Many thanks to USMC 0802 for the article!
Pay attention gents. You might consider me an outlier, but when conversations happen inside my gun club among buddies that's one thing. When they get away from the club and onto the pages of the Marine Gazette, its time to sit up and pay attention. Check this out....
It is therefore ironic that in the A–10 the Air Force possesses a better close-support aircraft than any in the Marine Corps Fixed-wing Marine air faces a fight for its existence, although that may not yet be apparent. Commonality of aircraft (the F–35), technology, and “jointness” are leading Marine air ever further into JFACC (read: Air Force) orbit. Unless arrested, this trend will continue until ultimately the only difference between Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force aircraft and pilots will be the word “Marines” stenciled on the bird. At that point, budget pressures are likely to lead to the end of Marine fixed-wing aviation.And this....
For the price of 8 F–35s, we could field over 100 modern A–29 Super Tucano light air support aircraft. Each up-armored and already combat-proven A–29 is capable of providing longer-endurance armed overwatch in greater numbers from more austere airfields than current or future fixed-wing Marine aircraft.There is a pushback brewing in the Marine Corps over the F-35.
Many talk about it in terms of its performance while doing a deep strike, fleet defense or combat air patrol mission.
Marines are interested in it to perform only one real job. Close Air Support. And in that role the airplane is lacking.
IF we get a GRUNT Commandant. IF he has the balls to take on the establishment and do whats in the best interest of OUR Marine Corps then the F-35B will be canceled. We'll make do with the AV-8B till we can get better and we'll get our house in order.
Anything else will lead to failure. Read the entire Marine Gazette article here.
UPDATE: For those that insist that the US has invested too much money into the F-35, and that there is no off ramp to the program I say bullshit. The off ramp is Simpson-Bowles and as things sit right now, the Republicans and the DoD will jump at the chance to get its savings in place. It would be less than what we're seeing with unfettered sequester. The only things that would have to be placed on the altar? The F-35 and the V-22. I could live with that.
