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From: gh21@prism.gatech.edu (HICKMAN,GLEN R)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: New Ground Attack Aircraft
Message-ID: <1990Jul25.004555.6637@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 25 Jul 90 00:45:55 GMT
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From: gh21@prism.gatech.edu (HICKMAN,GLEN R)
I read in AIRFORCE magazine (about a year ago) that the Airforce was
looking to replace the aging (yet affective) A-10 Thunderbolt II.  The
article indicted a number of options:
  
   1. The A-16 - Attack version of the F-16 w/ 30mm cannon pod
                  UHF ant. (to talk to ground troops), Ironbombs,
                  Mavericks, etc. . .
   2. The A-7  - Older than the A-10 (or close).  I guess new avionics
                  engines, etc. . . can do wonders.
   3. The F-15E - Strike Eagle ----> $$$$ but excellent payload.

I figured the Army would rather stick with the AH-64 and support 
themselves????  The A-16 would (I feel) be too fast to be an effective
ground support aircraft (The A-10 is rather slow, which is deliberate).
Are there any other options that anyone else has heard of????  I feel
that there is NO subsitute for a good fixed wing ground attack craft.

Also (unrelated): I read somewhere that the Navy / Marines are looking
at using the AH-64 (Naval version SH-64) on Tawarra-class Amphibious
Assault Ships.  They would carry harpoon missles on outer pylons (Nasty!).
I suppose they could also carry Hellfires or Mavericks???  I know the
Marines already use the AH-1 (S and T versions I believe) but the have
no long-range anti-ship capabilities.

Any info / help / comments on the above would be appreciated.

***********************************************************************
Glen R. Hickman
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, Ga.
gh21@prism.gatech.edu
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