Congress blocks attempt to kill A-10

 Fox News:

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The Pentagon plans to purchase 17 F-15EX fighters and 12 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets from Boeing, Reuters reported. The report pointed out that the number of F-15s was higher than the Defense Department's request in May for 12.

The bipartisan agreement prevents the Air Force from retiring the A-10 Thunderbolt II, Defense News reported. A Senate provision blocks the military branch from retiring any Warthog next year, the report said.
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"NO red flag laws. NO drafting our daughters. The WOKE liberal agenda Democrats tried to sneak into the NDAA is GONE," Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, tweeted. "Democrats want to turn the military into a leftist social experiment—but WE stopped them!"
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The A-10 attack plane has been on the chopping block for years, but continues to be saved by Congress. In 2014, the Pentagon requested their retirement and said the savings would be about $3.5 billion.

Rep. Martha McSally, a Republican from Arizona who flew the A-10 in combat and called it a "badass airplane with a big gun on it." The plane is armed with a seven-barrel Gatling gun that is nine feet long and fires 30mm armor-piercing shells at a rate of 3,900 rounds per minute. Also armed with Maverick missiles.

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall recently called the A-10 "an anchor holding back the Air Force."
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While the plane was originally designed as a tank killer for NATO it has turned out to be the premier close air support vehicle in the current inventory.  It has been extremely effective in dealing with insurgent forces in the war on terror.  I think the troops are glad the US is keeping it. 

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