
Yup, name one of the “several types” that can do what the Warthog can do. This from the military genius’s that are bringing you the current air war on ISIS that every military mind this side of Napoleon says won’t work
Well, the A-10 can fly. The F-35 can [*cough* allegedly] fly (once a month per airframe during a good year). See? The F-35 can do what the A-10 does!
/sarc
This is something I won t mind a half cent tax increase for. Not for some stupid broken down healthcare system. Tax dollars for 30MM !!!
I’ll kick in for the A-10! It saves LIVES.
Praise The Lord and pass the ammo!
Maybe we can get Sally Struthers to do a commercial for saving the Warthog..
“Please give. If it saves just one life isn’t it worth it?”
Huh. If there were other aircraft capable of doing what the A-10 does, we wouldn’t be having this discussion.
It ain’t broke, and they need QUIT trying to fix it. KEEP THE A-10!!
How is it more cost effective to mothball an airframe that has already been paid for and proven itself countless times in combat for an airframe that does not meet mission requirements. And what is the cost for the new airframe to replace all the A-10s? I bet it is more than $4.2 billion dollars.
Repeat after me: Joint Strike Fighter
Anybody else hear the late, great Kelly Johnson rolling in his grave?
We should get rid of the Air Force and give it back to the Army. That’s where it belongs.
The Air Force has not done anything better than the Army used to do and most of the time it has done it worse.
Hi everyone!
Why does the government want to cut the budget of the military?
Is everyone in Washington insane? The world is going crazy and they want to cut money to the MILITARY???
Who was it who said, “talk softly but carry a big stick?” Oh yah, President Roosevelt.
What’s the new meme? “Talk loud and wave your hands in a scary way”???? Oh yah and bend over obsequiously to foreign heads of states?
Get Rid Of This Idiot Please. The whole world will breathe a sigh of relief.
* this message contains more than 137 characters.
*Smooch*
http://sd.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/i/keep-calm-and-brrrt-on-2.png
You, sir, are awesome. +1000 interwebs for the day.
x 2
Obviously you don’t understand… the president is VERY upset at the world situation.
Feel better now?
ummm is that sarcastic cos if you’re dissing me I’d like to take you on.
I think he’s more upset because he plays golf like a dork.
He has a 17 handicap and has played 201 games (I think). I have played less than that and I have a 17 handicap as well. Oh wait, I’m younger and so that’s why. I play from the lady’s tees so that’s why. Or…I’m just racist.
Or he’s just a fucktard who cares more about his image (and optics) than his country.
And oh yah, if you ARE dissing me, fuck you and the horse you rode in on.
Miffy…I don’t think he was dissing you at all. Just being tongue in cheek. David’s always a like minded, straight shooter here. Not trying to speak for him but I know from his posts he feels the same or worse about Obama.
” And oh yah, if you ARE dissing me, fuck you and the horse you rode in on.”
Sounds like from that comment,
That Miffy may be,
*dons sunglasses*
“A little Miffed” 😀
Check the upper left-hand drawer, Miffy. I think that’s where they keep the Midol.
Sorry everyone. I was rude. I apologise David.
We all have our moments, no worries here…in any event not all of our sarcasm is immediately evident…some of us have a truly odd sense of humor as you will discover.
Come on Miffy. Thicker Skin.
As has been said here…..
You Fit Right In.
You GO Girl!
b> Everyone have a fun and safe weekend
CIAO!!
Sorry for the late read, stayed off the weekend under a truck – no offense taken or apology needed. No diss meant, kid…. I try to be relatively non-confrontational but I suspect had I actually been dissing you it would have been somewhat clearer.
lol, glad this site is what it is. That last sentence got me banned from a board recently
I think it’s pretty ridiculous that our airforce is now in the business of flying 5 sorties to drop the same amount of munitions on a target that would have only taken 1 A10.
Who the fuck thought that was efficient?
Also where are our bombers and why haven’t they paved Iraq yet?
A-10 and GAU-8. A match made in heaven. I love me some Gatling guns. Even the little ones they had (have?) in Cobras.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GAU-8_Avenger#mediaviewer/File:GAU-8_meets_VW_Type_1.jpg
Rofl.
