For some U.S. Air Force leaders, retiring the A-10 Warthog close-air support aircraft was a simple decision.
Like many of the service’s aircraft, the A-10, best known for its iconic Gatling gun designed to shred tanks, was wearing out in 2014 after years of providing cover for ground troops in places like Afghanistan and Iraq. So the service devised a plan to begin phasing it out in 2015.
The A-10 Thunderbolt II most notably employs its GAU-8/A 30mm gun system, which produces an iconic sound that ground troops never forget. (US Air Force photo/Kenny Kennemer)
Retiring the A-10 would have lowered the average age of the service’s plane inventory, which was climbing toward 27 years. It would also have freed up funds to invest in new aviation platforms, such as the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, and allowed service maintainers to turn their attention to other planes with a longer expected service life.
But the seemingly logical proposal launched a years-long firestorm when lawmakers, led by former Air Force Col. Martha McSally, rushed to save the beloved plane from mothballs. Years later, the fleet is being refurbished with new wings instead of being sent to the boneyard.
The dramatic A-10 turnaround illustrates how Air Force plans can fail to survive first contact with a Congress with other ideas. And, former officials and experts who spoke with Military.com said, that may be about to happen again.