USAF plans to sell A-10 to allies
 |
| USAF A-10 Warthog. |
The US Air Force is planning to sell its A-10 Warthogs to allies, according to local rumors. The news was also confirmed by a Boeing spokesperson who said they are very interested in the project and are waiting the final decision by the USAF.
Despite being described by Air Combat Command as the “best close-air-support aircraft ever”, the air force has been on a campaign to retire the A-10 fleet as a cost-cutting measure since proposing the move in its fiscal year 2015 budget submission. The service proposed retiring the fleet again in its 2016 and 2019 submissions, saying it doesn’t have the funds to keep the ageing aircraft going, and needs to free up maintainers to support the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter roll out.
Congress is staunchly opposed to parting with the low-, slow-flying jet because of its unique capabilities, but has permitted the transfer of some aircraft into “type 1000 storage”, which preserves the aircraft in near-flyaway condition.
There are currently 140 retired Warthogs in the care of the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona. Of those, 21 are in type 1000 storage, the air force says.
Despite being described by Air Combat Command as the “best close-air-support aircraft ever”, the air force has been on a campaign to retire the A-10 fleet as a cost-cutting measure since proposing the move in its fiscal year 2015 budget submission. The service proposed retiring the fleet again in its 2016 and 2019 submissions, saying it doesn’t have the funds to keep the ageing aircraft going, and needs to free up maintainers to support the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter roll out.
Congress is staunchly opposed to parting with the low-, slow-flying jet because of its unique capabilities, but has permitted the transfer of some aircraft into “type 1000 storage”, which preserves the aircraft in near-flyaway condition.
There are currently 140 retired Warthogs in the care of the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona. Of those, 21 are in type 1000 storage, the air force says.
By Darren Bondi
Photo Credit: USAF
No comments
All comments related to the contents of our articles are welcome. It is not allowed to post promotional messages, links to external sites, or references to activities not related to this blog.