I'm sure the army would like a replacement for the A-10, but it's not
going to get one. Given the difficulties combat helicopters have had
in the past year, both in the Iraq invasion and with the Pentagon,
they're not going to be a substitute. So it looks like the army will
have to get along with a combination of dumbed-down fighter planes,
its own helos, and (most promising of all) UAVs.

On Thu, 11 Mar 2004 20:37:51 GMT, Charles Gray wrote:

To put it a different way, the model of a A-10 style aircraft,
equipped with cannon and guns, providing close air support and
anti-armor firepower to the troops?
Or have things changed enought (cheap PGM's, UCAV's, etc) to where
that model is more along the line of a Battleship in 1945-- no matter
how effective at its job, there are now things that can do the job
just as well or better, and are more flexible to boot?

all the best -- Dan Ford
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