US EditionUS Air Force says key Iran warplane, the A-10 Warthog, will live on to 2030
The move reverses earlier retirement plans as the service cites combat power and increased A-10 use in Iran-related operations.
- 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.
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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.
Around 50 years old and still in service: The US fighter aircraft A-10 is still in operation despite decommissioning plans. The US Air Force used the jet, which has been proven for decades, also in Iran.
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.
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