Air Force plans aircraft changes for Arizona, Nevada bases

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A-10C Thunderbolt II (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Eugene Oliver)

LAS VEGAS - The Air Force wants to free up space for more fighter aircraft at Nellis Air Force Base in metro Las Vegas by transferring attack and rescue aircraft to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona.

Under realignment plans announced on June 30 with an Air Force budget request, units operating A-10 Thunderbolt II attack jets and HH-60 Pave Hawk rescue helicopters would be transferred to Davis-Monthan.

The transfers from Nellis are intended to allow the Air Force to assign F-35A Lightning II and F-22 Raptor fighters to the Nevada base for testing and training while locating more rescue units together at Davis-Monthan, according to Air Force statements.

The first phase of the proposed plan is contingent on congressional approval of retirement of 42 A-10s, including 35 at Davis-Monthan, an Air Force statement said.

The Air Force said it will conduct a required environmental analysis before the moves are made and that it plans to modernize 218 of its current fleet of 281-combat-capable A-10s.

The Air Force in 2019 awarded a contract for the purchase of new wings for 218 A-10s. With avionic modernizations, the aircraft will be able to fly well into the 2030s, the Air Force said.