GOV/MIL U.S. Air Force Fires Up the A-10 Depot Line to Keep Warthogs Flying 'Indefinitely'

Housecarl

On TB every waking moment
“Even though we will lose CAS capacity, we are retiring the A-10 anyway” USAF says
http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/show...are-retiring-the-A-10-anyway”-USAF-says/page2

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For links see article source.....
Posted for fair use.....
http://www.popularmechanics.com/mil...up-depot-line-keep-a-10s-flying-indefinitely/

U.S. Air Force Fires Up the A-10 Depot Line to Keep Warthogs Flying 'Indefinitely'

In addition to standard maintenance and upkeep, the attack planes will be fitted with new wings.

By Jay Bennett
Oct 25, 2016

On paper, the Air Force plans to start mothballing the A-10 in 2018, with the last Warthogs sent to the boneyard by 2021. But last month Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James said that the retirement of the A-10 would likely have to be delayed further as the military continues to rely on the low-and-slow attack plane for close-air support (CAS) missions flown against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria. Even more telling, the Air Force Material Command (AFMC) is bringing the depot line for A-10 maintenance and repair back up to full capacity, according to Aviation Week.

The Hawg isn't going anywhere.

"They have re-geared up, we've turned on the depot line, we're building it back up in capacity and supply chain," AFMC chief Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski recently told Aviation Week. "Our command, anyway, is approaching this as another airplane that we are sustaining indefinitely."

Air Force maintainers are also preparing to replace the wings of the A-10 fleet, tapping a $2 billion contract originally awarded to Boeing in 2007, which was intended at the time to keep the fleet flying until 2028. Some corrosion of the planes has been seen at the depots, but Pawlikowski says this is to be expected, especially on an aircraft that has been in service since 1977.

Much of the leadership within the Air Force is keen to retire the A-10 so that the resources used to maintain the fleet can be pumped into the fifth-generation F-35 program. However, the A-10 is the Air Force's only plane with the sole purpose of CAS to protect ground troops. In the current struggle against the Islamic State, a heavily armed and armored attack plane with a long loiter time—and the GAU-8 Avenger 30-millimeter gatling gun that holds 1,350 armor-piercing rounds—is significantly more useful than a stealthy, fast, software-laden fighter like the F-35.

To keep the A-10 fleet of 283 aircraft flying, Hill Air Force Base in Utah, where most of the A-10 maintenance and repair work is done, is continuing to prepare for increased capacity. According to Aviation Week, the A-10 division at Hill has improved the aircraft availability rate from about 63 to 68 percent in the past year, accounting for 87,000 flight hours worldwide in fiscal year 2015.

The Air Force has been pressured by a group in Congress with widespread public support to keep the A-10 fleet maintained and flying CAS missions until an adequate replacement has been realized. Some Representatives have even suggested that the A-10's retirement should be contingent on the F-35—the Warthog's ostensible short-term replacement—being deployed in current conflicts.

"The Air Force has been at war for a long time, and every time we think things are going to slow down for us something else happens," Pawlikowski told Aviation Week. "We struggle with, how do we find that balance between modernization and the sustainment of what we have?"

A controversial plan to replace the A-10 with two aircraft has emerged among Air Force leadership. The tentative strategy would involve using an off-the-shelf turboprop aircraft, such as the A-29 Super Tucano or the AT-6 Wolverine, to fly a supporting role to the A-10 until a new aircraft, either a clean-sheet design or modified existing aircraft, could be developed as a more complete replacement. With Air Force financial resources already stretched thin from the F-35 program, and an uncertain future budget due to the elections in November, it remains to be seen if the two-plane replacement plan is viable or not.

Whatever the Air Force decides to replace the A-10 with, one thing is clear: The Warthog won't be replaced by anything for some years yet.

Source: Aviation Week

The Warthog Flies On

The A-10 Warthog Could Have Two Replacements

The A-10 Retirement Could Be Delayed Yet Again

Congress to Air Force: You Can't Retire the A-10
 

Hfcomms

EN66iq
They're finally doing something that makes sense. The F35 program is nothing but bloat for the defense contractors to make a killing. When there is an option for CAS that is effective, simple and robust then that is the way to go.
 

ersatzpanther

Senior Member
Even thinking about retiring the "Warthog" is insanity if you need to kill Jihadis, tanks or support grunts on the ground. Seems like good news from a credible source.

I have a classmate grad (USAFA '67) who switched from USAF to ANG some years ago so he could keep piloting A-10s. Something about "hosing stuff on the ground with the GAU-8 inbetween your legs." I'll take his word for it, but I can imagine.
 

Illini Warrior

Illini Warrior
with the Russian threat re-newed - they not only need to keep the A-10 fleet at 100% - they need to be pulling out A-10s out of mothballs and piecing together a few more ... and .... that's on top of getting the new generation figured out and being deployed ....
 

LightEcho

Has No Life - Lives on TB
They need to stop using depleted uranium munitions. This is scattering dirty bombs of radioactive material everywhere they shoot. It is a nuclear disaster in its own right.
 

OddOne

< Yes, I do look like that.
They need to stop using depleted uranium munitions. This is scattering dirty bombs of radioactive material everywhere they shoot. It is a nuclear disaster in its own right.

DU is already being phased out by most of the world in favor of alternatives like tungsten carbide, which is only a small fraction softer and far, far less environmentally nasty.
 

vestige

Deceased
with the Russian threat re-newed - they not only need to keep the A-10 fleet at 100% - they need to be pulling out A-10s out of mothballs and piecing together a few more ... and .... that's on top of getting the new generation figured out and being deployed ....

Seems like a "war dot." Prepping the logistics train for a needed wartime asset.

A-10s: Plan A for the Fulda Gap when Ivan brought on the tank hordes. (Plan B was a lot worse)

Big dot
 

Meadowlark

Has No Life - Lives on TB
They would sacrifice the baby jesus for that ultimate CASH COW *^(*&^()*&^(*&^(*&^(*&^%$^%%$#$ F-35 flying brick which deserves to be on a fast track to cancellation.
 

Richard

TB Fanatic
There is room for both the A10 and F35, but the F35 will be delayed again and again or will take years to reach Operational Effectiveness carrying only two missiles on board, stealth isn't really required against any foe even the USSR.

IMO the Royal Navy has to buy the F35B as it is the only VTOL fast jet in production, but should cut back the numbers to those required for two aircraft carriers..........
 
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