Hooray! The US Air Force Won’t Retire the A-10 Warthog (for Now) |
Hooray! The US Air Force Won’t Retire the A-10 Warthog (for Now)
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The Air Force has agreed to keep three squadrons of the A-10 operational at least until 2029, but its survival beyond then is doubtful.
The US Air Force has announced that it is extending the service life of the A-10 Thunderbolt II (“Warthog”). According to Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink, three squadrons of the venerable ground attack aircraft are to remain active at least until the end of the decade.
“In consultation with [Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth], we will EXTEND the A-10 “Warthog” platform to 2030,” Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink wrote on X (formerly Twitter) announcing the extension. “This preserves combat power as the Defense Industrial Base works to increase combat aircraft production.”
For years, the A-10 has fought back from the retirement cliff. Now, once again, its retirement will be delayed due to ongoing operational demand and gaps in its prospective replacement.
Operation Epic Fury May Have Saved the A-10
The original plan was for a full fleet retirement by FY2026. That is clearly not happening. Instead, according to the new plan, two squadrons are now scheduled to be extended until 2030, while another........