Maryland Air National guard Loses Final A-10 Aircraft, Becomes โคfirst Guard unit Without Planes
The Maryland Air โฃNational GuardS 104th Fighter Squadron has been left without aircraft after the โfinal A-10 thunderboltโฃ IIs departed from Warfield Air Nationalโ Guard Base, marking a โขhistoric lowโค forโค the unit and making Maryland the only Air National Guard โstate without assigned fighterโฃ planes. The move, finalized despite significant opposition, โคeffectivelyโค grounds one of the nation’s oldest Air National Guard units.
The decision to โคretire the A-10s โstems from a broader Air Force modernization plan,โฃ but its impact โon Maryland is uniquely severe. โขThe 104th Fighter Squadron, tracing its roots back to 1947, will โคnow focus on retraining as a cyber warfare unit-a transition โmet with resistance from state lawmakers and concerns about maintaining โขMaryland’s defense โcapabilities. The loss also prompted a failed attempt to secure replacement F-16s throughโค a deal linkedโ to a proposedโฃ NFL stadium in Washington, D.C., as reported by Military.com on March 31, 2025.
The A-10’s โpopularity among maryland’s Air Guard personnel and the community fueled a โbitter contest against itsโ dissolution. The aircraft has been โaโฃ mainstay of the 175thโค Wing for decades, providing close air support to ground troops and serving as a visible symbol ofโ the โคstate’s โmilitary presence.
Maryland officials explored options to avert the aircraft loss, includingโค seeking new planes. A complex proposal emerged that would have seen the transfer of F-16s โin conjunction with the โdevelopment of a new NFL โฃstadium at the RFK stadium site in Washington, D.C. โThough,the Whiteโ House ultimatelyโ rejected โฃthisโฃ plan,according to reporting from Military.com.
The 175th Wing will now transition to a cyber warfareโค mission,a shiftโค reflecting the โAir Force’s evolving priorities. While cyber warfare is a critical โcomponent of modern defense,the loss of the 104th’s traditional flying mission represents a significant change for the Marylandโฃ Air National Guardโ andโข raises questions โabout the state’s future roleโ inโข national defense.