new super HOGS

a reply to: Zaphod58

I could see them used in a first strike capability against a near peer if and only if we can out match their air superiority in conjunction with heavy SEAD missions concurrently being executed. Aside from that you are right they just don't have the means to match modern defensive systems.

a reply to: penroc3

And the point is that you don't HAVE to get to where you are taking a beating anymore to perform CAS. It's less about dive bombing and strafing now, and more about precision capabilities. You can stay well out of range of short range defenses, and drop weapons, and not have to worry about taking a beating. A GBU-53/B can hit non-moving targets at 69 miles, and moving targets at 45. You don't have to get to "don't shoot until you see the whites of their eyes" anymore, like you do with an A-10. The situation has changed since the days of the A-10 being the predominant CAS platform.

The problem is that any peer opponent is going to have an IADS. You don't keep hundreds of planes around, and keep spending hundreds of millions upgrading them, if you're only going to be using them to blow up trucks in the desert, or they can only be used in low threat environments. The A-10 days are numbered, and with good reason.

a reply to: Zaphod58

for sure its days are numbered.

I remember up in the Adirondacks we were swimming in some random lake in the middle of nowhere and all of a sudden we see two jets pretty low(I knew what they were) and all us kids waved at them and they were so low we could see each other well enough I could tell he waved back and off they went.

about 5-10 mins later we were back on the boat and we could see the jets again but couldnt hear them)they were at least 1000ft and all of a sudden they dove down to the lake super fast and SUPER low to the point the water was being disturbed quite a bit and went by us at pretty much eye level, as they passed it was SO loud.

and then they climbed back high and were gone.

they use all sorts of jets as a show of force before coming back around the A10 has the nick name 'steel rain' (it should be DU rain but you know).

I think a real peer level war would be scary, like Einstein said "I font know how WWIII will be fought but WW4 will be fought with sticks and stones'...a CAS platform new or old would only be around if troops are around and as you know the opening shot of any war is with stand off weapons and stealth aircraft.

If we went to war with China we would hit them with everything we have on day 1, we would have to to destroy their nuke tunnels and navy assets and any point defenses on costal regions.

B52's and C130's loaded with decoys and other stand off weapons and subs/missile cruisers could do that all by them self's and that isn't even considering the B2 and B1 and other aircraft.

I don't really see a continued role for ANY CAS aircraft in a peer level fight, MANPADS alone would be a serious concern.

other than low level opposing forces, a lot of aircraft fall short in a modern battle field.