mapleshade ic's...

USAF brass has always hated the A-10.
One they have no real interest in supporting infantry, low and slow is dangerous.
Two -the A-10 just doesn't cost enough to make sure brass retirement "jobs" in defense-complex are fully funded.
In RVN the thing that brought joy to an infantrymans heart was a prop A-1 Skyraider coming in at a hundred feet flown by a South Viet pilot.

The South Viet pilots were skilled and VERY brave , would come out in any weather and attack like tigers.We still owe them .

Well, the brass might hate it but the pilots love it. It can take more fire than the average ground attack craft and deliver the goods (funny how we call arms 'goods').

All the best,
Nonoise

It's a different threat gestalt now than fifty years ago. Pilotless planes are cheaper and less risky.

'Gestalt' isn't used enough nowadays. I hope it doesn't fall into disuse.

The Gestalt is the huge profits in building drones.
A drone is ok for blowing up a sleeping family, its a toy compared to a A-10 throwing 4200 rounds of 30mm AP a minute down range at a force that can fight back.

The real next step up from an A-10 is a nuke.