The A-10 Warthog Could Finally Be Headed for Retirement
The iconic A-10 Warthog, long a favorite for close air support, is set to phase out at Osan Air Base in South Korea by the end of FY2025, marking a shift in U.S. air combat strategy in the region. The 25th Fighter Squadron’s A-10s will be replaced by upgraded F-16s and fifth-generation F-35s, bolstering multi-role capabilities, stealth, and interoperability with regional allies like South Korea and Japan.
Two years after celebrating her fiftieth birthday and thirty-three years after proving her efficacy as a tank killer in the Persian Gulf War (AKA Operation Desert Storm), the ever-rugged, ever-reliable Fairchild Republic A-10 Warthog steadfastly refuses to “go gentle into that good night,” in spite of repeated efforts by the U.S. Air Force brass to retire her.
However, as the sad saying goes, “All good things must come to an end,” and if a recent story out of South Korea is any indication, the writing is on the wall for this venerable and faithful quinquagenarian warbird.
The Baseline Story
The story comes to us courtesy of Dario Leone, founder and editor of The Aviation Geek Club, in a November 13, 2024 article titled “USAF to replace A-10s with cutting-edge upgrades in Korea.”
To be more specific, “Korea,” as in Osan Air Base, 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of South Korea’s capital city of Seoul. Osan AB is the home to the headquarters for the Seventh Air Force, Pacific Air Forces’ (PACAF) 51st Fighter Wing, and a number of tenant units, as well as the headquarters of the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) Operations Command.
The Seventh Air Force is currently under the command of Lt. Gen. David R. Iverson, a rated command pilot with 1,500 combat hours flown in the F-15E Strike Eagle, F-15SG, and F-16 Fighting Falcon (or as her pilots prefer to call her, the “Viper”).
One of those Seventh Air Force units, the 25th Fighter Squadron, will commence a phased withdrawal of its twenty-four A-10s in January 2025, with the end of fiscal year (FY) 2025 as the targeted completion date; this will mark the end of an era, as this unit received its first Warthogs back on January 28, 1982. Concurrently, the Seventh Air Force Vipers are undergoing a series of avionics system upgrades, which will bring that fourth-generation fighter closer to fifth-generation capabilities as they increase the warbird’s survivability and accuracy.
The Nitty-Gritty Details
Leone quotes Iverson thusly:
“By introducing advanced fourth and fifth-generation aircraft like our upgraded (F-16 Fighting Falcons), along with (F-35 Lightning IIs) and (F-15EX Eagle IIs) in the Pacific region, we are significantly enhancing our overall air combat capabilities in the Korean theater … These aircraft bring unparalleled multi-role versatility, advanced stealth features, and superior operational range, positioning us to effectively counter modern threats and support our regional allies…The advancement of our F-16 upgrades and innovation through our ongoing super squadron test at Osan (AB) show our dedication to evolving and adapting our forces to meet the demands of the 21st century … We will continue to deliver overwhelming, unmatched combat airpower, ensuring that our defenses remain effective in safeguarding peace and security in the Indo-Pacific.”
Sentimental attachments to the A-10 notwithstanding, there is much to be said for bolstering and enhancing the F-16s and fifth-generation F-35 stealth fighters’ situation in South Korea. After all, the ROKAF has both aircraft in its arsenal (118 KF-16Cs, fifty-one F-16Ds, and forty F-35As with twenty more on order), so the prospect of enhancing interoperability between the U.S. Viper and Lightning II drivers and their South Korean counterparts cannot be overstated.
As for the F-15 platform, although the ROKAF doesn’t have any, Japan, another key East Asian ally to the United States—and bulwark against Chinese and North Korean aggression—certainly does. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) currently has 155 F-15J “Peace Eagles.” Granted, the F-15J is a single-seat variant whilst the F-15EX is a two-seater, but nonetheless, there has to be some degree of interoperability benefit to be reaped here.
Where To From Here?
The phaseout of the Osan A-10s is one element of a larger effort underway. Back in September, my colleague Maya Carlin reported for The National Interest that the Warthog is set to begin her retirement party in FY2028. However, even this won’t necessarily signal the true death knell/swan song of the A-10, as former Warsaw Pact/East Bloc turned NATO member countries like Romania and Poland could be interested in acquiring the plane.
Stay tuned, ladies and gents.
About the Author: Christian D. Orr
Christian D. Orr is a Senior Defense Editor for the National Security Journal (NSJ). He is a former Air Force Security Forces officer, Federal law enforcement officer, and private military contractor (with assignments worked in Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kosovo, Japan, Germany, and the Pentagon). Chris holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California (USC) and an M.A. in Intelligence Studies (concentration in Terrorism Studies) from American Military University (AMU). He has also been published in The Daily Torch, The Journal of Intelligence and Cyber Security, and Simple Flying. Last but not least, he is a Companion of the Order of the Naval Order of the United States (NOUS).
Image Credit: Creative Commons.
