Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) on Monday said she was “deeply disappointed” by the Air Force’s decision to propose retiring the A-10 aircraft in the Pentagon’s budget.
Noting the use of the A-10 in the campaign against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Ayotte said the plane is an important part of America’s military fleet.
{mosads}“I am deeply disappointed that the Air Force has again decided to seek the premature divestment of the A-10, despite the fact that A-10s are actively engaged in combat against ISIS — demonstrating the continued need for this effective and reliable aircraft,” she said in a statement.
Last month, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said the A-10 “Warthog” jet was performing 11 percent of the Air Force’s manned sorties against ISIS.
The Air Force has been trying to retire the A-10 for several years in favor of spending on more advanced, multi-role aircraft such as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
The Air Force argues that other aircraft could perform the close air support mission, or providing air support to ground troops in battle, but opponents disagree.
Ayotte, who is the Senate’s strongest supporter of the plane, said ground troops and Joint Tactical Attack Controllers — who pinpoint enemy targets on the ground — “overwhelmingly believe that the A-10 provides life-saving close air support capabilities that no other current aircraft can.”
“That’s why Congress — on a bipartisan, bicameral basis — prohibited the Air Force from retiring any A-10s in fiscal year 2015,” she said.
Ayotte is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, which is in charge of crafting the annual defense policy bill. Their last policy bill banned the retirement of the A-10s, although it allowed for reduced flying hours, and for shifting some maintenance crew to the F-35.
“In order to ensure our ground troops have the best close air support they need to accomplish their missions and return home safely, I will continue to oppose the Air Force’s proposal to divest the A-10 before an equally capable close air support aircraft achieves full operational capability,” she said.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) has also vowed to keep the A-10 in operatoin.