MIDDLE RIVER, Md. — It's the end of an era for the Maryland Air National Guard and their treasured A-10 Warthog planes.
Last week the 104th Fighter Squadron gave up their first A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft that had long been stationed out of the 175th wing at Warfield Air National Guard Base at Martin State Airport.
The move comes more than a year after the U.S. Air Force ordered Warfield to transition from flying missions to only offensive and defensive cyber operations.
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“The Maryland Air National Guard has proudly flown the A-10 for decades, answering our nation’s call and serving with distinction at home and abroad," said Maryland Army National Guard Maj. Gen. Janeen L. Birckhead, the adjutant general of Maryland. "While this divestment is part of an Air Force-wide modernization effort, we remain fully committed to fighting for a future flying mission in Maryland. Our Airmen deserve the opportunity to continue demonstrating their world-class skill in the air as well as in cyberspace."
It's expected the remaining Maryland Air National Guard A-10s will be divested by September 2025.
After completing nine combat deployments over the last two decades, Maryland will become the only state without a flying mission.
"The 175th Wing has proven time and again that we are capable of adapting, leading, and excelling in every mission we’re given," said Maryland Air National Guard Brig. Gen. Drew E. Dougherty, assistant adjutant general for Air. "But our Airmen — and the state of Maryland — should not be left as the only state without a flying mission. It’s more than tradition; it’s a critical component of our national security."
Once fully divested from Maryland, the A-10s will head to what's known as "the boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona, where retired aircraft are maintained and stored before the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group preps them for display.
