Watch the A-10’s Possible Replacements Fly From a Dirt Airstrip
The future replacement for the A-10 Warthog won’t just need firepower—it’ll need to get dirty. In New Mexico, the U.S. Air Force recently tested two contenders for its light attack program, the A-29 Super Tucano and the AT-6 Wolverine, on rough dirt airstrips to ensure they can operate in the kinds of austere environments future wars will demand. The trials took place at Melrose Air Force Range, part of Cannon AFB, and underscored a simple truth: tomorrow’s conflicts may be fought far from polished runways.
This gritty testing stands in stark contrast to the Air Force’s usual image of stealth jets and high-tech hangars. In many parts of the world, light attack aircraft may have to fly from little more than a dirt strip, supported by temporary shelters and improvised munitions bunkers. These are the conditions where a rugged, low-cost close air support platform—not a fifth-generation fighter—will prove its worth.
The OA-X program, which evaluated the A-29, AT-6, Textron Scorpion, and Air Tractor AT-802U, is designed to identify an aircraft that can replace the A-10 in low-threat conflicts, like those against ISIS or the Taliban. While the F-35 will handle high-end fights against peer adversaries, the OA-X aircraft are intended for the dirty, dusty, close-in support missions where simplicity and persistence matter more than stealth.
The competition officially wrapped in August 2017, with data from the trials guiding future procurement of up to 300 aircraft. By proving they can take off and land from unprepared strips, the A-29 and AT-6 demonstrated exactly why light attack aircraft remain relevant: wars aren’t always fought from pristine airbases—and the U.S. needs aircraft ready to fight wherever the fight goes.