The Air Force will keep the A-10 around as long as it serves a role that no other plane can fulfill. And then every time we think of replacing it, the Army and Marines offer to take them off our hands and we hold onto it so we can keep the glory. The JSF will make a great replacement for the F-16. But time and again they've proven that the F-16, no matter how hard they try, just isn't capable of fulfilling certain roles. Thus, the JSF will also be lacking in some capacities. The dedicated close air support / airborne forward air control role is one that requires low speeds and long loiter time, not to mention a lot of armor and ordinance, and a big freakin' gun. The A-10 has it, the JSF won't.
Maybe if the Army and Marines got together and put some money into R&D for a replacement, they'd get what they want....
