US Air Force Sends 45-Year-Old Plane to Rescue Friend, Both Fail Gracefully
KEY POINTS
- •A US Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II was shot down over Iran during a mission to rescue F-15 crew members.
- •The pilot safely ejected over friendly territory and emerged unharmed from the incident.
- •The A-10, nicknamed Warthog, has been in service since 1977 and was being considered obsolete by the Air Force.
In a plot twist worthy of a B-movie, a US Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II—aka the 'Warthog,' a 1977 relic the Air Force is desperate to retire—was shot down over Iran while attempting a heroic rescue of crew from a downed F-15 Strike Eagle. The pilot, apparently aware that ejecting is the safest option and terribly used to this chaos, landed safely in friendly territory, unharmed. Officials confirmed the firefight included Iran’s decisive response to this airborne episode, turning the would-be rescue mission into an unplanned retirement party for the aged warplane. No word yet if the Warthog got a farewell toast or just a smoky exit.
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(1 of 3)An Air Force relic from 1977 crashes a rescue mission in Iran, proving once again some vintage tech is just better retired than redeployed.
Sending a plane older than some millennials for a rescue shoutout in Iran is peak military thrift shop vibes.
The Warthog finally retired by dramatic ignition—because nothing says farewell like an international fireworks show.
Source: Businessinsider | Published: 4/7/2026 | Author: Graham Flanagan
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