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http://www.afa.org/magazine/July2006/0706program.asp

"Interconnected Decisions
The F-22 and F-35 buys also will depend on how gracefully the rest of the fleet ages. Cracks have been discovered in the wings of most of the A-10 fleet, which already was due to receive precision attack upgrades as well as an engine upgrade. If USAF decides to invest in those upgrades, it will take money away from other parts of the global attack portfolio."

Can anyone flesh the above out for me?

Thanks. Rick

Precision Engagement is fully funded, as are replacemnet wings for 210 aircraft. There is no money for new engines at this time.

Only so much money, but the A-10 is the gap filler until the F-35 comes on line in sufficient numbers to replace the A-10, AV-8 and F-16.

Coach

FRom the AFA.org site:

Daily Report
Tuesday July 11, 2006
Hog Preview: The Air Force will keep all its A-10 Warthogs and almost completely rebuild them, according to Gen. Michael Moseley, Chief of Staff. At the July 7 inauguration ceremonies for the F-35 strike fighter, Moseley told Air Force Magazine that the 2008 program objective memoranda—the five-year spending plan—calls for thoroughly rewinging the A-10 fleet and funds the entire suite of precision engagement and structural modifications, known as the “Hog Upâ€

Was that a test? How did I do?

Coach

Of interest to this thread...

http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123023088

Coach

"He said that with the A-10 close air support force structure intact, there simply is less need to buy another inherent CAS airplane."

...what about the F-35 makes it an "inherent CAS airplane"...let's see, it has one engine...nope, that's not it. It does not have dual hydraulics and it's flight controls are fly-by-wire...not it either. Maybe it carries a large amount of ordnance...wrong again! Who ever suggested that this would be a good CAS asset? Oh, by the way, in a CAS environment, that MANPADS operator and that AAA gunner doesn't usually care that you are "stealhty" on a radar scope. I was having my issues with the whole uniform replacement push that Gen. Moseley is supporting, but I'm at least pleased to see that operationally, he has a clear mind on matters.

PILSUNG!

"A fighter without a gun . . . is like an airplane without a wing."
-Brigadier General Robin

It wasnt a test Coach. LOL

But it was just some timely news on the subject.

Heres more news from the same site:

"
Daily Report
Wednesday July 12, 2006
Hog Smokes Enemy Compound: A US Air Force A-10 Warthog fired several GBU-12 bombs near Musah Qala’eh in Afghanistan on Monday, destroying an enemy compound from which coalition forces had come under fire. US Central Air Forces officials say the air strike killed some 40 militants allied with Taliban elements. Other A-10s joined forces with British GR7s to provide close air support in two other locales, as violence in Afghanistan continues to escalate."

"It does not have dual hydraulics"
How do you know that?

<img src="http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/457/bgnrjsiiw81q1gc.jpg" border=0>

Gravity....its not just a good idea, its the law.

Sorry M&M, a mis-speak. Actually, it doesn't have dual hydraulics or even a single system. The JSF, or Lightning II (Don't get me started on the name), actually does not even have a centralized hydraulic system. Instead, it uses new electro-hydrostatic actuators that work in concert with the fly-by-wire concept. BL...no engine=limited electrics=limited hydraulics=PAPERWEIGHT! I'm just not a huge proponent of the single-engine idea. But thank you for the correction.

PILSUNG!

"A fighter without a gun . . . is like an airplane without a wing."
-Brigadier General Robin

LOL Hawgstruck. I'm thinking limited hydraulics are the least of the pilot's problems if he has an engine failure. However, the reality is he'll have full up flight controls due to the new battery technology (rechargeable lithium-ion). This aircraft is going to use "Gee Whiz" technology from nose to tail with things like magnetic bearings in the IPU (no lubrication required) and as you mentioned, ElectroHydrostatic flight control actuators which is a first for production aircraft..is that a good thing? The "A" model is going to use 7 Electronic Units per aircraft, the "C" variant is going to use 9 due to it having actual alilerons as well as flaperons. I'm all for getting rid of bulky hydraulic lines, leaking swedges and heat producing 3000 psi systems, I just don't know about relying that heavy on electrons and Electronic Units to power flight controls. I too have issues with the single engine concept in a fighter aircraft even though all the proponents say it's not a problem.

OC

Some days it's hardly worth chewing through the restraints

I suspect there are several pilots who could argue the case for 2 engines and/or manual reversion.

The Second Amendment: America's original homeland security.
Ya just can’t take life too seriously, because you aren’t going to get out of it alive anyway.

_________________
\"Those who hammer their guns into plows
will plow for those who do not.\"
- Thomas Jefferson

As Coach mentioned, not knowing about relying heavily on electrons and electronic units to power flight controls, does this make it a fair weather fighter?

I've seen a couple birds that got hit by lightning and/or skirted lightning storms.

Had an Alconbury F-5 in 81 or 82 IFE into Aviano. Had been stuck by lightning and I also believe hail. All leading edges were ripped open and peeled back like a beer can.

What would a lightning strike do to a totally electric system?

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote> What would a lightning strike do to a totally electric system?

<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>
My guess is it'd be no different than a lawn dart. Since the technology of electric jets has matured, it's doubtful there'd be any significant problem. In the F-35, each actuator has its own EU (new name for Flight Critical Control Computer and a whole bunch easier to say). Certain control surfaces are Simplex, others are Dual and two are Dual Tandem. Redundency would be a good word for it.

OC

Some days it's hardly worth chewing through the restraints

Kewl! Thanks O.C.!

Might I just add also......my how things have changed since I seperated in 88!
I thought I had stayed in touch pretty good, but finding out more and more I might just be lost oin a flightline if it had anything other the Hogs on it!

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>my how things have changed since I seperated in 88!
I thought I had stayed in touch pretty good, but finding out more and more I might just be lost oin a flightline if it had anything other the Hogs on it! <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

HogSnort, I've stayed up on a lot of the new stuff because I've had to but I know the feeling well. One of my first jobs in the Air Force was to check the mag timing on a pair of R1830 radial engines. Now, we have almost totally electric jets with hydraulic packages built into the actuator and flight control inputs controlled by a bunch of computers that, individually, you could probably hold in the palm of your hand.

<img src="http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/4056/ehau5id.jpg" border=0>

Not sure what one of these babies is going to set Uncle back but with a name like "ElectroHydrostatic Actuation Unit" you can bet it isn't going to be cheap. Remember all the IDG (or for those that worked other airframes, CSD) problems? The next generation of crew dogs won't know anything about them because VF (variable frequency) generators are the new method of power production. No more IDG's or CSD's. We now have aircraft that troubleshoot themselves and avionics boxes that automatically reconfigure themselves if one section fails. The next generation will look back at what we're doing now and shake their heads, wondering how we ever managed to get a jet in the air.

OC

Some days it's hardly worth chewing through the restraints