Thanks for the article Conrad.
via Aviation Week
Why?
Because the F-35 is doing more than simply wrecking the Marine Corps budget. Its also taking Marine Air further away from its primary mission of supporting the grunt on the ground. The F-35 could actually become a game changer, just not in the way intended. That airplane could actually be the end of close air support in the manner in which Marines have enjoyed it for over 100 years. Instead of prompt and enthusiastic support from the "wing" we could instead be stuck with brand new aircraft that perform at a lower level than the airplanes they replace.
The A-10C (which the USAF just refurbished) could be a safeguard against that. That's why I like Sweetman's idea (shared by many...he just "formalized" it).
Sidenote: One additional thing. The mess that is the F-35B has caused not only financial problems for the USMC but has had a knock on effect of throwing procurement into a tailspin. When the EFV was canned it was with the idea that a new vehicle would quickly be procured. That effort has waned. The only thing that has been on track is the MV-22 buy (which has been accelerated) but other important decisions have been shelved...the MPC, ACV, JLTV...and others are all taking a backseat to the F-35.
via Aviation Week
Since the summer, the case for buying 340 F-35Bs for the Marines has been weakened by the service's admission that only 10% of operations will use the heavy, expensive short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing kit. What that implies is that the F-35B will only do Stovl when it is part of small detachments on amphibious-warfare ships; 100 F-35Bs would be more than enough for that.Read it here, but despite the "dig" about the Navy's Army's Air Force, I'm leaning in Sweetman's direction.
So what replaces the majority, expeditionary land-based piece of Marine air, now equipped with aging Hornets? The Marines are all about close air support (CAS). They want to operate from runways that are shorter and rougher than most fighters need. Wouldn't it be great if someone had a force of around 200 dedicated CAS aircraft they were trying to divest?
They do and they are. They're called A-10s (AW&ST Dec. 9, p. 15) and transferring them to the Marines would do more than create a durable, focused force to provide CAS, not just for the Marines but for the Army and special operations forces. It would give the Navy's army's air force a mission.
Why?
Because the F-35 is doing more than simply wrecking the Marine Corps budget. Its also taking Marine Air further away from its primary mission of supporting the grunt on the ground. The F-35 could actually become a game changer, just not in the way intended. That airplane could actually be the end of close air support in the manner in which Marines have enjoyed it for over 100 years. Instead of prompt and enthusiastic support from the "wing" we could instead be stuck with brand new aircraft that perform at a lower level than the airplanes they replace.
The A-10C (which the USAF just refurbished) could be a safeguard against that. That's why I like Sweetman's idea (shared by many...he just "formalized" it).
Sidenote: One additional thing. The mess that is the F-35B has caused not only financial problems for the USMC but has had a knock on effect of throwing procurement into a tailspin. When the EFV was canned it was with the idea that a new vehicle would quickly be procured. That effort has waned. The only thing that has been on track is the MV-22 buy (which has been accelerated) but other important decisions have been shelved...the MPC, ACV, JLTV...and others are all taking a backseat to the F-35.
