Boeing to Air Force: Can we sell those retired A-10s to Saudi Arabia?

The air force has never gotten the A-10 program right!! First the brass tried to dump the aircraft in the late 80s but thankfully the A-10 was still in the inventory when the first gulf war kicked off. The statistics reflect they they performed beyond anyone's expectations. Again in the second shindig in the same area in the 2000s not to mention their role in Afghanistan over the pas years. NOTHING does the job better. Instead of selling off the the A-10, the air force should be required to continuously maintain and upgrade them. In fact, maybe it's time that the air forces procurement authority be completely re-evaluated. Although the air force will never admit it, one of their only reasons for existence is to support some pour grunt in the mud on the ground and the A-10 does it best. If the air force doesn't want them, reduce their mission and give the assets to the Army or Marine Corps. They both know the value of good CAS!!!

You obviously don't remember that the air force has tried to dump the A-10 since the late 1980s. This latest move is not a reflection of the current administration!

Hopefully Congress will require the Air Force to maintain them until 2017 when the Commander in Chief is likely to be someone with more qualifications than a community organizer supported by political puppets rather than warriors. A SECDEF with some military experience is most likely to have a much harder look at the needs of the ground forces.

If we are to sell them, Israel should be offered them first although the Israelis and the Saudis are moving closer in opposition to Iran.

The only reason the A10 is useful in today’s combat environment is because the enemy doesn’t have many MANPADS.

The Russian’s were in the same position, with their Hinds, when they invaded Afghanistan. The Afghans were defenceless against the Hind until Reagan gave the locals Stinger missiles. It turned the war.

All it would take to end the A10’s tactical advantage that it has now, is for the Putin to do the same thing to us…

I don't think this is a political decision but one centered on the bureaucracy that remains in place no matter who is officially elected. They have their own agenda and draw the budgets up to maximize their own condition and to maintain power. Those that point out that the Air Force has tried to kill the program for years dating well back into Bush's time are entirely correct.

Politics has only intervened from Congress where the A-10 and the grunts have supporters on both sides of the aisle. Note that neither Democrat nor Republican leadership have tried to interfere when supportive members kill the Air Force plans and have gone along with committee recommendations.

Peter is right....the program is bought and paid for...the lobby wants money for the F-35 and the Administrators are looking at it as a second pension program.