If killing the A-10 program is the Air Force’s solution for paying for the F-47, then the Air Force is truly lost.
President Donald J. Trump’s decision to award Boeing the contract for the new “Next Generation Air Dominance” (NGAD) warplane—now known as the “F-47”—all but ensures the demise of the vaunted, though aging, A-10 Thunderbolt II. The Air Force is now tasked with paying for the F-47, which will be the most expensive warplane ever built by the United States, coming in at an astonishing $300 million per plane.
As a point of reference, that’s three times more expensive than the fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II.
And because the F-47 costs are so enormous, the Air Force is likely to begin cannibalizing its other programs to pay for these planes. The A-10 Close Air Support (CAS) warplane program, which can reliably claim to have saved hundreds of American servicemembers’ lives during the course of its war service, will probably be among the first casualties.
Indeed, it is unlikely that either the F-35 or F-22 fifth-generation warplanes can claim to have saved as many American lives in combat as can the A-10.
The Air Force’s Shiny New Toy: The F-47
Yet the Air Force has a shiny new toy they’re eying, and they appear set on mothballing the rest of the Air Force for the hope that they will be able to afford a few more of these new F-47 sixth-generation warplanes. Quantity may have “a quality of its own,” but it appears to be a quality the Pentagon is not interested in.
What good is a handful of advanced warplanes when facing swarms of cheaper, though far more numerous (and easy to replace) advanced drones?
Of course, the A-10 lacked the ability to deploy drones, whereas the designers of the F-47 insist that the “Loyal Wingman” is a key concept undergirding the F-47 program. But older airframes have already been tested by the Air Force in terms of deploying drones to serve as loyal, unmanned wingmen. It would not be difficult for the Air Force to upgrade the existing fleet of A-10s to be able to deploy drones on top of the other impressive weapons it carries in its payload.
While there is much secrecy surrounding the F-47, it is believed that the new plane goes around Mach 2 (1,534 miles per hour) and has a range of 690 miles with internal fuel. However, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin has emphasized that the plane has “significantly longer range,” possibly exceeding 1,850 miles, meaning it is specifically tailored for handling the vast oceanic distances of the Indo-Pacific area.
It is expected that the F-47 will employ Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion (NGAP), with candidates being GE Aerospace’s XA102 or the Pratt & Whitney XA103. These feature three-stream adaptive cycle designs for enhanced fuel efficiency (a 20 percent improvement over fifth-generation engines) and variably thrust. Thrust could exceed 45,000 lbf per engine.
The F-47 incorporates stealth technology that has been described as significantly more advanced than what is found on either of America’s two fifth-generation warplanes, the F-22A Raptor and the F-35 Lightning II.
This warplane is designed to carry weapons internally for stealth, likely including air-to-air missiles (such as the AIM-260 JATM) and possibly directed-energy weapons. The F-47 will have a robust internal payload to avoid external drag. Some have speculated that the F-47 will possess more than the F-22’s 2,000 pounds of internal weapons.
And the F-47 will integrate with the Collaborate Combat Aircraft (CCA), otherwise known as the “Loyal Wingman.” These are artificial intelligence-driven drones which extend the F-47’s sensor reach and firepower. These drones, like the RFQ-42A or RFQ-44A, could carry additional munitions or perform electronic warfare (EW), though their specs are separate.
As for sensors, the F-47 is believed to possess advanced sensor fusion, likely including radio-photonic radar and real-time data links for networked warfare, surpassing the F-35’s AN/APG-81 radar in range and adaptability.
But the F-47s Will Never Live Up to the Hype
So, why wouldn’t the Air Force mothball its aging A-10s to make way for these impressive sounding F-47s?
Well, for starters, the F-47s are practically guaranteed to underperform. In recent history, there appears to be a direct correlation in aircraft development: the more technology and greater hype over a new warplane, the less impressive it performs in the real world.
Sure, warfare is more long-distance these days. But as long as ground forces are being deployed into battle, they will need CAS. And the F-47, for all its impressive sounding specifications, will not be an effective CAS plane.
Take Another Look at the A-10
Let’s consider the proven A-10.
This plane has a maximum speed of 439 miles per hour and a combat radius of about 250-290 miles with a full load, or a ferry range of 2,580 miles. Two General Electric TF34-GE-100A turbofan engines power this plane. Its armament includes the potent GAU-8 Avenger, a 30-millimeter, seven-barrel Gatling gun that fires up to 3,900 rounds per minute. These guns are designed to penetrate armor with depleted uranium rounds. And the payload capacity for this bird is a stunning 16,000 pounds of external weapons, including the AGM-65 Maverick missiles.
There is a titanium “bathtub” protecting the pilot and critical systems, capable of withstanding 23 mm rounds.
The A-10 costs less than $90 million per plane today—a pittance compared to the F-35, let alone the F-47. It is a proven system that is far more cost-effective for a Pentagon that has proven unable to be an effective steward of U.S. tax dollars.
At $300 million per plane, the F-47 will never live up to the hype. And if killing the A-10 program is the Air Force’s solution for paying for the F-47, then the Air Force is truly lost.
About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert, a Senior National Security Editor at The National Interest as well as a contributor at Popular Mechanics, who consults regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. Weichert’s writings have appeared in multiple publications, including the Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, the Asia Times, and countless others. His books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.
Image: Shutterstock / Rob Atherton.
