Man the F35 is great.

What an amazing leap in technology and tactical advantage for the US Joint forces.

I like the plane but I don\'t think it will do the close air support near as well as the A-10. I think we should build a new batch of A-10s. Despite the fact that Republic Aviation went out of business there has got to be a set of blueprints somewhere.

I used to watch the Harriers take off and land at Cherry Point when I was in the Corps. This thing looks much more stable than a Harrier.

You\'d think they might name the country who developed this. Are we to assume it\'s British since it\'s replacing the Harrier?

dear Slowburn
There is a follow-on for the A-10 here (see link below) is a picture of it. It takes one of the A-10\'s engines and the Vulcan Cannon. As far as I know only the prototype was ever built. Among it\'s many cool features is the ability to turn fast enough to use it\'s cannon to shoot down jet fighters that are harassing it. It had all composite construction, about half the size and 1/4 the weight. (http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/8526381/images/1268326822082.jpg) Peace Jeff

I like the 2 billion dollar aircraft - sucking in one seagull and \"Urrrkkk BANG!\" down he goes.
I think I will wait for all the crash vids on Youtube...

re; Jeff Dodson
It\'s cute but it can not have an engine torn from the airframe, lose half the tail, and ten feet trimmed from a wing and still return to base. Nor does it carry near the ordnance load.

Jeff, that was something that was an afterthought. No other aircraft can do the job the A-10 does as well as the A-10 does it. It operates literally at treetop level. The cannon it carries is NOT a 20mm Vulcan, but the 30mm Avenger cannon. Something that was developed specifically for it\'s mission.
The US Army threatened the Air Force that it would fly the A-10 for itself, if the Air Force didn\'t. The Air Force has little love for the A-10. While the F-35 is a great aircraft, I agree with Slowburn, it will not be able to do the Warthog\'s job. Build more A-10\'s.
We sold the French a bunch of A-1 Skyraider\'s and regretted it when we really needed CAS (Close Air Support). The DOD tried to say that the F-16 would take the A-10\'s job during the Kosovo conflict. We saw how well that worked out. They got shot down.

re: Jeff Dodson
The design you refer us to, I believe, is one of Burt Rutan\'s and the company named \"Scaled Composits\"
Rather an outstanding design, but suffers the \"Not Invented Here\" syndrome - not originated by the Pentagon, Boeing, Grummond, Lockheed - big corporate interests - the Military/Industrial Complex.
You know, an outsider without \"Lobbying Power\"!
I know, \"So - what\'s new ?!\"
signed: The Pinko Liberal