http://www.difesaonline.it/mondo-militare/10-anche-il-gao-attacca-lair-force-bloccati-tutti-i-piani-di-pensionamento-il-warthog

(Franco Iacch)
08/25/16

"There is no justification to retire the A-10 fleet. Doing so would leave our military at the mercy of the security challenges in the world ".

The Government Accountability Office, in a statement countersigned by the Senate Armed Services Committee, strongly attacked the retirement plan offered by the Air Force for the A-10.

"The Air Force says that to meet the new challenges in theaters such as the Pacific, you need to purchase multi-role aircraft such as the F-35. The Air Force estimates that would save $ 4.2 billion over the next five years if it were to go to the A-10 retired. The GAO still not well understood methodology identified by the service to estimate these savings, but the Air Force did not establish the clear requirements of the missions that carry the A-10. In the absence of such requirements, the Air Force has not fully identified the gaps and skills which would lose by sending retired the A-10. Missing a mitigation strategy to compensate for the loss of the Warthog platform. "

The GAO also attacks the Defense Department. "They should develop guidelines to determine the specific requirements to be fulfilled before proposing the retirement of the principal weapon system that, after the upgrade, has reached the end of their life cycle." The GAO suggests the Air Force to focus on platforms that are now coming to the end of their service.

Aviation forget - and conclude by GAO - for other platforms, such as the B-52, it proceeded smoothly to their extension.

The A-10 Warthog was built in 715 specimens. The Air Force has divested four squadrons A-10 from 2012 to date, while those still in service increased from 24 to 18 aircraft. The Pentagon Row in the world nine squadrons in four theaters of operation: South Korea, Iraq and Syria, Eastern Europe and the Philippines.

Built in the late '70s, they have been redesigned to fly until 2028 (the next step in 2040). This figure should not do kick up a fuss: just think that the B-52 fleet will fly until 2040. The Pentagon has recently invested a billion dollars to equip the A-10 with a new cockpit, fire control system and a HMD (helmet-mounted displays) implemented on the helmet.

The controversies arise on the A-10 on the need to free up funds for the F-35 which, in theory, was also presented as aircraft CAS role. We know that is not so. The universal hunting project, both in terms of the components in common for the three variants for the role multirole, is officially failed by time. The Navy is developing its own specific hunting, while the Air Force is pushing for reopening the Raptor line.

The A-10's sacrifice was considered necessary for the economic flow for the F-35. Unfortunately, as we have repeated many times, the F-35 tactical fighter can never perform the missions of the Warthog and match its historically undervalued close support capability. Then there is, finally, the age-old dispute between Air Force and troops on the ground.

After the initial phase (years) for the comprehensive JSF, even the Pentagon has admitted the facts, allowing the A-X program (nature of the A-10 replacement).

What will happen now? GAO, Armed Services Committee of the Senate and the House, as well as the Congress have repeatedly expressed their binding point of view: the A-10 is untouchable.

The A-10 will remain in service until the decision of A-X program, which as we know has three options: build a new Warthog, use existing assets to meet the missions CAS or extend the life of the A-10 until 2040/45. Despite the budgetary pressures and the need to free resources for the F-35 program, the Air Force in its latest budget request shelve the final retirement plans in 2022, proposing the withdrawal of 49 aircraft by 2018. The Congress instead, froze all types of a-10's retirement until they are proven capabilities of the platform that will replace it.

Lethality, survival and the unique ability to provide continuous close air support A-10 are unmatched. The A-10 can fly above the battlefield for 90 minutes, while the F-35A can be alone for 20-30 minutes. The A-10 can shoot more than 1,170 hits, while the F-35A has only 180 bullets. The A-10 can remain airborne even after losing part of its primary systems, the F-35A can not survive a direct hit. No other Western aircraft could continue its mission under the fire of cannons 23mm and against some 57 mm. Every vital part of the A-10 is protected by armor plates. No exception to the pilot, wrapped in a "pool" of 600 kg titanium. It is noted that if on the one hand the A-10 was designed to operate in an operating environment of an earlier era, today remains more vulnerable than other platforms in the face of new threats. The new platform of CAS A-X program should therefore be designed to ensure close support in environment with modern and layered defense systems. The A-10, today it can only operate in permissive environments.

Warthog 2.0

The A-X program, compared to the previous, also contemplates the possibility of upgrading the existing cells, however, must comply with the requirements set by the Air Force. If so, the Air Force (to save time and money) could bet everything on a Warthog 2.0. A new platform so, that would retain the current capabilities of the 'A-10, improving the critical aspects as, for example, the low power of the General Electric TF-34. The latter does not allow the A-10 to take off fully loaded.

The CAS role does not require hypersonic aerodynamic profiles. That is why the cruise speed (360 ideally nodes) will still have to be aerodynamically compatible with a narrow radius of turn at low speed. The new aircraft should be able to make a minimum of twenty attacks against infantry targets or eleven attacks against tanks during a single sortie. In addition, the Warthog 2.0 may also be able to hit moving targets at eight nautical miles away at altitudes above 20,000 feet. In terms of survival, any aircraft CAS new generation will have to have two engines and various redundant systems. He will have to resist the blows from 7.62 / 14.5 mm and the 23 mm cannon fire. He will survive even if hit by an SA-18 missile.

But there is one key element that will be essential part of the new A-10: The GAU-8 30 mm cannon. The A-X program is designed to achieve (as was the case for the A-10) of an armored system to bring in flight the weapon more powerful tactical airborne on the planet: the gun type gatling of 30 mm to seven rotating barrels GAU-8 Avenger. And 'capable of destroying a tank 7 km away.

The most powerful air force in the world that is based on cells with an average life of 23 years, is already financing a new bomber, the B-21, a new tanker, the KC-46, the F-35 and the program AX. Wicked, finally, the possibility that the Air Force will consider not one, but two substitutes for the A-10 Warthog in Close Air Support based sull'Embraer A-29 Super Tucano / Textron Beechcraft AT-6 and a U -CAV not yet revealed equipped with a cannon GAU-8 30 mm.

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