The A-10 has proven itself to be one of the most venerable and capable aircraft in the US arsenal. It is also an aircraft most people in the Air Force never wanted and have spent years actively working to send it to the scrap yard. It is the first aircraft every designed from the very beginning to be solely dedicated to supporting ground troops. Generations of American soldiers and Marines have come to love the jet for its unique abilities to free them from jams and to help accomplish the mission. The A-10 achieved this status through a unique set of fortuitous events and a few brave and dedicated individuals who dedicated themselves to making sure the men and women fighting one the ground would receive the support they needed from the air. Pierre Sprey, one of Robert McNamara’s “whiz kids,” played a key role in the creation of the A-10 and recounts this incredible story.
Pentagon Labyrinth
Pierre Sprey and the Birth of the A-10
December 18, 2017
Pierre Sprey, part of the original design team to create one of the most iconic aircraft flying today, tells the unusual story of how it came to be.
People
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Guest Expert
Pierre Sprey
Sprey, in 1981, helped to create the Project on Military Procurement, which expanded and became POGO in 1990.
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Host
Dan Grazier
Dan Grazier is a senior defense policy fellow at the Center for Defense Information at POGO.
Show Notes:
Center for Defense Information
The Center for Defense Information at POGO aims to secure far more effective and ethical military forces at significantly lower cost.