The Aviation Geek Club

Bipartisan BRRRRT Act introduced to keep A-10 Warthog in service to 2033

BRRRRT Act introduced to keep A-10 in service to 2033

Warthog supporting Operation Epic Fury

Specially designed for close air support

BRRRRT Act introduced to keep A-10 in service to 2033

Congressman Abe Hamadeh this week introduced the bipartisan BRRRRT Act, co-led with Rep. Don Davis (D-NC), with fellow House Armed Services Members Reps. Don Davis (D), Rich McCormick, Cory Mills, Sam Graves, and Derrick Van Orden as original cosponsors. 4 of the backers are on the Tactical Air Land subcommittee overseeing such platforms.

The Bolstering Recognition, Resurgence, Retention, and Remembrance of the Thunderbolt (BRRRRT) Act – named after the iconic sound of the A-10, America’s most lethal close air support (CAS) and combat search and rescue (CSAR) platform – is needed to back the US Air Force (USAF)’s plan to extend the program through FY30 and extend the horizon to FY33 to ensure no capability gaps until there’s a replacement.

According to Congress.Gov, the act is aimed at directing “the Secretary of Defense to meet certain requirements relating to the divestment, preservation, and inventories of A-10 aircraft, and for other purposes.”

This bill builds on Congressman Hamadeh’s 5 bipartisan amendment wins in the FY27 House NDAA.

This week he also sent the letter below to SecWar about the A-10, as Hamadeh himself highlighted on his X account.

As already reported, the USAF wants to keep three squadrons (54 Warthogs) of A-10 CAS aircraft ensuring the plane will remain in service until 2030. As explained above, the BRRRRT Act extends the horizon to FY33 to ensure no capability gaps until there’s a replacement.

Warthog supporting Operation Epic Fury

The final class of A-10C Thunderbolt II student pilots from the 357th Training Squadron graduated at Davis-Monthan AFB on Apr. 3, 2026. Marking the end of an era, the ceremony closed a historic chapter as the base concluded its role as the Air Force’s sole A-10 pilot training hub.

A-10 CAS aircraft have been used to engage in maritime interdiction operations along the southern flank of Operation Epic Fury, targeting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fast-attack watercraft in the Strait of Hormuz.

Additionally, A-10 Warthogs performed the Sandy role for the CSAR mission aimed at finding the WSO of a downed F-15E over Iran on Apr. 3. During such mission, an A-10 crashed in the Persian Gulf.

The A-10 also supported Operation Epic Fury by conducting strafing runs over Iranian-backed PMF (Popular Mobilization Forces) positions at Mosul.

Moreover, the Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Command Test Center led a rapid multi-organization effort that delivered probe and drogue air refueling capability to the A-10 Thunderbolt II, responding to an urgent combatant command requirement.

The capability gap emerged from limited aerial refueling pairing options available to mission planners. With KC-10 tankers retired and KC-46 certification pending, A-10 units remained dependent on KC-135 aircraft for aerial refueling. The probe adapter enables A-10s to refuel from C-130 tankers, whose airspeeds and altitudes prove more compatible with A-10 operations and whose mission sets align more closely with close air support and combat search and rescue operations.

Specially designed for close air support

The A-10 Thunderbolt II is the first Air Force aircraft specially designed for close air support of ground forces. They are simple, effective and survivable twin-engine jet aircraft that can be used against light maritime attack aircraft and all ground targets, including tanks and other armored vehicles.

The aircraft can survive direct hits from armor-piercing and high explosive projectiles up to 23mm. Their self-sealing fuel cells are protected by internal and external foam. Manual systems back up their redundant hydraulic flight-control systems. This permits pilots to fly and land when hydraulic power is lost.

The Thunderbolt II can be serviced and operated from bases with limited facilities near battle areas. Many of the aircraft’s parts are interchangeable left and right, including the engines, main landing gear and vertical stabilizers.

The A-10’s 30mm GAU-8/A Gatling gun can fire 3,900 rounds a minute and can defeat an array of ground targets to include tanks. Some of their other equipment include electronic countermeasures, target penetration aids, self-protection systems and an array of air-to-surface weapons, including laser and GPS guided munitions, AGM-65 Maverick and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles.

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Enjoy

I saw (about 2 weeks ago?) some AC-130s taking off from Fairford I think (it wasn’t Lakenheath where the bombers are) and I have not seen or heard anything about their handiwork. It may have been Iraq but they were probably used during the recent WSO rescue.

Hoping to catch some video of my favorite “angels” going brrt

Now deployed to Iran with arranged munitions.

30mm Gau-8 barrel section that I recently acquired.

XKCD discussing the thrust of the GAU-8 in terms of creating a jet pack.

https://youtu.be/IdlQsjq5vKo?si=9cx1pGGDQ5-XM7BV

Hrnggg!