U.S. Air Force will delay retirement of the A-10 Thunderbolt ground attack jets following continued use in battlefields in the Middle East....
U.S. Air Force will delay retirement of the A-10 Thunderbolt ground attack jets following continued use in battlefields in the Middle East.
Defense Secretary Ash Carter who previewed the 2017 defense budget at the Economic Club in Washington, on Feb. 2, said the A-10 final retirement will be deferred until 2022, when it will be replaced by the F-35A Joint Strike Fighters squadron by squadron.
Defense Secretary Ash Carter who previewed the 2017 defense budget at the Economic Club in Washington, on Feb. 2, said the A-10 final retirement will be deferred until 2022, when it will be replaced by the F-35A Joint Strike Fighters squadron by squadron.
U.S. Dept of Defense had earlier announced early retirement of the A-10 fleet in 2014, which has fueled heated debates between its opponents and proponents.
U.S. Air Force claims retiring the 1970s vintage platform which is capable of only single role will result in major savings of upto $3.7 billion from 2015 to 2019.
Supporters of the platforms says its offers unparalleled close-air support capability, primarily with its nose mounted 30 mm GAU-8 Avenger cannon.
The twin engined A-10 was introduced into USAF in 1977 and operates up to 300 of the type.The A-10 is exceptionally tough as it flies at subsonic speeds and low to the ground, being able to survive direct hits from armor-piercing and high-explosive projectiles up to 23 mm.
Other weapons payloads include AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missile, cluster bombs, Hydra rocket pods and laser-guided bombs.
