What would be the cost difference between a p-38 and an A-10?. Just for arguments sake, say the 38 carries only hellfire antitank missiles (4 per wing hardpoint, just like they are placed on the Apache) and a gun on the nose (not the a10's gun of course, but say the 20mm used in the f16) with a good ammo load. upgraded engines and avionics, hydraulics.
So u'd have 16 hellfires (or 4 laser guided bombs instead), a 20mm gun on nose, much more powerful,fuel efficient and reliable engines, gps navigation and laser guidance systems. Night vision system easily added.
A-10
Power Plant Two General Electric TF34-GE-100 turbofans
Thrust 9,065 pounds each engine
Length 53 feet, 4 inches (16.16 meters)
Height 14 feet, 8 inches (4.42 meters)
Wingspan 57 feet, 6 inches (17.42 meters)
Speed 420 miles per hour (Mach 0.56)
Ceiling 45,000 feet (13,636 meters)
Range 800 miles (695 nautical miles)
Armament:
One 30 mm GAU-8/A seven-barrel Gatling gun;
up to 16,000 pounds (7,200 kilograms) of mixed ordnance on eight under-wing and three under-fuselage pylon stations.
Cost: $13 million
P-38"Z"
Two counter-rotating 2500HP (+more?) engines
Length 37'10"
Wing span 52'
Height 9'10"
Speed: 414mph (who knows with such engines what it would go to, using 38L's best speed from WW2)
Ceiling: 44,000 feet
Range: 2,600 miles (again , using WW2 figures, who knows what increased fuel efficiency with today's engines would achieve).
Armament:
One 20mm Vulcan cannon, 16X Hellfire missiles loaded in 4 wing hardpoints or 4 bombs (with increased engine power and stronger, lighter building materials, perhaps 38Z could carry 1k each hardpoint?), outer wing points may load Amraam or Sidewinder missiles instead of hellfires or bombs
Cost: ??? 3 million??
Of course, this is all speculation. But if the 38Z carried 16 missiles and had 3 times the range (read:time over target) more than the a10, while having almost the same top speed, almost the same ceiling, 38Z being smaller in length and a tad smalled in wingspan and height... and possibly being 1/3rd or less the cost of an a-10, and the 38Z being able to land and take off in grass fields... i'd say the 38Z would be quite nice to have.
Also bear in mind that only 1st world countries can afford a fleet of A-10's or frogfoots. While the A10 definetely carries more ordenance and a big tater guns, the 38Z could be a cheaper and just as effective version of it.
