Lawmakers praise report slamming Air Force decision to retire A-10

Congressional supporters of the A-10 ground attack plane said on Wednesday that a new nonpartisan report proved the point they’ve been arguing for years: that the Air Force should keep the Warthog in the skies.

For years, the Air Force has been trying to retire the A-10, saying that it needs to free up funds to begin to bring the F-35 online along with all the maintainers and other staff the new planes require. But lawmakers have prohibited the move and argued that the A-10 is the country’s best option for close-air support, pointing to the success it has had in the campaign against the Islamic State. On Wednesday, for example, American A-10s were aiding Turkish and vetted Syrian opposition forces in the battle to retake Jarabulus.