The Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee included $338 million in its bill to keep the A-10 fleet flying for fiscal year 2015. U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte, the toughest fighter for the A-10 called the move “great news for our ground troops.”
“I applaud the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee for its decision to maintain A-10 funding for next fiscal year.
With our nation confronting an uncertain security environment around the world and the Department of Defense facing difficult budget decisions, now is not the time to prematurely retire the Air Force’s most combat-effective and cost-efficient close air support aircraft,” said Ayotte. “This is great news for our ground troops who rely on effective close air support to accomplish their missions and return home safely.”
The full House approved an amendment blocking the A-10’s retirement earlier this summer.
The Subcommittee’s decision to fund the A-10 Warthog in the Senate’s $549 billion defense bill will likely annoy Air Force leaders who had hoped to scrap the low and slow flying plane.
Senate Appropriations Defense Chairman Dick Durbin said he decided to include funding for the A-10 in his bill because of the strong support for the Warthog among senators, according to Jeremy Herb, writing for Politico.com.
“The sentiment among members is very strong,” Durbin said according to Herb.