A-10 Warthog cost: What is the price of the US Air Force jet as crash reported near Strait of Hormuz? | Hindustan Times
A-10 Thunderbolt II, also known as the “Warthog,” has come into focus after reports that one of the aircraft crashed near the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, around the same time an F-15E Strike Eagle was reportedly shot down over Iran.
An F-35 fighter jet flies over Evenes air base. (Representational) (REUTERS (Representational))
How much does the A-10 Warthog cost?
According to Military Machine, The A-10 Thunderbolt II costs about $18.8 million per aircraft. This makes it one of the more affordable combat aircraft in the US Air Force, especially given its role in close air support missions.
The cost has changed over time. In the 1970s, the original flyaway cost was about $9.8 million per aircraft. When adjusted for inflation, that comes to around $18.8 million today. The total program cost per aircraft was about $13 million in 1994 dollars, including development.
A total of 716 A-10s were built by Fairchild Republic between 1972 and 1984. As production continued, costs went down due to improved manufacturing.
The A-10 is known for its relatively low operating costs compared to newer fighter jets. It costs about $6,000 per flight hour or $17,716 if you count all expenses and the annual operating cost per aircraft is approximately $4.5 million.
Also Read: A-10 Warthog jet crash: Another US plane went down in Iran after F-15 crash; details emerge
Why the A-10 is considered cost-effective
Several factors help keep the A-10 affordable:
- It has a simple design focused on reliability and easy maintenance
- It’s twin TF34 engines are proven and relatively inexpensive to maintain
- The aircraft is built tough and to be rugged so it needs less maintenance over time.
- Many A-10s have been in use for over 40 years which spreads the cost over a long time.
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A-10 warthog crash near Strait of Hormuz
According to the reports of The New York Times, citing sources, an A-10 Thunderbolt II Warthog fighter jet crashed near the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, around the same time an Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down over Iran. The pilot of the A-10 was rescued safely. The incident comes as US officials have started a large search operation for one of the two crew members from the F-15 that went down in Iran.
