The A-10 close-air support plane appears likely to survive another fiscal brush with death as both Senate and House committees have passed defense bills with proposed funding to keep several squadrons flying.
The $103 million needed to begin replacing wings on 110 of the so-called Warthogs was passed as part of both chambers’ annual defense policy bills Wednesday and a House defense appropriations bill Thursday. The legislation must still be approved by the full House and Senate and signed by the president before becoming law.
The Air Force has agreed to keep the A-10 flying for at least the next five years after unsuccessfully tussling with Congress over a proposed retirement. But Rep. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., revealed this month that the service was heading toward grounding three of its nine squadrons due to a lack of money for the wing repairs.
“It is crucial to keep the A-10 fully funded and upgraded until there is a proven, tested, replacement,” McSally said in a released statement.
President Trump’s budget request in May did not include the A-10 wing funding, but the Air Force included the money in its wish list of unfunded priorities sent to Congress this month.
The House defense appropriations bill that passed Thursday says lawmakers expect the Air Force to continue funding the Warthog maintenance in the coming years to keep the aircraft flying.
