We already own the A-10 Warthogs, they're paid for and on-board. Why decommission them? Can it be that Air Force pilots don't like flying the ugly, unsexy beasts? See this Medium article for more on the A-10.
They are a perfect platform for use in an area where air superiority is a given. We can cannibalize existing planes for replacement parts and keep them flying for decades, if necessary, like the B-52s.
