A-10 Warthog possible future

F.L.

F.L.

ACCESS: Top Secret
Joined
21 September 2022
Messages
1,419
Reaction score
2,532
Website
twitter.com
Is it possible that well-preserved A-10 airframes with little hours could be exported to South America as a replacement for the A-37B ?
Has this ever been considered ?
Could the A-10 be used for anti-drug operations like the Peruvians Su-25 ?
Colombian A-10A (FAC447).jpg
 
Last edited:
F.L. said:
jstar said:
Behind a Wall Street Journal subscribers only wall, but A-10's are going to the Mid East in April.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-to...-and-shift-newer-jets-to-asia-europe-df72da15
Click to expand...
Are they to be deployed by the USAF or given to the local air forces ?
Click to expand...
Deployed. The USAF has no current plans to sell off their fleet of A-10s (though they would dearly love to retire them).

As for your idea, yeah it's certainly possible that they could. They're cheaper to operate than a lot of other "modern" aircraft. The problem is, they're a single mission airframe. Most Air Forces at least want the ability to conduct interceptions to identify aircraft and/or respond to airborne threats. The Hog just flat can't do that. They'd probably be better off getting second/third hand F-16s or new Korean F/A-50s.
 
SSgtC said:
F.L. said:
jstar said:
Behind a Wall Street Journal subscribers only wall, but A-10's are going to the Mid East in April.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-to...-and-shift-newer-jets-to-asia-europe-df72da15
Click to expand...
Are they to be deployed by the USAF or given to the local air forces ?
Click to expand...
The Hog just flat can't do that. They'd probably be better off getting second/third hand F-16s or new Korean F/A-50s.
Click to expand...
Nevertheless, the Su-25, the equivalent of the Hog, is used by the Peruvians in the role of anti-drug fight, in particular for the interceptions of drug planes armed with R-60s.
& I believe that for many South American forces, having a low-cost, but effective, replacement for the A-37B will soon be an urgent need.
The A-10 could be the best replacement for countries currently engaged in counter-narcotics, and for which the capabilities of the EMB-314 would be insufficient.
 
F.L. said:
Nevertheless, the Su-25, the equivalent of the Hog, is used by the Peruvians in the role of anti-drug fight, in particular for the interceptions of drug planes armed with R-60s.
& I believe that for many South American forces, having a low-cost, but effective, replacement for the A-37B will soon be an urgent need.
The A-10 could be the best replacement for countries currently engaged in counter-narcotics, and for which the capabilities of the EMB-314 would be insufficient.
Click to expand...
Thing is, the A-10 is only cheap to operate when compared to other front line 4th Gen+ aircraft. Most South American countries operate aircraft like the A-37, which can charitably be called obsolete, because that's all they can afford. Even as cheap as the Warthog is to fly, it still costs some $22,500 per flight hour to operate. A plane like the Super Tucano costs under $2,000 per flight hour. Replacing planes like the A-37 isn't just a matter of finding something with an "A" designation and swapping them out. The budget rules all
 
Could those South American countries afford the A-10's ammunition, never mind the plane ??

Um, are there any records of A-10 taking down fixed-wing rather than rotary aircraft ??
 
Nik said:
Um, are there any records of A-10 taking down fixed-wing rather than rotary aircraft ??
Click to expand...
Not that I'm aware of, though it does have the ability to carry and launch Sidewinders. So it is at least theoretically possible for it to do so if it's in the right position
 
Nik said:
Could those South American countries afford the A-10's ammunition, never mind the plane ??
Click to expand...
The South American air force should not be underestimated. :)
Concerning the ammunition, many countries there use precision guided ammunition. Colombia in particular uses GBU-12 Paveway IIs on its A-37Bs.
But when it comes to price, @SSgtC is right
SSgtC said:
Even as cheap as the Warthog is to fly, it still costs some $22,500 per flight hour to operate. A plane like the Super Tucano costs under $2,000 per flight hour. The budget rules all.
Click to expand...
 
SSgtC said:
Most South American countries operate aircraft like the A-37, which can charitably be called obsolete, because that's all they can afford.
Click to expand...
The A-10 is not a new airplane. & the South Americans are the kings of modernization and second hand.
That's where my idea that they might be interested by the A-10 comes from.
 
F.L. said:
SSgtC said:
Most South American countries operate aircraft like the A-37, which can charitably be called obsolete, because that's all they can afford.
Click to expand...
The A-10 is not a new airplane. & the South Americans are the kings of modernization and second hand.
That's where my idea that they might be interested by the A-10 comes from.
Click to expand...
The A-10, in its current incarnation, has already been heavily modernized. But that doesn't change that the aircraft is still relatively expensive to operate and, at this point in their lives, lifetime limited
 
Anyone that wants an inexpensive cheap to operate ground attack aircraft will likely go the turboprop route (primarily the Embraer A-29, which has been successful in Central and South America, including replacing A-37s in a number of instances).

