An Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II operates at Wonju Air Base, South Korea, Jan. 21, 2025. (South Korean air force)
OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea — Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs in South Korea are making their final flights this week during an annual joint exercise before the sturdy ground attack aircraft are retired.
The four-day Buddy Squadron exercise kicked off Tuesday with eight A-10s from the 51st Fighter Wing out of Osan, about 35 miles south of Seoul, wing spokesman Maj. Kippun Sumner said by phone Thursday.
An unspecified number of FA-50 Fighting Eagles and KA-1 light-attack aircraft from the South Korean 8th Fighter Wing are also participating in the drills, according to a South Korean air force news release Wednesday.
Pilots will conduct combat patrol missions together “to ensure joint operational capabilities” in South Korean airspace, the release said.
A South Korean air force KA-1 light-attack aircraft takes off from Wonju Air Base, South Korea, Jan. 21, 2025. (South Korean air force)
All 24 A-10s stationed in South Korea are scheduled to be retired this year as part of an Air Force effort to modernize its fleet.
The aircraft will be moved in phases to the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., where they will undergo maintenance and display preparations, the 7th Air Force announced in November.
No replacement is imminent and existing U.S. aircraft on the Korean Peninsula, including F-35A Lightning IIs and F-16 Fighting Falcons, can fill the A-10’s role, the 7th Air Force said at the time.
There is no specific date for the A-10s final flight in South Korea, Sumner said.
The A-10, also known as the Warthog for its distinctive appearance and durability, is a single-seat aircraft primarily used for close air support missions. Originally developed by Fairchild Republic, it has served the Air Force since 1975 and participated in the Gulf War, Iraq War, the war in Afghanistan, and the war against the Islamic State in Syria.
Buddy Squadron has been conducted annually since 1991 and is one of several aerial exercises regularly held by the two air forces in and around South Korea. Others include Korea Flying Training and the Vigilant Defense drills held in the second half of the year.
