End of the Warthog?
 

Likely so. The AF has been trying to get rid of it for years. It does not "fit" the AF's idea of what it wants to do, and so forth.
Had it not been for the Key West agreement, the Army would have been happily flying them.

I have read that this was coming awhile ago. But I have always been curious why the USMC never aquired this plane too? It just always seemed to me like the perfect plane for them. Airshows won't be the same.

Now and in future conflicts we will wish we had MORE Warthogs, not less or none at all. You can't do close ground support at 400 MPH and F-16 and 15's simply are not as nimble as the A-10 in close quarters.

Kill the Osprey instead, While a technological marvel, its too expensive to make, too complicated to be maintained with the quick turnaround that would be required during a major conflict, and so lightly armed that it has to be escorted by conventional helicopter gunships into a hot LZ. The extra speed it is supposed to use is negated because it cant fly ahead of its armed support. I get the opportunity to see Ospreys almost daily flying over the woods, fields and swamps here in eastern NC. Although I marvel at the technology the aircraft possesses (it is very cool to see it go from forward flight to hover) I think to myself that would it not make more sense to build 4, 5, or 6 armed to the teeth troop carrying CH-53 helis for the same Money?

Or maybe 2 or more A-10's to keep the fear of God in our enemies so they might think twice before engaging our guys and gals on the ground. Enemy troops are scared of the A-10. An Osprey is just target practice for a portable SAM

*** My apologies to any Osprey drivers/crews that might read this. You operators are the best in the world, I just question the bean counters that try to run the military from a spread sheet.***

Be safe,
Zonk