{"id":39935,"date":"2025-09-24T20:59:07","date_gmt":"2025-09-24T20:59:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2025\/09\/24\/maryland-loses-last-a-10s-becomes-the-only-air-guard-without-planes\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T21:22:42","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T21:22:42","slug":"maryland-loses-last-a-10s-becomes-the-only-air-guard-without-planes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2025\/09\/24\/maryland-loses-last-a-10s-becomes-the-only-air-guard-without-planes\/","title":{"rendered":"Maryland loses last A-10s, becomes the only Air Guard without planes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The long-planned divestment of Maryland\u2019s A-10C Thunderbolt II warplanes this week left the state\u2019s Air National Guard as the only one in the U.S. without a flying mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the state\u2019s Army National Guard still retains Chinook, Lakota and Black Hawk helicopters for air missions, its Air National Guard no longer has aircraft, a representative of the Maryland National Guard Public Affairs Office confirmed to Military Times. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The removal of the last two A-10s, known as \u201cWarthogs,\u201d from the Maryland Air National Guard\u2019s 104th Fighter Squadron took place Tuesday at Martin State Airport. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToday, we honor over a century of airmen who raised their hands to wear the uniform, and pay tribute to an incredible aircraft that has helped to write our nation\u2019s history,\u201d Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, who attended the deactivation ceremony, said in a release<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The planes will be transferred to the Michigan Air National Guard. While the Air Force required the divestment to take place by Sept. 30, the Maryland guardsmen flying the aircraft are expected to complete the handover Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The divestment of the aircraft also saw the deactivation of the Air Guard\u2019s 175th Operations Group, the 175th Maintenance Group and all subordinate units. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hundreds of service members previously assigned to the 104th Fighter Squadron will be moved to cyber operations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The dissolution was controversial but long in the works and followed contentious debates about the viability of A-10 Warthogs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The aircraft, which debuted in the 1970s, was the service\u2019s first aircraft designed for the set purpose of providing close air support for ground troops. Equipped with a Gatling gun, it is regarded by the Air Force as obsolete<\/a> in the face of new aerial technology and munitions.<\/p>\n\n\n