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F-35 Stealth Fighter vs. A-10 Warthog: The Ultimate Close Air Support Showdown

kanabco

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Flying close to ground troops in combat in hostile and high-threat conditions requires a host of unique attributes for an aircraft -- such as flying slow and low to the ground, absorbing some degree of small arms fire and having an ability to quickly maneuver in response to fast-changing ground combat conditions.

These, and many more, are among factors now being analyzed as proponents of both the A-10 Warthog and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter assess their respective abilities to perform the crucial and highly valued Close Air Support mission. The Pentagon and the Air Force are now conducting a thorough examination of each plane's capability for this role - including extensive analysis, simulated tests, flights of both aircraft under combat-like conditions and a range of tests, Air Force and Pentagon officials have explained. While many of the details of the ongoing evaluation are not now being discussed publically, the results are expected to bear prominently upon the visible ongoing debate regarding the future mission scope of both the A-10 and the F-35.

F-35 Stealth Fighter vs. A-10 Warthog: The Ultimate Close Air Support Showdown | The National Interest Blog

PS hope I did this right... I got kinda spanked once for posting links wrong.
 
Flying close to ground troops in combat in hostile and high-threat conditions requires a host of unique attributes for an aircraft -- such as flying slow and low to the ground, absorbing some degree of small arms fire and having an ability to quickly maneuver in response to fast-changing ground combat conditions.

These, and many more, are among factors now being analyzed as proponents of both the A-10 Warthog and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter assess their respective abilities to perform the crucial and highly valued Close Air Support mission. The Pentagon and the Air Force are now conducting a thorough examination of each plane's capability for this role - including extensive analysis, simulated tests, flights of both aircraft under combat-like conditions and a range of tests, Air Force and Pentagon officials have explained. While many of the details of the ongoing evaluation are not now being discussed publically, the results are expected to bear prominently upon the visible ongoing debate regarding the future mission scope of both the A-10 and the F-35.

F-35 Stealth Fighter vs. A-10 Warthog: The Ultimate Close Air Support Showdown | The National Interest Blog

PS hope I did this right... I got kinda spanked once for posting links wrong.

The F-35 is a disastrous boondoggle of fail. Keep the Warthogs flying!
 
Flying close to ground troops in combat in hostile and high-threat conditions requires a host of unique attributes for an aircraft -- such as flying slow and low to the ground, absorbing some degree of small arms fire and having an ability to quickly maneuver in response to fast-changing ground combat conditions.

These, and many more, are among factors now being analyzed as proponents of both the A-10 Warthog and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter assess their respective abilities to perform the crucial and highly valued Close Air Support mission. The Pentagon and the Air Force are now conducting a thorough examination of each plane's capability for this role - including extensive analysis, simulated tests, flights of both aircraft under combat-like conditions and a range of tests, Air Force and Pentagon officials have explained. While many of the details of the ongoing evaluation are not now being discussed publically, the results are expected to bear prominently upon the visible ongoing debate regarding the future mission scope of both the A-10 and the F-35.

F-35 Stealth Fighter vs. A-10 Warthog: The Ultimate Close Air Support Showdown | The National Interest Blog

PS hope I did this right... I got kinda spanked once for posting links wrong.

Give me an A-10 any day.
 
A-10. No contest. It's essentially an aircraft built around a ****ing auto-cannon.
 
Flying close to ground troops in combat in hostile and high-threat conditions requires a host of unique attributes for an aircraft -- such as flying slow and low to the ground, absorbing some degree of small arms fire and having an ability to quickly maneuver in response to fast-changing ground combat conditions.

These, and many more, are among factors now being analyzed as proponents of both the A-10 Warthog and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter assess their respective abilities to perform the crucial and highly valued Close Air Support mission. The Pentagon and the Air Force are now conducting a thorough examination of each plane's capability for this role - including extensive analysis, simulated tests, flights of both aircraft under combat-like conditions and a range of tests, Air Force and Pentagon officials have explained. While many of the details of the ongoing evaluation are not now being discussed publically, the results are expected to bear prominently upon the visible ongoing debate regarding the future mission scope of both the A-10 and the F-35.

F-35 Stealth Fighter vs. A-10 Warthog: The Ultimate Close Air Support Showdown | The National Interest Blog

PS hope I did this right... I got kinda spanked once for posting links wrong.

Being that an A10 costs a third the price of a F-35, common sense among ground troops is that having three A10's providing support is preferable to one F-35 doing so.
 
Being that an A10 costs a third the price of a F-35, common sense among ground troops is that having three A10's providing support is preferable to one F-35 doing so.

Air Force "but... But... But... We want our fighters!"

Strange how the upper branches of the Air Force hate the A-10 due to their belief that Air to ground support was rendered obsolete by bombers like the b-52.
 
The primary role of the two are totally different. I wonder how the A-10 would do as an air superiority fighter?

Right.

We need both. The A-10 is awesome in its role as a ground attack weapons platform, but it's not sexy so the Air Force keeps trying to kill the program.
 
The primary role of the two are totally different. I wonder how the A-10 would do as an air superiority fighter?

Right.

We need both. The A-10 is awesome in its role as a ground attack weapons platform, but it's not sexy so the Air Force keeps trying to kill the program.

