A-10 Thunderbolt II
Type	Close air support attack aircraft
Manufacturer	Fairchild-Republic
Maiden flight	10 May 1972
Introduction	March 1977
Status	In service
Primary user	United States Air Force
Number built	715 [1]
Unit cost	US$11. An aerospace manufacturer is a company or individual involved in the various aspects of designing building testing selling and maintaining Aircraft, Aircraft parts Fairchild was an aircraft and aerospace manufacturing company based at various times in Farmingdale New York, Hagerstown Maryland and San Antonio Texas The maiden flight of an Aircraft is the first occasion on which an aircraft leaves the ground of its own accord Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. 7 million (average)[2]

The A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic for the United States Air Force to provide close air support (CAS) of ground forces by attacking tanks, armored vehicles, and other ground targets, also providing a limited air interdiction role. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A jet aircraft is an Aircraft propelled by Jet engines Jet aircraft fly much faster than Propeller -powered aircraft and at higher altitudes -- as high as Fairchild was an aircraft and aerospace manufacturing company based at various times in Farmingdale New York, Hagerstown Maryland and San Antonio Texas In Military tactics, close air support ( CAS) is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are in close proximity to A tank is a tracked, Armoured fighting vehicle designed for Front-line combat which combines Operational mobility and tactical An armoured fighting vehicle ( AFV) is a military Vehicle, protected by armour and armed with Weapons Most AFVs are equipped for driving in rugged Air interdiction (AI is the use of aircraft to attack tactical ground targets that are not in close proximity to friendly ground forces It is the first U. S. Air Force aircraft designed exclusively for close air support.

The A-10's official name comes from the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt of World War II, a fighter that was particularly effective at close air support. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including However, the A-10 is more commonly known by its nickname "Warthog" or simply "Hog". ^[3] As a secondary mission, it provides airborne forward air control, guiding other aircraft against ground targets. A forward air controller (FAC is a qualified individual who from a forward position on the ground or in the air directs the action of Military aircraft engaged A-10s used primarily in this role are designated OA-10. ^[4]

Contents 1 Development 1.1 Upgrades 2 Design 2.1 Durability 2.2 Powerplant 2.3 Weapon systems 2.4 Modernization 3 Operational history 4 Variants 5 Operators 6 A-10s on display 7 Specifications (A-10A) 8 Popular culture 8.1 Nicknames 9 See also 10 References 11 External links

Development

Criticism that the U. S. Air Force did not take close air support seriously prompted a few service members to seek a specialized attack aircraft. ^[5] In the Vietnam War, large numbers of ground-attack aircraft were shot down by small arms, surface-to-air missiles, and low-level anti-aircraft gunfire, prompting the development of an aircraft better able to survive such weapons. The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia In addition, the UH-1 Huey and AH-1 Cobra helicopters of the day, which USAF commanders had said should handle close air support, were ill-suited for use against armor, carrying only anti-personnel machine guns and unguided rockets meant for soft targets. For an overview of the whole Huey family of aircraft see Bell Huey WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. For an overview of the whole Huey family of aircraft see Bell Huey WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. The F-4 Phantom was pressed into close air support, but usually in emergencies, as its high cruising speed and fuel consumption hindered its ability to loiter, and the lack of a gun on most F-4 variants coupled with the relative ineffectiveness of the standard 20mm Vulcan round against hard targets made strafing runs either ineffective or impossible.

