SEOUL: The U.S. military will decommission its aging fleet of A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft stationed in South Korea by the fiscal year 2025, its Air Force said Tuesday, portraying the planned retirement as a transition to "cutting-edge" upgrades. According to Yonhap News Agency, the decommissioning of the decades-old aircraft, better known as Warthogs, comes as the U.S. Air Force has been pushing for a military modernization initiative in the face of evolving security threats from potential adversaries. The U.S. Forces Korea currently has 24 A-10 aircraft designed for close air support operations. It is expected to start retiring the aircraft in January, according to an official. "The U.S. Air Force is set to complete a significant phase of its modernization strategy in fiscal year 2025," the Air Force said in a release. "In key regions, including South Korea, it will transition away from its A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft in favor of advancing fourth-generation fighter jet upgrades and enhancing fourt h- and fifth-generation aircraft integration."