JEFFERSON CITY — Knowing the importance of one of the most effective and reliable aircraft that continues to support current operations in conflicts, this session I have filed Senate Concurrent Resolution 21. This week in the Rules, Joint Rules, Resolutions and Ethics Committee, testimony was heard on SCR 21, regarding the continuation of the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft fleet at the Whiteman Air Force Base and several other bases around the country.

Testifying in support of keeping the A-10 were retired Col. Mark Ronco, former commander of the 442nd Fighter Wing and an A-10 pilot, and Keith Crumley, president of the Whiteman Area Leadership Committee. They spoke of the positive attributes of keeping the A-10 weapons system in use, from recommendations from military personnel to the fact that the A-10 heavily impacts the area’s economics.

Also known as the Warthog, the A-10 Thunderbolt II is a twin-engine aircraft that for 40 years has provided close-air support of ground forces. That support is critical when servicemen and women are dependent on defense operations that need to maneuver through terrain at low air speeds and altitude.

Discontinuing the fleet of A-10s at Whiteman and other bases would place our military in harm’s way, by removing the weaponry that can fly in to clear opposition forces while protecting our ground troops. We should never put our troops in jeopardy when they risk their lives to defend our rights and freedoms. 

The 442nd Fighter Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base currently maintains and supports this aircraft fleet at the highest level of combat readiness. The dedicated men and women of the Air Reserve wing know this aircraft inside and out, and stand by the fleet’s rich history of defending our country and its allies in World War II, the Cold War, and Operation Desert Storm, among others. 

The 442nd Fighter Wing is also the largest unit, following the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber unit, at the base, including 1,100 personnel who have a tremendous economic impact to our local economy. The A-10 supports a nearly $40 million annual payroll at the base. Much of the money attributed to the fleet is spent in surrounding communities. However, since it is a reserve unit, the local impact is a regional one. The loss of this fleet could have a dramatically negative effect on home values, the service industry, and small businesses throughout our communities.

It’s been reported that the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft fleet will continue flying out of Whiteman Air Force Base through 2014, but we must work to see this vital military line of defense continue, making history and protect our service men and women in future conflicts. Nearly 30 members of Congress have already signed on in support of maintaining this important fleet, including Sens. Blunt and McCaskill and Reps. Hartzler and Cleaver.

The A-10 is a fixture of not only Whiteman Air Force Base, but its surrounding communities. I look forward to this resolution moving out of the Rules Committee and on to the full Senate so we can discuss how to protect this dynamic operation and avoid the negative trickle-down effects elimination or reduction of this fleet would have on our local economy and the people whose lives depend on this weapons system.

Senator David Pearce (left) appearing before the Senate Rules Committee with
retired Col. Mark Ronco, who said, regarding the A-10, “It is the premier close-air
weapons platform. Its use has saved hundreds of lives in the past few years.”