Summary

  • A-10 Warthog’s retirement causes controversy due to unmatched close air support capabilities.
  • The Air Force is transitioning to F-35s and drones for ground support despite the A-10’s effectiveness.
  • The A-10’s unique features and dedicated pilots contribute to an unmatched close air support culture.

First introduced into service in 1977, the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, more colloquially called the A-10 Warthog, is a single-seat subsonic attack aircraft designed to provide close air support (CAS). After nearly 50 years of service, it is unsurprising that the United States Air Force is looking to retire the decades-old aircraft, citing its obsolete nature in a world of advanced air defenses.

The aircraft, however, has built an extensive reputation for providing strong support to troops on the ground and remains the only aircraft ever exclusively designed for close air support. With accolades from Operation Desert Storm, the NATO intervention in the Balkans, the wars in Afghanistan, and against the Islamic State, many believe that the dynamic aircraft’s time for retirement has come too soon.

A-10 Warthog

Photo: Charles T. Peden | Shutterstock

The future of the A-10 Warthog is a hotly-contested topic in Washington and across the Air Force’s dozens of operational A-10 squadrons. Those who argue against the twin-engine turbofan-powered aircraft’s retirement argue that it lacks a true successor and that no plane can effectively perform all the missions the A-10 can.

The Air Force begs to differ and is moving forward with plans to replace the A-10 Warthog with next-generation aircraft. Specifically, the organization has indicated that a combination of Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning IIs and unmanned drones would fulfill the A-10’s close air support role. The challenge with this plan is clear: neither of these has been designed specifically for ground support.

Recent retirements spark debate

On March 8th, 2024, Baltimore-based media outlet WBALTV11 confirmed that the Maryland National Guard had decided to retire its A-10 Warthogs, despite extensive opposition from pilots and senior officers. After nearly 40 years of service, the A-10s are set to be retired, a decision that will impact the lives of over 500 dedicated pilots and maintenance personnel.

The total divestment of 21 different A-10 Warthog jets from their base at Warfield Air National Guard Base is set to commence this upcoming fall. The 175th Fighter Wing will transition from a flying purpose to a purely cyber mission, demonstrating the Air Force’s belief in the obsolescence of the A-10’s role.

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Photo: United States Air Force

This decision by the Air Force has drastically shifted the narrative regarding the A-10’s retirement. Formerly, the organization maintained that the A-10 would be effectively replaced as a close air support aircraft by other planes, none of which had been built for the purpose.

This choice demonstrates the Air Force’s belief that close air support missions will no longer be as critical of its strategy as they are now. When close air support capabilities are needed, the Air Force believes that the F-35s and strike drones will be able to do just fine.

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The organization maintains that the lumbering and slow A-10, which features no stealth technology, is increasingly a sitting duck against modern air defenses. According to Business Insider, the Air Force believes that the A-10 Warthog has limited usability, with the Secretary of the Air Force saying that it “doesn’t scare China.”

A plane unlike any other

These arguments for retirement have been met with harsh criticism from military analysts and servicemembers alike. The A-10 Warthog has been proven in combat and has effectively provided troops with the air support they need for decades.

sf_rising-a-10c-of-idaho-ang-with-gun-and-ir-pod-4x6_jak

Photo: Lukas Souza | Simple Flying

The aircraft can take off from literal dirt runways, take on an unbelievable amount of fire, and unleash heavy ordinance. The aircraft is heavily armed and armored, both key facets of performing its mission. From taking on tanks to limping back to base, missing an entire wing and full of bullet holes, the A-10 Warthog has proven its worth throughout the years. The A-10’s full armament includes all the following:

  • 1 30 mm GAU-8/A Avenger Rotary Cannon with over 1,000 rounds
  • 11 hardpoints capable of deploying combinations of:

    • Rockets
    • Missiles (including the AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missile for self-defense)
    • Bombs (including Mark 77 incendiary bombs)
    • Flares/chaff
    • Drop tanks for extended-range operations

The F-35 falls short of these capabilities in multiple different ways. Sure, the aircraft might be a better interceptor and offer more advanced stealth capabilities, but the A-10 Warthog is far better optimized for its role as a low-altitude support aircraft, according to The National Interest.

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How Many A-10 Warthogs Have Been Shot Down?

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Furthermore, the aircraft’s extensive redundancy systems and the “titanium bathtub” that surrounds the cockpit and protects the pilot from ground fire are features that no attack drone or fighter can offer. The plane is designed to serve exactly its current purpose, and replacing it with F-35s or drones will be a major step backward in terms of capabilities.

A human loss

Other critics of the A-10s retirement have pointed to the importance of close air support pilot culture and the general wisdom of attack pilots as a whole. Ground forces have come to depend on the accurate and targeted support provided by A-10 pilots, which can sometimes be critical and save hundreds of lives.

A-10

Photo: United States Air Force

During the Second World War, the United States Army Air Forces went to great lengths to ensure that troops on the ground were constantly supported by dedicated aircraft. When the Air Force scaled back its close air support capabilities in the Korean War and during the Vietnam War, American ground forces were often left vulnerable on the battlefield.

Proponents of the A-10’s continued service argue that dedicated Warthog pilots have created a unique close air support culture that has been critical to the initiative’s success over the years. With new F-35 pilots or unmanned drones, like the MQ-9 Reaper, replacing them, this incredibly valuable human asset that currently sits at the Air Force’s continued disposal would be lost.

Do you think the A-10 Warthog should be retired? Let us know in the comments!

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