U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., responded to a new report that found significant deficiencies in the Department of Defense’s plan to retire the A-10 Thunderbolt II, including a lack of “quality information on the full implications of A-10 divestment, including gaps that could be created.”
 
Isakson pointed to the findings as further evidence that the premature divestment of the A-10 fleet by the U.S. Air Force could jeopardize the United States’ close air support capabilities and the safety of American service members. Isakson believes the move to retire the A-10 should be halted until these concerns are addressed.
 
“The A-10 is an important mission at Moody Air Force Base in Valdosta, Ga., and plays a crucial role in support of our national defense,” said Senator Isakson, chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. “The findings in this report validate what I have been arguing since the first announcement that the A-10 fleet would be divested. The close-air support provided by the A-10 is unmatched by any other aerial platform, and to divest of this aircraft without a fully operational alternative would put U.S. troops at increased risk in current and future conflicts.”
 
The nonpartisan Government Accountability Office released a new report on Wednesday that found that the Air Force has not provided adequate information to justify its proposal to retire the A-10 aircraft. The report states that the Air Force “has not established clear requirements for the missions the A-10 performs, and in the absence of these requirements, has not fully identified the capacity or capability gaps that could result from the A-10 divestment. Without a clear understanding of the capability or capacity gaps and risks that could result from A-10 divestment, it is also unclear how effective or necessary the Air Force’s and the department’s mitigation strategies will be.”
 
Since 2012, the Department of Defense and Air Force have discussed plans to retire a percentage of the A-10 fleet to support the transition to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Isakson has joined members of the Georgia congressional delegation and the Senate Armed Services Committee on numerous occasions to warn of the increased risk that divesting the A-10 without an equally capable replacement would have on ground troops, including those in Syria who rely on this critical close-air support for their fight against the Islamic State in Iraq or the Levant, or ISIL.
 
Additionally, Isakson pointed to the critical role the A-10s are currently playing in the war against ISIL as a reason why the fiscal year 2015 information that is being used by defense officials to justify this decision is outdated and no longer adequately addresses the needs of our military.
 
During this Congress, members of the Georgia congressional delegation, led by Isakson, have held a number of meetings with key officials from each of the Armed Services – including Moody Air Force Base – to discuss the importance of Georgia-based military assets that play a critical role in our national defense.
 
The A-10 Thunderbolt II is an important mission at Moody Air Force Base in Valdosta, Ga. Isakson has fought to maintain the A-10 fleet because of the importance it plays in our national defense strategy, and the role in plays in Georgia military bases.
 
Isakson who serves on the Senate Air Force Caucus, led a congressional delegation to Moody in March 2016.  The “East Coast Air Power Demonstration” by the Air Force showcased F-16s, F-15s, HC-130Js, HH-60Gs, CV-22s and the A-10 Thunderbolt II.  In addition to observing a live-fire close-air-support demonstration, congressional members met with Air Force personnel, toured base facilities and received familiarization in the A-10 aircraft simulator.
 
In May 2016, Isakson led the Georgia congressional delegation representing Moody Air Force Base in a letter to Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh voicing their opposition to premature divestment of the A-10 Thunderbolt II.
 
In the National Defense Authorization Act of 2017, passed in the Senate in June 2016, Isakson fought forlanguage included in the final measure that prohibits the retirement of the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft. Senator Isakson and the Georgia congressional delegation remain in lock-step in their opposition to retiring the A-10 aircraft.