- The BRRRRT Act aims to keep at least 126 A-10s operational
- Operations in Iran revive the debate on the military future of the A-10
- Future A-10 retirees face tougher certification requirements under new legislation
A House bill requires the U.S. Air Force to retain at least 126 A-10 Thunderbolt II Warthogs, reversing plans to retire much of the nearly 50-year-old attack aircraft fleet.
The legislation follows renewed attention to the aircraft after its involvement in operations related to the recent confrontation in Iran, including combat search and rescue missions in support of downed F-15E crews.
Lawmakers backing the proposal argue the plane should remain in service until a fully operational replacement has been certified for each mission it currently flies.
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Lawmakers work to preserve A-10 fleet
Officially named “Strengthening the Recognition, Resurgence, Retention, and Remembrance of the Thunderbolt Act,” the legislation uses the acronym BRRRRT.
Introduced as HR 9780 by Rep. Abe Hamadeh, the law gets its name from the distinctive sound produced by the A-10’s 30mm Gatling gun while firing.
“The A-10 has proven itself repeatedly on the battlefield, saving American lives and providing unparalleled close air support when our troops need it most,” Hamadeh said.
“The BRRRRT Act ensures that we do not retire a proven weapons system before a certified replacement system exists.”
The proposal marks another chapter in a long-running disagreement between Congress and the Air Force over the future of the Warthog fleet and its specialized missions.
The Air Force began fiscal 2026 with 162 A-10 aircraft and has requested authorization to retire its entire fleet.
However, Congress rejected this proposal and instead required the service to maintain at least 103 aircraft.
The BRRRRT Act would increase that minimum inventory to 126 aircraft, requiring the Air Force to halt scheduled retirements and retrieve additional warthogs stored at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona.
Following recent operational use, the Air Force announced that A-10 squadrons at Moody Air Force Base in Georgia will remain active through 2029.
The service also plans to keep the Warthogs flying from Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., through 2030, leaving about 54 aircraft assigned to three operational squadrons.
Bill imposes stricter conditions for future A-10 retirements
The legislation would give the Air Force 90 days after enactment to explain how maintenance, sustainment, pilot training, flight testing and depot operations would be restored.
Previous retirement preparations already included closing the depot maintenance line at Hill Air Force Base in February and completing the final training course for new A-10 pilots in April.
The Nellis Air Force Base weapons school course is also winding down as the service continues to prepare for the aircraft’s planned retirement.
The proposal would also make additional retirements more difficult by requiring the Secretary of Defense to certify that a replacement aircraft has entered full operational service.
This certification would also require written approval from the Secretary of the Army, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, and the head of U.S. Special Operations Command.
The bill also clarifies that assigning another aircraft the close air support mission as a secondary responsibility would not be considered a replacement.
If the BRRRRT Act does not become law, similar language could still appear in the annual defense authorization legislation that previously established the 103 aircraft minimum.
The Air Force maintains that the F-35A, F-15E and F-16 will eventually assume the close air support and combat search and rescue missions of the A-10.
Supporters of the BRRRRT Act argue that these aircraft have not yet replaced all of the specialized capabilities provided by the Warthog.
Via the military era
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