The A-10 Warthog is perhaps the most fearsome attack fighter in the U.S. Air Force arsenal. Could it be any scarier if it were a robot? Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
Motley Fool: DARPA: Could a Robot Replace the A-10 Warthog?
The U.S. Air Force wants hit the eject button on the A-10 Warthog and replace it with a modern fighter jet. In furtherance of that goal, USAF has tossed out every possible excuse you can imagine to get rid of America's No. 1 tank-busting aircraft. To date, the Air Force has proposed replacing the A-10 with:
* $100 million-plus F-35 stealth fighter jets from Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) -- whose guns don't shoot.
* Retasked Boeing (NYSE: BA) F-15 fighter jets, and Lockheed F-16s -- designed for air superiority roles but operated by pilots retrained and "dedicated" to a close-air support role.
* Textron's (NYSE: TXT) lightly armed but budget-priced Scorpion light attack fighter.
* And -- in the case of one at least U.S. ally -- by substituting a Brazilian-built prop-driven fighter named after the Froot Loops mascot.
In fact, about the only thing the U.S. Air Force hasn't yet proposed is replacing the A-10 Warthog with a robot.
WNU Editor: In theory this makes sense .... I repeat .... in theory. But in the real world .... and in the heat of combat .... who knows?