muddyboots wrote:
the air force, true to form, has repeatedly tried to ditch teh warthog--without replacing it. While air superiority counts, and I'm sure Randy does just fine from 30K, I always liked the feeling of security that big darn flying bathtub gave me.
Well, sorta. The F-15E brings different tools to the fight than the A-10. We bring more gas (meaning more time on station), more ordnance of different types, and much better sensors. What we don't do well is get low and slow. None of the guys I've covered have ever complained that my jet wasn't an A-10, especially when turning the gun on down below 1000 feet.
muddyboots wrote:
One of them is taht they've refused to play ball with the rest of the kids, insisting taht they can win the war with wizbang sparklers and a few hooters and some party hats. That they haven't been allowed to trash the A10 tells me maybe they need to lok at their mission a little harder next time it's time to dream up a new toy...
The basic disagreement is this: The SECDEF was concerned only with placing all available resources toward fighting the current wars -- he had no interest in plans that were sustainable over a term longer than the rest of his term in office. The USAF was primarily concerned with making sure the force was healthy tomorrow as well as today.
I liken it to a racer who goes all-out on power but puts nothing into a braking system. Yes, he crosses the finish line first, but dies when he smacks into the wall that is located on the other side of that finish line.
The current SECDEF will not be the SECDEF in 10 or 15 years. Decisions made now about aircraft and force sustainment WILL still be affecting how the UAF does business in 10 or 15 years. The USAF leadership chose to focus on long term health, knowing that there was absolutely no way that they could do what the SECDEF wanted today and still be able to accomplish the mission tomorrow.