U.S. President Trump Announces Replacement of A-10 Attack Aircraft with F-15EX Fighters for Michigan’s 127th Wing
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On April 29, 2025, U.S. President Donald J. Trump announced a decisive mission reassignment for the 127th Wing of the Michigan Air National Guard, based at Selfridge Air National Guard Base. The unit will transition from operating the legacy A-10C Thunderbolt II to the cutting-edge Boeing F-15EX Eagle II, marking a substantial evolution in the unit’s air combat role and capabilities. This strategic move underlines the U.S. Department of Defense’s continued modernization of its tactical airpower to address high-threat, near-peer adversaries.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
U.S. President Donald J. Trump addresses Airmen at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan, on April 29, 2025, announcing that the 127th Wing will receive 21 F-15EX Eagle II multirole fighter jets to replace the aging A-10 fleet. (Picture source: U.S. DoD)
The 127th Wing of the Michigan Air National Guard, headquartered at Selfridge, is a premier unit with a proud legacy of service dating back to World War I. Comprising the 107th Fighter Squadron and the 171st Air Refueling Squadron, the wing is a composite unit equipped for diverse missions, including close air support, air-to-air combat, and aerial refueling. Over the years, the 127th Wing has operated a variety of aircraft—from F-84 Thunderjets and F-100 Super Sabres to the A-7 Corsair II and the A-10C Thunderbolt II—demonstrating its adaptability and operational excellence. The wing routinely participates in domestic operations, homeland defense, and overseas deployments, reflecting its strategic importance to both state and national security objectives. Its transition to the F-15EX Eagle II will further elevate its capabilities, ensuring the unit remains a vital component of the Air National Guard’s contribution to national defense.
For decades, the A-10 Thunderbolt II has stood as an icon of American close air support (CAS). Nicknamed the “Warthog,” the A-10 was purpose-built around its massive GAU-8/A Avenger 30mm rotary cannon, capable of firing 3,900 rounds per minute to destroy tanks, armored vehicles, and fortifications. Designed with survivability in mind, it features titanium armor (“bathtub” cockpit protection), redundant flight systems, and can fly with one engine, half a tail, or one wing damaged. With a top speed of around 420 knots and a combat radius of over 250 nautical miles, the A-10 excels in low and slow combat missions, providing persistent overwatch to troops on the ground.
However, despite its effectiveness in asymmetric warfare, the A-10’s operational limits are increasingly evident in modern, contested environments. The platform lacks stealth, advanced sensors, and survivability against high-end threats such as mobile surface-to-air missile systems and advanced fighter aircraft. As the U.S. shifts its defense priorities to counter threats posed by adversaries like China and Russia, the emphasis has moved to multi-role aircraft capable of operating in denied airspace with speed, sensor fusion, and adaptability.
Enter the F-15EX Eagle II—America’s most advanced fourth-generation fighter, enhanced with fifth-generation systems. Based on the battle-proven F-15 airframe but incorporating revolutionary avionics, mission systems, and weapon integration, the F-15EX is designed for speed, payload, and open-systems adaptability. Powered by two Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 engines, the aircraft can reach Mach 2.5 and features a service ceiling above 65,000 feet. It can carry over 29,000 pounds of ordnance, including air-to-air missiles like AIM-120 AMRAAMs and AIM-9X Sidewinders, as well as long-range air-to-ground standoff weapons such as the AGM-158 JASSM.
The Eagle II’s backbone is its digital architecture. The inclusion of the AN/APG-82(V)1 AESA radar offers unprecedented detection, tracking, and targeting capabilities. Combined with the Eagle Passive/Active Warning Survivability System (EPAWSS), the aircraft can detect, identify, and jam enemy radar and missiles, increasing survivability in contested airspace. Its large weapon capacity and high sortie rate make it ideal not only for air superiority but also as a stand-off strike platform, potentially capable of deploying hypersonic missiles like the AGM-183 ARRW in the future.
President Trump’s decision to base the F-15EX at Selfridge reflects a renewed commitment to ensuring that Air National Guard units are fully integrated into the U.S. Air Force’s front-line force structure. The transition also signals confidence in the 127th Wing’s readiness to absorb such a sophisticated platform, thanks to its highly trained personnel and proven record of operational excellence.
The scheduled delivery of 21 F-15EXs to the Michigan National Guard beginning in fiscal year 2028 will be accompanied by comprehensive infrastructure upgrades and retraining programs for both pilots and ground crews. The 127th Wing’s future operational role is expected to expand beyond close air support to include air superiority, offensive counter-air, and deep interdiction missions.
This announcement also ensures Selfridge Air National Guard Base’s continued relevance in the 21st-century battlespace. The base, which contributes approximately $850 million annually to the Michigan economy, will benefit from expanded logistics and training investments tied to the Eagle II program. Furthermore, the planned deployment of KC-46A Pegasus aerial refueling aircraft at Selfridge will reinforce its strategic position as a multi-role, force-projection hub.
Ultimately, the transition from the A-10 to the F-15EX at Selfridge represents more than just a platform upgrade—it embodies a doctrinal shift. It underscores the Air Force’s pivot from legacy aircraft suited to irregular warfare toward versatile, high-end warfighting systems capable of dominating in peer-level conflict. With this transformation, the 127th Wing will not only maintain its operational relevance but emerge as a cutting-edge component of U.S. air superiority well into the 2040s and beyond.
