The Hog Slaughter Endures: Davis-Monthan A-10 Unit Inactivations
On 18 September 2026, the 355th Wing inactivated the remaining A-10 Thunderbolt II units at Davis-Monthan: The 355th Operations Group, 357th Fighter Squadron (“Dragons”), 357th Fighter Generation Squadron, and 355th Training Squadron, capping a half-century of Warthog operations from the Arizona base and casing the unit’s colors.
They had a pair of 47-year-old Idaho Air National Guard and ANG Test Center A-10Cs fly in from Gowen Field and Morris ANGB, respectively, for the inactivation ceremony, as all of the 355th’s ‘Hogs had been retired back in July. The birds were 79-00142 (MSN 0406, former 47th FS “Salomey”) and 79-00185 (MSN 0449, formerly of the 511th TFS).
Two U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft assigned to the Idaho Air National Guard and Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Test Center fly in formation at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, Sept. 18, 2026. The aircraft flew during the A-10 Unit Inactivation Ceremony to honor the legacy of the Thunderbolt II and the Airmen who supported its mission at Davis-Monthan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Samantha Melecio)
The fact that planes had to be flown in was especially poignant.
At its peak, Davis-Monthan housed something like 85 A-10s assigned to its primary and training squadrons, not counting those in the Boneyard.
How about this sight just four years back:
A 355th Wing A-10 “elephant walk” at Davis-Monthan back in 2022. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Alex Miller)
These days, the USAF only has two active-duty A-10 squadrons (23rd FG’s 74th FS “Flying Tigers” and 75th FS “Tiger Sharks”) at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, and one reserve squadron (442nd FW’s 303rd FS “KC Hawgs”) at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, with 54 primary airframes, and all three units are expected to be sunset by 2030.
The ANG has the 107th FS “Red Devils” in Michigan and the 190th “Skullbangers” in Idaho, which are expected to transition to F-15EXs and Block 40 F-16Cs by 2027-28.
Today, something like 150 A-10 retired airframes are in storage at the other end of the base under the care of AMARG.