The House Armed Services Committee’s tactical air and land forces panel is authorizing the US Air Force to decommission some of its A-10 Thunderbolt II ground attack aircraft. But there is a nuance.

What is known

The subcommittee approved the US Air Force plan to reduce the A-10 Thunderbolt II fleet by another 42 aircraft. The service will be able to retire them in fiscal year 2024 (FY) in addition to 21 aircraft in FY2023. The final vote on the amendments will take place on June 23, 2023.

If HR 2670 is passed, the US Air Force will be able to decommission 42 A-10 aircraft, but at the same time it will be prohibited from decommissioning A-10s in the future. The ban will remain in effect until the service develops a detailed plan for the implementation of close air support missions.

In addition, the US Air Force will be able to put 57 fourth-generation F-15C / D Eagle fighters into operation at once. Some aircraft have been in service for four decades.

Source: House Armed Services