The Air Force has never been keen on the mud moving part of their mission. The zoomies love their fast sleek fighters and look down their noses at guys who fly at tree top level. There’s any easy fix to this. Charge the Army with CAS and move the A-10 into the Army inventory. But the Air Force won’t go for that because it could slash their budget when the money to support the Warthog is transferred to the Army.
Back when I wore a 36-inch zipper for the Army the USAF was talking about divesting the A-10 and mission to the Army.
I was standing in the line for that transition…when the USAF said they would only transfer the airframe, and none of the human spaces or maintenance dollars with them.
Then, in the early 90s a war happened in Southwest Asia, where the A-10 once again proved it was awesome, and the whole A-10-move-to-the-Army thing died.
Must be the children of those old USAF guys coming up with these ideas.
Several other types that do the same job? At what cost per airframe?
Are they thinking the JSF with a whopping 182 rounds for the 25mm will be the same? What’s that one and half to two passes and good bye?
The A-10 can provide the high cover needed over outposts above 10,000 feet in elevation like Eastern Afghan, where helicopters are less likely to operate effectively.
CAS isn’t just flying in and dropping a couple of JDAMs and screaming away on full afterburners…the A-10 is a piece of flying artillery that remains on station for more than 10 minutes.
I realize cost of operations will cause this aircraft to be retired at some point, but pretending that these other aircraft do the same job isn’t being totally honest about the A-10.
Other airframes do something similar, but they are only similar in the sense that Jenny McCarthy and Molly McCarthy are both women and are related to each other. Sure the basic female components are there but if anyone thinks because they are related they are technically getting the same woman is a fucking moron.
Jenny and Molly are related? Huh.
they are cousins
Molly McCarthy’s a woman?
C’mon Sparks, fat girls are like mopeds they’re still fun to ride you just don’t want your friends catching you on one….
Veritas Omnia Vincit…THAT is true and I’m LMAO now! Thank you I needed the belly laugh this afternoon.
HEY ALL I HAVE A GREAT IDEA!
Let’s throw away something that works great and only costs one dollar, and buy several new things that don’t work for shit and cost five hundred dollars each.
TRUST ME!! It’s a sound plan.
I didn’t stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night, but I am a member of the current administration.
You know what they say; if it ain’t broke, fix it until it is.
Maybe if Mom Jeans would cut back on golf, the savings in greens fees would cover the cost of the A10. And a bigger pay raise for the troops!
I wonder how much it costs for security on a golf course. I bet it’s probably the most expensive entertainment thing a president can be involved in.
If we fired the moochellle’s 50 personal staff members, the dogsitter 125K/yr, the caddy’s, told them they cannot take more than one 2 week vacation a year and it is to Bakersfield or somewhere else like Shithole NM we would no doubt save enough to keep the A-10 and the safety it provides for the pilots.
Seriously, have you seen the pounding those titanium bathtubs can take??? It is absolutely amazing !!!
If for nothing else, the safety factor of 100+ is worthwhile enough to keep it.
Toss in the Grunts of all services loving that unit and you have something that really needs to be kept alive.
I betcha the A-10 is a whole lot cheaper to operate than Air Force 1.
Last I heard, AF One only costs us taxpayers a paltry $180,000 an hour while it’s in the air! /sarc
HERE’S SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT
“On 7 May 2014 the Navy awarded Sikorsky Aircraft a $1.24 billion contract to build six presidential helicopters. A 21 helicopter fleet is anticipated by 2023.”
That works out to around 206 Million dollars apiece for the first six helicopters. A grand total of around 4.3 Billion for all 21. Before cost overruns, of course.
An earlier contract, that was cancelled, was going to cost the US Taxpayers more than 13 Billion dollars for a fleet of 28 helicopters.
So Barry says he wants to save money from the Air Force budget? Here’s an idea: how about we limit Air Force One to 24 flight hours per year? Save fuel and operating cost, as well as maintenance costs. I’m told those are ridiculously high for a VC-25, potentially higher than the entire A-10 fleet at the rate he uses it.
