A-10 Thunderbolt II
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A-10 Thunderbolt II
| Role: | Close Air Support |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Fairchild Republic |
| Real-World Origin: |  United States
|
| Variants: | A-10A YA-10B A-10C |
The A-10 Thunderbolt II, unofficially nicknamed the Warthog, is an American strike aircraft designed to provide ground units with close air support.
Contents |
Development
The YA-10A was Fairchild Republic's entry into the A-X program, competing against the Northrop YA-9A. The YA-9 was a conventional design bearing a resemblance to the Su-25 Frogfoot or A-1 Skyraider CAS aircraft. By contrast, the YA-10 was an innovative and original design completely optimized for the CAS role. The A-X was to focus entirely on CAS as the USAF's F-4 Phantom II and A-7 Corsair performed unsatisfactorily in that regard with payloads and loiter times, speeds not suited to the role. The A-X's emphasis was placed on loiter time, low cruising speed, and the inclusion of the GAU-8 Avenger 30mm gatling gun.
The prototype YA-10 first flew on May 10th, 1972 and was followed by 6 pre-production YA-10As used for more trials and tactical/doctrinal development. During the year of 1974 a order was placed for 22 A-10As which did not enter service until 1979. They were initially assigned to units in the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) and the Air National Gurard (ANG). The A-10 was designed to be a very tough aircraft with the ability not only to survive heavy ground fire, but to operate from austere and fairly primitive airstrips. This made it easier to deploy the aircraft to frontline units during the Cold War and modern-day operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In order to stay up-to-date, upgrades have been performed on the USAF's A-10 inventory. Some of these upgrades were the Pave Penny laser sensor, Low-Altitude Safety and Targeting Enhancement (LASTE), and near the turn of the century the aircraft started to use GPS systems. The YA-10B was created as an all-weather, two-seat variant but was eventually scrapped and never went into production. To keep the airframe well into the coming decades the USAF has created a new variant of the A-10, the A-10C. The upgrades included improved fire control systems, electronic countermeasures, and precision weapons capabilities. The A-10C is slated to stay in service with the USAF until 2028.
Design
Simplicity is a key element of the A-10's design; its lack of advanced avionics keep the aircraft significantly easier to maintain. The CAS role also calls for operations within range of hostile surface-to-air and air-to-air threats. In response, the A-10 is very heavily armored. The cockpit in particular is very protected, with a 900 pound "bathtub of armor" surrounding the pilot and avionics.
The aircraft's strange design is partly what makes it so survivable. Its GE TF-34-GE-100 engines are mounted high over the wings and tail to avoid ground fire. However, even if one engine or rear control surface is lost the A-10 can continue flying. The high-mounted engines also prevent debris from being sucked into the turbofans on undeveloped fields.
The A-10 is essentially built around the 30mm GAU-8/A Avenger gatling gun. Able to hold 1174 rounds in addition to its main armament of missiles and bombs - which include AIM-9 Sidewinders for self-defense from airborne threats - the A-10 is a heavily-armed, formidable CAS craft. Its lethality was upgraded with the A-10C, which now allows Thunderbolts to use precision guided weapons.
Variants
A-10A - Single seat close support aircraft.
OA-10A - A-10A used for forward air control.
YA-10B - Prototype two-seat all-weather version.
A-10C - Upgraded A-10A with a glass cockpit, new avionics, and precision/all-weather strike capabilities.
Specifications (A-10A)
General characteristics
- Crew: 1 (O/A-10A/C), 2 (YA-10B)
- Length: 53 ft 4 in (16.26 m)
- Wingspan: 57 ft 6 in (17.53 m)
- Height: 14 ft 8 in (4.47 m)
- Powerplant: 2× General Electric TF34-GE-100A turbofans, 9,065 lbf (40.32 kN) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 450 knots (518 mph, 833 km/h)
- Combat radius: 250 nmi (288 mi, 460 km)
- Ferry range: 2,240 nmi (2,580 mi, 4,150 km)
- Service ceiling: 45,000 ft (13,700 m)
- Rate of climb: 6,000 ft/min (30 m/s)
- Thrust/weight: 0.36
Armament
- Gun / 1× 30mm GAU-8 Avenger gatling gun
- MSSL / AIM-9M Sidewinder
- RCL / LAU-68 (ACZ/6)
- XAGM / AGM-65G Maverick (AC04/5/Z/X/6)
- UGBL / Mk.84 (AC04/Z)
- FAEB / BLU-73/B (ACZ/X/6)
- SFFS / Mk.20 (AC04/X)
Operators
Real world
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United States (A-10A/C)
USAF
Air Combat Command
Air Force Reserve Command
Air National Guard
Pacific Air Forces
US Air Forces in Europe
Ace Combat
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Belka (A-10A)
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Emmeria (A-10A)
- 3rd AD/5th FS Stingray
8th AD/28th FS Garuda
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Erusea (A-10A)
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Estovakia (A-10A)
- 87th AR/8th TFS
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ISAF (A-10A)
118th TFW Mobius
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Leasath (A-10A)
Osea (A-10A/B)
5th AW/108th TFS Wardog
Usean Unified Forces Military Corps (A-10A)
97th STFS Scarface
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Yuktobania (A-10A/B)
Player-only
