Under blistering Arizona skies at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, the legendary A-10 Thunderbolt II, affectionately known as the “Warthog,” will perform its swan song. The 355th Wing, at Davis-Monthan AFB, started this month retiring its A-10 fleet, a distinction they share with several units across the military, ending an almost-half-century-long chapter in the history of close air support.
The first A-10C, tail number 82-648, has already transitioned from the 354th Fighter Squadron to the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group, there for final maintenance to present.
“The A-10 has been the symbol of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base for many years, and it will continue to be a symbol for the Airmen of DM, a symbol of their commitment, excellence, and service.”
It’s the end for the A-10, and the entire fleet will be divested in the next 3-5 years. The pilots and maintainers will roll into F-35 aircraft, but say, Col. Clarence McRae, commander of the 355th Maintenance Group, “There will always be a job for maintainers; it may not be on the A-10, but the Air Force needs maintainers to sustain airpower.”
Originally conceived by Fairchild Republic for close air support, the A-10 has been a stalwart in several conflicts, readily distinguishable by its heavy carriage of bombs and rockets on 11 pylons and its powerful 30mm GAU-8/A rotary cannon. Col. Razvan Radoescu, 355th Operations Group commander, said that the aircraft’s capabilities to strike precision support for ground troops haven’t been matched.
The path the A-10 began to tread at Davis-Monthan started when the A-10A model arrived on March 2, 1976. Since then, the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, which later changed in classification to become the 355th Tactical Fighter Training Wing, had trained thousands of pilots to use the aircraft.
“While the aircraft’s maneuverability and munitions, including the mighty GAU-8, make it overwhelmingly effective on the battlefield, it’s the pilot that makes it special,” Mills said.
With the divestment of A-10s, Davis-Monthan will add a Rescue Footprint, which may increase usage in the HC-130 aircraft and the HH-60W helicopters. Airframes from the Air Force Special Operations Command, including the MC-130 and OA-1K are expected to arrive.
It’s been years since retirement was discussed for the A-10. Despite the aged design, it continues to demonstrate its core capability – close air support – very successfully and cost-effectively.
As a nation pivots toward countering new threats, however, such as those in this instantiation, the non-stealth A-10 is less practicable for modern warfare, especially in places like the Indo-Pacific.
It was here at the recent Hawgsmoke 2024 competition at Davis-Monthan, Sept. 11-15. The event gathered all 13 fighter squadrons in what might have been the last big bash of the A-10 units.
We’re honored to host this event, said Lt. Col. Tom “Peta” Harney, commander of the 47th Fighter Squadron. It allows the community to show off their tactical precision and combat skills.
To most, the A-10 symbolizes something more than an airplane; it is a badge of tenacity, camaraderie, and dedication to protecting ground forces.
Major Sky “Comet” Lesh, range day coordinator and A-10 instructor pilot, summed it up succinctly: The competition poignantly reinforced the legacy of this aircraft.
And when the last of the jets turn to retire from the skies, it’s the spirit of A-10 flight, and not the airframe itself, that lives on inside the chest of those who have flown it, cared for it, and relied upon it, because it is a special group that has a stature of remarkable focus and commitment, which no matter what aircraft comes next cannot be altered.