Hill Air Force Base awarded big contract to maintain A-10 Warthogs
UPDATED: NOVEMBER 25, 2020 AT 10:28 AM
FILE Capt. Joshua Geidel, a 74th Fighter Squadron A-10 pilot and 23rd Operations Support Squadron current operations commander, prepares for departure June 8, 2015, at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. Geidel landed at Little Rock AFB to refuel on his way back to Moody AFB, Ga. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Harry Brexel)
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah — Hill Air Force Base has been picked as the place to maintain the country’s A-10 aircraft fleet.
Hill Air Force Base lands a major A-10 contract
They’ve been awarded a contract from the Air Force to help repair and maintain the A-10 aircraft through November 2030. The price tag to make that happen is roughly $187.5 million dollars.
It comes following an 8-year project that just wrapped up last year, which saw workers at the Ogden Air Logistics Complex install 173 new wings on the fleet. The new wings are expected to last for up to 10,000 equivalent flight hours without an inspection.
That was part of a larger $1.1 billion dollar program that is aiming to keep the A-10’s flying into the late 2030’s. A-10 aircrafts are designed to help the Air Force perform airborne forward air control and close air support operations.
The Air Force has tried to retire the plane multiple times in the past decade, although to this point, Congress has repeatedly blocked all of the attempts.
Senators share praise
Senator Mitt Romney, R-Utah, says the announcement is welcome news for Utah, as it will play a major role in protecting national security.
“Hill Air Force Base plays a vital role in maintaining a fighting force to carry out our country’s national security strategy, supporting our country’s military readiness, and bolstering our capacity to deter foreign aggression,” Romney said in a statement. “With this funding, [they] will be better equipped to continue carrying out these objectives for many years to come.”
“The A-10 Warthog is an exceptional plane and in a league of its own when it comes to close air support for our troops on the ground,” he posted on Twitter.