The U.S. Air Force Just Deployed A-10 Warthogs to China’s Doorstep

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Key Points and Summary: The A-10 Warthog has served valiantly since the Cold War, excelling in close air support missions. Recently deployed to the Philippines for joint exercises, the Warthog’s relevance in East Asia’s naval and aerial combat scenarios remains questionable due to its lack of stealth and speed.

-While it’s effective against ground targets, modern threats like advanced air defenses and naval combat render the A-10 less viable.

-The U.S. Air Force is retiring many A-10s, reallocating resources to advanced platforms like the F-35 and NGAD. Though beloved, the Warthog’s era is ending, and the focus must shift to future aerial combat needs.

It’s Time to Say Goodbye to the A-10 Warthog

Could an A-10 Warthog make a difference in East Asia, where a fight with China could be brewing? 

The U.S. Air Force sent the A-10 to the Philippines to provide the military with some training using the close air support airplane.

The Americans are being tight-lipped about how many A-10s have been deployed to Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines last month. 

It is likely a batch of no more than 12 airplanes.

Keep Them Guessing

Both countries will be conducting military exercises with the A-10 – somewhat unexpected drills. 

This follows the Air Force’s concept of deploying airplanes in surprising ways to keep the Chinese guessing how the Americans will develop the aerial order of battle in a future conflict. 

This strategy is called “Dynamic Force Employment,” which aims to make U.S. military hardware deployment less predictable.

“Pacific Air Force’s Dynamic Force Employment deployments enhance combined lethality by prioritizing the capacity and capabilities for major combat operations while being strategically predictable but operationally unpredictable in an ever-evolving competitive and contested environment,” the Air Force explained.

“The U.S. Air Force conducts regular training and engagements such as this within the region to further develop operational readiness and ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

What a Great Combat History for the A-10 Warthog

The A-10 has been an Air Force stalwart since the Cold War when it was designed to be a “tank plinker” against the Soviet hordes.

It enjoyed a significant deployment to Iraq during Operation Desert Storm, where it made mincemeat of Saddam Hussein’s tanks and armored vehicles.

 When flying during the Global War on Terror, it saved the lives of countless soldiers and marines on the ground who were fiercely engaged with insurgents and terrorists.

Chock Full of Weapons

The A-10 can loiter over targets for long periods, allowing for Air Force tactical air controllers on the ground to call in “danger close” air support for the Warthog’s powerful Avenger 30mm main gun and its Maverick missiles, Mk-82/84 bombs, and Hydra rockets. 

The A-10 has high levels of visibility to spot trouble and eliminate threats.

Why Send the A-10 Warthog Close to China? 

I have seen it perform in air shows, and it is highly maneuverable and surprisingly fast at low altitudes.

However, the difference the airplane could make while fighting with the Philippine Air Force is unclear. The Filipinos would not have a use for close air support or eliminating tanks and armored personnel carriers. Their military is not known for mechanized warfare. The exercises there may not serve much of a purpose.

Could the A-10 Be Used in Naval Combat?

However, the A-10 could serve in a naval role where it could engage small ships or sink submarines on the surface. 

There is a problem with this maritime mission. The A-10 is not stealthy and as fast as a fighter plane. Modern air defenses from Chinese warships would make it less effective.

End of the Road for the Warthog

Overall, I am not a fan of keeping the A-10 around. Sorry.

The F-35 or F-22 can fulfil the close air support mission. The money saved from the retirement of the Warthog could be used to fund those programs or to invest in the Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter or the B-21 Raider stealth bomber.

It is not bad for Filipinos to train with the A-10. Any type of joint or combined arms training doesn’t hurt. But I don’t agree that the A-10 would be effective in a naval battle. This is a stretch and is not the right mission for the close air support warbird.

Several attempts have been to eliminate the A-10 Warthog, but some Members of Congress block the efforts. So, the Air Force has decided to retire many  A-10s for the last three years. 

The FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) has a clause to retire 56 A-10s. In the FY24 NDAA, the Air Force determined that 42 A-10s would disappear. 

In the FY23 defense policy bill, the Air Force determined that 21 A-10s would be sent to the Boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.

Pilots and maintainers of the divested A-10s will be trained on the F-35. This is a prudent decision. The A-10 has enjoyed a sterling combat record and helped win many battles since the Cold War. But it is time to move on.

If it ever happens, future combat with the Chinese would primarily be a ballistic missile fight conducted by American ships and fighters plus bombers. Close force-on-force ground combat is not a likely scenario in East Asia.

 One could see the A-10 used in Europe for a contingency against Russian land forces, but plenty of F-35s operated by NATO partners could conduct the close air support mission.

So, it is time to say goodbye to the A-10. Exercises with the Philippines are novel and can teach the Filipinos about joint warfare, but focusing on fighters and bombers plus ballistic missiles is better. The A-10 is also not likely to be an asset in naval warfare. 

The A-10 Warthog has fans, but it is better to divest from the platform now and move on to a new era of aerial combat.

About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood

Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare, plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.