Warthog Flies Rainbow Warrior Marilyn Monroe Art

U.S. Central Command released photos of an A-10C Thunderbolt II bearing the 'Rainbow Warrior' identity and Marilyn Monroe door art over the Middle East.

Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Military

A gray A-10 Thunderbolt II jet parked on an open concrete apron under flat daylight, seen from a low three-quarter angle. — The U.S. Air Force said the A-10 Thunderbolt II will remain in operational service through 2030, despite earlier plans to retire the fleet, after recent airstrikes against Islamic State. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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U.S. Central Command shared images of an A-10C Thunderbolt II carrying the 'Rainbow Warrior' identity, with the photographs taken on Oct. 8 and posted to the Defense Visual Information Distribution System. The interior hatch door art features the face of Marilyn Monroe.

Why it matters

The Air Force Secretary said the A-10 will remain in operational service through 2030, despite earlier plans to retire the fleet completely. The aircraft's continued use reflects its recent combat role, including airstrikes against Islamic State and a search and rescue mission inside Iran.

The photographs were taken Oct. 8 and posted to the Defense Visual Information Distribution System, the military's primary image hosting platform. The exact location of the tarmac remains undisclosed, within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.

The players

U.S. Central Command

The U.S. military's regional combatant command responsible for operations across the Middle East, which shared the images of the aircraft.

Marilyn Monroe

The Hollywood actress whose face appears on the A-10's interior door art, recalling her World War II work assembling OQ-2 radioplanes in an aircraft factory.

The details

The images show the A-10 being guided across the tarmac, with the Marilyn Monroe art painted inside the hatch for the aircraft's ladder. Monroe worked in an aircraft factory during World War II and helped assemble OQ-2 radioplanes, and a California Air National Guard C-130J carrying Monroe nose art was seen flying into the United Kingdom this summer.

Late last year: A-10s were photographed during Operation Hawkeye Strike airstrikes against Islamic State.
April: An A-10 mission rescued the crew of a downed F-15E inside Iran.
Oct. 8: Images of the A-10 were taken on the tarmac.
This summer: A C-130J with Monroe nose art was seen flying into the United Kingdom.
Through 2030: The A-10 is slated to remain in operational service.

Big Picture

The Air Force had planned to retire the A-10 fleet completely, but the Secretary of the Air Force has now said the Warthog will remain in operational service through 2030. The extension keeps the close-air-support aircraft in use beyond its previously planned retirement.

The A-10 will keep flying through 2030, so the close-air-support mission it performs will continue without the planned retirement. Readers following military budgets and aircraft programs should expect the fleet's upkeep and funding decisions to remain in the public record.

The takeaway

The A-10's extended service through 2030 shows how combat demand can reverse a retirement plan. Readers tracking defense spending should watch how the Air Force funds and maintains the Warthog fleet over the coming years.