A-10 Warthog Gets Weird New Gig: Hunting Killer Drones Over US Nuclear Bases

The aging A-10 "Warthog" attack jet is being given a bizarre new mission: guarding US military bases from cheap drone swarms, a move that highlights how the Pentagon is scrambling to patch a massive vulnerability with Cold War relics.

Most American bases, especially those inside the United States, have zero dedicated air defenses. They were built to stop ballistic missiles using expensive, high-tech systems. But the threat has shifted. Now, low-flying, cheap drones can easily evade those defenses, creating a critical security gap [111656].

The proposed solution is to put the A-10—a heavily armored jet famous for its massive 30mm cannon—back on patrol. The idea is to have it fly over sensitive sites like nuclear bases, using its cannons, missiles, and advanced sensors to hunt and destroy drone swarms [111656]. The plan effectively repurposes a Cold War-era aircraft for a modern problem, offering what the military hopes is a cost-effective fix.

This comes as the Pentagon aggressively defends its commanders' legal authority to strike, even when things go wrong. Secretary of Defense John Hegseth recently defended a naval strike where forces hit the same boat twice, citing the "fog of war" to justify the decision [17273]. The Pentagon also backed a commander's call for strikes in Venezuela, insisting the actions were approved by lawyers throughout the chain of command [17258].

Meanwhile, the political fight over who gets to start these wars is heating up. Senate Republicans are moving to block a Democratic effort to repeal the 2001 war powers resolution used to justify the Venezuela operation. They are using a rare procedural tactic to shield former President Donald Trump's military authority, arguing the repeal would weaken presidential power against ongoing threats [50051].