GOV/MIL USAF issues RfI for A/OA-10A re-winging

[Housecarl]

Hummm.......

For links see article source.....
Posted for fair use.....
http://www.janes.com/article/54629/usaf-issues-rfi-for-a-oa-10a-re-winging

Air Platforms

USAF issues RfI for A/OA-10A re-winging

Gareth Jennings, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
18 September 2015

The US Air Force (USAF) has issued a request for information (RfI) to industry for the re-winging of an undisclosed number of Fairchild-Republic A/OA-10A Thunderbolt II close air support aircraft.

The RfI, which was posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website on 17 September, is to gather comments and potential sources for production of new wing assemblies for the A/OA-10A to support operational requirements through 2021.

Final vendor RfI responses are expected by close of business on 2 November, with an Industry Day to be held at Hill Air Force Base in Utah on 17 November.

The USAF is already involved in an effort to re-wing 173 of its approximately 300 A-10s (plus options for 69 more), with Boeing the prime contractor.

Despite the air force's stated aim to retire the aircraft to free up resources for the introduction into service of the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), it continues to award contracts under the A-10 Thunderbolt Lifecycle Program Support (TLPS) programme to keep the aircraft viable through to 2028 and beyond.

With the current Boeing-led re-winging programme part of this wider TLPS, the USAF looks set to complete the project given that it is already so far along. In June Boeing said that 105 wingsets had been completed and delivered back to the USAF, with the contract set to run through to the first quarter of 2017.

 

[Publius]

While their at it, how about contract bidding to build new ones.

 

[Trainman-2]

The wings get the most "wear" and are the first to need replacement. The engines would be next as there have been many improvements since the A-10's were built.

The A-10 is structurally sound but can be improved and have its service life extended for a lot less money than designing and building new ones.

 

[Hfcomms]

If it ain't broke don't fix it. The A-10 is still a tough viable platform for CAS and will continue to be so for the future. When you consider that the ancient B-52 first deployed in the early 1950's is upgraded and still flying it shouldn't be too tough to do it for the A-10 which was first built in the mid 1970's. It isn't considered a sexy airplane but it's ability to loiter over the battlefield and to absorb punishment that would blow apart the F-35 and other contemporary fighters makes it a valuable force multiplier.