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The A-10 Warthog has a new maritime role in targeting boats in the war in Iran that could extend the life of the aircraft, which the U.S. Air Force had been attempting to retire for years.
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.
A-10s have been used in the U.S. military campaign against Iran, as the Pentagon sees a need for an aircraft that can loiter and deliver accurate fire against small boats and coastal threats.
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During a Pentagon briefing last month, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said that A-10 aircraft were “in the fight” and operating across the southern flank of the conflict, including targeting Iranian boats 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.
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.
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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.