Bipartisan BRRRRT Act would force US Air Force to keep at least 126 A-10 Warthogs

Published Jul 22, 09:10 PM UTC

A bipartisan House bill, the BRRRRT Act (H.R. 9780), introduced by Rep. Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ) and co-led by Rep. Don Davis (D-NC), would require the U.S. Air Force to maintain at least 126 A-10 Thunderbolt II Warthogs, far exceeding the service's planned fleet of 103. The bill aims to reverse the Air Force's divestment efforts, including the closure of the A-10 maintenance depot at Hill Air Force Base, the end of pilot training, and the winding down of the Weapons School course. It would also require the defense secretary to certify that a fully operational replacement exists before any further retirements, with input from the Army, Marine Corps, and Special Operations Command. The bill comes amid ongoing A-10 combat operations in Iran and the recovery of downed aircrew, and as the Air Force has not identified a specific replacement for the Warthog's close air support and combat search and rescue missions.