Dr. Strangelove
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Key Points
- GAO has raised concerns about lost mission capability if the A-10 is retired
- CSAR-Sandy and FAC(A) are two mission sets that could be weakened if the USAF divests the aircraft
The USAF "has not established clear requirements for the missions the A-10 performs and, in the absence of these requirements, has not fully identified the capacity or capability gaps that could result from the A-10 divestment," the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) said. "Without a clear understanding of the capability or capacity gaps and risks that could result from A-10 divestment, it is also unclear how effective or necessary the air force's and the department's mitigation strategies will be."
While the A-10 was fielded beginning in the 1970s to carry out a CAS mission, the aircraft performs other critical duties, the report noted. For example, it is the only aircraft that can conduct a combat search-and-rescue (CSAR) mission, known as "CSAR-Sandy" in which two A-10s fly in tandem to co-ordinate the rescue of downed troops while suppressing enemy forces. "The air force assessed the feasibility of using F-16s or F-15Es for the CSAR-Sandy mission and concluded aircrews could not conduct both the training necessary for this mission and the training required for their existing missions," the GAO wrote. "The assessment, completed in September 2015, recommended that F-15Es or F-16s should not be tasked with the Sandy role without adequate training and also noted that the aircraft would require a number of upgrades for the CSAR-Sandy mission."
Another mission performed by the A-10 is Forward Air Controller (Airborne), or FAC(A). It entails co-ordinating air strikes from other aircraft while flying and when joint terminal attack controllers (JTACs) are not available.
http://www.janes.com/article/63260/gao-warns-of-capability-gaps-after-usaf-a-10-retirement
