Strategy, Not Just Sequester, Drives A-10 Cut: Air Force Chief Gen. Welsh

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http://breakingdefense.com/2013/12/strategy-not-just-sequester-drives-a-10-cut-air-force-chief-gen-welsh/

Strategy, Not Just Sequester, Drives A-10 Cut: Air Force Chief Gen. Welsh
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.
on December 13, 2013 at 12:43 PM

Budget cuts won’t make the Air Force give up any of its current missions, the service’s Chief of Staff promised today. But, Gen. Mark Welsh acknowledged, the cuts will force it to do those missions with different and perhaps not optimal aircraft.

Yes, the famous A-10 “Warthog” is “the best at close air support” – i.e. hitting targets right in front of the troops on the ground – but it’s an aging aircraft that has to retire sooner or later and other planes can do CAS just fine, said Welsh, a former A-10 pilot himself. Yes, the combat search and rescue mission – flying in to rescue downed pilots – is “a sacred trust,” he said, but we may not be able to afford a new CSAR helicopter any time soon.

In either case, Welsh told reporters at the Pentagon today, “the mission will continue to get done, guys.”

“We’re talking about lots of things we must have,” Welsh said. “The question is in what order do we recapitalize as the budget comes down, (and) the top three for us are clearly the F-35 (fighter), the KC-46 (fuel tanker), and the long-range strike bomber.”