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According to The New York Times, an A-10 Thunderbolt II involved in Operation Epic Fury crashed in the Persian Gulf on Apr. 3, 2026.
The A-10 went down near the Strait of Hormuz at around the same time that an F-15E was shot down over Iran.
The pilot from the A-10 was safely rescued. The US officials do not provide further details on how the plane crashed.
As reported earlier today, A-10 Warthogs are performing the Sandy role for the ongoing CSAR mission aimed at finding the other crew member of the downed F-15E, the USAF A-10 attack aircraft have been used to strike Iranian naval vessels during Operation Epic Fury.
More A-10s will likely join Operation Epic Fury. On Mar. 30, 2026, in fact 12 Warthogs (as the A-10 is dubbed by her aircrews) were spotted landing at RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk, UK.
The A-10s arrived in pairs of 6 with one arriving just after sunset and the other much later into the evening.
TABOR71-76, the first cell of six, arrived after sunset. The following six arrived approximately half an hour later.
Another contingent was expected to arrive in the night of Mar. 31 amid speculation they were heading towards the Middle East to participate in Operation Epic Fury over Iran.
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Mar. 19 that the US Air Force (USAF) A-10 Thunderbolt II close air support (CAS) aircraft are now engaged in maritime interdiction operations along the southern flank of Operation Epic Fury, targeting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fast-attack watercraft in the Strait of Hormuz.
“The A-10 Warthog is now engaged across the southern flank, targeting fast-attack watercraft in the Strait of Hormuz,” USAF Gen. Dan Caine said during a Pentagon briefing on the operation.
The Warthog role in Operation Epic Fury saw an expansion with this announcement. On Mar. 15, US Central Command (CENTCOM) released imagery of A-10C Thunderbolt IIs receiving fuel in flight while supporting the operation, the first official visuals of the aircraft in the campaign.
“The A-10 Thunderbolt II can loiter for hours, standing by and ready to execute a mission whenever needed,” CENTCOM said in the accompanying post on X.
Additionally, the A-10 is supporting Operation Epic Fury by conducting strafing runs over Iranian-backed PMF (Popular Mobilization Forces) positions at Mosul.
Noteworthy, the Congress has moved to save the mighty Warthog from the USAF divestment efforts. In fact, the service’s plan to retire the remaining fleet has been blocked by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 that mandated a minimum inventory of 103 A-10s through Sep. 30, 2026, and requiring detailed transition planning.
Photo credit: U.S. Air Force
Dario Leone: All articles
