In fiscal year 2026, the U.S. Air Force plans to decommission the last 162 A-10 Warthog attack aircraft as part of a larger program to decommission 340 aircraft of various types. This will be the largest reduction in the fleet of combat aircraft in recent years. In addition to the A-10, 62 F-16C/D, 21 F-15E, 13 F-15C/D, 14 C-130H transport aircraft, 14 KC-135 tanker aircraft and other aerial platforms are planned to be decommissioned.
At the same time, the Pentagon intends to cancel the program for the purchase of Boeing E-7 Wedgetail long-range radar detection and control aircraft due to significant delays in development, rising costs and doubts about the survival of the device in the face of modern combat threats. Instead, it is planned to strengthen purchases of E-2D Hawkeye carrier-based aircraft and develop space surveillance systems.
The cancellation of the E-7 Wedgetail program and the accelerated decommissioning of the A-10 reflect the U.S. Air Force's strategic shift toward fleet modernization and a shift toward new technologies, despite criticism and concerns about possible gaps in air control and troop support capabilities.
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