"The Pentagon’s plan to pit its $400 billion F-35B Joint Strike Fighter against the tried-and-true A-10 Thunderbolt II may happen as early as next year.The latest update to the National Defense Authorization Act includes a stipulation that while Air Force officials cannot yet retire the iconic "Warthog," they will be expected to set up a battery of tests to gauge each aircraft’s ability to perform close-air-support (CAS) missions.
The director of the Pentagon’s F-35 Integration Office was interviewed by Military.com on Wednesday to elaborate on the battle for CAS supremacy."