I can give you as many links as you need but the F35 is "not" an air superiority fighter either. That has been documented by them going up against an F-16. The air superiority fighter of course is the F22 Raptor. The F35 though is at the very least a compliment to the F22 but more importantly it is the last manned fighter ever to be made for the Air force, Marines, Navy. That era is over.

As for who will win ground support? That depends on how the pentagon sets up the test. You can make up a test that the A10 wins or one where the F35 wins.

Me? The A10 gives me a woodie. Always has. Always will. But the Air force will get this fighter like it or not as it is a Joint Strike Fighter and will be built with or without the Air Force approval. The only question really is can the Air Force afford the A10 AND the F35?
 
Horrible comparison. The A-10 does the job of a close support aircraft. It is more comparable to a helicopter than a stealth fighter. The F-35's mission is to provide air superiority. It is not a close support aircraft. Close support is more suited for drones and helicopters. This is like saying the Ford Mustang is a bad car because the Lotus is better on a road course. They aren't designed for the same things other than driving. The F-35 and A-10 or not designed for the same things other than flying.

The F-35 is superior to every aircraft in its role save the F-22.
 
The primary role of the two are totally different. I wonder how the A-10 would do as an air superiority fighter?

Right.

We need both. The A-10 is awesome in its role as a ground attack weapons platform, but it's not sexy so the Air Force keeps trying to kill the program.

The problem is the F-35 lost to the F-16D (produced since 1984 so its 30 year old design) when performance tested. They wanted a new multirole military jet and they built one with a poor or mediocre at best design for any role.
Analysts comparing it with the F/A-18 the Navy uses estimate the F/A-18 would be the clear winner in a dogfight and overall multipurpose use they rated them a tie.
And you know for the purposes of what the A-10 does it couldn't do that job as well.

So the F-35 per-unit cost is between 5 and 12 times as a expensive as these other jets. that's the issue is a whole lot of tax payer money to replace 3 different aircraft and it doesn't really cut it.
 
Why spend billions of dollars to replace a well known, well understood, and very effective solution that's cost effective?
 
The problem is the F-35 lost to the F-16D (produced since 1984 so its 30 year old design) when performance tested. They wanted a new multirole military jet and they built one with a poor or mediocre at best design for any role.
Analysts comparing it with the F/A-18 the Navy uses estimate the F/A-18 would be the clear winner in a dogfight and overall multipurpose use they rated them a tie.
And you know for the purposes of what the A-10 does it couldn't do that job as well.

So the F-35 per-unit cost is between 5 and 12 times as a expensive as these other jets. that's the issue is a whole lot of tax payer money to replace 3 different aircraft and it doesn't really cut it.

Sequestration... kill it.
 
Sequestration... kill it.

that all depends on how the contract was worded. if the us gov clearly agreed to buy x amount of them without any conditions then we are stuck with at least what the contract was. I don't know what is in the contract though so I don't know.
 
Give the Marines a few A-10's, and few Apache's and they won't stop until the hit the next ocean.
 
Horrible comparison. The A-10 does the job of a close support aircraft. It is more comparable to a helicopter than a stealth fighter. The F-35's mission is to provide air superiority. It is not a close support aircraft. Close support is more suited for drones and helicopters. This is like saying the Ford Mustang is a bad car because the Lotus is better on a road course. They aren't designed for the same things other than driving. The F-35 and A-10 or not designed for the same things other than flying.

The F-35 is superior to every aircraft in its role save the F-22.

The F-35 is a piece of ****.
 
My vote is for the A-10.
 
Something tells me that if I were a soldier in a very tight spot, I would be hoping to God that a Warthog or two were on the way. Depending on what is threatening to kill you, A-10's can help with Mavericks, with various kinds of bombs, and at close range, with that magnificent gun. The enemy is only human, and the prospect of being on the receiving end of a burst of a couple hundred shells designed to kill tanks would scare anyone. Sure, a .223 bullet could kill you just the same, but the sound, volume, and overwhelming power of that gunfire is sure to make anyone down there lucky enough not to be hit by it break and run.
 
Horrible comparison. The A-10 does the job of a close support aircraft. It is more comparable to a helicopter than a stealth fighter. The F-35's mission is to provide air superiority. It is not a close support aircraft. Close support is more suited for drones and helicopters. This is like saying the Ford Mustang is a bad car because the Lotus is better on a road course. They aren't designed for the same things other than driving. The F-35 and A-10 or not designed for the same things other than flying.

The F-35 is superior to every aircraft in its role save the F-22.

If the F-22 is superior why are we going to to an inferior aircraft?
 
If the F-22 is superior why are we going to to an inferior aircraft?

Again the F35 is not an air superiority fighter it is a SMRF (Stealth Multi Roll Fighter).
My company lost that contract with a poor design for the the F35B.. we wanted to make a new Harrier. Lockheed kicked our ass on the B.
 
The big advantages the F-35 bring are a substantially shorter time to target, better air superiority and greater flexibility. The A-10 is better at putting down fire "danger close" and is substantially more affordable, with shorter training time for the air crews due to the tightly focused role of the A-10. IMO, it's shouldn't be a choice of picking one, but having both available for the specific missions they are best suited to.
 
Give the Marines a few A-10's, and few Apache's and they won't stop until the hit the next ocean.

I believe the Marines use Cobras, but point taken.
 
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