Air Force extends A-10 Warthog service life to 2030
April 21, 2026
The Air Force has stated that the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II “Warthog” will remain in service until 2030, which is 0-2 years later than had been previously anticipated. The announcement comes as negotiations over FY 2027 budgets begin, and after the A-10 played a prominent role in the war in Iran.
Air Force announces A-10 retirement extended to 2026
Yesterday, the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Dr Troy E. Meink, posted on X (formerly Twitter), “In consultation with @SecWar, we will EXTEND the A-10 ‘Warthog’ platform to 2030.
In consultation with @SecWar, we will EXTEND the A-10 “Warthog” platform to 2030. This preserves combat power as the Defense Industrial Base works to increase combat aircraft production.
— Office of the Secretary of the Air Force (@SecAFOfficial) April 20, 2026
Thank you to @POTUS for your unwavering support of our warfighters and quick, decisive… pic.twitter.com/zn1l3OshdY
Meink added, “This preserves combat power as the Defence Industrial Base works to increase combat aircraft production.”
He ended the post, “Thank you to @POTUS for your unwavering support of our warfighters and quick, decisive leadership as we equip our force. More to come.”
This means that, for the first time in years, the USAF is unlikely to request the complete divestment of its remaining fleet of A-10s in the Fiscal Year 2027 budget proposal.
The Air Force had requested to retire its A-10 fleet years ago (first starting in 1984), but Washington kept delaying the retirements until the F-35 had entered service in large enough numbers. After the F-35A entered service, it has only permitted the Air Force to retire them incrementally.
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A-10 retirement date remains largely unchanged
The date still aligns with what The War Zone wrote in 2024, “The Air Force currently plans to retire the last of the ground attack jets, which it argues have ever-more limited survivability and general utility, especially in any future high-end operations, such as a conflict in the Pacific against China, no later than 2030.”
Over 700 A-10s were procured. Most of these have been retired with the 2026 budget stating it “prohibits the Air Force from retiring A-10 aircraft, such that the inventory would drop below 103 aircraft in FY26.”
It is unclear if the Air Force is drawing down its inventory to that level; if it does, it would represent around 56 more retirements. 39 Warthogs were sent to the Davis-Monthan boneyard in 2024.
With the Air Force retiring around 40 A-10s annually, the last of the A-10s were expected to retire in FY 2028 or FY 2029. The announcement that they will remain in service until 2030 doesn’t change the formerly projected retirement date by much.
The A-10 is still serving and learning new tricks
Dozens of A-10s have been used in the air campaign over Iran, although many of their missions were targeting militias in neighbouring Iraq. Multiple videos have surfaced showing the Warthogs conducting long strafing runs in Iraq.
They were also used in support during the dramatic rescue mission of the F-15 pilots shot down behind enemy lines in Iran. One A-10 took enemy fire and crashed in friendly Kuwait, with the pilot safely ejecting.
While many A-10 fans point out how its gun was designed to take out armour, in the context of the Middle East war, its ability to hit militias, counter drones, and attack fast boats is arguably more important.
Even as the Warthog is in its twilight years, the old aircraft continues to learn new tricks. In 2025, the A-10 was urgently fitted with laser-guided 70mm Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) rockets, allowing it to fill a drone-hunter role.
In April 2026, AGN reported the Air Force had equipped one of them with an aerial refuelling probe, similar to one from an A-6 Intruder. This allows them to be refuelled low and slow by KC-130 Hercules equipped with aerial refuelling drogues.
Featured Image: USAF
