A new amendment to the House Armed Services Committee’s version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) could reshape the future of the U.S. Air Force’s iconic A-10C Thunderbolt II, ensuring the aircraft’s operational knowledge is preserved even as the service moves toward retiring the fleet by 2030.
The amendment, introduced by Republican Representative Abe Hamadeh of Arizona, directs the Air Force to maintain critical A-10 training, testing, maintenance, and sustainment activities through the aircraft’s planned retirement date while simultaneously developing new approaches—including autonomous systems—to perform the mission sets traditionally assigned to the Warthog.
The proposal reflects a growing recognition among lawmakers that despite years of Air Force efforts to retire the A-10, recent combat operations have demonstrated the aircraft’s continued value in modern conflicts, particularly in the Middle East.
For decades, the Air Force has argued that the A-10’s aging design and vulnerability in contested airspace make it increasingly difficult to justify continued investment. Yet combat deployments over the past several years have repeatedly highlighted the aircraft’s effectiveness in close air support missions and its ability to operate in challenging environments.
Hamadeh’s amendment specifically requires the Secretary of the Air Force to continue supporting A-10 training and operational readiness programs until the fleet’s final retirement. It also calls for preserving lessons learned from decades of combat operations to help guide the development of future replacement capabilities.
One notable aspect of the proposal is its emphasis on maintaining a formal pilot training pipeline. The issue has become increasingly relevant after the 357th Fighter Squadron at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona graduated its final class of A-10 student pilots in April. The squadron has long served as the Air Force’s primary training unit for new Warthog pilots.
If enacted, the amendment could effectively require the Air Force to sustain formal A-10 instruction even as the service continues reducing fleet numbers over the coming years.
The proposal arrives during a period of significant transition for the aircraft. Earlier this year, the Air Force officially ended depot-level maintenance for the A-10 when the 571st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, was deactivated. The service is also expected to close the A-10 Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, later this year.
Supporters of the amendment argue that preserving operational expertise is critical because the aircraft continues to demonstrate unique capabilities that remain difficult to replicate.
Hamadeh highlighted several recent combat operations that underscored the A-10’s relevance, including missions conducted during Operation Epic Fury. During that operation, A-10s provided close air support during the recovery of two downed F-15E Strike Eagle crew members near Iran. The aircraft also participated in security operations around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important maritime chokepoints.
As part of the legislation, the Air Force would be required to produce a comprehensive report examining the A-10’s recent combat employment, lessons learned, modernization opportunities, and broader implications for future force design.
The report would also evaluate whether additional upgrades could improve the return on continued investment in the aircraft during its remaining years of service.
Several modernization efforts are specifically mentioned in the amendment. These include enhancements to electronic warfare systems, digital communications, sensor integration, precision-guided weapons, survivability improvements, open-systems architecture, and emerging human-machine teaming technologies.
Lawmakers also pointed to one of the most visible recent upgrades to the fleet: the rapid introduction of a nose-mounted aerial refueling probe, which expanded operational flexibility and increased mission endurance.
However, the amendment is not solely focused on extending the life of the Warthog. Instead, it seeks to use the remaining years of A-10 operations as a bridge toward future technologies that could ultimately replace many of its mission sets.
The legislation directs the Air Force to develop a competitive experimentation plan focused on autonomous and non-traditional capabilities relevant to close air support and battlefield attack missions.
Under the proposal, the service would investigate autonomous, semi-autonomous, artificial intelligence-enabled, and adjunct aircraft systems capable of carrying out missions historically performed by the A-10.
Importantly, lawmakers stressed that any experimentation involving autonomous capabilities must preserve meaningful human command and control. Qualified military aviators would remain responsible for mission-critical decisions such as target engagement, weapons release, and mission-abort authority.
The amendment also authorizes the use of a limited number of A-10 aircraft to support research and testing activities aimed at developing future replacement systems.
This provision reflects a growing belief within parts of the defense community that the eventual successor to the A-10 may not be another dedicated crewed attack aircraft.
Instead, future close air support capabilities could emerge from a combination of autonomous aircraft, artificial intelligence-enabled systems, advanced sensors, and networked weapons platforms.
The legislation specifically encourages participation by nontraditional defense firms, venture-backed companies, and commercial technology organizations capable of rapidly developing autonomy, software, sensing, communications, and mission systems.
Such an approach mirrors broader Pentagon efforts to accelerate innovation by drawing upon commercial technology sectors rather than relying exclusively on traditional defense contractors.
The challenge facing the Air Force is that no obvious replacement currently exists.
