New AF CAS aircraft program

[Dave Siciliano]

Attached article discusses the Air Force's proposed new CAS (Close Air Support) aircraft.
Turbine aircraft with two candidates:

A-29 Super Tucano and AT-6 Light Attack. It discusses weaponry. I don't see any endurance numbers, but I see external tanks.

http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2018/08/21/ ... ombat.html

[Stephanie Belser]

Attached article discusses the Air Force's proposed new CAS (Close Air Support) aircraft.
Turbine aircraft with two candidates:

A-29 Super Tucano and AT-6 Light Attack. It discusses weaponry. I don't see any endurance numbers, but I see external tanks.

http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2018/08/21/ ... ombat.html

"New", my tired kiester. The Air Force has been fiddle-farting around with buying a new CAS aircraft for a very long time.

Procurement is a real problem. DoD couldn't choose a provider of No.2 pencils in less than two decades.

[Terry Carraway]

I have a novel idea.

Reverse engineer and restart assembly line of the A-10.

Ultimate CAS aircraft, bar none.

[Reams Goodloe]

Terry -

Well, let's see.....

1. UH60 Stealth model, after Bin Laden raid, PK delivered parts on a silver platter, and reproduced as CN Z-10, which morphed into the CN Z-20.

2. Humvee reproduced as Donfang EQ 2050.

3. C-17, after 630,000 files are swiped from Boeing, including parts, systems, and flight test data, becomes the CN Y-20 Doppelganger.

4. MQI Predator - and other drones - are now the Lijian Sharp Sword, and other drone copies...

5. F-35, after 50 Terra-bytes of data are swiped from NOC, becomes the CN-J-31.... soon to morph into the CN-J-20?

6. Will CN dust off the A-10 plans from their stockpile of info (what do you think, do they have plans, or scans, or not?), and cut any metal?

Reams

[Terry Carraway]

COOL, we could just buy them from China.

And they are WELCOME to #5. But maybe that was the idea, get China to steal the F-35 and chase that rabbit into the hole of thrown away money.

[Dave Siciliano]

Pierre Sprey on the Birth of the A-10

https://soundcloud.com/user-832840864/p ... f-the-a-10[/quote]

[Dave Siciliano]

Airborne ops. Can’t find the thread, but someone questioned whether there were any modern parachute drops. Seems in operation Iraqi Freedom, 1,000 folks dropped in to secure an airfield in the north. Subsequent units landed by plane after the airfield was secure. Seems to be several smaller unit and Special Ops drops.

[Dave Siciliano]

Link https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airborne_forces

[Terry Carraway]

Seems like most recent ones are smallish units to secure an airfield, where more troops and supplies can be landed.

It think there was one in the Congo also. Early 60s, Belgian troops dropped to take the airfield, to land additional troops, then evacuate Europeans held by rebel forces.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Dragon_Rouge

This seems like a smart way to use the technique.

[Dave Siciliano]

For your reading enjoyment: Close Air Support Joint Publication 3-09.3 which some fast mover types are touting will provide adequate CAS to ground troops in close combat. And that John McCain must not have been up on it when he fought to keep the A-10. I'll reserve any opinions until completely reviewed.

https://fas.org/irp/doddir/dod/jp3_09_3.pdf

[Dave Siciliano]

Hey Terry (mainly but certainly open), I’m going around with some fast mover guys who insist the A-10 is out dated and there’s no need for a dedicated CAS aircraft. The fast movers can do it all. I don’t see how the button pushers can replace eyes on the ground with loiter time. How would fast movers work in close proximity to friendlies? I would appreciate any thoughts. It’s really a corporate culture thing to a large degree. Having done this, I know what I need, but the boys in blue are telling me they know better. :-)

[Tom Tyson]

Fast movers with a 30mm cannon? Yeah, sure.

[Dave Siciliano]

‘Course boys in blue are saying we don’t need no 30 mm

[Russell Holton]

I’m going around with some fast mover guys who insist the A-10 is out dated and there’s no need for a dedicated CAS aircraft.

You may have to introduce them to some experienced ground-pounders.

[Dave Siciliano]

Yes, the conclusion I've come to after reading a lot of reports is the Army has a different vision of CAS than the USAF. The Amry didn't want to pick up the tab for a dedicated CAS plane. The AF had it thrust upon them and did it, but now wants to give it up. Since it's really an Army requirement, hard to sympathize if they aren't willing to pay for it.