US ready to retire A-10 "flying tank"

The US Air Force's last A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft will be retired in 2026, years earlier than previously planned.

In priorities for the 2026 budget released this week, the Air Force asked Congress for authorization and funding to accelerate the retirement of the beloved close-air support fighter to fiscal year 2026.

A US Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II, nicknamed the Warthog because it is often depicted as a wild boar. Photo: USAF

Initially, the US Air Force planned to retire the A-10 fleet by 2028. However, this plan has been changed to 2026.

“Probably the most important thing that most people want to know is that the Air Force will retire the remaining 162 A-10s,” a senior defense official told reporters during a briefing on the US defense budget.

No longer suitable for modern warfare

While no aircraft can directly replace the A-10 as a dedicated close air support aircraft, Pentagon officials say it will be difficult for the aircraft to survive on a modern, high-tech battlefield.

All 162 A-10 attack aircraft will be retired in 2026. Photo: US DOD

For years, Air Force leaders have said the A-10 needed to be replaced. But many lawmakers, former pilots and ground troops who remember the A-10 turning the tide in fierce gunfights have rallied to save the A-10 fleet.

Big-ticket new items the Defense Department is eyeing include $10.3 billion for B-21 bombers, $11 billion for Columbia-class submarines, $4.2 billion for the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile and $2 billion for the SLCM-N, a sea-launched missile for the Navy.

The next-generation fighter jet that the Air Force just introduced, the F-47, will receive an additional $3.4 billion for continued development.

The A-10 was produced from 1972 to 1984, and most of the fleet is now between 40 and 50 years old. The last time these attack aircraft saw combat was in 2010 in the Middle East during the fight against the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS).

Largest military aircraft retirement plan in history

The US Air Force began phasing out the A-10 in 2020, but replacing them with the F-35 has been slow and controversial.

The arrival of the F-35 is expected to reduce the need for the A-10 fleet. The service said in a statement that it would request $3.1 billion for 21 F-15EX aircraft while reducing its F-35 procurement from 74 to 47 aircraft.

15 KC-135 (large) tankers along with 36 F-15 (small) aircraft will be part of the US Air Force's plan to retire 350 aircraft by 2026.

Along with retiring all A-10s, the Air Force also said it would retire 36 older F-15s, including 21 F-15E Strike Eagles, the service's other main ground-attack fighter.

A US Air Force spokesman said 62 F-16s and 15 KC-135 tankers will be among about 350 planes and helicopters the Air Force plans to retire next year.

So, this is a far-reaching plan, and 2026 will be the year with the most US Air Force aircraft retirements in history.