The US House of Representatives has blocked the retirement of the air force’s A-10 Thunderbolt II close-combat support aircraft fleet and Boeing KC-10 Extender refuelling tanker.
The House voted against the retirement as part of the $570bn defence appropriations bill that was passed with a vote of 340-73.
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The US Air Force had proposed to retire the A-10 fleet by 2019 to save an estimated $4bn; the proposal was approved by the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee last week.
The original budget proposal by the White House recommended the retirement of A-10, Lockheed Martin U-2 and the Bell Helicopter OH-58D; the first two have been voted to be retained while the Bell helicopter will be retired, reported Flight Global.
The defence bill allocated $491bn for core military spending and $79.4bn for overseas.
The House has approved $5.8bn for 38 F-35 aircraft, $975m to purchase 12 EA-18G Growlers for Navy, and $1.6bn for seven KC-46A tankers, reported Defense News.
The bill has now moved to the Senate, which is likely to vote in July.
