The US Air Force will be able to retire 42 legendary A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft and 57 F-15C/D Eagle fighters in 2024

The House Armed Services Committee's tactical air and land forces panel is authorising the US Air Force to retire some A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft. But there is a nuance.

Here's What We Know

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

If bill HR 2670 passes, the US Air Force will be able to retire 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 place until the service develops a detailed plan for close air support missions.

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

Source: House Armed Services