Congress to Air Force: Push to Retire A-10 ‘Misguided’
By Brendan McGarry | Wednesday, September 30th, 2015 4:58 pm
Posted in Air, Sequestration
U.S. lawmakers again rejected the Air Force’s proposal to retire the A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft, calling the decision “misguided.”
Congress on Tuesday agreed to a sweeping $612 billion defense bill, called the Fiscal 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, which sets policy goals and spending targets for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.
A fact-sheet distributed by the House Armed Services Committee, headed by Rep. William “Mac” Thornberry, a Republican from Texas, references the Air Force’s controversial proposal to divest its fleet of Warthogs, some of which are flying missions in the Middle East as part of Operation Inherent Resolve to target militants affiliated with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS.
“Rigorous oversight, endorsements from Soldiers and Marines about the protection only the A-10 can provide, and repeated deployments in support of OIR have persuaded many Members from both parties that the budget-driven decision to retire the A-10 is misguided,” the document states.
Has there ever been a case like this in the past where the brass was gung-ho to eliminate a weapon that the rank and file was vigorously trying to keep in the fight?
This^ Make a newer one with the same 30MM cannon but add two of the new 50cal electric cannons for Infantry shredding when 30mm is just too much.. or they want to use all 3 guns at once.
"God forbid we tell the savages to go fuck themselves." Batboy
Don't worry. If the Air Force retires the plane, it will live on. Every police force in the country will buy one on surplus. Instead of sending in the SWAT guys when they spot heat signatures that look like grow lights, they'll be able to vaporize your dog from the air. And all of the sudden those signs telling you speed limits are enforced by aircraft will take on new meaning.
"The biggest problems that we’re facing right now have to do with George Bush trying to bring more and more power into the executive branch and not go through Congress at all."
