You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Submit your comments on this article
Terror Networks
Murphy's Law: Unwanted Hogs To The Rescue Again
2014-12-16
The key bit, from our perspective:
[StrategyPage] Despite renewed U.S. Air Force efforts to retire the much loved (by their pilots and the ground troops who depend on it) A-10C ground attack aircraft, at least ten of them from a reserve unit have been quietly sent to the Middle East to join in the air operations against ISIL (Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems....
 in Iraq and the Levant) in Iraq and Syria. Many older ISIL members (who fought in Iraq before the A-10s were withdrawn) are not happy with this news while the soldiers and faceless myrmidons fighting ISIL are much encouraged.
Posted by:trailing wife

#12  Indiana ANG

Hopefully a few women among the pilots.

That would untwist a few turbans (if one could find any of the fabric left after a run).
Posted by: Mullah Richard   2014-12-16 16:20  

#11   at least ten of them from a reserve unit

Indiana ANG.
Posted by: Pappy   2014-12-16 12:46  

#10  Take the Hogs away from the Air Force along with the manpower and resources, and in return give them all the medevac aviation assets from the Army Medical Corps, so we can get them armed to do their missions in combat environments.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2014-12-16 07:55  

#9  The Army has been trying to replace the M2 for decades years now too. There are just some designs that fulfill their niche so well that nothing within reasonable expense can replace it. If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2014-12-16 07:51  

#8  But there's no obscene overcharges income to be made for defense contractors, and no bribes and payoffs incentives for lawmakers and DOD project managers, so we need to get rid of them.
Purely a maintenance decision.
Posted by: ed in texas   2014-12-16 07:47  

#7  You could easily order Morton's best cut and a couple of Ballantine's for the cost of just one flare. A very pricey video.
Posted by: Besoeker   2014-12-16 05:15  

#6  Don't think it was 'homework', mate; more like many years in the military.
Posted by: Raj   2014-12-16 01:51  

#5  Thanks Besoeker. You've done your homework very well.
Posted by: Ebbomosh Hupemp2664   2014-12-16 01:45  

#4  
Posted by: Ebbomosh Hupemp2664   2014-12-16 01:43  

#3  Thanks Ebbo. The white flares seen in #2 are countermeasure decoys designed to divert man-portable (MANPAD) air defense missiles. The ground mounted units seen igniting in the video are 'simulated MANPAD's' or anti-aircraft systems which trigger the attacking aircraft's countermeasure flare release.
Posted by: Besoeker   2014-12-16 01:36  

#2  
Posted by: Ebbomosh Hupemp2664   2014-12-16 01:21  

#1  It's gotta suck to see one of them coming to get you.
Posted by: Super Hose   2014-12-16 00:12  

00:00