A-10 Warthog given new role targeting boats in Iran after attempts to retire

The A-10 Warthog has a new maritime role in targeting boats in the war in Iran that could extend the life of the aircraft, which the U.S. Air Force has been trying to retire for years.

Although the Air Force attempted to phase out the A-10, Congress resisted their efforts and blocked attempts to reduce the number of these aircraft.

A-10s were used in US military action against Iran as the Pentagon saw a need for an aircraft that could navigate and fire accurately against small boats and coastal threats.

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At a briefing at the Pentagon last month, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said A-10 planes were “at war” and operating on the southern flank of the conflict, including targeting Iranian boats in the Strait of Hormuz.

“We continue to hunt and kill mineral storage facilities and naval ammunition depots. We continue to hunt and kill assets at sea, including more than 120 ships and 44 mine layers, and the pressure will continue,” Caine said in the March 19 briefing. he said.

“The A-10 Warthog is currently in combat on the southern flank, hunting and killing fast attack vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Additionally, AH-64 Apaches have joined the fight on the southern flank and continue to operate on the south flank. This includes some of our allies who use Apaches to handle one-way attack drones,” he continued.

Although the Air Force attempted to phase out the A-10, Congress resisted their efforts and blocked attempts to reduce the number of these aircraft. (CHRISTOF STache/AFP via Getty Images)

This comes as President Donald Trump has stepped up threats to Iran, including to its civilian infrastructure, over its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which has disrupted global energy shipments. But the United States and Iran agreed to a temporary ceasefire on Tuesday, hours before Trump set a deadline to strike power plants and bridges if Tehran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

As of 2026, the Air Force has approximately 280 A-10 aircraft in service, and Congress has required under the National Defense Authorization Act that the fleet not fall below 103 aircraft in Fiscal Year 2026.

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President Donald Trump has increased threats to Iran, including to its civilian infrastructure, due to its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

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The A-10 has a long hover time over target areas and the ability to visually identify and attack targets, although it is slower and less stealthy than newer aircraft, leaving it vulnerable to modern integrated air defense systems in heavily contested airspace.

Originally designed as a Cold War-era tank killer, the A-10 is now used in a very different role: targeting small, fast-moving boats and coastal threats in the midst of the conflict with Iran. The aircraft’s use intensifies debate over the Air Force’s decade-long effort to retire the jet as it continues to be used in new missions.