Author Topic: Air Force Actively Defies Congressional Mandate to Maintain A-10 Fleet  (Read 2212 times)

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Online Pandora

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Congress wants to keep the A-10 flying.  But a "Senior Air Force official" says it's not going to happen.

Quote
... Lawmakers have repeatedly demonstrated their commitment to maintaining a dedicated ground attack aircraft and, more importantly, an effective close air support capability. They have done so through legislation in successive National Defense Authorizations Acts since 2013. In the most recent NDAA, Congress authorized $103 million for the Air Force to complete the job of installing urgently needed new replacement wings on the A-10 fleet. But a senior Air Force official recently told a meeting of A-10 personnel that the Air Force has no intention of fully implementing the re-winging effort and has no intention of keeping any more A-10s flying than the 171 that have already been upgraded, thus thwarting Congressional intent and legislation.

At the most recent A-10 Program Management Review meeting, Todd Mathes, the civilian A-10 Program Element Manager for the Air Force’s Air Combat Command, told the gathering of approximately 100 people involved with the program that the re-winging program “was not going to happen.” This is according to people inside the room who are reluctant to speak publicly out of concern of retaliation. Previous senior Air Force officials have accused those who speak out about efforts to undermine the A-10’s effectiveness of “treason.”

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I don't care which the hell plane is "better" than the A10; what I care about is the rebellion.
"Under certain circumstances, profanity provides a relief denied even to prayer." - Mark Twain

"Let us assume for the moment everything you say about me is true. That just makes your problem bigger, doesn't it?"

Offline Libertas

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Re: Air Force Actively Defies Congressional Mandate to Maintain A-10 Fleet
« Reply #1 on: January 29, 2018, 09:18:05 AM »
Are you pro or anti rebellion?

On the one hand it isn't totally rare to see brass buck Congress or a president, typically they have done so for mostly sound reasons.  That being said, in light of the fact that the A-10 is a preeminent ground support system (ground pounders love what they can do) but fighter jocks find them unsexy...what is driving this defiance? Selfishness in pilots wanting something sexy...or a means to hamstring nation building designs of the Secret Society (which is the only Noble end I can see from this)?

The skeptic in me given latter day proclivities lands on selfishness.
We are now where The Founders were when they faced despotism.

Offline John Florida

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Re: Air Force Actively Defies Congressional Mandate to Maintain A-10 Fleet
« Reply #2 on: January 29, 2018, 12:47:03 PM »
Congress wants to keep the A-10 flying.  But a "Senior Air Force official" says it's not going to happen.

Quote
... Lawmakers have repeatedly demonstrated their commitment to maintaining a dedicated ground attack aircraft and, more importantly, an effective close air support capability. They have done so through legislation in successive National Defense Authorizations Acts since 2013. In the most recent NDAA, Congress authorized $103 million for the Air Force to complete the job of installing urgently needed new replacement wings on the A-10 fleet. But a senior Air Force official recently told a meeting of A-10 personnel that the Air Force has no intention of fully implementing the re-winging effort and has no intention of keeping any more A-10s flying than the 171 that have already been upgraded, thus thwarting Congressional intent and legislation.

At the most recent A-10 Program Management Review meeting, Todd Mathes, the civilian A-10 Program Element Manager for the Air Force’s Air Combat Command, told the gathering of approximately 100 people involved with the program that the re-winging program “was not going to happen.” This is according to people inside the room who are reluctant to speak publicly out of concern of retaliation. Previous senior Air Force officials have accused those who speak out about efforts to undermine the A-10’s effectiveness of “treason.”

Read the rest.

I don't care which the hell plane is "better" than the A10; what I care about is the rebellion.

 Zackly!
All men are created equal"
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Online Pandora

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Re: Air Force Actively Defies Congressional Mandate to Maintain A-10 Fleet
« Reply #3 on: January 29, 2018, 01:43:56 PM »
Are you pro or anti rebellion?

On the one hand it isn't totally rare to see brass buck Congress or a president, typically they have done so for mostly sound reasons.  That being said, in light of the fact that the A-10 is a preeminent ground support system (ground pounders love what they can do) but fighter jocks find them unsexy...what is driving this defiance? Selfishness in pilots wanting something sexy...or a means to hamstring nation building designs of the Secret Society (which is the only Noble end I can see from this)?

The skeptic in me given latter day proclivities lands on selfishness.

In this case, anti.  Both Congress and the Pentagon have decided that the A10s need to be rewinged and the friggin Perfumed Princes in flyboy land have decided they know better?  Nyet.
"Under certain circumstances, profanity provides a relief denied even to prayer." - Mark Twain

"Let us assume for the moment everything you say about me is true. That just makes your problem bigger, doesn't it?"

Offline Alphabet Soup

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Re: Air Force Actively Defies Congressional Mandate to Maintain A-10 Fleet
« Reply #4 on: January 29, 2018, 06:23:59 PM »
Quote
At the most recent A-10 Program Management Review meeting, Todd Mathes, the civilian A-10 Program Element Manager for the Air Force’s Air Combat Command, told the gathering of approximately 100 people involved with the program that the re-winging program “was not going to happen.”

At this point my only question is... wahy wasn't the statment attributed to "the  former civilian A-10 Program Element Manager"

Online Pandora

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Re: Air Force Actively Defies Congressional Mandate to Maintain A-10 Fleet
« Reply #5 on: January 29, 2018, 09:57:15 PM »
Quote
At the most recent A-10 Program Management Review meeting, Todd Mathes, the civilian A-10 Program Element Manager for the Air Force’s Air Combat Command, told the gathering of approximately 100 people involved with the program that the re-winging program “was not going to happen.”

At this point my only question is... wahy wasn't the statment attributed to "the  former civilian A-10 Program Element Manager"

This is the reason so many people are so damn disgusted -- nothing ever seems to happen to the Deep Staters.

In the new world, a whole bunch of folks are gonna be downright thrilled about taking their turns on the extreme prejudice squads.
"Under certain circumstances, profanity provides a relief denied even to prayer." - Mark Twain

"Let us assume for the moment everything you say about me is true. That just makes your problem bigger, doesn't it?"