[Got Colt]

So is this the flying triangle I've seen in the news?

No. That’s been flying for decades. It’s definitely E.T.

 

[ChicagoMike]

Everything you wrote supports the retiring of old, difficult to maintain, obsolete aircraft.

Modern, low observable aircraft fitted with stand-off capability weapons are the way forward for the USAF. Retire the A-10 and use the money saved to buy more new aircraft, either F-15Es or F-35s And, air support needs to be owned and controlled at the lowest level possible. Attack helicopters are organic to the division and corps, so when the division CG wants air support he has is own assets, he does not have to go all the way up to the joint command and ask for help. Helicopters also have the ability the hover, masked by terrain, and still maintain the ability to fire on the enemy with mast mounted sensors, or with a quick pop-up maneuver that offers far less exposure to enemy fire. And, they can ground loiter almost indefinitely.

What's the point? What worked 50 years ago, might not be the best choice in today's battle.

The USAF want to create a single fighter that can do 'everything'. The idea is that you now can standardize on maintenance, parts, etc ... reduce overall TCO.

The problem is that you're going to be compromising on performance to get something that may be best all round aircraft, but not best of breed.

The F-22 is the best in air superiority, yet its not for sale in other markets, so that the R&D and production costs are spread over fewer aircraft. So what's Congress do? Cut funding and kills the project. Of course there are potential alternatives that could out shine the F-22.

The F-35 is your all around fighter. But when it comes to ground support... A-10 wins out. Now USAF is looking at bringing back turbo-prop that have a lower maintenance cost, good loiter and payload. Also something they could sell to allied countries. I wouldn't get rid of the A-10s, but consider of how to upgrade.

To your point... tomorrow's war? What's it going to look like?

If history is any indicator... whatever we guess... it will be wrong.