United States Air Force officials have been trying to retire the fleet of Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II for years. However, U.S. lawmakers have pushed back, refusing to allow the service to cut back on the aging aircraft. While aviation experts have warned that the close air support (CAS) aircraft would be ill-suited to conflict with a near-peer adversary such as China, supporters of the A-10 have said it still has a role in a modern battlefield. Those supporters may have been vindicated. 

According to reports on social media on Monday, the A-10 – affectionately known as the Warthog to those who fly the ground attack warplane – proved it can still kick you know what like no other. 

"A-10 Warthogs of the U.S. Air Force have been flying strafing runs against the Iraqi Shia militia columns that entered Syria and were heading toward Damascus to link up with Assad's forces and fight against Turkish-backed rebels," the European-based Visegrád 24 news outlet posted on X. "Very heavy casualties reported.” 

The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), one of the militia groups now backed by Iran, remains engaged in the more than a decade-long conflict in Syria. 

A-10s in the Middle East 

The United States Air Force sent the A-10 Thunderbolt IIs – along with F-15E Strike Eagles and F-16 Fighting Falcons – to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility in March. Last month, B-52 Stratofortress bombers were also deployed to the region. 

Despite the U.S. pull-out of Afghanistan more than three years ago, the U.S. has continued to engage remnants of the Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL) and to support forces opposing the regimen of Bashar Al-Assad in Syria. The Pentagon has maintained a force of around 900 troops in Syria. 

The A-10 Still Packs Serious Punch 

Originally designed for CAS by Fairchild Republic, the A-10A arrived at Davis-Monthan on March 2, 1976, and it was assigned to the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, replacing the Vought A-7D Corsair flown by the 355th TFW. 

The Thunderbolt II is armed with a unique GAU-8/A Avenger 30mm (1.18-inch) cannon, and during the Gulf War in 1991 proved to be among the most effective anti-tank aircraft ever devised. The 30mm GAU-8/A cannon, which protrudes from the nose of the plane, can fire 3,900 bullets per minute. 

Retired A-10s Could Head to Jordan 

The reported strikes in Syria may confirm that the A-10 remains well-suited to combat operations in the Middle East – and it explains why one close ally may have interest in the CAS aircraft. 

Earlier this year, lawmakers on the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services directed Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III to "explore the possibility of transferring" some of the A-10s now on the U.S. Air Force's chopping block to the Royal Jordanian Air Force. 

The Middle Eastern kingdom also played a major role in fighting ISIS over the past decade and could be called to do so again. The A-10 appears to be ideally suited to such campaigns. 

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected]. 

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