Trump throws 'vulnerable' retired Warthog back in action

U.S. Air Force's C-5M Super Galaxy aircraft lands at Mildenhall, Britain February 20, 2026. in this screengrab obtained from a video. (REUTERS)

President Donald Trump may not have the resources to finish what he started in Iran, judging by how deep down into the military’s pocket he’s having to dig for change.

Stars and Stripes reports Trump’s military administration is now recommissioning a discontinued slate of planes that were grounded after high expenses and vulnerabilities in the evolving landscape of modern combat.

“The Air Force has been trying to divest the aircraft for years, citing maintenance costs and its vulnerability to modern air defense systems,” reports Starts and Stripes.

Nevertheless, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff mentioned the A-10C Thunderbolt II at a Pentagon briefing Thursday three weeks into the war in Iran.

“The A-10 Warthog is now in the fight across the southern flank and is hunting and killing fast attack watercraft in the Strait of Hormuz,” said Air Force Gen. Dan Caine.

But the planes are big and loud, and particularly vulnerable to high-resolution radar and surface-to-air missiles due to its lack of stealth features. Sources report the aircraft's “simplistic design … [is lacking] some features necessary to compete against other modern forces.”

“The A-10 Warthog is anything but stealthy or quick, which is a problem when sending this aircraft against an adversary utilizing state-of-the-art air defenses,” reports Jalopnik, adding thatthe cost of maintaining the bird was “eye-watering.”

“There aren't enough dollars left over to keep the Warthog going, with cost per flight hour sitting between $19,000 and $22,000, per National Security Journal,” said Jalopnik.

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