US Air Force Inactivates Final A-10 Units at Davis-Monthan

The United States Air Force inactivated the final A-10C Thunderbolt II units at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona on September 18, 2026. The ceremony concluded 50 years of A-10 operations at the base and involved the inactivation of the 355th Operations Group, 357th Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Generation Squadron, and 355th Training Squadron.

Remaining aircraft are being transferred to Moody Air Force Base in Georgia or to the Boneyard. This action aligns with a broader fleet drawdown proposal from the Air Force to divest 49 aircraft in FY 2027 and fully retire the fleet by 2030. Historical documents and memorabilia from the inactivated units are being moved to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.

The retirement timeline faces potential legislative delays. The United States Congress is considering the bipartisan BRRRT Act, which would maintain 126 aircraft through Fiscal Year 2033 and restore training and sustainment capacity. Jose Cabrera noted that the A-10 Thunderbolt has occupied a "sacred place in American air power" for nearly 50 years.