The United States Air National Guard represents an important part of America’s airborne military operations, serving in both defense and support of the country and the individual states in which they are based. There are air guard units spread all across the U.S., with the ANG playing a major role in airlift transport and refueling operations, and responsible for the air defense of the entire country.
In the ever-evolving state of the American military structure, one of the ANG’s oldest flying units — the 104th Fighter Squadron of the 175th wing — serving the state of Maryland, has now ceased flying operations after losing the last two of its A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft as part of the U.S. Air Force’s divestment plan. The Air Force is currently in the midst of phasing out the A-10, with retirement currently planned for 2026, and the move has left the Maryland Air Guard as the only ANG unit without a flying mission.
The legendary A-10 Thunderbolt II Warthog is one of America’s most iconic warplanes of the post-war era. It’s a tough and deadly close air support aircraft that stands in stark contrast to the military’s sleeker, faster fighter aircraft, but it’s also one of the older planes in the U.S. Air Force.
Read more: 11 Of The Most Iconic Ground Attack Military Planes In History
The end of an era for the Air Force
Maryland Air National Guard A-10s flying in formation – Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
The Maryland Air National Guard is based at Warfield Air National Guard Base, which, like many ANG bases, is located on the premises of a civilian airport, the Martin State Airport in Middle River, Maryland. The history of the Maryland Air National Guard stretches back over a century to 1921, when it became the first post-WWI unit to get its own aircraft, the Curtiss JN-4 Jenny. The 175th began flying the brand new A-10 Thunderbolt II in 1970, and would continue flying the Warthog for the next 55 years, including during combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Despite its unmistakable silhouette and its deadly GAU-8 Gatling gun, the Warthog has grown increasingly obsolete under the conditions of both modern ground and air combat, and the A-10’s eventual retirement has seemed inevitable for some time. The Maryland Air National Guard began divesting its A-10s in the spring of 2025, with the last two aircraft leaving the Warfield base as part of a ceremony on September 23, 2025.
The Maryland Air Guard also had a unique connection with the A-10 as the planes were built at the Fairchild Republic factory in nearby Hagerstown, Maryland. One of the Maryland A-10s has also been fittingly given to its birthplace, where it will be displayed at the Hagerstown Aviation Museum.
What comes after the A-10?
Two Maryland Air National Guard A-10s flying in formation. – U.s. Air Force/Getty Images
Most of the other former Maryland ANG A-10s, like so many other planes retired by the Air Force, will end up stored and preserved at the famous Davis-Monthan boneyard in the Arizona desert. While there’s no direct replacement in the works for the Thunderbolt II, the aircraft’s combat role will instead be taken over by a variety of both manned and unmanned USAF aircraft. As for the Maryland Air Guard, even though it lacks a flying aircraft, the unit will continue to operate, shifting its focus to cyber operations.
At one point, there was a possible plan to keep the Maryland Air National Guard flying by acquiring F-16 fighters from the nearby District of Columbia National Guard, but that plan was ultimately given a no-go by the White House. Unless something changes, the flying mission of the Maryland Air National Guard is over for now, soon to share the history books alongside the legendary A-10 Warthog itself.
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