"Charles Gray" wrote in message
...
A question-- why haven't any CAS aircrarft been designed with
turboprops or the pusher varient (I foreget what you call it)? Given
their slow operating speed, it would seem to be a natural match up. Is
it a case the they are obsolete, or more of a case that people (read--
budget officials) have come to expect *jets*, on military aircraft.

As others noted, many turboprops have and are being used in CAS duties
generally in Third World countries, where probable opposition is unlikely to
shoot back with too much stuff. Since there are plenty of suitable planes
(advanced trainers, for example) which can perform in the role, it's usually
waste to design purpose-built aircraft.

Major countries, who expect to meet first-rate opposition, don't build prop
CAS planes because it's a really bad idea. Some view even A-10 as too slow
and vulnerable against modern (truly deadly) low-altitude defences. There
have been some projects in the past (Piper Enforcer, a turboprop P-51(!)
comes to mind) but they haven't led to anything. If you want to fly low and
slow, get a helicopter.