The U.S. Air Force has retired its final A-10 Warthog aircraft stationed in South Korea [1].
This move signals a strategic shift in American aerial warfare, moving away from specialized ground-attack aircraft toward multirole stealth fighters. The transition reflects a change in how the military prepares for high-end conflicts against advanced adversaries.
The last operational A-10 unit was based at Kunsan Air Base in South Korea [2]. A U.S. Air Force spokesperson said the gap left by the aircraft will be filled by a mix of F-35s, F-15s, and other assets [2].
Air Force leaders have expressed concerns that the A-10's design is no longer suited for modern threats. The aircraft is characterized by low-speed and low-altitude flight, which leaders said offers limited utility against near-peer threats such as China [3].
"The A-10 doesn’t scare China and has only limited usability in a high-end conflict," Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said [3].
Beyond ground support, the military is reorganizing how it handles combat-search-and-rescue missions. Gen. C.Q. Brown, Jr., the Air Force Chief, said F-35s and F-15s may take over the A-10’s combat-search-and-rescue role as the service moves toward retiring the fleet by 2030 [4].
The decision to phase out the fleet was discussed during congressional hearings held in May 2026 [1]. While the Air Force maintains a target date of 2030 for the full fleet retirement [4], some reports suggest that funding and planning may not fully reflect that timeline [5].
“The A-10 doesn’t scare China and has only limited usability in a high-end conflict.”
The retirement of the A-10 Warthog marks the end of an era for dedicated close air support. By transitioning these responsibilities to the F-35 and F-15, the U.S. is prioritizing stealth, speed, and versatility over the raw firepower and durability of the A-10. This shift indicates that the Pentagon views the risk of advanced integrated air defense systems in the Pacific theater as too high for the slower A-10 to survive.
