Air Force retiring A-10 Warthog from Davis-Monthan

A U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II flies over Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., March 2, 2023. The A-10 is assigned to the A-10C Thunderbolt II Demonstration Team, which is one of four single-ship demonstration teams within Air Combat Command, who travel across the United States, as well as internationally, to highlight the combat capabilities of the A-10 and the U.S. Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman William Finn)

Congress has thwarted U.S. Air Force attempts to retire the A-10 “Warthog” since 2015, but a plan to install a new Special Operations wing and expand the search and rescue unit at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., might be key to them finally getting their wish.

Davis-Monthan has more A-10s than any other base and supporting the close-air support aircraft has been its principal mission. The 355th Wing is “responsible for training and deploying A-10C Thunderbolt II pilots,” according to the base website.

Previous attempts to retire part or all, of the A-10 fleet haven’t come with a solid plan to ensure the survival of the base. Arizona Senators Mark Kelly (D), Kyrsten Sinema (I), Reps. Ruben Gallego (D) and Juan Ciscomani (R), signed on to a letter to Scretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall after being briefed on the force’s five-year plan for D-M.

“Working with Congress and the Defense Department, the Air Force has identified opportunities to modernize capabilities based at Davis-Monthan, and bring new enduring missions, including special operations capability, to our state,” the letter stated.

Politicians in Arizona have good reason to worry about losing the base’s jobs. According to the Tucson Chamber of Commerce, Davis-Monthan is the city’s third-largest employer, with 8,406 jobs, topped only by University of Arizona and Raytheon.

In the fiscal 2024 Department of Defense budget, the Air Force requested an “increase to facilitate the establishment of the 492nd Power Projection Wing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. Funds will support Environmental Impact Statement and an Area Development Plan.”

What exactly the “492nd Power Projection Wing” is has not been revealed, and no other wings have that appellation.

In reporting Kendall’s Tucson, Ariz., visit to brief locals on the fate of the A-10, The Arizona Republic reported that AC-130 gunships will be part of the Air Force’s replacement plan.

Testifying during a House Armed Services Committee, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown said the impact of losing the A-10 to Davis-Monthan and the surrounding communities would be minimal: “Overall, it should be neutral or maybe just a bit of a bump up in personnel when it’s all said and done.”