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On April 29, 2025, U.S. President Donald J. Trump announced a decisive mission reassignment for the 127th Wing of the Michigan Air National Guard, based at Selfridge Air National Guard Base. The unit will transition from operating the legacy A-10C Thunderbolt II to the cutting-edge Boeing F-15EX Eagle II, marking a substantial evolution in the unit’s air combat role and capabilities. This strategic move underlines the U.S. Department of Defense’s continued modernization of its tactical airpower to address high-threat, near-peer adversaries.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
U.S. President Donald J. Trump addresses Airmen at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan, on April 29, 2025, announcing that the 127th Wing will receive 21 F-15EX Eagle II multirole fighter jets to replace the aging A-10 fleet. (Picture source: U.S. DoD)
The 127th Wing of the Michigan Air National Guard, headquartered at Selfridge, is a premier unit with a proud legacy of service dating back to World War I. Comprising the 107th Fighter Squadron and the 171st Air Refueling Squadron, the wing is a composite unit equipped for diverse missions, including close air support, air-to-air combat, and aerial refueling. Over the years, the 127th Wing has operated a variety of aircraft—from F-84 Thunderjets and F-100 Super Sabres to the A-7 Corsair II and the A-10C Thunderbolt II—demonstrating its adaptability and operational excellence. The wing routinely participates in domestic operations, homeland defense, and overseas deployments, reflecting its strategic importance to both state and national security objectives. Its transition to the F-15EX Eagle II will further elevate its capabilities, ensuring the unit remains a vital component of the Air National Guard’s contribution to national defense.
For decades, the A-10 Thunderbolt II has stood as an icon of American close air support (CAS). Nicknamed the “Warthog,” the A-10 was purpose-built around its massive GAU-8/A Avenger 30mm rotary cannon, capable of firing 3,900 rounds per minute to destroy tanks, armored vehicles, and fortifications. Designed with survivability in mind, it features titanium armor (“bathtub” cockpit protection), redundant flight systems, and can fly with one engine, half a tail, or one wing damaged. With a top speed of around 420 knots and a combat radius of over 250 nautical miles, the A-10 excels in low and slow combat missions, providing persistent overwatch to troops on the ground.
However, despite its effectiveness in asymmetric warfare, the A-10’s operational limits are increasingly evident in modern, contested environments. The platform lacks stealth, advanced sensors, and survivability against high-end threats such as mobile surface-to-air missile systems and advanced fighter aircraft. As the U.S. shifts its defense priorities to counter threats posed by adversaries like China and Russia, the emphasis has moved to multi-role aircraft capable of operating in denied airspace with speed, sensor fusion, and adaptability.
Enter the F-15EX Eagle II—America’s most advanced fourth-generation fighter, enhanced with fifth-generation systems. Based on the battle-proven F-15 airframe but incorporating revolutionary avionics, mission systems, and weapon integration, the F-15EX is designed for speed, payload, and open-systems adaptability. Powered by two Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 engines, the aircraft can reach Mach 2.5 and features a service ceiling above 65,000 feet. It can carry over 29,000 pounds of ordnance, including air-to-air missiles like AIM-120 AMRAAMs and AIM-9X Sidewinders, as well as long-range air-to-ground standoff weapons such as the AGM-158 JASSM.
The Eagle II’s backbone is its digital architecture. The inclusion of the AN/APG-82(V)1 AESA radar offers unprecedented detection, tracking, and targeting capabilities. Combined with the Eagle Passive/Active Warning Survivability System (EPAWSS), the aircraft can detect, identify, and jam enemy radar and missiles, increasing survivability in contested airspace. Its large weapon capacity and high sortie rate make it ideal not only for air superiority but also as a stand-off strike platform, potentially capable of deploying hypersonic missiles like the AGM-183 ARRW in the future.
President Trump’s decision to base the F-15EX at Selfridge reflects a renewed commitment to ensuring that Air National Guard units are fully integrated into the U.S. Air Force’s front-line force structure. The transition also signals confidence in the 127th Wing’s readiness to absorb such a sophisticated platform, thanks to its highly trained personnel and proven record of operational excellence.
The scheduled delivery of 21 F-15EXs to the Michigan National Guard beginning in fiscal year 2028 will be accompanied by comprehensive infrastructure upgrades and retraining programs for both pilots and ground crews. The 127th Wing’s future operational role is expected to expand beyond close air support to include air superiority, offensive counter-air, and deep interdiction missions.
This announcement also ensures Selfridge Air National Guard Base’s continued relevance in the 21st-century battlespace. The base, which contributes approximately $850 million annually to the Michigan economy, will benefit from expanded logistics and training investments tied to the Eagle II program. Furthermore, the planned deployment of KC-46A Pegasus aerial refueling aircraft at Selfridge will reinforce its strategic position as a multi-role, force-projection hub.
Ultimately, the transition from the A-10 to the F-15EX at Selfridge represents more than just a platform upgrade—it embodies a doctrinal shift. It underscores the Air Force’s pivot from legacy aircraft suited to irregular warfare toward versatile, high-end warfighting systems capable of dominating in peer-level conflict. With this transformation, the 127th Wing will not only maintain its operational relevance but emerge as a cutting-edge component of U.S. air superiority well into the 2040s and beyond.
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