Showdown between A-10 and F-35 will be next year

A general from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program’s integration office told DOD Buzz that the close air support flyoff between the F-35 and A-10 could start as early as next year.

By US Air Force from USA (F-35 Integrated Test Force) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Brig. Gen. Scott Pleus said he would bet the A-10 comes out “as the better CAS platform” in uncontested environments. But the F-35 would start to excel once the threat gets to build up.