The A-10 Warthog’s Complicated Retirement Published Nov. 16, 2015 By Senior Airman Sean D. Smith Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- The proposed retirement of the A-10 Warthog has created considerable controversy and opened the door to a wide-reaching debate about the military's priorities. The conversation about the A-10's future began in 2007, and is still ongoing today. The A-10 Warthog was designed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The aircraft was developed from the ground up to provide close air support, and is broadly considered a success. The A-10 boasts unusually substantial armor, making it durable in response to the vulnerability presented by its low-flying operations. The plane itself is built around its primary weapon, a devastating 30 millimeter rotary cannon so powerful that its recoil actually slows the speed of the aircraft when firing in flight. The state of affairs surrounding the A-10 leads back to the plane's advancing age, and also to its lack of a ready replacement. There were plans for the F-35 Lightning II to replace the A-10 in the role of close air support, but some critics are vocally opposed to the notion of replacing a $20 million plane with one that costs more than 100 million dollars. Budgetary issues resulting from sequestration and other political considerations have further complicated the A-10's case. During a period of general cost-cutting and shrinking budgets, a perception has emerged of the aircraft fleet being a zero-sum game -- money directed to keeping the A-10 in service must reduce funding other things. Conversely, money freed up by doing away with the A-10 could be used to further fund the F-35 Lightning II, a notion that has drawn fierce criticism from parties already outraged by the F-35 program's extraordinary costs. Furthermore, removing the A-10 has been seen as reducing the emphasis on ground support, theoretically putting infantry lives at risk. The A-10 is generally regarded as being good at its job, while the F-35 hasn't even entered widespread service, much less been proven effective. Supporters of the A-10 cite its popularity, solid record and practicality in their case to keep it in service. Those pushing to see the A-10 removed from service point to a larger picture, where a modern Air Force should shift priority away from single-purpose aircraft. So far the retirement of the A-10 Warthog has been repeatedly blocked, but the aircraft's future remains uncertain. The Air Force and the Department of Defense continue to search for close air support options that reduce costs without substantially reducing operational effectiveness, including possible plans to develop new aircraft for the role, or to repurpose existing aircraft. For now, the A-10 remains in service.