[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by Por_sha911

I guess all we shot was Toyotas in Iraq. America's military might is not based on just barely enough to get by.

Less cost to purchase and operate? What color is the sky in your world? The A10 is far less expensive on both counts.

Does your replacement have the triple redundant systems to keep the thing in the air and can it protect the pilot from 50 mm fire? If not you can kiss your air support goodbye since the AF is only interested in protecting itself and not the Army (one reason I think the AF doesn't like the A10: they have to take care of troops instead of being glamorous high tech jockeys with cool toys.

Can you take out the enemy with your friendlies 20 meters away?

Years ago, BMW had a TV ad where they bragged that all the other cars compared their stats to a BMW. They then said something to the effect of "why not just get the car everyone wants to be like?".

Sorry, but your basis of capability is 25 years ago. Nothing we have fought since has been like Gulf War 1. As for cost per flight hour you are just blatantly wrong. Most modern military aircraft, including the A-10, spend more time in maintenance than they do in flight.