A-10C Thunderbolt II Final Flight at Davis-Monthan AFB

The United States Air-Forces completed the final flight of the A-10C Thunderbolt II at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base on July 29, 2026, closing a nearly 50-year chapter of close air support operations and training at the Arizona installation. The departure marks a definitive step in the military branch’s broader divestment strategy for the aging attack aircraft, shifting resources toward newer platforms.

Announced in a July 31, 2026, press release by the 355th Wing Public Affairs office, the final flight was conducted by the 357th Fighter Squadron. Davis-Monthan has historically served as the primary training hub for A-10 pilots and a central base for the aircraft’s operational deployment.

End of an era at Davis-Monthan

The A-10C Thunderbolt II, colloquially known as the Warthog, has been a fixture on the ramp at Davis-Monthan for five decades. The 355th Operations Group and the 357th Fighter Squadron oversaw the final departure, which involved a ceremonial “fini flight” to mark the end of the airframe’s tenure at the base.

Leadership at the installation acknowledged the historical weight of the transition. Lt. Col. Rodney Dwyer, commander of the 355th Operations Group, noted the visual impact of the divestment on the facility.

“We’ve always had A-10s on the ramp; for the last 50 years they’ve been on the ramp. To see the sunshades get torn down, to see the jets divest, fewer and fewer A-10s out there … it’s definitely bittersweet,” Dwyer stated in the release.

Chief Master Sgt. Dave Anderson Jr., the Senior Enlisted Leader for the 355th Operations Group, emphasized the cultural legacy the aircraft leaves behind for the maintenance and support personnel who sustained it. He described the A-10 community as a mindset rather than just a collection of people or equipment, expressing hope that the attack aviation culture would continue to influence other airframes and organizations within the Air Force.

Infrastructure and training closures

The final flight follows a series of structural shutdowns for the A-10 program across the Air Force. The infrastructure supporting the aircraft has been systematically deactivated over the past year.

On April 3, 2026, the 357th Fighter Squadron graduated its final class of A-10 student pilots at Davis-Monthan, effectively closing the Training pipeline for new aviators on the platform. The base subsequently hosted its final public A-10 Range Day at the Barry M. Goldwater Range on June 24 and 25, 2026.

Prior to the training pipeline closure, the Air Force officially concluded A-10 depot-level maintenance in February 2026. This milestone was marked by the deactivation of the 571st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Hill Air Force Base in Utah, signaling the end of major structural overhauls and long-term sustainment for the fleet.

Legislative friction over divestment

The Air Force has actively pursued the retirement of the A-10 fleet to reallocate funding and personnel toward modernization efforts, specifically the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II program. However, the divestment strategy has faced consistent resistance from lawmakers.

According to reporting by Military.com, Congress has repeatedly intervened to slow the retirement of the close air support aircraft. The fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) included provisions extending the A-10’s service life to 2030. The legislation also barred the Air Force from reducing the active fleet below 103 aircraft through September 2026.

AirPro News analysis

We observe a stark disconnect between legislative mandates and operational reality regarding the A-10C Thunderbolt II. While Congress has legally extended the aircraft’s service life to 2030, the Air Force has effectively dismantled the foundational infrastructure required to sustain the fleet.

By closing the pilot training pipeline at Davis-Monthan and terminating depot-level maintenance at Hill Air Force Base, the military has created a scenario where the remaining airframes will become increasingly difficult to operate and maintain. Without a steady influx of new pilots and the capacity for heavy maintenance, the statutory minimum of 103 aircraft becomes a paper metric rather than a measure of combat readiness. The final flight at Davis-Monthan signals that the operational end of the A-10 is proceeding on the ground, regardless of the ongoing debates in Washington.

Sources: U.S. Air Force