Originally posted by excel4600c: when the army and marines need air support. Who do they call the Air force. (Bring on the A-10)
Orrr... they call their own F-18s, Harriers (if they decide to work properly that day), Prowlers, C-130s, Cobras, Super Stallions, Hueys, and Sea Knights. But hey who's to define what "air support" is?
The Air Force does it's job, which is well executed, planned air attacks. From a distance. Marine Air is in the thick of it, communicating directly with Marine ground forces. And NOT waiting two hours for a CO's approval of the CO's approval.
And it's Marines, not marines. You may get away with that crap with the army, but have some respect.
Exactly. Marine Corps / Navy CAS > Air Force CAS.
That's because the Air Force's job is to gain and retain air superiority (and even that's changed much with carrier projection), not CAS. I don't know what the other poster was talking about. Yeah, they have the A-10, and it's a great aircraft, but it's limited in capability (it does pretty much one thing -- killing tanks -- really, really well) and numbers. The Navy and Marines have provided virtually all of their own close air support since WW2.