Or they want a multi-role type, like Gripens, F-16s etc. These types are more role flexible and can provide import basic tasks like air defence, while self escorting and being more survivable in the strike role.

In some cases operators have selected a mixture of the 2.

Almost all A-37s have already been replaced by one or some combination of these 2 classes of aircraft (in particular the A-29 has been successful in this regard).

In that context why would any of these countries take on the cost and complexity of operating well worn (though updated) A-10s.
A-10 advocates have long overestimated the appeal of the A10 to any potential operators outside the US. For many reasons no one outside US has selected to buy the A-10 and arguably any of the pro’s for doing so have arguably weakened over time.
 
The A10 was a highly specialised tank and other vehicle killer. The combination of its gun and Maverick missiles was tailored to this role.
South Korea, which faces a threat similar to West Germany in the 80s and Kuwait in 1991 has often been touted as a possible recipient. So far Seoul has resisted the temptation.
Israel which might have found a use for A10s against Syrian forces has also avoided it.
 
Did West Germany ever express an interest? They seemed willing to use significantly more vulnerable aircraft in an attack role like the Alphajet.
 
The Air Force said the exercise, which involved various South Korean fighter jets and at least one U.S. A-10 attack plane, was aimed at verifying precision strike capabilities and reaffirming the credibility of Seoul’s “three-axis” strategy against North Korean nuclear threats — preemptively striking sources of attacks, intercepting incoming missiles, and neutralizing the North’s leadership and key military facilities.
https://www.defensenews.com/global/...ailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dfn-dnw
 
3767782599_cb31461d45_z.jpg


I think the A-10 will need fighter escort where ever it gets exported to.
 
von hitchofen said:
Desertfox said:
If you wanted a jet vs prop driven A-37 replacement, it would likely be alot cheaper to get a used L-159 or a new Textron Scorpion than a used A-10.
Click to expand...

I'm surprised there hasn't been more takers for the Textron Scorpion.
Click to expand...
Short answer: the plane is an orphan. Why would anyone buy it when it's own country's air force won't?
 
https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/a10-warthog-retirement-senate-bill-2026/
The latest version of the Senate’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) seeks to block the Air Force from eliminating its entire fleet of A-10 Thunderbolt II ‘Warthogs’ in fiscal 2026. At the same time, it would permit the service to continue its long-planned phase-out by sharply reducing numbers.

NDAA requires a minimum of 103 A-10s to remain in service​

Section 137 of the Senate bill prohibits the complete retirement of the Fairchild Republic A-10 “Warthog” in FY26. Instead, it requires the Air Force to keep at least 103 aircraft in its primary mission aircraft inventory, excluding those in storage or listed as backup.
 
Eluded to folks before, as everybody ignores everybody.. Pervasive
Private Idaho Syndrome.
 
Highly unlikely. The A-10's in service are high hour machines that are getting where they need lots of constant maintenance to keep them flying. They'd be expensive to use as COIN aircraft and their armament package is massive overkill for what would be required.

Better to buy that converted crop duster COIN plane the USAF is developing.

img.jpg
 
‘BRRRRT Act’ Introduced in U.S. Congress to Keep the A-10 Warthog in Service

https://theaviationist.com/2026/07/23/brrrrt-act/

Named after the A-10’s signature cannon sound, the bill, led by Rep. Abe Hamadeh and Rep. Don Davis, would require the Air Force to maintain at least 126 A-10s until 2033 and restore training and maintenance.
Click to expand...

Secretary of War would have to certify that a replacement aircraft has fully assumed the A-10’s mission before any further divestment could proceed. That certification would also need to be approved in writing by the Secretary of the Army, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, and the Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command.
The legislation also includes a requirement for an aircraft to be considered a fitting replacement for the A-10, noting that it would qualify only if CAS is the primary mission.
Click to expand...
Overall, A-10 , without a doubt, is the funniest Byzantine victory USAF has ever achieved.
 
Desertfox said:
Its a stupid waste of money. The A-10 needs to be retired and the Key West Agreements done away with. Let the Army buy what they need, and let the Air Force get rid of what they dont need.
Click to expand...
If the Key West agreement were null and void, the USAF would all but cease to exist. The US Army would quickly take over the roles of CAS and tactical air superiority, likely build their own fleet of transport aircraft, and leave the USAF with a handful of "strategic" bombers, reconnaissance aircraft, and specialty planes. I could even see the US Army reclaiming ICBM's as their territory. That would be great for USAF officers in particular now pigeonholed into a thankless and dead-end job with no real prospect of ever making senior or flag grade.

The US Army would become a sort of 'super' Marine Corps with regard to aircraft and missiles.

If that happened, I could see the resurrection of something like the OV-1 Mohawk as the next CAS plane. An inexpensive, indestructible, bomb truck with a loiter time measured in days...
 

Similar threads

Back
Top Bottom