By Jim Morris, Warrior Vice President, News
Soon, Osan Air Base in South Korea will be saying farewell to the A-10 Thunderbolt, the venerable close air support jet affectionately known as the Warthog.
In January, the 25th Fighter Squadron at Osan AB will begin what the Air Force calls a phased withdrawal of its 24 A-10 aircraft, a move that will be complete by next fall. It’s part of a modernization strategy that includes upgrading F-16 fighters, and integrating F-35A and F-15EX jets.
The commander of the Seventh Air Force, Lt. Gen. David Iverson, says the move will significantly enhance overall air combat capabilities in the Korean theater.
“These aircraft bring unparalleled multi-role versatility, advanced stealth features and superior operational range, positioning us to effectively counter modern threats and support our regional allies,” Iverson said.
According to an Air Force press release, the F-16s will get upgraded avionics, bringing the plane close to fifth-generation capabilities that will increase both its survivability and accuracy as a weapons system.
The A-10 hasn’t been around forever – it just seems that way. The plane was developed by Fairchild Republic in the late Sixties and took to the skies in 1977. Supporters say it is unmatched when it comes to close air support and point out it’s not much older than the F-16.
Retiring or divesting A-10s from the Air Force has been a focus of long-standing debate within and beyond the US Air Force and Army, and not without controversy, as many champion its seemingly irreplaceable attributes such as a titanium hull , 30mm cannon, slow and low hover ability and built-in redundancies. Often referred to as a “flying tank,” the A-10 has a cherished lasting place in the hearts of ground forces it has supported over the years. An interesting essay in “Simply Flying” explains why the A-10 has been so well-suited to uniquely perform the CAS, or Close Air Support mission.
“Thanks to a structural design that features low wings with a sizable surface area and high aspect ratio, along with large decelerons that function as both ailerons and air brakes, the A-10 boasts tremendous slow-speed, low-altitude maneuverability, and loitering capabilities few fighter aircraft can match. In addition, the Warthog has an incredibly tight turn radius and is capable of short take-offs and landings, all critical characteristics given the challenging and often uncertain terrain of CAS missions,” the essay states. “Defined by the U.S. Air Force Doctrine Publication 3-03 as ‘air action by aircraft against hostile targets that are in close proximity to friendly forces and that require detailed integration of each air mission with the fire and movement of those forces,’ CAS presents specific challenges to aircraft tasked with this vital mission. CAS missions demand maneuverability that doesn’t rely on speed. CAS calls for an aircraft that can fly low and slow, and get in and out.
Give A-10 to Army?
In an essay earlier this month in The National Interest, Brandon Weichert wrote that the Air Force should do with the A-10 is simple: “Give it to the Army.”
But critics counter by noting the A-10 hasn’t been upgraded as much as the F-16, and probably is no match for today’s modern air-defense systems. The next stop for the Osan Warthogs will be the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis Monthan AFB in Arizona – home to roughly 4,200 mothballed aircraft.
Meanwhile, both Air Force and Navy units in northern Japan are replacing older planes with F-35As and F-35. The Air Force says the F-35, “with its stealth capabilities and advanced sensors, will provide a significant edge in situational awareness and strike precision.”
A spokeswoman for the 7th Air Force told Stars and Stripes that the F-35, F-15K, F-16 and FA-50 (a Korean-made fighter jet) “are more than ready to fill the role of the A-10” on the Korean peninsula.
The F-35 is the Pentagon’s most expensive weapons system ever. Its lifetime cost is estimated at more than $2 trillion and it is flown by the Air Force Marines and Navy. Foreign buyers of the plane include Japan, Israel, Italy, Australia, Norway, Denmark and Australia.
