Defense Secretary set to annouce two airframes to be cut

[RoughAir]

News channels reporting that the A-10 and the U-2 fleet to be mothballed when Defense Secretary Hagel announces the new Pentagon budget this afternoon.

The U-2 fleet mothball surprised me. The A-10 was been on the chopping block many times but saved by Congress.

 

[DieselDragRacer]

I'd scrap the F-35 myself.

 

[SIG600]

I'd scrap the F-35 myself.

Agreed. The only people I hear that have anything good to say about the program, all have pay checks that say Lockheed.

 

[rettofly]

It's all part of the Master Plan

I know a couple of former A-10 drivers. Seems that the A-10 is still a mighty fine weapon but, since we're getting out of the defense business, we just don't need fine weapons any more.

The F-35 seems like an inordinately expensive way to replace what we have, even assuming it can be tweaked into a viable, deployable platform. I get the impression that everybody except the prime contractor hates it.

 

[lowtimedriver]

I know a couple of former A-10 drivers. Seems that the A-10 is still a mighty fine weapon but, since we're getting out of the defense business, we just don't need fine weapons any more.

The F-35 seems like an inordinately expensive way to replace what we have, even assuming it can be tweaked into a viable, deployable platform. I get the impression that everybody except the prime contractor hates it.

Just want you want, a 170M jet doing ground attack missions. Really?

 

[DieselDragRacer]

It seems like an A-10 can get a whole lot more up close and personal to hostiles on the ground than a glorified F-16 can.

 

[ILS8L]

It seems like an A-10 can get a whole lot more up close and personal to hostiles on the ground than a glorified F-16 can.

At least we will still have DAPs and AC-130

 

[trip]

Experts have realized the F35 jet engine (minus the fan) will not fit into the V22 Osprey. Solution, un-can (remove from shipping container) and bolt it into special mounts built into the V22 airframe, Im not making this up.

 

[IBNAV8R]

The Hog was on the chopping block as soon as it got on line. It was (is) ugly, low and slow and the brass wanted no part of it.

We will ALWAYS need "boots on the ground" to declare victory and that will ALWAYS take someone who is willing to go into the s**t to back them up. UAVs ain't it.

 

[sstearns2]

It seems like an A-10 squadron could be operated for a fraction the cost of an F-35 squadron, but the point is not the defense of the US or protecting our guys on the ground. The point is maintaining the corporate cash flow. The F-35 program is very effective there. What we should have done is an F-16 "E/F".

Scott