US EditionUS Air Force says key Iran warplane, the A-10 Warthog, will live on to 2030
The extension follows increased combat use and keeps 103 jets in the fleet as officials say production of replacement aircraft is still ramping up.
- On Monday, Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink announced the A-10 Warthog will remain in service through 2030, reversing previous plans to conclude operations by 2029.
- Pentagon officials argued for over two decades that the aging A-10 was too costly to maintain compared to modernization priorities, yet political and military support consistently blocked retirement attempts.
- Recent combat missions in the Middle East, including operations against Iranian speedboats and a rescue mission for a downed F-15E pilot, demonstrated the jet's effectiveness in close air support.
- Meink stated the extension preserves combat power as the Defense Industrial Base works to increase new aircraft production, though the Air Force has not specified which platform might replace the A-10.
- It remains unclear exactly how many jets will remain operational through 2030, as Meink indicated further developments are expected while thanking President Donald Trump for "quick, decisive leadership.
31 Articles
31 Articles
The U.S. Army A-10 Thunderbolt II support aircraft, nicknamed "The Phacochère", played an important role in Iran, despite a shutdown originally planned for 2026.
Too old, too slow, too expensive: For years, critics have been demanding the end of the earth fighter aircraft. Now, the time for the A-10 "Warthog" is extended again. The machine is also used in the Iran war.
Models of the earth fighter aircraft have been in use since 1976. The battle has been raging for decades. In the politically competitive US state of Arizona, many jobs are attached to maintaining the A-10 in the air force.
For more than two decades, the US is fighting over the future of the A-10 "Warthog" fighter aircraft. Too old, too slow, too expensive. In 2026 it was to be phased out, but with the Iran war the machine gained new significance.
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