U.S. Congress stops U.S. Air Force plan to retire A-10 Thunderbolt ground attack aircraft by 2026.

The U.S. Congress approved the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which blocks the U.S. Air Force from retiring its remaining A-10 Thunderbolt ground attack aircraft, mandates at least 93 primary mission aircraft through September 2026, and requires a multi-year transition plan.

As reported by Aerospace Global News on December 10, 2025, the U.S. Congress approved the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which blocks the U.S. Air Force’s plan to retire the A-10 Thunderbolt II ground attack aircraft fleet and imposes mandatory limits on divestments for the coming year. The act establishes numeric thresholds below which the fleet cannot fall and requires the U.S. Air Force to produce a multi-year transition plan for 2027 to 2029. The decision ensures that the A-10 remains active in the close air support mission while the Air Force prepares justification for its eventual replacement.
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Throughout the early 2020s, the US Air Force secured approval for partial retirements but continued to encounter limits, as lawmakers maintained that alternatives were not yet sufficiently mature to absorb close air support requirements. (Picture source: US Air Force)

The law prevents the U.S. Air Force from using FY2026 funds to retire, prepare to retire, or reclassify any A-10 in a way that would reduce the inventory below 103 aircraft, with retirement defined broadly to include permanent removal from operations, long-term storage, and transfer to backup or excess inventory. It also requires that at least 93 aircraft remain primary mission aircraft through September 30, 2026, which maintains several fully operational squadrons rather than a minimal residual fleet. Any attempt to retire additional aircraft must proceed through a unit-by-unit waiver process that requires a recapitalisation plan covering follow-on missions, personnel adjustments, aircraft redistribution, and local impact mitigation. After the Secretary of the Air Force issues such certification, a 30-day notification period must elapse before any action is taken, and a comprehensive A-10 transition plan for 2027 to 2029 is mandated by March 31, 2026.

To simplify, the 2026 act accepts the U.S. Air Force's long-term goal of retiring the A-10 while rejecting the proposed accelerated drawdown of all 162 remaining aircraft in a single fiscal year. During the 2010s, retirement proposals became more frequent as the U.S. Air Force emphasized the need to accelerate F-35 procurement, reduce maintenance costs, and consolidate training pipelines across fighter fleets. These efforts included formal divestment requests in multiple budget cycles, evaluations comparing A-10 and F-35 close air support performance and debates over whether specialized aircraft were still required for missions in permissive environments. Congressional responses repeatedly imposed restrictions, funded wing replacement programs to extend service life and required detailed justification before aircraft could be removed from units.

The A-10 gained its popularity due to its focus on close air support, its recurring use in conflicts that required low altitude precision engagements, a consistent availability during operations, a high level of survivability...and its well-known rapid, low-frequency “brrrt” sound. Historically, the A-10 emerged from the A-X program, which was launched after the Vietnam War to develop a dedicated close air support aircraft capable of withstanding significant ground fire while performing low altitude attack missions. The design that became the A-10 featured a straight wing for maneuverability at low speeds, high-mounted turbofan engines to reduce foreign object ingestion and a titanium armored cockpit designed to protect the pilot from small arms and anti-aircraft fire. The prototype YA-10 was selected in the early 1970s, with the aircraft entering service later that decade and modernization programs such as the A-10C extended the Warthog service life well beyond initial projections.

The GAU-8/A Avenger, a 30 mm, seven-barrel, Gatling-style autocannon, is the central feature around which the Warthog was designed, and its integration determined the placement of major structural components, including the offset nose gear and the internal ammunition drum that forms part of the aircraft’s forward mass. The cannon is a tank killer capable of firing at a rate of about 3,900 rounds per minute, delivering PGU-14/B armor-piercing incendiary and PGU-13/B high-explosive incendiary rounds with a muzzle velocity of roughly 1,010 m/s and an effective range of approximately 1,220 meters. The gun’s dispersion is rated at 5 mils with 80 percent of rounds falling within a circle of about 12 meters at design range, allowing the A-10 to engage either armored vehicles or fortified ground targets. The Thunderbolt’s recoil absorption system, the placement of the firing barrel along the centerline, and the bore-sighting of the gun 2 degrees below the flight path were engineered so the A-10 can fire accurately during low altitude attack runs without unwanted pitch or yaw, despite a recoil force of about 45 kN. Although the A-10 carries a wide range of guided bombs, rockets, and missiles, the GAU-8/A remains a defining element of its mission profile due to its armor penetration capability, its ability to return empty casings to the drum to preserve balance and its large ammunition supply, which can exceed 1,150 rounds.

Powered by two General Electric TF34-GE-100A turbofan engines, the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, also widely known by the nickname Warthog, has a typical cruise speed of about 560 km/h and the ability to maneuver effectively at low altitude due to its straight wing design and high-lift configuration. It can operate from runways shorter than 1,200 meters and from semi-prepared surfaces, enabling dispersed basing concepts tested during the Cold War in Europe and later applied in Southwest Asia. The aircraft carries up to 7,260 kg of mixed ordnance, including guided bombs, rockets, AGM-65 Maverick missiles and its 30 mm ammunition load, supported by redundant hydraulic systems and a manual reversion mode that allows flight control even after hydraulic failure. These systems, combined with fuel tank foam protection, separated flight controls and engine placement above the wings, were demonstrated in multiple controlled damage tests in the 1970s. Although threats from modern air defense systems limit its role in the most contested environments, the A-10’s slow-speed handling, long loiter time, and ability to integrate visually with ground forces remain key attributes for missions requiring proximity to friendly units and precise fires.

Across its operational history, the A-10 has been employed in major U.S. campaigns from the late Cold War through the Gulf War, the Balkans, Iraq, and Afghanistan, conducting close air support, strike coordination and reconnaissance, and limited combat search and rescue escort. During Operation Desert Storm, A-10 units flew more than 8,000 sorties and were credited with destroying large numbers of armored vehicles, artillery pieces, and supply convoys, while surviving several instances of heavy battle damage. The most frequently cited example of a heavily damaged A-10 that still completed its mission and returned to base involved Captain Kim “Killer Chick” Campbell during the 2003 invasion of Iraq over Baghdad. After engaging ground threats, Campbell’s A-10 took extensive anti-aircraft artillery and flak damage that compromised one engine and crippled the redundant hydraulic flight control system, forcing her to fly back using manual mechanical controls rather than standard hydraulics. A detailed inspection after landing revealed hundreds of small holes in the fuselage and tail section on one side, as well as a football-sized hole in the right horizontal stabilizer, while structural components, including hydraulic lines, were extensively impacted. Despite this level of damage, the aircraft remained controllable enough for a safe return to base under manual reversion, a feat that no other aircraft could do.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.