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The A-10 Warthog is now playing a pivotal role in maritime operations, specifically in targeting vessels amid the conflict with Iran. This development could potentially extend the aircraft’s service life, despite the U.S. Air Force’s long-standing plans to retire it.
Efforts by the Air Force to phase out the A-10 have faced significant resistance from Congress, which has consistently blocked any reductions in the fleet of these aircraft.
The A-10s have been actively deployed in U.S. military operations against Iran, as the Pentagon recognizes the aircraft’s capability to loiter and deliver precise firepower against small boats and coastal threats.
The A-10 Warthog’s new focus on maritime targets in the Iranian conflict highlights its adaptability in modern warfare. (Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/Nurphoto)
In a Pentagon briefing last month, Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, confirmed that A-10s are actively engaged in the conflict. They are operating along the southern flank, including targeting Iranian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
“We continue to hunt and kill mine storage facilities and naval ammunition depots. We continue to hunt and kill afloat assets, including more than 120 vessels and 44 mine layers, and the pressure will continue,” Caine said in the March 19 briefing.
“The A-10 Warthog is now in the fight across the southern flank and is hunting and killing fast attack watercraft in the Straits of Hormuz. In addition, AH-64 Apaches have joined the fight on the southern flank, and they continue to work on the southern side. And that includes some of our allies who are using Apaches to handle one-way attack drones,” he continued.
Despite the Air Force trying to phase out the A-10, Congress has resisted its efforts and blocked attempts to reduce the number of these aircraft. (CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP via Getty Images)
This comes as President Donald Trump has escalated threats against Iran, including its civilian infrastructure, over its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which has disrupted global energy shipments. However, the U.S. and Iran agreed to a temporary ceasefire on Tuesday, hours before Trump’s deadline to strike power plants and bridges unless Tehran reopened the Strait of Hormuz.
As of 2026, the Air Force has around 280 A-10 aircraft in service, and Congress required that the fleet not fall below 103 aircraft in Fiscal Year 2026 as part of the National Defense Authorization Act.
President Donald Trump has escalated threats against Iran, including its civilian infrastructure, over its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
While the A-10 is slower and less stealthy than newer aircraft, making it vulnerable in heavily contested airspace against modern integrated air defense systems, it has a long loiter time over target areas and the ability to visually identify and engage targets.
Originally designed as a Cold War-era tank killer, the A-10 is now being used in a markedly different role — targeting small, fast-moving boats and coastal threats amid the conflict with Iran. The use of the aircraft is intensifying debate over the Air Force’s decade-long effort to retire the jet, as it continues to be utilized in new missions.
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