Two Politicians Are Trying to Save the A-10 Attack Jet
Here’s how you can help
The U.S. Air Force has proposed to mothball by 2015 all 350 of its legendary A-10 Warthog ground-attack planes. The proposal comes as the flying branch is short on cash and desperate to reinvent itself with warplanes that are brand-new, high-tech and stealthy—the 1980s-vintage, brute-simple A-10 is none of these things.
But it is the world’s best warplane for helping troops on the ground. Armed with missiles and bombs and a fearsome 30-millimeter cannon, the Warthog has flown to the rescue in countless emergencies in Iraq and Afghanistan.
At least two politicians respect the A-10's prowess and want to save it. Sen. Kelly Ayotte, a New Hampshire Republican, and Rep. Ron Barber, a Democrat from Arizona, have penned this letter to military leaders urging them to preserve the Warthog. “The A-10 provides close air support capability unmatched by any other aircraft,” they wrote.
Three squadrons of A-10s are based in Arizona, but Ayotte’s state flies only aerial tankers.
A citizen’s group advocating for the A-10 is urging members of the public to forward the letter to their own senators and representatives. You can look up contact information here.
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