The A-10 and the F-35 Will Finally Face Off

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)

Fiscal Times: Top Gun? The A-10 and the F-35 Will Finally Face Off

Think of it as the high-stakes, high-flying dogfight that everyone from military pilots to members of Congress has been waiting for.

The venerable A-10 Thunderbolt II jet will take on the high-tech F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in “comparison testing” later this year to determine which platform can best support U.S. ground forces, a top U.S. Defense Department told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday.

“To me, comparison testing just makes common sense,” Michael Gilmore, the director of the Pentagon’s operational test and evaluation office, said during a Capitol Hill hearing. “If you’re spending a lot of money to get improved capability, that’s the easiest way to demonstrate it is to do a rigorous comparison test.”

The U.S. Air Force has waged a years-long campaign to scrap its 1970s-era A-10 fleet in a bid to save roughly $4 billion in operating costs. Service leaders contend the A-10’s close air support functions can be performed by other planes, including the F-35.

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Update #1: Congress wants the Air Force to prove the F-35 can take over for the A-10 (Business Insider)
Update #2: Congress wants the Air Force to prove the F-35 can take over for the A-10 (We Are the Mighty)

WNU Editor: The Pentagon has been trying to kill this test since last year .... F-35 vs. A-10 In Close Air Support Match-up (Who is Better?). Unfortunately .... it may not make a difference in the end .... Why The Announcement That The F-35 Will Be Tested Against The A-10 Will Not Make A Difference In The End.