© Giovanni van Erven
When you say Davis-Monthan you say Brrrrrrrrrt!
With the Rincon Mountains near Tucson (AZ) as a silent witness backdrop, A-10C Thunderbolt II 82-0648/DM was brought from Davis-Monthan AFB to the nearby 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) for the final maintenance procedures.
On 6 February 2024, Fairchild Republic A-10C "648" was retired from service and transited from the 354th Fighter Squadron to the 309th AMARG for its final maintenance procedures and preparation for the place where thousands of retired aircraft and helicopters are stored.
Although divesting has begun, Davis-Monthan will see fifty years of Thunderbolt operations next year. Also known as the Warthog, the first A-10, an A model, arrived at the Arizona Base during October 1975.
This year, one Thunderbolt squadron from Davis-Monthan's 355th Wing will be ceasing flying during the summer-fall timeframe. Although no official statement has been made, it is most probable that the 354th Fighter Squadron 'Bulldogs' will be (temporarily) discontinued. While recently more units have lost their Thunderbolts, the USAF is planning to phase out the entire fleet of A-10Cs within the next three to five years.
At this moment, some 245 Thunderbolts are still present in USAF's operational inventory. These numbers will now quickly dwindle. As the Thunderbolt will be leaving Davis-Monthan operationally, the base will become the home to the newly formed 492nd Power Projection Wing which will operate MC-130J Commando IIs and AO-1K Sky Wardens.
© USAF
© USAF
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