The US Air Force's A-10s Are Preparing For Their Biggest Upgrade In Over A Decade

 

Warzone/The Drive: The A-10 Warthog Is Preparing For Its Biggest Upgrade In Over A Decade 

A new large-area cockpit display and additional weapons are all in the grand plans to get the A-10 ready for higher-end missions. 

Just six years ago the U.S. Air Force was on the verge of culling its entire fleet of A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, better known as Warthogs. In 2014, the then USAF Chief of Staff, Gen Mark Welsh III, said the Air Force had to retire the A-10 completely if it was to make substantial cuts to its budgets, and that it required freed-up funding and manpower to be channeled into the standup of new F-35 units. Welsh claimed divesting the close air support stalwart would save $3.7 billion across the five-year future-year defense program and another $500 million in cost avoidance for upgrades that wouldn't be necessary. How times have changed. Fast forward to 2020 and the A-10 is not only here to stay, but it’s getting a raft of upgrades to keep it relevant for years to come. New weapons, a new cockpit layout, and an overhaul of tactics are some of the elements now in the pipeline to keep the “Hawg's” tusks sharp and its community a meaningful contributor on the front line fight. 

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WNU Editor: The F-35 was suppose to replace the A-10. But considering how much it costs to maintain the F-35, I have noticed that talk of the A-10 being retired have gone away. This upgrade program confirms it.

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