
The U.S. House of Representatives late June 26 passed an amendment to the fiscal year 2019 defense appropriations bill aimed at speeding up the installation of new wings on the Air Force’s aging A-10 Thunderbolt II close-air-support aircraft.The amendment, offered by Rep. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.) and approved by voice vote, adds $65 million to the Air Force’s budget request to buy more A-10 wings. While the request would re-wing eight to 12 planes, McSally, a former A-10 pilot, asserted that a faster…