God forbid the Glorious Leader sacrifice one of his biweekly golf trips to save the lives of American troops…
Put the clowns who want to cut the program on a hill in Afghanistan with a thousand screaming Taliban coming at them and then ask them if they’d like some A-10 ground support.
We all know the answer to that question.
Back in the day when I was stationed at NAS Barbers Point, there a Warthog doing local airfield ops at the air station. I watched in wonder as the bird turned on a dime. It was a joy to watch and I’m sure that joy is increased exponentially when it’s coming in low to inflict some ordnance on the enemy.
What, do we need the current equivalent of the Skyraider? I mean heck, that was a WWII-era aircraft used HEAVILY in VN.
Next, they’ll tell us that the MC-130 is too old and isn’t able to support. Right.
I may be wrong, but it is my understanding that the F-15 is an older design than the A-10. Yet nobody’s in a rush to get rid of them, even with the supposedly world-beating F-22s in production. And in any case, aren’t the B-1s going to the boneyard at a faster rate than the much-older B-52s?
We need planes that can do the jobs of the B-52 and the A-10 as well as the B-52 and A-10 do. Only the B-52 does the B-52’s job as well as the B-52 does. Only the A-10 does the A-10’s job as well as the A-10 does (remember the A-16 project?). See how that works?
I just don’t understand why anyone would want to get rid of such a beautiful creation. What originally started out as a hand cranked magazine fed multi barrel weapon is now electric driven, belt fed, and bigger than a Volkswagen bug! Then Someone, somewhere, said “let’s build a plane around it”. Giving that weapons system wings is probably one of the best innovations in close air support to come out of the 20th century. Why not keep it?
CAS and Escort for us combat rescue guys. Drop a couple of the new go fast jets from the procurement, and you can flu the whole fleet of A-10s for a year
My understanding from talking to some AF people is that the A-10 airframes are getting so old they will require a major overhaul in order to keep flying and that the facilities to do this are no longer available (who made the A-10? Fairchild?)
And since the USAF never liked the A-10 in the first place, they never worked on a successor which now means they are stuck with unreliable airframes and no easy or inexpensive way to modernize them.
I think the USAF sees the hundreds of millions of $$ that would have to go into the program to keep the A-10’s flying and thinks it would rather spend all that money on sleek zoomy toys that will give lots of sweet, sweet taxpayer cash to favored congressional districts.
IOW it’s kind of like when the plumbing on your house goes out but you’d rather spend the same money to buy a new car.
The Marines did it with the venerable old Hell UH-1 “Huey.” They now have the UH-1Y “Venom.”
Granted they did end up building completely new helicopters, but the program started as an airframe, engine, avionics upgrade.
Bell, not hell.
I love this aircaft. I’ve seen it in action. What tremendous firepower and an overall outstanding weapons platform. Saved my ass a time or two. I’d hate to see it go. I’ll raise a glass to the A-10 pilots. Those guys are the definition of CAS.
Yeah, Warthog’s Suck
You can’t watch that one, the guy has no clue how to take a moving picture…
Too bad too, they are nasty mofo’s !!!
Many years ago the A-10 was assigned to the Air National Guard at Truax Field in Madison WI and flew them all over the area on training missions..
I was on top of a cleared hill just southeast of Sauk City WI in the town of Roxbury WI. cutting up some firewood and saw a couple of them out of the corner of my eye probably about 2000 feet in elevation. I stopped what I was doing came to attention and snapped a salute to them as they flew over.
They both waved their wings at me.
That was the coolest thing that happened to me the entire time I lived in that area of WI.
It’s a great plane and should be either kept or updated with new stuff including the airframes…
Damn cool. Great memory.
Ditto, Thunder, the A-10s from Selfridge used to fly over my house, on their way back from wherever they fly and make their turns over the place, at 1000ft or so. I too threw a salute to 2 of them and got the waggled wings in return.
I knew there was a reason I liked Senator Ayotte. Woman has brains between her ears. And uses them.
I always liked this strip: http://deltabravosierra.com/comic/what-is-best-in-life/
There’s nothing like a Warthog coming to save our butts from AQIZ in Baqubah. 30mm pounding their asses from a low flight. The only other thing that comes close to that feeling is getting saved by a Bradley… taxing those bastards with its 25mm cannon of glory