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Final A-10 student pilots Graduate
The final class of A-10C Thunderbolt II student pilots from the 357th Training Squadron celebrate their graduation at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base (AFB) on Apr. 3, 2026. Marking the end of an era, the ceremony closes a historic chapter as the base concludes its role as the Air Force’s sole A-10 pilot training hub, honoring generations of aviators who mastered the legendary Warthog.
The base celebrated the event with a post on its social media;
‘The Last Dragons.
‘Today, the final roar of student-piloted A-10s echoed over DM as the 357th Training Squadron graduated its last class. An incredible legacy, an unforgettable aircraft, and a new generation of warriors ready to dominate the skies.
‘This isn’t goodbye, it’s ‘see you in the fight’.’
The 357th Fighter Squadron, the ‘Dragons’, assigned to Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, is the only active-duty training squadron for the A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots.
The squadron trains pilots in battlefield surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as how to plan, coordinate, execute and control day and night close air support.
As the only A-10 training base in the Air Force, active duty and reserve training squadrons at DM train every A-10 pilot. On average, approximately 70 total-force pilots qualify annually.
The 357th ‘Dragons’ conducts all formal course directed aircraft transition, day and night weapons and tactics employment, day and night air refueling and dissimilar air combat maneuvers. The squadron trains pilots to plan, coordinate, execute, and control day and night close air support and battlefield surveillance and reconnaissance. Squadron prepares pilots for combat mission ready upgrade.
Probe and drogue air refueling capability
As already explained, the US Air Force (USAF) is planning to divest the entire fleet of A-10 aircraft with pilots and maintainers at Davis-Monthan will move onto the F-35 aircraft due to the divestment.
A-10 Thunderbolt II close air support (CAS) aircraft have been used to engage in maritime interdiction operations along the southern flank of Operation Epic Fury, targeting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fast-attack watercraft in the Strait of Hormuz.
The A-10 also supported Operation Epic Fury by conducting strafing runs over Iranian-backed PMF (Popular Mobilization Forces) positions at Mosul.
Additionally, A-10 Warthogs performed the Sandy role for the CSAR mission aimed at finding the WSO of the downed F-15E over Iran on Apr. 3. During such mission, an A-10 crashed in the Persian Gulf.
Moreover, the Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Command Test Center led a rapid multi-organization effort that delivered probe and drogue air refueling capability to the A-10 Thunderbolt II, responding to an urgent combatant command requirement.
The capability gap emerged from limited aerial refueling pairing options available to mission planners. With KC-10 tankers retired and KC-46 certification pending, A-10 units remained dependent on KC-135 aircraft for aerial refueling. The probe adapter enables A-10s to refuel from C-130 tankers, whose airspeeds and altitudes prove more compatible with A-10 operations and whose mission sets align more closely with close air support and combat search and rescue operations.
Noteworthy, the Congress has moved to save the mighty Warthog from the USAF divestment efforts. In fact, the service’s plan to retire the remaining fleet has been blocked by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 that mandated a minimum inventory of 103 A-10s through Sep. 30, 2026, and requiring detailed transition planning.
A-10 Warthog
The A-10C (dubbed Warthog by her aircrews) offers excellent maneuverability at low airspeeds and altitude while maintaining a highly accurate weapons-delivery platform. They can loiter near battle areas for extended periods of time, are capable of austere landings and operate under 1,000-foot ceilings (303.3 meters) with 1.5-mile (2.4 kilometers) visibility.
Additionally, with the capability of carrying precision guided munitions and unguided munitions, they can employ above, below and in the weather. Their wide combat radius and short takeoff and landing capability permit operations in and out of locations near front lines. Using night vision goggles, A-10C pilots can conduct their missions during darkness.
Thunderbolt IIs have Night Vision Imaging Systems (NVIS), goggle compatible single-seat cockpits forward of their wings, Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems, and a large bubble canopy which provides pilots all-around vision. The pilots are protected by titanium armor that also protects parts of the flight-control system. The redundant primary structural sections allow the aircraft to enjoy better survivability during close air support than previous aircraft.
The aircraft can survive direct hits from armor-piercing and high explosive projectiles up to 23mm. Their self-sealing fuel cells are protected by internal and external foam. Manual systems back up their redundant hydraulic flight-control systems. This permits pilots to fly and land when hydraulic power is lost.
Photo credit: Airman 1st Class Samantha Melecio and Airman 1st Class Jaden Kidd / U.S. Air Force
