In July, the Air Force will test three light attack aircraft as it considers its replacement plans for the A Warthog. The Warthog β known officially as the Fairchild Republic A Thunderbolt II β entered service in and has become something of a legend for its extraordinary firepower and durability.
However, despite its notable successes supporting troops on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Air Force has been trying to retire the plane for years. Top service officials have cited the age of the platform β the last A was produced in β and its rising maintenance costs as prime motivations for retirement, but some critics say that the Air Force simply prefers gleaming, high-tech fighter jets to the less glamorous workhorses that provide ground sport.
It is currently in use in several Latin American air forces, and was recently acquired by the Afghan military. Air Force. The familiarity of the plane is attractive, since it would simplify maintenance and training. While the plane is similar in design, capability and cost to the Super Tucano, it lacks a track record in the field as an attack platform. The Iraq Air Force has considered buying the plane to use in combat, but the purchase appears to be in limbo.
The goal was to create the most affordable attack jet in the world, and many experts say the project has been a success. However, Textron has yet to sell any jets, and only two have been produced. The Soros. Read this before you trade in your gas guzzler. The Biden administration is unveiling audacious goals Thursday for how it will seek to get the most bang for the billions it has at its disposal to spur the semiconductor sector in the U.
The political winds are pushing the energy industry ever further toward the green, promoting renewable power sources and electrification over fossil fuels. The irony in this is that certain rare metals, essential to a green energy economy, have taken on a new importance.
