A-10 Thunderbolt

bombs and missles can cost over $100,000 a piece

the A10 warthog is a very nice plane, due to its design it can fly at low speeds while maintaining good stability making it a perfect weapons platform for rockets and the Gatling gun, making it probably the best anti-ground plane, rivaled on by that of attack choppers.

As much as you'd like to pretend otherwise, miltary spending by the US is not only important but necessary. Not on for the US, but for the over 20 countries whose security relies on the US.

The A-10 is designed to provide close air support for US troops in their missions, and it does it very well. Therefore its not a waste of money. I'm sure you might say "why not scrap it and give the money to poor people" because those poor people wouldn't even exist if the US military didn't have the preeminence in technology that it does today.

Better to have poor people than dead people.

you have excelent points and clearly have your head on straight. War is reality. People really do want to see america fall. It really is the muslims. We really do need these planes to keep our homeland safe. Other nations really do rely on us.

You are not a moron. Dont let these hippies get to you. Everyone who reads can see who the real morons are.

When S**t hits the fan, hayduke and generationx will be running to you and i and their abhorent government for protection, criticizing us for not spending the money to preemptively protect them.

U belive that?

Are you suggesting that the Pentagon has waged a defensive war (in your lifetime)?

You're suggesting that poor people need trillion dollar pre-emptive wars to survive? How? Let me guess: the Canadians would storm south and turn our poor people into Soylent Green dog food. Your assertions are rediculous.

I'm guessing you probably think that the Pentagon defends your freedoms, too. Have you ever tried to connect the dots on that assumption? NEVER LET YOUR GOVERNMENT TELL YOU WHO YOUR ENEMY IS. They are always wrong. They always lie. They are never not wrong. But you don't care, do you? The lie feels good, doesn't it? I mean, you get to wave pretty flags. It feels good to have enemies. And war is a terrific distraction. Lord knows it's worked great for the last 4 years.

But deep down, you know you were used. It's OK. You weren't the only one. But you were used.

The only enemie is you.What have you done for the U.S. but tear it down. We all know who the FOOL is and it is you. Thank GOD for all the planes and tanks and the REAL man that will fight.

...

see above

...if Dick Cheney says I am, right?

Do you let your government tell you who your enemy is? Do you fear who they tell you to fear? Kill who they tell you to kill? Hate who they tell you to hate?

Who is the fool, Cav? Who takes orders from Pentagon brass? Not me. Who supports disastrous foreign policy? Not me.

Who fights to defend freedoms and the bill of Rights from neocon tyranny. I do. You don't. You take orders from neocons. "Tear down" you say. I'm too busy trying to save what little is left. Punk.

Government is not the friend of the citizen. The Constitution was created to limit government powers. Our forefathers were AGAINST a standing army, because those in power my divert it to uses other than defense. Lo and behold! they were right. This administration is about abuse of power, those that disagree are the fools.

Your definitly right!

The A-10 is cheap compared to most other fighter aircraft the US uses. It's one weapon that's definitely not a waste of money.

the famous plane that does such a good job that nothing gets past it.

Its not the plane's fault if the brits cant stay where they're supposed to.

Warthog it is...

its cheap. Its realiable. Its incredibly good at killing things on the ground. Most of the fighters are incredibly good at killing things in the air, while ground kills are secondary. The A-10 is designed purely for ground support, and preforms excelently.

Because it really doesn't use MORE ammunition, when you consider the resource-per-kill ratios. How much do you think a couple-hundred rounds cost in comparison to a single Hellfire missile? Additionally, this plane has existed for YEARS. It was originally intended for the scrap heap until the 91 Gulf War, which redeemed it quite a bit in the eyes of Pentagon and Congressional cost-cutters.

The US rarely uses it anymore, theyve sold it to all their allies, who don't have all these other planes to do the job. Australia is one of the main purchasers of these planes and has a bad ass airforce made up of the warthogs

We have NOT purchased the A-10, and you, sir/maam, have been moderated accordingly.

It was stated in previous comment that Australia operates the A-10. Whilst we are and have always been a strong ally of the US (I think we are the only country to have fought alongside the US in every conflict since WW1) we do not operate the A10. Currently we fly the F18 and F111 as our fighter and attack aircraft. Both are due for retirement soon, with the F111 going in a couple of years. Both are to be replaced by the still to be produced F35 (big mistake, should have opted for the F22).

its our baby. We paid for the damn thing. We get to dominate.

because other planes are either easyer to shoot down or not as manuverable .. or .. already being used on other tasks

The people flying, maintaining and operating the aircraft pay taxes also, but you don't hear them complain about it do you?

nobody wants to hear you democrats whine about losing soldiers in wars, and then turn around and whine about the monetary cost of an infantry soldier's guardian angels.