McCain praises White House plan to keep A-10 air fleet alive

U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, responded in a statement on Wednesday to reports that the Obama administration plans to delay the premature retirement of the A-10 air fleet in its fiscal year 2017 budget request.

“I welcome reports that the Air Force has decided to keep the A-10 aircraft flying through fiscal year 2017, ensuring our troops have the vital close-air support they need for missions around the world," McCain said. "Today, the A-10 fleet is playing an indispensable role in the fight against ISIL in Iraq and assisting NATO’s efforts to deter Russian aggression in Eastern Europe. With growing global chaos and turmoil on the rise, we simply cannot afford to prematurely retire the best close air support weapon in our arsenal without fielding a proper replacement. I’m particularly proud of the important contributions our A-10 pilots from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson continue to make to our national security. When the Obama administration submits its 2017 budget request in the coming weeks, I hope it will follow through on its plan to keep the A-10 flying so that it can continue to protect American troops, many still serving in harm’s way.”