U.S. Air Force Fires Up the A-10 Depot Line to Keep Warthogs Flying 'Indefinitely'

"late for yoga". Best line of the month.

Not cool to disparage one or the other, especially when you're comparing apples to oranges...or in this case Attack to Fighter. Two completely different aircraft, different capabilities, different missions, different armament. I spent 20 years in the Air Force as a B52 Radar Navigator...or bombardier, more common term...and have the highest possible respect for all flyers, particularly those in a combat role. Hog drivers are awesome! I had the chance to witness them in action when they were part of a Search and Rescue mission "rescuing" me and my B52 crew in the Nevada desert as a part of the Red Flag exercises. They were flying protective cover over us at about 50' in a circle, banked at, I swear it looked like, 90 degrees, while we called in a chopper to pick us up. Amazing! The Warthogs offensive capabilities are well known but it's an A-10 not an F-10. I don't think it can put a smart bomb thru Muhammed's window nor will it beat an F-16 to the target. Nor do I think a Hog driver would care to take on a hostile in aerial combat. Technically, they're not "fighter"pilots since their aircraft is designated as Attack...i.e. CAS, tank killer, low and slow loiter, etc...again, different in all respects from an F16. Within the flying "fraternity" we take jabs at each other on a regular basis...we were "bomber pukes", the KC135 refueling guys were "tanker toads" and so forth and it's acceptable and expected. The "late for yoga" jab was cute....are you a combat flyer? If not, then I, for one, would suggest being a bit more circumspect in your observations.

I totally agree Tim. Update and improve on a proven platform...just look at the B52. Glad to see someone at the Pentagon showing some good sense.

Actually a little appropriate artwork would turn the nose art from a shark to a hog with the gun as the snout...just think of the complaints from CAIR and all the other butt hurt PC types that this is Islamophobic. I would call it Psycops.

Warthog's direct ancestor was an Army plane. The OV-1 "Mohawk" Awesome, sneaky little devil it was. Sometimes you didn't know it was around until it had passed by your position.

I've served in the USAF and the Army. When I was attending the Army IERW course ('91-'92), it was rumored back then that the Army might inherit the Warthogs. That was an exciting rumor that never came - and probably never will come - to fruition. There's nothing like the sound of its 30 mm GAU-8 Avenger rotary cannon tossing lead downrange.

Sure are with several improvements to targeting so more of the 20mm or 30mm or 75mm or 105mm (depending upon configuration) will land squarely on target. Google up the AC130 and watch some of the night time footage, it is incredible.

Or maybe to the CAF to fly cover for Fifi and Doc?