Summary

  • Senate committee seeks feasibility for transferring A-10s to Jordan for enhanced air capabilities.
  • A-10 Warthogs may be exported to third countries as US Air Force looks to retire them by 2029.
  • Questions arise on maintenance and parts availability for A-10s as they have been out of production for decades.

The US Air Force wants to retire the iconic A-10 Fairchild Republic Thunderbolt II (better known as Warthogs) by around 2029. However, that might not be the need of the road for the Warthog as the Senate Armed Services Committee has formally directed the Pentagon to look into transferring A-10s to Jordan. The A-10s are impressive ground attack aircraft built around their reliable high-power 30 mm GAU-8 Avenger rotary autocannon.

Senate report seeks feasibility on transferring A-10s to Jordan

On Monday, the Senate Armed Services Committee moved to pave the way for the transfer of A-10s to Jordan, a Middle Eastern nation. The report accompanies a new draft of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025.

a-10 maneuver

Photo: Tech. Sgt. Kevin J. Gruenwald I U.S. Air Force

“the committee directs the Secretary of Defense to report to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives, not later than February 1, 2025, on the feasibility and advisability of transferring retiring A-10 aircraft to Jordan. The report should include an analysis of Jordan’s ability to maintain the aircraft on their own.” – Senate Armed Services Committee’s report (page 385)

The War Zone notes that A-10s would significantly boost the Royal Jordanian Air Force’s close air support and general air-to-ground capabilities. Jordan is engaged in a counter-drug campaign along its northern border with Syria that has reportedly included air strikes. The US has long enjoyed close relations with Jordan and has designated it a major non-NATO Ally since 1996.

7754533 - A-10C with 16 Small Diameter Bombs

As the A-10s have been out of production for decades, questions arise about how difficult it will be for third countries to maintain them and receive enough parts to keep them running.

Related

Warthog: Why Is The A-10 Thunderbolt Still So Popular?

The Avenger rotary cannon is one of the most notable features of the aircraft.

A-10s for export in their twilight years

The Air Force still has around 218 Warthogs in service, although another 59 are slated to be retired in Fiscal Year 2025. Even though many military and aircraft enthusiasts love the A-10s, they have never been exported out of the USA, and few countries have expressed an interest in purchasing them. Thus far, only Colombia and Ukraine (early in the war) have expressed interest in acquiring them. It is unclear how eager Jordan is to acquire the A-10s.

It has previously been reported that there was a mystery buyer for the A-10 Warthog. It is unclear if Jordan is the mystery buyer or if that is another country (some speculation has suggested South Korea). At the House Armed Services Committee in April, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall did state that one country had expressed interest in acquiring some of the US’s retiring A-10s. He also suggested that the country was not Ukraine.

6770547 - A-10 Thunderbolt II Lands and Takes Off From a Highway Near Alpena During Northern Strike 21-2 [Image 6 of 10]

The Warthog has been out of production since 1984. Many retired A-10s are stored at the massive boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona. Many of these are older A-10A variants, and many have been cannibalized for parts of the years. Concurrently, the A-10s being retired now will include newer A-10C variants that have received mid-life upgrades.

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