By Olawale Abaire, Warrior Editorial Fellow
The Fairchild Republic A-10, a time-tested ground attack fighter, has been assigned yet another mission to its expanding repertoire. On May 7, the US Navy (USN) released photographs of a quartet of A-10s from the US Air Force (USAF) providing escort to one of the navy’s ballistic missile submarines during a coastal strait journey.
The submarine, the nuclear-propelled USS Nebraska, was navigating through the Strait of Juan de Fuca, a channel in Washington state that links the Puget Sound of the Seattle area with the Pacific Ocean. The navy has not elaborated on the purpose of the A-10 flight, stating only that the fighters, along with a US Coast Guard vessel, were assisting in the Nebraska’s transit to “guarantee that the U.S. military is prepared to fulfill its security obligations domestically and internationally.”
According to the navy, a formation of four A-10 fighters accompanied the USS Nebraska, a nuclear ballistic missile submarine, through the Strait of Juan de Fuca on May 6 to “guarantee that the U.S. military is prepared to fulfill its security obligations domestically and internationally.”
The Puget Sound is the location of the USN’s Naval Base Kitsap, which is home to the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group and 12 submarines, six of which are capable of being armed with nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles. While the nature of the cruise was not confirmed by the service, the Pentagon routinely maintains multiple ballistic missile subs at sea as part of Washington’s strategic nuclear deterrent.
The A-10, known for its low-altitude, slow flight, is being increasingly tasked with ship escort duties as the USAF seeks new roles for the iconic “Warthog,” which is considered by air force officials as too susceptible to modern air defenses.
For years, senior Pentagon officials have attempted to retire the Cold War-era tank destroyer, but have been largely thwarted by legislative resistance in Congress. Instead, the air force has invested in new wings manufactured by Boeing to keep the A-10 fleet operational.
As the global demand for its advanced fighters continues to rise, the US Air Force has started assigning A-10s to missions in low-threat airspace that might have previously been assigned to squadrons flying Lockheed Martin F-16s or Boeing F-15s.
Despite receiving limited permission to retire a small number of its “least combat effective” A-10s in 2023, the service is still obligated to keep at least 135 of the aging fighters in active rotation.
With the ever-increasing global demand for its high-end fourth- and fifth-generation fighters, the air force has started assigning A-10s to missions in low-threat airspace that might have previously been assigned to squadrons flying Lockheed Martin F-16 or Boeing F-15 fast-movers. In an effort to broaden the support capabilities of the aircraft, US Air Force test pilots demonstrated in April 2023 that a single A-10 can carry and deploy 16 Small Diameter Bomb precision munitions, thereby creating a new role for the ground-attack jet as a so-called “bomb truck.”
The United States Air Force hopes that such initiatives will lessen the demand for its more capable multi-role fighters, including the F-15 and F-16, whose air-to-air combat capabilities are required for air interdiction, airspace defense, and general deterrence missions in Europe, Asia, and North America.
