The last active-duty operational A-10 Thunderbolt II assigned to a Nevada air base flew for the final time Tuesday, marking the end of an era for the installation.
Around 70 Nellis Air Force Base airmen sent off the “Warthog” on its final flight with a salute, closing a chapter on nearly 50 years of training, testing and maintenance at the base, according to a recent release.
The first Warthog arrived at Nellis in 1977, beginning five decades of serving as the primary proving ground for the aircraft’s tactical employment. Units at the base polished the aircraft’s software, avionics and precision weapons as the service’s Weapons School’s 66th Weapons Squadron trained A-10 weapons officers across 100 classes, per the release.
As the service retires the A-10 fleet, tactical expertise, operational roles and personnel are transitioning to multirole and advanced fighter platforms across the force to ensure air support capability is sustained.
Airmen previously assigned to the 757th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron’s Thunder Aircraft Maintenance Unit are being transferred to other squadrons and airframes, like the F-35 and F-16.
“The transition marks less of a retirement and more of an evolution, ensuring that the Warthog’s legendary commitment to protecting troops on the ground is carried forward by the airmen and advanced platforms shaping the future fight,” the release reads.
With the Nellis retirement, the last base with active-duty operational Warthogs is Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, operates a reserve A-10 squadron.
Previously, the Air Force announced that one active-duty squadron at Moody and a reserve squadron at Whiteman would be extended to 2030, while an additional active-duty squadron at Moody would be extended to 2029, instead of a set 2029 retirement for the A-10s.
In July, a House of Representatives bill was filed that would require the Air Force to keep at least 126 Warthogs in service and to reverse course from the previous work done to dissolve the aircraft’s maintenance depot, pilot training pipeline and weapons course.
The bill, known as the BRRRRT Act, came as the force sped up A-10 divestment while asserting that the role of close air support and combat search and rescue would be filled by a combination of platforms such as the F-35A, F-15E and F-16.
“The BRRRRT Act ensures we do not retire a proven weapons system before a certified replacement exists,” Rep. Abe Hamadeh, R-Ariz., who introduced the bill said, referring to the service not yet revealing which aircraft will take over the role of the A-10.
In Operation Epic Fury, the aircraft offered support and targeted Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fast-attack watercraft in the Strait of Hormuz.
Cristina Stassis is a reporter covering stories surrounding the defense industry, national security, military/veteran affairs and more. She previously worked as an editorial fellow for Defense News in 2024 where she assisted the newsroom in breaking news across Sightline Media Group.