Some A-10 Warthogs may receive a reprieve from total retirement as Congress works to reverse significant cuts proposed by the Pentagon in the fiscal 2026 budget. The Pentagon’s budget, released in June 2023, calls for the retirement of the remaining 162 A-10 attack aircraft fleet by 2026, which is two years earlier than initially planned.

The proposed cuts include canceling the E-7 Wedgetail program in favor of E-2D Hawkeyes and space-based sensors. Additionally, it suggests reducing the planned purchase of F-35A Joint Strike Fighters down to 24 units, nearly a 50% cut from earlier procurement plans. These changes sparked outrage within the Air Force community, prompting 16 retired four-star generals, including six former chiefs of staff, to advocate against the cuts. They sent a letter to top congressional leaders urging a reconsideration of these decisions.

On Friday, the Senate Armed Services Committee announced it had approved its version of the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which aims to mitigate some of the proposed changes regarding the A-10 and F-35 programs. The committee’s NDAA would mandate the Air Force to retain at least 103 A-10 Warthogs in 2026 and would increase the procurement of F-35As from 24 to 35.

Simultaneously, the House Armed Services Committee’s chairman’s mark for the NDAA, released on the same day, seeks to restore funding for the Air Force’s E-7 program, which is intended to replace the aging E-3 Sentry aircraft. However, recent statements from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth indicated concerns over the E-7’s rising costs and its survivability in potential confrontations with advanced adversaries like China.

The proposed budget for the E-7 in 2026 would reduce its funding to nearly $200 million, a significant drop from $850 million in 2024 and $607 million in 2025. Conversely, the House’s proposed NDAA would allocate an additional $600 million to continue the rapid prototyping phase of the E-7 program, bringing its total budget to nearly $800 million.

Moreover, the House would support the Air Force’s request for $387 million for the Lockheed Martin-made AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW), despite recent hesitations from the Air Force following several failed tests of the weapon in prior years.

Additionally, the Senate NDAA would require the Air Force to submit two comprehensive plans on accomplishing key missions moving forward: one focusing on its bomber force and another on the conduct of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations.

Stephen Losey reports on air warfare for Defense News, with previous experience covering leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, as well as special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has even traveled to the Middle East to report on U.S. Air Force operations.