Sen. John McCain credits the fight with ISIS for postponing the retirement of the A-10 fighter.
"If you had to give the majority of credit somewhere, I would give it to Mr. Baghdadi in ISIS, cause we had to go into Syria. We had to go after ISIS. The A-10 is still the most capable weapon to do that," McCain told the Arizona Daily Star during a meeting Friday afternoon, citing the head of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
"This is probably the first and last time that I am in league with Mr. Baghdadi."
Arizona's senior senator predicted the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base will receive a Valentine Day gift of sorts from the Pentagon, saying funding for the A-10 Thunderbolt II will be restored in the fiscal 2017 budget request.
It is expected to be released in mid-February.
McCain, who as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, led the fight to save the A-10 in the upper chamber.
McCain said the A-10 won't be flying forever, but says he is optimistic about the future of Davis-Monthan.
McCain said his staff is working hard to find new missions for Tucson's the air base, including the expanded use of military drones.
