USAF to remove 18 A-10s this year

The Air Force will remove 18 A-10s from its active flight lines as continues its push to retirethe Warthogs domestically.
The service will also transition an F-16 squadron to the F-35 earlier than planned.
Both moves are intended to free up maintainers to transition to the F-35 and meet the deadline to have the Joint Strike Fighter operational in 2016.
The A-10s will move to "backup status" this year, meaning they will not fly but will be kept ready to serve as replacement aircraft should other A-10s become unserviceable. . All of the aircraft are assigned to active-duty squadrons. The Air Force could still move the remaining 18 authorized later this year. The Air Force has 283 A-10s in its fleet.
The reduction of A-10s will not impede coming A-10 deployments through 2018, according to the Air Force.
airforcetimes