This resolution expresses continued support for the A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft, also known as the Warthog and A-10C or OA-10C, program as imperative to national security.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 879 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 879
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress
should continue to support the A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft,
also known as the Warthog and A-10C or OA-10C, program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 2, 2020
Mrs. Kirkpatrick (for herself, Mr. Simpson, Mr. Gallego, Mr. Fulcher,
Mr. Ruppersberger, Mrs. Hartzler, and Mr. Mitchell) submitted the
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed
Services
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress
should continue to support the A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft,
also known as the Warthog and A-10C or OA-10C, program.
Whereas the A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft (hereinafter referred to as the
``A-10'') has seen action in every major United States conflict since
the first production A-10 was delivered to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
in October, 1975, and has received several upgrades for the 281 A-10s
remaining in service;
Whereas since Operation Desert Storm in 1991, the A-10 has become a preferred
close air support platform for ground troops;
Whereas the A-10 has been the backbone of the close air support mission for more
than 40 years and has proven to be a highly accurate and durable
weapons-delivery platform that can be used against all ground targets;
Whereas the A-10 supports close air support with a variety of forward-firing,
free-fall, and precision-guided munitions, and performs combat search
and rescue, air interdiction, armed reconnaissance, suppression of enemy
air defenses, special operations forces support, and countersea
operations in either low- or high-threat environments, day or night;
Whereas the A-10 provides the Air Force an extensive ability to survey the
battlefield and then fix, engage, target, and destroy a wide range of
both mobile and fixed targets, including tanks and other armored
vehicles in quantity, as an arsenal aircraft;
Whereas the A-10 gets pilots back to base despite heavy damage from ground fire;
Whereas the A-10 has the lowest rate of friendly fire incidents of any combat
fighter or bomber;
Whereas the close air support as provided by the A-10 has proven invaluable on
the battlefield, and it is better than any other fighter aircraft for
close air support as it is simple, effective, and has excellent
maneuverability at low air speeds and altitude;
Whereas the A-10 is the least expensive combat plane in the United States
arsenal to operate and buy;
Whereas while the A-10 flew only 30 percent of the United States Air Force's
total sorties during Operation Desert Storm in 1991, these aircraft
achieved more than half of the confirmed Iraqi equipment losses and
fired 90 percent of the precision-guided Maverick missiles;
Whereas during Operation Allied Force in 1999, A-10s destroyed more field-
deployed Serbian weaponry than any other allied weapon system, and
combat search and rescue support from the A-10 was 100 percent
effective, successfully rescuing one F-117 pilot and one F-16CG pilot;
Whereas during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and Operation Enduring Freedom in
2001, the A-10 flew 32 percent of the combat sorties in both theaters,
and from 2006 to late 2013, flew 19 percent of close air operations in
Iraq and Afghanistan;
Whereas the A-10 is an effective close air support platform to counter violent
extremist organizations such as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria,
having flown 11 percent of Air Force sorties against that organization;
Whereas the demands for close air support in Iraq and Afghanistan keep the A-10
a relevant platform that requires upgrades;
Whereas if the A-10 is removed from service, certain gaps in responsive close
air support, forward air controller, air interdiction, strike control
and reconnaissance, and combat search and rescue support could widen;
Whereas the A-10 can be serviced and operated with high sortie rates from
austere bases with limited facilities near battle areas, including
unprepared dirt, grass, and narrow road runways, and from airfields that
are too short or rough to handle fast jets;
Whereas to continue providing unmatched airpower, gain and maintain air
superiority, and extend global reach, global power is essential to
preserving global security and stability;
Whereas the A-10 program will support the Air Force, including the Air National
Guard and Air Force Reserve;
Whereas the A-10 is currently flying in operational combat squadrons at Gowen
Field Air National Guard Base, Idaho, Selfridge Air National Guard Base,
Michigan, Warfield Air National Guard Base, Maryland, Fort Wayne Air
National Guard Station, Indiana, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri,
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada,
Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, and Osan
Air Base, South Korea; and
Whereas the 355th Wing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, with the inventory of 84
A-10s, is responsible for training and deploying A-10 pilots, whose
primary role is to support troops on the ground: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) finds that the continued support for the A-10
Thunderbolt II program is imperative to national security; and
(2) affirms that Congress should continue to support the A-
10 Thunderbolt II program in future fiscal years because the
United States cannot afford to risk its security or the
security of its allies by allowing that program to fall short
of its mission.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
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