Retiring the entire A-10 fleet has been a hot topic in the world of military aviation, the past few months. Time and time again, the Hog has proven itself from the Persian Gulf War onward to the current conflict in Afghanistan, supporting boots on the ground with overwhelming firepower. The United States Army already expressed dissatisfaction with the Air Force’s decision to cut the fleet (which was actually expected to serve up till 2028, even longer with newer wing replacements); so much so that there have been rumors flying around that the Army might acquire the A-10 from the USAF and add them to their aviation squadrons. The current idea is to mothball the majority of A-10s in AF service while keeping a few squadrons active.
The expected replacement for the A-10 would be the controversial and (in comparison to the A-10), underarmed F-35 Lightning II from Lockheed Martin. However, that’s not saying that the Air Force has ruled out the possibility of opening up another light attack aircraft program to replace the venerable Hog.
Here’s yet another link to one of War is Boring’s articles on the A-10 and its supposed projected losses facing the Soviets in a hypothetical situation if the Cold War had turned “hot”.
The Tactical Air Network 