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)
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 squadron is to be extended until 2029. The squadrons at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, will serve as active-duty squadrons, while the squadron at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri will serve as a reserve squadron.
The Air Force noted that this was only a partial reversal, not a full program continuation for the A-10. There is still a set end date for the A-10’s service—though it could be pushed back once again in the future.
Why the reversal? The Air Force did not explain its rationale, but it appears that the A-10 has been effective enough in Operation Epic Fury to justify its continued service. The A-10 travels at slow speeds and low altitudes—making it vulnerable to ground fire, as the loss of one aircraft during the “Dude 44” rescue mission in early April showed, but also making it an ideal platform for loitering ground attack missions and chasing down slow-moving land or maritime targets that faster aircraft would simply overshoot.
Congress is applying pressure to keep the program open, too. Right now, the NDAA requires a minimum of 103 operational A-10 aircraft. There is also a replacement gap; the F-35 has not fully replaced the ground attack role, and industrial constraints have resulted in production limits for next-generation aircraft. So the decision to extend the A-10 is driven by necessity, not just preference.
The A-10 Is Still the Best Ground Attack Aircraft in the World
- Year Introduced: 1977
- Number Built: ~716 (all variants)
- Length: 53 ft 4 in (16.16 m)
- Wingspan: 57 ft 6 in (17.42 m)
- Weight (MTOW): ~51,000 lbs (23,132 kg)
- Engines: Two General Electric TF34-GE-100 turbofans (~9,000–9,275 lbs thrust each)
- Top Speed: ~420 mph (675 km/h)
- Range: Combat radius: 290 nautical miles (334 miles, 537 km); ferry range with tanks ~2,200 nautical miles (2,532 miles, 4,074 km)
- Service Ceiling: ~45,000 ft (13,700 m) — tactical employment almost always near ground level
- Loadout: GAU-8/A 30 mm rotary cannon (centerline); up to ~16,000 lbs (7,260 kg) of external stores; loadout can include AGM-65 Mavericks, AIM-9M Sidewinder, LAU-131 seven-round rocket pods, Hydra 70 2.75″ rockets/APKWS, JDAM/GBU kits, gun pods, flares/chaff, LITENING targeting pod, and external tanks
- Aircrew: 1 (pilot)
The A-10 is still a superlative aircraft in narrow respects. When it comes to close air support, the A-10 is arguably unmatched, especially in permissive environments. Built around the GAU-8 30mm cannon, the A-10 is renowned for its ability to loiter persistently, maneuver at low-speeds, and sustain damage thanks to heavy armor. No platform offers as much precision at low altitude, allowing direct coordination with ground troops, with the ability to survive against ground fire. When the A-10 is finally retired, there is no direct replacement slated; the A-10’s capability will essentially disappear from the Air Force roster.
Still, the A-10’s vulnerabilities have grown. The non-stealth platform is vulnerable to modern SAMs and MANPADS; the jet is slow, with a max speed of only 420 miles per hour. And the airframes are aging, meaning more maintenance, more downtime, and higher operating expenses. No aircraft is built to last forever, and the Cold War-era A-10s are reaching the hard limits of their lifespan. As the United States shifts its strategy to focus on China and high-end conflict in denied airspace, the A-10 is increasingly mismatched against the Air Force’s future threats.
But the A-10 will be viable through the end of the decade. And though the A-10 has been able to wriggle its way off of the chopping block year after year, the platform will eventually need to be retired. However, it is far from clear what will ultimately replace the A-10’s CAS capability once the aircraft finally leaves the scene. The extension buys the Air Force time to come up with a proper answer, but it doesn’t solve the problem.
About the Author: Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is a writer and attorney focused on national security, technology, and political culture. His work has appeared in City Journal, The Hill, Quillette, The Spectator, and The Cipher Brief. He holds a JD from the University of Oregon and a master’s in Global & Joint Program Studies from NYU. More at harrisonkass.com.
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