Why is the F-35 replacing the A-10?

[sergei]

[/quote]

0.10

T-34-76

[popcorn]

Well Sergei, if you can spare a few Armata for target practice DARPA would be grateful.

[maus92]

USAF releases RFI for more wing kits for the remaining A-10A, presumably part of the process to upgrade them to A-10Cs:

https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity ... e&_cview=0

Looks like the USAF needs more A-10s - are they really going to retire this plane before 2028? Doesn't look like it.

[sprstdlyscottsmn]

USAF releases RFI for more wing kits for the remaining A-10A, presumably part of the process to upgrade them to A-10Cs:

https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity ... e&_cview=0

Looks like the USAF needs more A-10s - are they really going to retire this plane before 2028? Doesn't look like it.

Or, they are being forced to keep them so they are putting out the request for information on SLEPs.

[bring_it_on]

Looks like the USAF needs more A-10s - are they really going to retire this plane before 2028? Doesn't look like it.

They are going to try but you don't assume that you'll succeed and just not plan to keep these aircraft relevant for the remaining life. Congress can either give what the USAF want or provide money for both the A-10's and the sort of maintainer thrust required to achieve F-35 FOC around 2021. You can definitely have both and hopefully when the clouds of sequestration and CR finally lift a few years from now the Air Force wouldnt be required to make the sort of decisions they are being forced to now.

[neptune]

[..sequestration and CR finally lift a few years from now the Air Force wouldnt be required to make the sort of decisions they are being forced to now.

Darpa was supposed to have completed the PCAS test with a QA-10 back in May, no news that I've seen.

....so now we "might" have a QA-10 on an X-Box for the boots?

2 hrs. on station @ 440 mph.

1,350 rounds 30mm

11 hardpoints- 16, 000 lbs. ordinance; laser guided- 250/ 500/ 1000 lb. bombs, 2.75" rockets, Hellfire missles

a/a refueling

...game on??

[MD]

USAF releases RFI for more wing kits for the remaining A-10A, presumably part of the process to upgrade them to A-10Cs:

Looks like the USAF needs more A-10s - are they really going to retire this plane before 2028? Doesn't look like it.

This isn't for the A-10As in storage, most of which are highly parted out and are no more than scrap (and are being scrapped). This is likely for replacement wing boxes for existing A-10C aircraft (even though the RFI says A-10A), as the original planes which had been through HogUp, some of those are seeing cracks in their wing boxes again.

[MD]

2 hrs. on station @ 440 mph.

1,350 rounds 30mm

11 hardpoints- 16, 000 lbs. ordinance; laser guided- 250/ 500/ 1000 lb. bombs, 2.75" rockets, Hellfire missles

a/a refueling

...game on??

Is there a larger ammo drum installed and afterburning engines?

[sprstdlyscottsmn]

2 hrs. on station @ 440 mph.


11 hardpoints- 16, 000 lbs. ordinance; laser guided- 250/ 500/ 1000 lb. bombs, 2.75" rockets, Hellfire missles

One or the other. The A-10 won't do 380knt when loaded like that. Only has 3.5 hrs of fuel at max end and clean according to our resident A-10 driver.

[neptune]

One or the other. The A-10 won't do 380knt when loaded like that. Only has 3.5 hrs of fuel at max end and clean according to our resident A-10 driver.

...agreed, either/ or...now "Q"A-10 vs. the MQ-9 Reaper (generic armed UAV) faster speed (response)/ refuelable (longer on station with no box lunch or nature break)/ larger ordinace load (less RTBs)/ the gun/ perhaps with a litening pod (eyes in the sky) and the android X-Box thingee. Autonomous orbit and RTB.

[tritonprime]

"Request for Information: New A-10 Wing Assembly Production"
(Source: US Air Force Material Command; issued Sept 17, 2015)

This announcement constitutes an official Request for Information (RFI). This is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) or an Invitation for Bid (IFB), nor is it to be construed as a commitment by the government. The government does not intend to make an award on the basis of this RFI or otherwise pay for the information solicited herein.

1. PURPOSE:

The purpose of this RFI is to gather comments and potential sources for production of new wing assemblies for the A/OA-10A to support operational requirements through 2021.

The benefits of having replacement structural assemblies is to mitigate the increasing inspection and repair costs necessary to maintain aging structural items. (…/…)

B. Overall goal:
• Estimated production of approximately 10-25 ship sets per year at a production rate of approximately 1-2 wing assemblies per month

• Drop-in replacement

C. Industry/Government Partnering:
• An integrated Industry/Government team will work together throughout this program providing a free flowing exchange of information. (…/…)

4. Industry Day:
The government intends to hold an industry day at Hill Air Force Base. The tentative date for this event is 17 November 2015. Additional details regarding this industry day will be provided to interested parties in the coming weeks. If interested in attending this event, please contact the Contracting Officer listed below. Interested parties will be required to provide a list of employees who will be attending the industry day as well as each employee’s job title.

5. Closing Date: Final vendor RFI responses are expected by close of business
02 November 2015. (end of excerpt)

Source:
http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articl ... -wing.html

RFI:
https://www.fbo.gov/utils/view?id=8dd90 ... de1619ab7d

[oldiaf]

Another article praising the A-10 ... This time to keep it for fighting Insurgents and guerrillas justifying that with its low flight cost per hour 11,500 $ compared to 32,000 $ to F-35A .... Armored body and more ammo for cannon :
http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-bu ... e-10-14060

[Lieven]

I've reported Geogen about 20 times for his uninformed trolling in the last few months.

After all these years, even being an extremely patient man, I'm finally sick of reading his stew of buzzwords and falsehoods. I'll be reporting every post of his that is disingenuous, previously debunked, or that is clearly bait, from here on out.

Just to inform that Geogen has been banned.

[XanderCrews]

Another article praising the A-10 ... This time to keep it for fighting Insurgents and guerrillas justifying that with its low flight cost per hour 11,500 $ compared to 32,000 $ to F-35A .... Armored body and more ammo for cannon :
http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-bu ... e-10-14060

That would make a lot of sense if the US didn't already spend hundreds of billions of dollars fighting Insurgents every year.

The CPFH of one platform compared to another is barely noticeable. Not to mention there are all of 12 A-10s in action against ISIS

[oldiaf]

Another article praising the A-10 ... This time to keep it for fighting Insurgents and guerrillas justifying that with its low flight cost per hour 11,500 $ compared to 32,000 $ to F-35A .... Armored body and more ammo for cannon :
http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-bu ... e-10-14060

That would make a lot of sense if the US didn't already spend hundreds of billions of dollars fighting Insurgents every year.

The CPFH of one platform compared to another is barely noticeable. Not to mention there are all of 12 A-10s in action against ISIS

Whats funny is during the entire Afghan war ... No more than 12 A-10 stationed their at any given time !!