Boeing touts A-10s for international customers should USAF divest fleet

Boeing touts A-10s for international customers should USAF divest fleet
Gareth Jennings, San Antonio, Texas - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
20 May 2015

The USAF's plans to retire its A-10 fleet could provide opportunities for international operators to acquire the type. Source: US Air Force
Boeing is in discussions with the US Air Force (USAF) to sell off the service's Fairchild-Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II ground attack aircraft to international customers should the fleet be retired from the inventory, a senior company official disclosed on 20 May.

Speaking to reporters at Boeing's Global Services and Support facility in San Antonio, Texas, Paul Cejas, chief engineer for off-Boeing platforms, said that the company and the USAF are in the early stages of discussions to sell off surplus A-10s to international customers, which he declined to name.

Boeing is the de facto prime for the A-10, owning the technology data packages for the legacy aircraft, and is currently under contract to re-wing 173 of the USAF's approximately 300 A-10s (a number already being in storage), with options for 69 more. Of these, 105 have been completed and delivered back to the USAF, with the contract set to run through to the first quarter of 2017.

Should the USAF be allowed to the retire the A-10 as it wishes (but which is opposed by the US Congress), the Cejas said that the re-winging contract is now so far along that the most likely course of action would be for the service to complete the contract and then look to offload the aircraft to interested third parties.

As well as offering re-winged aircraft, Cejas said that Boeing would look at a wider modernisation effort ahead of any proposed sale. This, he noted, would include new engines, a cockpit upgrade (including a helmet-mounted cueing system), and targeting pods. Cejas explained that these proposed enhancements are currently in a concept stage, and are not being touted in response to any specific customer requests.

Cejas declined to name the potential customers for any off-loaded A-10s, saying that this would be a matter for the USAF to disclose.

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Would the US government sign off on such a sale? Boeing may be exploring options, but the US government has the final say and they've been reluctant to let the A-10 go.

Maybe for Eastern European nations, to shore up their defense against Russia? I can't see an A-10 flying in Pakistani or Indian colors though. That would shift the balance of power a bit too much for the US' liking, especially as it's trying to balance its relationship between both countries - just wanted to get that out of the way before someone from either nations mentions them.

I'll take one!

Legendary Bird. So old, yet Uncle Sam refuses to let any have it.....

This is the Real Beast ....
give us 2-3 Birds , we need to Crush TTP in FATA , and they will be much more effective there

rockstar08 said:

This is the Real Beast ....
give us 2-3 Birds , we need to Crush TTP in FATA , and they will be much more effective there

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Mangtay howay sharmaty kyun ho ....ask for the whole fleet or no shit

Sage said:

Mangtay howay sharmaty kyun ho ....ask for the whole fleet or no shit

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sharma nai raha bhai , 2-3 kafi hai TTP and BLA ke liye

They will be gone off the market...Fast...!!!

anonymus said:

Balance of power is already in favour of India by long shot.

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So? That still doesn't invalidate what I said, and if they end up in Pakistan the balance becomes more even, these are the best tank-killers on the planet.

Talk right now is of any A-10 sales being to Eastern European nations like Poland or Lithuania, Turkey has been thrown around too - this doesn't mean the nations are interested, just that they've been highlighted as potential sales targets. Only Jordan outside of Europe has been mentioned. These will be sold to US allies.

And on the balance of power between India and Pakistan; I don't care, I was only offering the US' justification for keeping the A-10s out of the region. And if they were sold to Pakistan, you'd be in for one hell of a reckoning:




But frankly, I don't care about Indian versus Pakistani military-measuring contests, so please don't bother me with them.

gambit said:

They will be gone off the market...Fast...!!!

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Where do you think they'd end up if sold?

Transhumanist said:

Where do you think they'd end up if sold?

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Many countries want the A-10 and the smaller the country, the more the want. This is the 'next to perfect' combat jet for small countries.

There are so many countries the covets the A-10 that I do not know where to guess. But for entertainment's sake, I would say the country with the largest 'petty cash' purse. What is 'petty cash' does not equal to quantity, but rather of leftover money after necessities have been taken care of, so I guess we are looking at the Saudis, the Japanese, the South Koreans, or the Israelis. For the Israelis, the A-10 would be great for low frequency high intensity insurgency warfare. For the South Koreans, the A-10 would be great against North Korean heavy armor trying to cross the DMZ.

It would have to be who has the quickest draw and the best Washington DC connections.

gambit said:

It would have to be who has the quickest draw and the best Washington DC connections.

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This is the part that would be the greatest sticking point, since the US government has been a bit unwilling to let the A-10s go - and why wouldn't they, it's the best CAS aircraft in the US inventory apart from the AC-130. But since the US government has the final say on most, but not all, foreign military acquisitions involving US gear, it seemed to me that some of our more politically sensitive allies wouldn't be afforded such a potent aircraft. That would rule out Pakistan or Saudi Arabia, even if both could make effective use of it (Pakistan against its insurgents, Saudi Arabia against its militant problem too - the potential for them to be turned on India or Israel would be the part that leads me to discount this sale from a political perspective).

South Korea, Lithuania, Poland, Turkey and Latvia are all nations facing regional threats and land-oriented enemies, so they were my first thought. Japan? I don't know if that makes too much sense unless Japan wants to go the US route and arm the A-10 with a Maverick J - or similar weapon for anti-shipping duties (or modify its software to arm it with dedicated ASuW systems).






Still, as a hedge against landing craft this is one massive middle-finger to an invading force. An interesting discussion though and thank you for your thoughts, they mean more to me that most here given your past experience.

Transhumanist said:

Japan?

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I think it would be a toss up between South Korea and Japan because both countries are maritime countries. The A-10 with its long loitering capability would be great for maritime patrols.

Since its not a very potent AA jet and not particularly cutting edge I dont see any restrictions for sales as it doesn't affect balance of power, even Vs a Mig-21/F-5 level fighter the A-10 will have a toughtime. The A-10 is perfect for countries battling drug cartels, militants and terrorism.

With high loiter/endurance it would be the ideal purchase for Iraq and other countries battling the IS. Pakistan is investing on armed drones so although it would be a welcome induction possibility but doesnt necessarily need them.

su-25 can do this job too...........