Now the U.S. Air Force Wants to Replace A-10s With F-16s

An A-10 sits on the tarmac after a mission against Islamic State. photo US Air Force

March 19, 2015 by JOSEPH TREVITHICK – War is boring

Eventually, the U.S. Air Force wants to replace the low and slow-flying A-10 Warthog with the fast-moving F-35 stealth fighter. But it’ll take years before the troubled jet fighters are ready for duty. In the meantime, the Air Force still needs a plane for dedicated close air support missions — something the A-10 excels at. So what does the flying branch propose? Not keeping the Warthog. Instead, the Air Force wants to replace the Warthog with a modified F-16 fighter jet — an old concept that failed to live up to expectations decades ago. The F-16s would fill in temporarily until the F-35s can take over. We have a hard time believing it — but yes, this is a serious proposal.

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