The A-10 community and the people of Tucson, Arizona have frantically called their representatives in an effort to win support for the Ayotte-Blunt amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which would secure funding for the A-10, secure the future of the Warthog. If the amendment were to pass, the practical effect would be to prohibit any additional A-10 retirements until approximately 2021 or later.
The amendment is necessary, say A-10 supporters, because the F-35 is years away from being a viable replacement.
To broaden the bipartisan congressional support, Southern Arizona Representative Ron Barber joined New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte in penning a letter of support for the plane, dated November 13. Arizona’s two senators refused to assist. The letter to top Pentagon officials enumerated the strengths of the A-10 and the many reasons why it should be kept as part of the Air Force fleet. The letter was also signed by 19 other members of the House and 12 other members of the Senate.
Senators Jeff Flake and John McCain were given the opportunity to sign the letter and refused, according to congressional sources.
At the same time, the two senators were circulating a letter of their own according to various sources. In a letter to the Pentagon, dated November 13, the duo inquired as to delays in new orders of the Manpack radios, for which General Dynamics has a $324 million contract.
The Scottsdale division of General Dynamics’ produces the radios, and the production contract is scheduled to terminate at the end of 2013.
“McCain and Flake ask in their letter if the DOD plans on moving forward with a $324 million long-term order already approved by Congress and requested by the U.S. Army. C4 Systems has approximately 2,250 employees in Scottsdale and also has a number of local suppliers,” according to the Phoenix Business Journal.
“The A-10 plays an essential role in helping our ground forces and special operators accomplish their missions and return home safely,” Barber and Ayotte wrote in their letter. “We oppose any effort that would divest the A-10, creating a (close air support) CAS capability gap that would reduce Air Force combat power and unnecessarily endanger our service members in future conflicts.”
The A-10 is the main aircraft stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, where the 355th Fighter Wing flies 82 of the planes.
The A-10 is nicknamed the “Warthog” and has been highly praised by ground troops. “One Army commander told me, whenever he heard the Warthogs show up, he knew that their day was about to get better,” Barber said in September remarks on the floor of the House.
If the A-10 is mothballed by the Air Force, the community of Tucson will suffer a large hit to its economic base. Flake and McCain do not rely on Tucson area voters for campaign funding and as a result, the people of Southern Arizona have had little representation in Washington.