In service since the late 1970s, the A-10 Warthog is an icon of the United States Air Force. Throughout its operational history, the ground-attack aircraft has stood out not only for its unique appearance, but also for its lethality. However, over the years, discussions about whether it should be withdrawn now have become increasingly heated. To the point of fueling a strong political dispute between the USAF and the US Congress.
Put this way, it might seem like lawmakers want to get rid of the A-10 Warthog and the Air Force refuses. However, it is the other way around. The USAF has been bidding for the retirement of the aircraft developed by Fairchild Republic for more than 10 years, but they have repeatedly met with a resounding no from the Senate and the House of Representatives.
When we told them the story of this peculiar aircraft —which was very active during the Gulf War, as well as in the conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Bosnia and Kosovo—, we mentioned that could be able to fly until 2040. This, due to the multiple updates it has received since its launch, such as the development of new wings by Boeing.
In fact, the US Air Force itself has acknowledged that, in its current state, the A-10 Warthog fleet could fly until 2028 without problems. But it is becoming increasingly clear that they also believe that the plane it’s outdated for future challenges in air warfare. Especially because of the advances China has made, including its own fifth-generation stealth fighter, the Chengdu J-20.
Throughout its operational history, the US aircraft has stood out for its role in close air support missions. However, the USAF assures that the F-35 Lightning II is capable of performing the same task with equal success. In addition, Lockheed Martin’s multirole fighter has stealth technology, is three times faster and can be deployed in a variety of much more important scenarios, being able to perform in close air combat and electronic warfare situations.
Defenders of the A-10 Warthog in the United States Congress allege that the aircraft does not have a natural replacement due to its unique characteristics. And they maintain that the Air Force has not provided reliable evidence that the F-35 really is capable of fulfilling its tasks.
Why are Congress and the USAF fighting over the future of the A-10 Warthog?
The answer to this question is relatively easy to answer, despite the fact that it hides a rather complex framework. It is a political, economic and labor dispute. The United States Air Force says that the impossibility of withdrawing the A-10 Warthog has hindered its efforts to incorporate more units of the F-35 Lightning II.
The Wall Street Journal has published a very interesting report on this subject. There it is mentioned that, according to the USAF, if they had allowed it to withdraw the A-10 Warthog at the desired rate, it would have already been able to free more than 900 pilots, mechanics and support personnel to assign them to more modern aircraft, such as the aforementioned model. from Lockheed Martin.
However, the refusal of Congress to remove the attack aircraft from operations is highly influenced by the impact it would have in some regions of the country. Especially in the labor order. Such is the case of Arizonafor example, where much of the A-10 Warthog fleet is stationed.
The Fairchild Republic aircraft is the largest at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson. Today more than 46,000 people work there. In accordance with wsj, USAF presence contributes about $2.5 billion a year to the local economy. If the A-10 Warthog were to be retired and its personnel redeployed, the consequences for the city and its environs could be devastating.
Of the 715 units of the A-10 Warthog produced up to 1984, it is estimated that just over 250 are still in service. Last December, Congress allowed the Air Force to retire 21 planes; and there is already an order to remove another 42 from service in the next fiscal year. It is not yet known if this request will be approved or not.
Defenders of the aircraft claim that still has a lot of thread on the spool. Over the past year there has been speculation that the United States might send some to Ukraine to help in the war against Russia. However, this has ultimately been ruled out. Not only because it would require a significant deployment with training for the Ukrainian pilots, but because it is estimated that, despite its remarkable armor and durability, the A-10 Warthog would not withstand the attacks of Russian defenses.