I thought I read last year that new variants of the F16 were replacing the A10 in close-support/low altitude/ground target roles. I assumed circumstances and tech had changed in some way that made the F16 more viable at such low altitudes (hundreds of feet) than when the A10 was initially deployed.
I don’t really know, just thought it was an interesting perspective.
I don’t think there’s much place in the future for close air support, at least not from human piloted planes. Basically, anything that’s in the range of MANPADSs is denied airspace.
I can imagine anti-missile technology becoming good enough to counter MANPADS.
I don’t know what the state of the art is there for aircraft, but if you look at armored ground vehicles, where the option to “just fly higher than man-portable missiles can reach” isn’t an option, they’ve certainly been moving into APSes to counter ATGMs.
EDIT:
much place in the future for close air support
Also, close air support doesn’t need to be low-altitude. Like, an aircraft attacking enemy ground troops in close proximity to those of its own side is still doing close air support, even if the aircraft is physically higher and further away. The “close” refers to the distance between the ground forces, rather than the distance between the aircraft and its target.
I thought I read last year that new variants of the F16 were replacing the A10 in close-support/low altitude/ground target roles. I assumed circumstances and tech had changed in some way that made the F16 more viable at such low altitudes (hundreds of feet) than when the A10 was initially deployed.
I don’t really know, just thought it was an interesting perspective.
I don’t think there’s much place in the future for close air support, at least not from human piloted planes. Basically, anything that’s in the range of MANPADSs is denied airspace.
I can imagine anti-missile technology becoming good enough to counter MANPADS.
I don’t know what the state of the art is there for aircraft, but if you look at armored ground vehicles, where the option to “just fly higher than man-portable missiles can reach” isn’t an option, they’ve certainly been moving into APSes to counter ATGMs.
EDIT:
Also, close air support doesn’t need to be low-altitude. Like, an aircraft attacking enemy ground troops in close proximity to those of its own side is still doing close air support, even if the aircraft is physically higher and further away. The “close” refers to the distance between the ground forces, rather than the distance between the aircraft and its target.