The MQ-9 Reaper remains a highly capable intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and strike platform, but plans for a next-generation successor under the MQ-Next program remain uncertain. Without a dedicated follow-on platform, questions remain regarding whether future remotely piloted aircraft could adequately perform the full range of close air support missions currently assigned to the A-10.
Likewise, the United States lacks a mature operational unmanned combat air vehicle program capable of directly replacing the Warthog’s unique combination of persistence, firepower, and battlefield responsiveness.
Other emerging options could include Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), the Air Force’s family of AI-enabled uncrewed systems designed to operate independently or alongside crewed aircraft. These platforms could eventually perform reconnaissance, electronic warfare, targeting, and strike missions while reducing risk to human pilots.
Yet many analysts argue that traditional close air support requirements may ultimately be better served by more specialized unmanned combat aircraft rather than aircraft optimized primarily as loyal wingmen for fighters.
Future battlefields may also rely on networks of expendable or attritable drones operating cooperatively across large areas. Such systems could maintain persistent surveillance, share targeting data in real time, and deliver precision effects through distributed operations.
In that vision, the A-10 mission would evolve from a single aircraft providing direct support to ground forces into a broader ecosystem of interconnected sensors and weapons platforms.
The concept becomes especially attractive in heavily defended environments where slow-flying attack aircraft would face significant threats from modern air defense systems.
The amendment also addresses the eventual disposition of retired aircraft. Once the Air Force completes the fleet’s withdrawal, the Secretary of Defense would be directed to evaluate whether the aircraft could be transferred to another U.S. military department.
While the idea has occasionally generated interest among aviation enthusiasts, practical obstacles make such transfers unlikely. The Army has long refrained from operating fixed-wing combat aircraft, while the Marine Corps is focused on modernizing around the F-35B and F-35C and lacks resources to introduce an entirely separate tactical aircraft fleet.
Foreign transfer remains a more plausible possibility.
Congress previously explored the concept in the 2024 NDAA, which identified Jordan as a potential recipient. Other nations, including Colombia and Ukraine, have also expressed interest in acquiring surplus A-10 aircraft in the past.
In a more symbolic move, the amendment authorizes the reestablishment of an A-10 demonstration team. Such a team would support recruiting, public outreach, military ceremonies, airshows, and commemorative events associated with the 250th anniversary of the United States.
The original A-10 Demonstration Team performed at airshows worldwide for more than four decades before being disbanded at the conclusion of the 2024 season as part of broader Air Force divestment efforts.
Despite the amendment’s support for preserving expertise and extending operational relevance, it does not fundamentally prevent the Air Force from retiring the fleet.
Instead, lawmakers appear focused on ensuring that critical knowledge is retained and that capability gaps are addressed before the aircraft leaves service.
That remains a significant challenge.
The A-10 was designed specifically for close air support and possesses characteristics rarely found in modern combat aircraft, including extensive armor protection, battle-damage tolerance, long loiter times, and the ability to operate close to friendly forces.
The Air Force continues to designate the F-35A as its primary replacement, emphasizing the stealth fighter’s advanced sensors, networked targeting capabilities, and survivability in contested airspace.
However, debate persists over whether any single aircraft can truly replace the Warthog’s specialized mission profile.
The service has already begun moving away from the concept of a direct one-for-one replacement. At Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Michigan, for example, a former A-10 unit is slated to receive F-15EX Eagle II aircraft rather than F-35s. Similar discussions are underway elsewhere as the Air Force evaluates how best to balance combat capability and force structure.
Current retirement plans remain unchanged.
According to Air Combat Command, Fiscal Year 2026 will see the inactivation of the 357th Fighter Squadron and the end of formal A-10 pilot training. The A-10 Weapons School will transition to other aircraft, and key testing organizations will stand down.
By Fiscal Years 2027 and 2028, the fleet is expected to shrink to 63 aircraft, with Moody Air Force Base in Georgia retaining two active-duty squadrons and Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri maintaining a reserve squadron.
The inventory is scheduled to decline further to 42 aircraft in Fiscal Year 2029 before complete retirement in Fiscal Year 2030.
Even so, recent combat operations have reignited debate over whether the Warthog’s retirement timeline should remain fixed. Following years in which congressional efforts to preserve the aircraft appeared to lose momentum, the A-10’s performance in operations such as Epic Fury has provided new ammunition for supporters.
As Congress debates the NDAA in the months ahead, the future of the A-10 may once again become a central issue in discussions about the Air Force’s force structure, modernization priorities, and the evolving role of autonomous warfare.
Whether the Warthog ultimately receives another reprieve or continues on its path toward retirement, lawmakers appear determined to ensure that its legacy—and the capabilities it represents—are not lost.
