Entertainment
US air force’s A-10 Warthog jet spared retirement even after reported loss in Iran war
- Extension preserves combat power, says USAF secretary.
- Arizona Sen Mark Kelly has fought to avert A-10’s retirement.
- USAF warns A-10s strain resources for maintaining newer ones.
The US Air Force has extended the service life of its A-10 “Warthog” attack aircraft until 2030, even as the ageing platform remains tied to recent combat operations in the Strait of Hormuz, where one aircraft was lost in disputed circumstances during heightened tensions with Iran.
Air Force Secretary Troy Meink announced the extension, saying it will preserve combat capability while the defence industrial base ramps up production of newer aircraft.
The decision comes against the backdrop of an earlier A-10 loss in the region, which Iranian authorities claimed was a shootdown, while US accounts described it as a crash with the cause still under investigation.
“We will EXTEND the A-10 ‘Warthog’ platform to 2030,” Air Force Secretary Troy Meink posted on social media, adding the move “preserves combat power as the Defence Industrial Base works to increase combat aircraft production.”
The development is the latest chapter in a long-running battle over the fate of the plane, which first flew in 1976 and has been on the Pentagon’s chopping block for more than two decades.
The A-10 has been used in the current conflict with Iran, according to US Central Command. Its powerful nose-mounted guns have been used against Iranian ships in the Strait of Hormuz, according to reports.
Some in the Air Force have long argued that the Warthog is too old, too slow and too expensive to maintain, and that retiring it would free up money for modernisation priorities like development of hypersonic weapons.
Critics have warned that cutting the fleet without a suitable replacement would leave ground troops without adequate air support.
But the A-10 has proven almost impossible to kill, in large part because of its political staying power. The largest concentration of the fleet is based at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona, contributing to the local economy.
The Air Force ranks among the region’s top employers. Arizona is a battleground state that has become increasingly influential in deciding US presidential races.
In 2021, Arizona Sen Mark Kelly successfully pushed back against a Biden administration proposal to retire dozens of the planes, securing language in defence legislation that blocked any retirements.
Kelly argued the planes should not be cut without a suitable replacement to carry out the close air support mission.
Air Force officials have also warned that keeping the full fleet strains the supply of mechanics needed to service newer aircraft.
The latest extension suggests those concerns have, for now, again taken a back seat to preserving combat capacity.
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) raised its benchmark policy rate by 100 basis points (bps) to 11.5% on Monday, opting for cautious tightening as oil price volatility and renewed inflation risks clouded the economic outlook.
The move came as the Monetary Policy Committee faced a finely balanced decision. A Reuters poll had shown that six of 10 analysts expected the central bank to keep the rate unchanged at 10.5%, while three forecast a 50-basis-point hike and one expected a larger 100-basis-point increase.
Pakistan’s CPI inflation quickened to 7.3% year-on-year in March from 7% in February, breaching the SBP’s 5%–7% target range. Some analysts warned that inflation could move towards double digits in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year if external pressures persisted.
Oil prices have remained volatile due to the Iran-US conflict, keeping global markets on edge and raising concerns over Pakistan’s import bill.
The SBP has cut rates by a cumulative 1,150 basis points since June 2024, when they peaked at a record 22%, and last reduced the rate by 50 basis points in January.
Prince Harry, who lives in Montecito with his wife Meghan Markle and their two children Archie and Lilibet, is said to be taking all measures to protect his children from an unseen threat.
The Duke of Sussex, 41, still can’t rescue himself from the shadow of a formidable incident that took her mother Princess Diana’s life, leaving him with a life-long trauma.
King Charles’ estranged son has spoken candidly about the enduring pain of his mother’s passing at her prime age. she was just 36.
Now, Harry’s deepest concern is that his and Meghan’s children could one day be drawn into the same celebrity spotlight that preceded Princess Diana’s fatal crash in paris in 1997.
Prince William’s younger brother Harry made the remarks during a public discussion on fatherhood at a Movember charity event in Melbourne, Australia.
Speaking on stage about the period before the birth of his son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, now six, in 2019, and daughter Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor, four, in 2021, Harry revealed undergoing therapy to address unresolved grief stemming from Diana’s tragic death.
Undoubtedly, Harry’s deep-rooted fear about his own past adds to his worries about his kids.
He’s taking all measures to secure their children from any untoward situation as the spotlight that surrounded Diana is something he has never escaped.
He does not want to live in the fear that his children could also face similar pressures as for Harry, the memory of his mother’s crash isn’t just history. It’s a constant warning.
His biggest fear is that if his children are pulled too far into the celebrity world, they could be exposed to the same dangers that led to his mother’s death, one insider told Radar.
A WNBA star is setting the record straight about her rumoured involvement in Megan Thee Stallion and Klay Thompson’s breakup.
Seattle Storm Guard Lexie Brown has shut down rumours that she was the woman with whom Thompson allegedly cheated on the Grammy-winning rapper.
“I’ve seen what’s being said online, and I want to be clear, none of it is true, and I have no involvement in this situation,” Brown, 31, wrote on her Instagram Stories on Sunday, April 26.
The basketball pro added, “This week marks the start of an important and exciting new season for me, and my focus is fully on that.”
Brown’s clarification came amid a viral claim that she had a part to play in the shocking break-up, which came to light over the weekend.
On Saturday, April 25, Megan Thee Stallion — real name Megan Jovon Ruth Pete — announced that she broke up with the NBA star due to his alleged unfaithfulness and inability to commit to her despite being together for almost a year.
“Cheating, had me around your whole family playing house… got ‘cold feet,’” Megan wrote on her Instagram Stories. “Holding you down through all your HORRIBLE mood swings and treatment towards me during your basketball season now you don’t know if you can be ‘monogamous’????” added Megan.
Shortly afterwards, X user @Areyoudvmb alleged that Brown has been “posting on her close friends messages between Klay and her that Klay was telling her his and Megan’s relationship is just for social media.”
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