81st Fighter Squadron’s Warthog upgrade lauded

[unhappycamper]

The 81st Fighter Squadron’s A-10As, like the one pictured above on deployment in Afghanistan this spring, are being upgraded to A-10Cs. The new variant can carry precision weapons, such as the Joint Direct Attack Munition.


81st Fighter Squadron’s Warthog upgrade lauded
By Mark Abramson, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Friday, November 14, 2008

SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany — The grunt’s best friend in the sky — the A-10 Warthog — is getting some new teeth to help take out the enemy.

All 24 Warthogs, or Thunderbolt IIs as they are officially called, in the 81st Fighter Squadron at Spangdahlem are slated to be upgraded to the A-10C model as part of an Air Force-wide program.

Eight of the squadron’s planes have been almost completely overhauled in Belgium and another 13 are in the shop for the work. The price tag for improving the 81st’s A-10s is $286 million.

Although the work involves tearing down the plane, the only noticeable exterior difference between the new A-10 variant is a few added antennas.

Most of the squadron’s pilots have already been trained on the C model, and the squadron has had to borrow A-10s from Reserve and National Guard units in the States to stay proficient in the aircraft while its planes are being improved.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=58809

[midnight armadillo]

1. Isn't this plane supposed to be retired at some point?

I thought the AF had been trying to get rid of this in favor of high speed multirole planes for, what, 15 years? Do you know what the future is of the A-10 or is the JSF the replacement?

[Best_man23]

2. They were going to retire the A-10 in the 90s

The replacement was supposed to be a modified F-16. However, the Army and Marine Corps told the AF if they didn't want the A-10, they wanted the A-10.

The A-10 is a tank with wings and there are no other CAS aircraft or helicopters that can carry and deliver the munition loads (and withstand punishment) like the A-10.

[unhappycamper]

3. The Air Force never wanted the Hog.

It's slow, redundant as hell and effective. The AF likes go fast machines.

I seriously doubt the F-35 will ever amount to anything. For starters it costs $239,000,000 a pop, can't fly above 40,000 feet yet, and the piggy bank is running out of money.