On Fri, 26 Dec 2003 05:25:11 -0500, Cub Driver
wrote:

Has the USAF adopted an attack aircraft since the A-10 was rammed down
its throat?

all the best -- Dan Ford

Difficult to let that urban legend prevail without comment. The A-10
was definitely not rammed down any metaphorical AF throat. It was the
product of a well designed competition between A-9 and A-10 to build
an updated A-1; an airplane with high survivability, close-in
accuracy, heavy payload, and good anti-armor capability. The value of
such an aircraft had been conclusively demonstrated in SEA and the
application for such a type in European NATO Fulda Gap scenarios was
obvious. (The initial deployment to Ben****ers/Woodbridge with six
FOLs in Germany is illustrative.)

Repeat again after me:

1. The USAF recognizes CAS as a mission.
2. The A-10 is a valued aircraft (despite the fact that lots of
fighter pilots think Vipers or Eagles are more glamorous.)
3. Folks who fly or have flown the A-10 like and respect it.
4. It has been very successful over the years.
5. The USAF recognizes CAS as a mission.

Lather, rinse, repeat.



Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
Smithsonian Institution Press
ISBN #1-58834-103-8