Monday, October 26, 2015

Is The U.S. Air Force Conceding That The A-10 Will Beat The F-35 In Close Air Support?

The F-35, left, and the A-10 will be compared in close-air support head-to-head, military officials say. (Photos by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force)

Dan Grazier, War Is Boring: The U.S. Air Force Knows the A-10 Will Beat the F-35

Officials downplay planned fly-off between warplanes.

Several weeks ago, the Project on Government Oversight announced its cautious optimism upon learning the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation planned to conduct a close air support fly-off between the proven A-10 and the yet-to-be proved F-35.

The cautious aspect of that optimism has been proven to be warranted. Under questioning by Rep. Martha McSally, an Arizona Republican and former A-10 pilot, F-35 program executive officer Lt. Gen. Christopher Bogdan dismissed the idea of a comparative test as irrelevant. The exchange occurred during a House Armed Services subcommittee hearing on updates to the Joint Strike Fighter program.

Bogdan’s remarks echo earlier comments by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh, who described the proposed test as a “silly exercise.”

WNU Editor: I cannot help but feel that the fix is in to make sure that the F-35 does succeed.

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