Congressional ‘BRRRRT Act’ seeks to keep the A-10 flying, but veteran pilot warns of capability gap

A bipartisan group of US lawmakers introduced the BRRRRT Act on July 20, 2026, aiming to keep the A-10 Thunderbolt II flying through 2033. Retired Lt. Col. Joel Bier warns that extending the retirement date without preserving training, depot support, and spare parts creates a capability gap. The A-10 played a key role in the rescue of an F-15 crew downed over Iran in April. The bill seeks to maintain at least 126 aircraft, up from the current minimum of 103, to sustain operational squadrons and training pipelines.

A bipartisan group of US lawmakers introduced the BRRRRT Act on July 20, 2026, aiming to keep the A-10 Thunderbolt II flying through 2033. The legislation is led by Rep. Abe Hamadeh and co-led by Rep. Don Davis. Retired Lt. Col. Joel Bier, a former A-10 instructor pilot with over 2,500 hours in the aircraft, warns that simply extending the retirement date does not solve the problem. He argues that preserving training, depot-level support, spare parts, and the Weapons School pipeline is essential. The A-10 played a key role in the rescue of an F-15 crew downed over Iran in April during Operation Epic Fury. The Air Force had planned to retire the A-10 in 2026 but announced in April it would keep them flying through 2030. The BRRRRT Act would extend that to 2033 and require maintaining at least 126 aircraft, up from the current minimum of 103. Bier warns that without sufficient numbers, the remaining force could face a punishing deployment schedule, with Air Force plans potentially leaving only 54 aircraft. The debate over the A-10's replacement continues, with Bier arguing that newer aircraft like the F-35 cannot simply become equally proficient without dedicated training.