A-10 Warthog Sidelined for Close Air Support Combat, Congress Rallies for A-10

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By Kris Osborn – President & Editor-In-Chief, Warrior Maven

The US Air Force is moving on a plan to divest as many as 260 A-10 Warthog aircraft to pursue alternative platforms for Close Air Support given what leaders say is an inability of the famous “flying tank” to maintain effectiveness in new high-threat environments.

A-10 Warthog

However, the A-10 is not disappearing quickly, and debate about its utility to the Air Force continues to surge among lawmakers and other advocates for the combat-tested, highly survivable aircraft known for saving lives in combat.

The future of the aircraft has long-been debated, as many have argued that high-speed fighter jet aircraft such as the F-16, F-22 and F-35 are well suited to absorb the CAS mission. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall told the House Appropriations Committee – Defense that the service does indeed intend to remove the aircraft over time.

“We do intend to divest the A-10 and replace it with F-16s. The problem is it is an old aircraft not designed for an environment we face now and survivable against modern threats,” Kendall told the Subcommittee.

Years ago the Pentagon conducted a specific fly off between the A-10 and F-35 to assess each platform’s ability to perform the CAS mission. Each platform has different and highly significant attributes.