The old workhorse has been brought back to play in the Iran military action. The US has lost most of it's active radar air defense sites and expended two years worth of production of interceptor missiles in a very short period of time.
They have now deployed approximately 35% of the fleet of A10s to the ME fill many combat roles from destroying launchers to ground attack to air to air intercept of drones, which are easy targets for the old beast.
I wonder if this is it's last war?
https://theaviationist.com/2026/03/16/a-10-thunderbolt-iis-operation-epic-fury/
When I was a kid, the A-10 Warthog and the F-4 Phantom were my favorite planes.
Interesting to see the A-10 being called up for action one more time.
I always thought retiring the Warthog and putting the F-35 in it's role was a bad idea. The A-10 was built to take hits and keep flying. The F-35 wasn't.
IMHO, the US needs to think about a true replacement for the A-10.
Pentagon is Doubling Fleet of A-10 Attack Plans in Middle East (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/01/us/politics/attack-planes-iran.html?unlocked_article_code=1.X1A.3VJh.vJPvlWdAnyFO&smid=url-share)
QuoteThe Air Force has sought for decades to retire the 1970s-era attack plane, but it has proved a mainstay in supporting ground troops since the 1991 Persian Gulf war. Commanders have also used A-10s to attack Islamic State terrorists in Syria.
Quote from: DarkAxel on March 20, 2026, 01:56:08 PMI always thought retiring the Warthog and putting the F-35 in it's role was a bad idea. The A-10 was built to take hits and keep flying. The F-35 wasn't.
IMHO, the US needs to think about a true replacement for the A-10.
We
kind of did, but not really:
Super Tucano (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embraer_EMB_314_Super_Tucano)
Because there isn't really a replacement for the A-10. Sure, the Warthog is vulnerable in contested airspace, or when faced with MANPADs, but it fits in nicely with the air superiority/air supremacy doctrine of the U.S. If/when hit, the Warthog is designed to fly with one engine, one elevator, half a tail and half a wing missing.
While the majority of the Warthogs kills in the Persian Gulf were with the AGM Maverick, that 30 mm cannon is just incredible. I think the cool factor of "we built a plane around a gun" plus the morale boost it brings in the close air support role is immeasurable.
Practical? Sometimes. Awesome? Always.
(https://theaviationgeekclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/A-10-MANPADs.webp)
And the Super Tucano, while a capable airframe, traces its lineage (and close support philosophy) more closely to the A-1 Skyraider, not the A-10. The reason why the Super Tucano can never be considered a true replacement for the Warthog begins and ends with one word, er ... sound: BBBBBRRRRRRRPPPPPPTTTTTTT! Remember, they didn't design the Vulcan autocannon to fit the A-10. They designed the A-10 to fit the Vulcan.
Earlier, I said the morale boost was immeasurable. I misspoke. It is 100% quantifiable.
Interesting developments with the airspace in and around Iran. One of the major concerns with the A-10 and an often repeated justification for its retirement is its vulnerability in contested airspace. That's always been and always will be an occupational hazard for any aircraft in the CAS role. But the introduction of the A-10 into this conflict (and lumbering B-52's now flying over Iranian territory) was supposed to mean the airspace had been sanitized. But with current reports that an F-15 was just shot down, apparently that's not the case. Perhaps that development warrants its own topic, but when I learned that a high speed aircraft (albeit non-stealth) with modern ECM like the F-15 has been shot down, I immediately thought of the slower and less sophisticated A-10. Not that any of this changes my love affair with the Warthog, mind you.
But it does make me think that whether it's loitering armed drones or a more stealthy manned replacement, there has to be something with better survivability than the much-loved A-10.
ETA: I am not at all happy about this potential corroboration, but apparently an A-10 also went down in or near Iran today. Although I'm hearing conflicting sources about whether it was brought down by enemy fire. Fortunately, the A-10 pilot was successfully rescued by US forces. One of the two F-15E crew members has also been rescued; efforts are underway to locate (and hopefully rescue) the second person. It's not clear yet whether that second crew member is the F-15's pilot or WSO. Others may have better sources than I do.
Awesomely awesome news: the missing WSO from the downed F-15E has been located and successfully rescued by US Special Operations forces (https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/04/04/world/iran-war-trump-news?unlocked_article_code=1.YlA.UhF6.j9vdlNH0rzBg&smid=url-share) during a complex, night time raid deep behind enemy lines that ended in a firefight with Iranian forces. No American casualties and the wounded airman is safe and being treated for his injuries. Irrespective of how I ever feel about any particular conflict, I am always so damn proud of our service personnel - their courage, professionalism, skill and commitment to their fellow warriors. Absolutely delighted right now.