Air Force Gen. Paul Selva, the administration’s nominee for vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, unequivocally declared that the service does not need to retain a dedicated close air support aircraft such as the A-10 Warthog.
But surprisingly members of the Senate Armed Services Committee—who have been strident in their support of the platform—chose not to bring up Selva’s opinion on the matter during a July 14 confirmation hearing, which was disclosed in written answers to questions posed by lawmakers in advance.
“The interoperable underpinning of joint requirements enables effective close air support utilizing a range of multi-role aircraft,” wrote Selva, who is currently the chief of U.S. Transportation Command. “Lessons from the last fourteen years of combat have institutionalized tactics, techniques and procedures integrating a number of manned and unmanned systems supporting these missions. Translating these lessons into joint requirements continues to advance our ability to provide close air support with advanced sensors and [the] precise lethality of our weapons systems.”
Selva’s comments echo those from top Air Force officials, who have said the A-10 must be retired to free up money needed to pay for readiness and the procurement of new platforms. The close air support mission, they claim, can and has been conducted with other aircraft such as the F-15E and F-16.
Congress, however, has blocked the Air Force’s attempts to divest its A-10 fleet for several years, adding in funding for the platform into defense bills as well as language prohibiting the service from mothballing the aircraft.
SASC chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.), a staunch opponent of retiring the A-10, told Defense Daily after the hearing that he didn’t think it was important to question Selva on the issue.
“I didn’t ask him about it because he won’t be making those decisions as vice chairman,” he said.
McCain added he would push for confirmation votes for Selva and the nominee for chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Marine Commandant Gen. Joseph Dunford, to happen “as soon as possible”—likely before Congress goes on summer recess in August.