Summary and Key Points: Christian D. Orr explains how the venerable A-10 Thunderbolt II—better known as the A-10 Warthog—has returned to the front lines.
-Thirty-five years after its legendary tank-killing sorties in the Persian Gulf War, the A-10 is currently deployed in Operation Epic Fury against Iran.
A-10 Warthog. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
A-10 Warthog. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
-Repurposed as a “boat buster,” the Warthog is utilizing its devastating GAU-8/A Avenger 30-mm cannon and AGM-65 Maverick missiles to neutralize Iranian fast-attack watercraft harassing commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
The A-10 Warthog Still Refuses to Die and Is Back in Action, Thanks to the Iran War
In the immortal words of Dylan Thomas, “Do not go gentle into that good night/Old age should burn and rave at close of day/Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”
Multiple U.S. Armed Forces weapon systems live up to Thomas’ exhortation, from the Nimitz-class supercarriers and Los Angeles-class attack submarines to the B-1B Lancer bomber. But no other war machine embodies the spirit of his poem quite like the venerable A-10 Thunderbolt II, far better known by its unofficial name of “Warthog.”
Thirty-five years after capturing the imagination of the Western public with its tank-killing sorties during the Persian Gulf War, the Warthog continues to resist efforts by military leaders and politicians to retire her.
In fact, the A-10 Warthog is back in action now as part of Operation Epic Fury against Iran. This time she’s performing a combat role designers probably never envisioned for her: not as a tank killer, but a boat buster.
Welcome Back, Warthog!
The inspiration to write this piece landed on March 18 via a Pentagon press briefing by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan “Raizin” Caine.
The Wall Street Journal shared more details the next day:
“Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, revealed the operation in a Pentagon news conference Thursday, saying heavily armed A-10 warplanes, known as the Warthog, along with Apache attack helicopters, were flying missions over the strait or off the southern coast of Iran.
A-10 Warthog Image: Creative Commons.
An A-10 Thunderbolt II prepares to take off from Al Asad Air Base, Iraq to provide close air support to ground troops in Iraq. The 438th Air Expeditionary Group A-10 jets perform 10 sorties daily–900 in this last four months. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Cecilio M. Ricardo Jr.)
“‘The A-10 Warthog is now engaged across the southern flank, targeting fast-attack watercraft in the Strait of Hormuz,’ he told reporters at the Pentagon. … Both the A-10s and the Apaches have for several days been blowing up Iranian fast-attack boats that have been harassing commercial shipping in the strait, a U.S. official said.”
The Warthog’s ability to destroy drones and bust up boats proves once more the warbird’s versatility and flexibility—key airpower attributes during any era.
Warthog Weapons for the Waves (Ocean Waves, That Is)
To take out Iranian boats, the A-10 probably turns to its legendary GAU-8/A Avenger 30-mm rapid-fire cannon.
The plane is built around this gun. Spewing from the Gatling-style guns’ seven barrels at a rate of fire of 3,900 rounds per minute and a muzzle velocity of 3,324 feet per second the 30-mm depleted uranium shells go through a T-72 main battle tank’s armor like a knife through butter.
That means they would make mincemeat out of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy’s fleet of fast attack craft.
In addition, the A-10’s AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missile could be improvised as an anti-ship weapon. The Maverick can travel up to 1,150 kilometers per hour over a range of over 22 km and deliver a warhead of up to 140 kilograms.
What the Experts Told Us: One A-10 Warthog Driver’s Perspectives
Retired A-10 pilot Lieutenant Colonel Jeff “Won” Bier was kind enough to share the following thoughts with me:
“While it may be surprising to some, the A-10 is a weapon system the Air Force refused to recognize it needed in the Iranian theater until relatively recently. Luckily, the Air Force had a lot of creative leaders in the A-10 community test, develop and field weapons and tactics perfectly suited to both complement the wider air component and dominate specific mission sets in ways other aircraft simply cannot—all despite an Air Force bureaucracy that wanted ‘no new capabilities from a sunsetting platform.’”
Although some media reports make it seem like the Air Force made an insightful strategic decision to retain 103 A-10s through Fiscal Year 2026, the service in fact is pursuing the full retirement of the platform—that number is set to decrease drastically if not completely on October 1.
A-10 Warthog. Image: Creative Commons
A-10 Warthog. Image: Creative Commons.
A-10 Warthog. Image: Creative Commons.
Image: Creative Commons picture of A-10 Warthog.
The A-10’s humble attack pilots have an unparalleled ability to solve problems anywhere they are called upon—just like they’re doing now during Operation Epic Fury. And although it’s the community, not the aircraft, that provides this capability, it is able to do so because of the A-10. The Warthog is an asset the Air Force doesn’t fully recognize it needs—and the keeper of Joint Fires Integration—the Army—will regret losing it. What the United States needs now more than ever is someone on the House Armed Services Committee or Senate Committee on Armed Services to ensure the A-10 continues to defend her sons and daughters in the future.
About the Author: Christian D. Orr, Defense Expert
Christian D. Orr is a Senior Defense Editor. He is a former Air Force Security Forces officer, Federal law enforcement officer, and private military contractor (with assignments worked in Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kosovo, Japan, Germany, and the Pentagon). Chris holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California (USC) and an M.A. in Intelligence Studies (concentration in Terrorism Studies) from American Military University (AMU). He is also the author of the newly published book “Five Decades of a Fabulous Firearm: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Beretta 92 Pistol Series.”
