Several key lawmakers have already promised to block any plans to retire the Warthog, even before the Air Force submitted its budget plans.
The Air Force, in its fiscal 2016 budget proposal, is also looking at cutting other aircraft. The plan would reduce the service's F-15C/D fleet by 31 aircraft over five years, 10 in fiscal 2016. The fleet is more than 27 years old. The remaining aircraft would undergo radar and avionics upgrades, along with other service-life extension upgrades.
The service would retain the U-2 Dragon Lady. Last year, the Air Force tried to retire the aging aircraft, but was blocked by Congress. The plan also sustains RQ-4 Global Hawks, including the Block 30 variant the service tried to mothball in previous budget plans.
airforcetimes
Until the USAF has a comparable aircraft they cannot retire the A-10C Thunderbolt II. US law requires the USAF to support the US Army in the field. Close Air Support (CAS) is an indespensible asset to troops in the field. That CAS asset must be able to provide direct fire support, withstand damage, and persist over the battlefield for a significant time. The F-35 (any flavor) cannot do that and is highly allergic to bullets. The Defense Department has decided that the modern battlefield is no place for slow movers regardless of their firepower capability due to vulnerabilities to surface to air missile systems. Either the countermeasures work or they don't. If they do not then we need to stop spending big bucks putting them on all our aircraft (transports included). We must live in the real combat world and no amount of countermeasures will ever make the combat SAFE! You are either Righteous and ready to meet your Maker, or you are not. Which are you?
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