True, but in this case there is a far larger issue with the budgets for all of the armed forces and their air forces being insufficient for their mission requirements. Even if the Air Force Chief of Staff could find a way to save about $5 billion without retiring any air squadrons and their aircraft, the future budget cuts are going to put the A-10 and/or one or more other aircraft fleets on the chopping block again during the next few years. I’m looking at an Obama proposed budget that shrinks future discretionary Defense spending by a third in the next ten years. See:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/budget/fy2016/assets/tables.pdf
If the USA political class was more concerned about defending our nation and borders literally and figuratively, instead of nation building and leaving footprints in every corner of the world, our military planners could create a coherent policy that would be effective and save us hundreds of billions a year.
The military - congressional- industrial - surveillance complex has grown dependent upon perpetual mission creep, just as the crony capitalists have grown dependent on government bailouts and handouts, and just as has a large segment of society.
We need a major change in our political leadership philosophy most of whom have grown highly dependent on handouts from interests that are mostly not in America’s interest.