Air Force delays A-10 exit, reshapes rescue mission

The US Air Force has delayed retiring the A-10 Thunderbolt II while preparing for a future where combat search-and-rescue missions are taken up by aircraft including the F-35 and F-15. Lawmakers pressed officials on whether the transition could create gaps as

The A-10 Thunderbolt II isn’t leaving yet.

The US Air Force has delayed the retirement of its A-10 attack aircraft. even as it continues to plan for replacement aircraft—expecting F-35s. F-15s. and other platforms to take on missions long associated with the Warthog. The pause. officials say. buys time to work out how certain key missions will look without the A-10. amid concerns that the handoff could leave combat search-and-rescue capability strained.

At a US House Armed Services Committee hearing, Air Force chief of staff Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach described what lawmakers are really worried about: the “Sandy” role. In that mission, the aircraft supports search and rescue while engaging in close-in battles at low altitudes. Wilsbach pointed to recent operations. including that A-10s supported the rescue of a downed F-15E Strike Eagle crew in Iran.

Lawmakers challenged whether the incoming mix of jets can deliver the same effect. The Air Force has previously identified the F-35 and F-15 as successors to the A-10 for combat search-and-rescue support. and Wilsbach echoed that expectation. But lawmakers raised the risk of a not-quite-equal replacement.

Rep. Austin Scott, a Republican congressman from Georgia, focused on the training pipeline. He said, “A-10 pilots are specifically trained for combat search and rescue,” and asked: “Are we going to specifically train F-35 and other pilots for combat search and rescue?”

Wilsbach’s answer was direct: “It’s our mission.” He said the Air Force will have to ensure pilots are trained for the work.

Supporters of the A-10 have argued that no other aircraft can fulfill the Warthog’s distinct mission. At the same hearing, Rep. Derrick Van Orden, a Republican from Wisconsin, asked whether any current aircraft could “match” the capability of the Warthog. Wilsbach responded that “match” depends on perception. and said the Air Force has other aircraft capable of close air support that can support combat search and rescue.

The Air Force’s broader rationale for change is tied to how it expects future wars to be fought. The service has argued that the A-10 won’t be viable in a potential future war with China, which is why it has been working to understand what certain key missions will look like without the aircraft.

That transition is now becoming a resource and training problem, not just a fleet decision. The Air Force has requested funding to get F-35 pilots trained on this mission. and it has tied the timing to the pace of the A-10 drawdown. The extension of the Warthog’s lifespan into the end of the decade helps provide time for that shift.

The Air Force officially announced last month that it would keep one squadron flying through 2029 and two others into 2030. Beyond simply delaying retirements, Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said the slowing allows the service to “backfill” units with “more capable, survivable combat aircraft.”

The political attention on the A-10 is especially sharp because of what the aircraft has already been doing in the US war in Iran. Beyond supporting the rescue of the F-15E crew, A-10s were also hunting Iranian fast-attack boats in the Strait of Hormuz.

Wilsbach’s testimony left lawmakers focused on one unsettling possibility: that combat search-and-rescue could end up looking different at the exact moment the Air Force wants it to be ready for a future without the Warthog. The Air Force says its training plan and phased timeline will prevent that—while it buys time with delayed retirements and pursues replacements that can also take on the work.

US Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II Warthog combat search and rescue F-35 F-15 Kenneth Wilsbach Austin Scott Derrick Van Orden Troy Meink pilot training Strait of Hormuz Iran