McCain, Other US Lawmakers, Vow to Save A-10 ‘Warthog’ Aircraft

An influential group of U.S. lawmakers, including John McCain who is in line to become the head of the Senate’s powerful Armed Services Committee, pledged to thwart the Pentagon’s plans to retire the U.S. fleet of A-10 “Warthog” aircraft. But many lawmakers have resisted that plan, including Republican Senators McCain of Arizona and Senator Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire. “This fight is far from over,” McCain said, slamming “the Air Force’s misguided priorities” in seeking to scrap the Warthog and focus on priorities for the future, such as the radar-evading F-35 Joint Strike Fighter made by Lockheed Martin Corp. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said, “I’ll tell you who would love to retire the A-10s. That’s the enemies of this nation.”