A-10 Warthogs Back in Action – Deployed Against Iranian Fleet

The United States deployed A-10 attack aircraft against Iranian ships and small boats in the Strait of Hormuz.

The War Zone reported on this.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan ‘Razin’ Caine, discussed the A-10’s role in the conflict with Iran during a Pentagon press briefing. While U.S. officials had previously confirmed that Warthog aircraft took part in the operation, their use against naval targets had not been revealed before.

A-10 aircraft had previously been spotted carrying out strikes against Iran-backed militias in Iraq. At the same time, the platform is nearing the end of its service life, with the U.S. Air Force planning to fully retire it by the end of the decade, if not sooner.

Caine also noted that AH-64 Apache attack helicopters are now operating in ways similar to the A-10, but he did not directly confirm their use against maritime targets. He did, however, emphasize that U.S. allies in the region are using their own AH-64s to destroy Iranian drones.

Iran has hundreds of high-speed boats, some of which are armed with short-range anti-ship missiles, as well as artillery rockets and other types of weapons.

Such platforms can also be used to lay naval mines, posing a threat to shipping in the region.

These targets are difficult for a ‘large’ navy to detect and intercept, whereas A-10 attack aircraft, thanks to their characteristics, particularly their heavy payload and long loiter time, can be effective in destroying them.

U.S. Central Command previously released photos showing these aircraft, involved in Operation Epic Fury, carrying a substantial weapons load, including 70 mm APKWS II guided rockets, AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missiles, and AIM-9M Sidewinder air-to-air missiles.

A-10 aircraft are also equipped with an internal 30 mm GAU-8/A Avenger cannon. The APKWS II, AGM-65, and GAU-8/A are all weapons that are effective against maritime targets, including small boats, as well as various threats on land.

In October 2025, it was reported that one of the U.S. A-10 attack aircraft had been spotted with markings indicating the destruction of drones similar to Shahed.

The fuselage of the aircraft, belonging to the 190th ‘Skull Bangers’ Fighter Squadron of the Idaho Air National Guard, was marked with two drone kill symbols. The exact location of the combat use is unknown, but it is quite possible that it took place as part of Operation Prosperity Guardian, aimed against the Houthis in the Red Sea.