[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by flipper35

Matt, the only part I would disagree with is the accuracy. The A-10 can carry laser guied weapons as well.

When it comes to weapons the A-10 has the cannon. Most attack aircraft can carry laser guided weapons, TV guided weapons, GPS guided weapons and some can self designate. On top of that we have options like sensor fused cluster bombs, conventional cluster bombs (which are great for people and technicals) all of these weapons can be dropped from higher altitudes and with the small diameter bomb from 50 miles away. Even the F-35 or F-16 can do well in this roll.

Now if you have the above capability and the have that ability to get down low/slow and use the Mk1 to spot the enemy in uncontested airspace such as Afghanistan or the battle with ISIS you don't need anything very fancy, just good viability and simplicity and a little redundancy. Here the A-10, OV-10, T-6, A-29, A1-D, or anything else with a heavy weapons load will work fine.

This is true, and it can carry a heavier load out than the aircraft competing to replace it. My point was more that a modern lighter aircraft can be very accurate and lethal due to modern weaponry, not that the A-10 didn't have the same capability. Though I'm not sure if their targeting pod has the ability to self laser designate targets, which the modern aircraft can.