Gunzinger, an analyst with the respected Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessment, said “my personal opinion is the Air Force ought to try and fly the wings off the A-10,” because we’ve got it now and it provides such superb service. His view may also reflect the skepticism of many Air Force watchers about the costs of A-10 flight hours cited by the service. Buying these other CAS aircraft would provide the Air Force, already fielding the smallest and oldest air fleet in its history, with more cockpits to provide pilots with flying hours and the ability to hone their skills, Gunzinger and defense consultant Loren Thompson say.
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