A‑10 as Drone Hunter

The A‑10 Warthog, though designed for close air support, matches the profile of countering cheap, slow drones because of its long loiter, low‑altitude handling, heavy cheap munitions (APKWS), and rugged survivability. Using A‑10s to hunt swarm or loitering munitions can be far more cost‑effective than shooting expensive air‑to‑air missiles at $20k drones. — This reframing affects procurement, force posture, and budget choices—arguing for preserving or adapting legacy manned platforms as a cost‑effective complement to emerging counter‑drone systems.