An A-10C Thunderbolt II is shown prior to divestment at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, on Tuesday. Aircraft 82-648 was retired from service and transited to the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group for storage purposes. [Courtesy: U.S. Air Force]
Key Takeaways:
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base has begun sending its A-10 Thunderbolt II (Warthog) attack aircraft to the "boneyard" as the U.S. Air Force plans to retire the entire fleet by 2029.
The move enables pilots and maintainers at the base to transition to the F-35 fighter jet.
The first A-10C was transferred to the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group, the world's largest aircraft storage facility, located at Davis-Monthan AFB.
The A-10 is lauded for its unique close air support capabilities, including its powerful 30mm GAU-8/A cannon, which earned it a reputation as a vital "tank buster" and protector of ground forces.
Nearly five decades after first arriving, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, has started sending its aging fleet of A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft to the “boneyard.”
The move comes as pilots and maintainers at the air base look to transition to the F-35, and the service plans to retire its entire fleet of the aircraft known as the Warthog by 2029.
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