U.S. Continues Its Transition Away From A-10 Attack Aircraft and Dedicated Close Air Support

The U.S. Air Force completed the 66th Weapons Squadron’s final A-10C training flight at Nellis Air Force Base, ending the aircraft’s dedicated course at the Weapons School. The milestone follows the closure of the main A-10 pilot-training pipeline and further reduces the infrastructure supporting the fleet, which is expected to remain in service only through 2030. Existing instructors can continue some qualification and continuation training during the drawdown. The F-35A is expected to absorb part of the mission set, although the replacement of dedicated close-air-support capacity remains disputed.