https://www.airandspaceforces.com/ai...hter-shortage/

If they keep more fighters in the guard/RC they might actually be able to find guys to fly them, for a change of pace from airline monotony and the beer-money pension.

Exactly, there’s 0 shortage of fighter pilots who would fly for ANG or Reserves. 0, barring an outlandish base location (even then…).

It’s definitely an iron problem. F-15EX to Portland is great, but it’s a 1 for 1 swap with old fighter jets. Probably worse than 1 for 1 due to C’s being retired faster than EX purchased and delivered. Indiana is getting Vipers, but tapping out A-10s. Fighter units were converted to MQ units during GWOT, and the A-10 and F-15C are going away.

A-10 retiring a while ago probably would have helped save a lot of cash for more F-35s and EX, but that would have meant emotional damage to people who like BRRRRRT sound. Amazing aircraft, huge expense to future readiness.

can’t go back in time to solve this. A lot of people said this would happen.

You are an idiot if you think retiring the A-10 would have bought more "readiness". Even dumber if you think it would have saved "cash" to buy other aircraft. My brain hurts.

Resources are resources. The USAF has been trying to retire A-10s for years, with the stated purpose of using those resources (money included) elsewhere.
Resources that could include allocations for new purchases or upgrading other 4th Gen fighters, missiles, etc.

an article from a source self-admittedly biased towards the A-10:
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/air-...ers-reduction/

the USAF was blocked from retiring A-10s that it wanted to in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2021, and 2022
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/air-force-a-10-warthog-retirement/
“With its efforts to retire the A-10 fleet stymied by Congress, the Air Force has invested $880 million to keep the aircraft flying into the next decade.”

Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula, dean of The Mitchell Institute, praised lawmakers for allowing the Air Force to finally divest some A-10s, which will allow the service to train more maintainers for the F-35 and other newer aircraft.

“The fact of the matter is that the A-10 has been a magnificent airplane in the over 50 years that it’s been around,” Deptula told Task & Purpose on Monday. “But, when you look at the decline in the force structure of the Air Force and the demands of our National Security Strategy to increasing threats that are opposed against the United States, we need to move on beyond the old capabilities that have been useful in permissive airspace but will not be very useful in contested airspace.”

I’m wondering what makes me an idiot? I’m pretty sure that this has been the USAF’s argument for a decade or more.

You are an idiot if you believe those resources would ne used for their stated purpose. Not sure how long you have served, but don't fall for the shell game. It's sad, but a reality.

Let's try to share info without insulting one another.

For quite awhile the USAF has bought in to the force-multiplier philosophy - in part due to high personnel costs. Whether that will really work as a general case has yet to really be proven and may be entirely dependent on the situation at issue (See Kipling, Rudyard, Arithmetic on the Frontier) But there is no question the high end stuff is expensive. An F-35 HELMET costs $400k and a lot of personnel time tweaking it.

https://www.warhistoryonline.com/ins...met-facts.html

Is it worth it - relative to cheaper but a larger quantity of less capable systems? I don't know, and like I said, very likely situation dependent. Does it eventually get to the point that things are too expensive and too few to risk in combat at all? Probably. Extremes on both ends of the spectrum tend to be less cost effective.

Honest question PickleRick (great episode btw), Per current USAF thought, what fills the CAS realm with the A-10 retirement?
No snark or illintent meant, just curious what the USAF thought process is WRT the CAS mission.

I'm not saying Picklerick IS an idiot. Im saying that only an idiot would believe GO talking points. Pick any category you want.

CAS isn't in the future plan....until it becomes forced in the next real world conflict.