On 6 March 1967, the U. Events 1079 - Omar Khayyám completes the Iranian calendar. 1454 - Thirteen Years' War: Delegates of Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. S. Air Force released a request for information to 21 companies. Their objective was to create a design study for a low-cost attack aircraft designated A-X, or "Attack Experimental". The officer in charge of the project was Col. Avery Kay. ^[5] In 1969, the Secretary of the Air Force asked Pierre Sprey to write the detailed specifications for the proposed A-X project. However, his initial involvement was kept secret due to Sprey's earlier controversial involvement in the F-X project. ^[5] Sprey's discussions with A-1 Skyraider pilots operating in Vietnam and analysis of the effectiveness of current aircraft used in the role indicated the ideal aircraft should have long loiter time, low-speed maneuverability, massive cannon firepower, and extreme survivability. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout ^[5]: an aircraft that had the best elements of the Ilyushin Il-2, Henschel Hs 129 and A-1 Skyraider. The Henschel Hs 129 was a World War II Ground attack aircraft fielded by the German Luftwaffe. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The specifications also demanded that the aircraft cost less than $3 million. ^[5] In May 1970, the USAF issued a modified, and much more detailed request for proposals, as the threat of Soviet armored forces and all-weather attack operations became more serious. Six companies submitted proposals to the USAF, with Northrop and Fairchild Republic selected to build prototypes: the YA-9A and YA-10A, respectively. The Northrop Corporation was a leading Aircraft manufacturer of the United States from its formation in 1939 until its merger with Grumman to form Northrop Grumman Fairchild was an aircraft and aerospace manufacturing company based at various times in Farmingdale New York, Hagerstown Maryland and San Antonio Texas WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

The YA-10A first flew on 10 May 1972. Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. After trials and a fly-off against the YA-9A, the Air Force selected Fairchild-Republic's YA-10A on 10 January 1973 for production. Events 49 BC - Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon, signaling the start of civil war. Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. (There was an additional fly-off against the A-7D Corsair II, the Air Force attack aircraft at the time, to prove the need to purchase a new aircraft) The first production A-10 flew in October 1975, and deliveries to the Air Force commenced in March 1976, to units at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Davis-Monthan Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base adjacent to Tucson, Arizona. The State of Arizona ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. The first squadron to use the A-10 went operational in October 1977. In total, 715 airplanes were produced, the last in 1984. ^[6]

One experimental two-seat A-10 Night Adverse Weather (N/AW) version was built by converting an A-10A. ^[7] The Night Adverse Weather (N/AW) aircraft was developed by Fairchild from the first Demonstration Testing and Evaluation (DT&E) A-10 for consideration by the USAF. It included a second seat for a weapons officer responsible for ECM, navigation, and target acquisition. The variant was canceled and the only two-seat A-10 built now sits at Edwards Air Force Base awaiting a spot in the Flight Test Historical Foundation museum. ^[8] The proposed two-seat A-10 trainer aircraft did not go into production, as it was felt that the A-10 was simple enough to fly that a trainer version would not be required.

The decision to make the 30 mm GAU-8 gun the main anti-tank weapon of the A-10 was influenced by Vietnam A-1 pilots and by Hans-Ulrich Rudel and his book, "Stuka Pilot". The General Electric GAU-8/A Avenger is a 30 mm, hydraulically-driven seven-barrel Gatling-type rotary cannon Hans-Ulrich Rudel ( July 2, 1916 – December 18, 1982) was a Stuka dive-bomber pilot during World War II. In World War II, Rudel flew the Ju 87G Stuka and destroyed many tanks using its two underwing 37 mm guns. The Junkers Ju 87 or Stuka (from Stu rz' ka' mpfflugzeug, " Dive bomber " was a two-seat (pilot and rear gunner His book was required reading for members on the A-X project. The JU-87G was an outmoded airframe with ersatz anti-tank weapons attached, yet still inflicted impressive casualties on Soviet tank forces.

A-10s were initially an unwelcome addition to the arsenal in the eyes of Air Force brass. The Air Force prized the high-flying, high-performance F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon air-superiority jets, and were determined to leave the dirty work of close air support to Army helicopters (the development of the AGM-114 Hellfire anti-armor missile and AH-64 Apache attack helicopter having since provided the Army with a viable anti-tank aircraft). History Since 400 AD Chinese children have played with bamboo flying toys. The AGM-114 Hellfire is a multi-platform multi-target United States modular Missile system WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Attempts to transfer the A-10 to the Army and the Marines were at first prevented by the 1948 Key West Agreement, and then by the A-10's impressive combat record during the Gulf War in 1991. The Key West Agreement is the colloquial name for a policy paper entitled Function of the Armed Forces and the Joint Chiefs of Staff drafted by James V Shortly after the war, the Air Force gave up on the idea of replacing the A-10 with a close air support version of the F-16. ^[9]

Upgrades

The A-10 has received many upgrades over the years. Aircraft were upgraded with inertial navigation and a Pave Penny laser sensor (marked target seeker) pod that allowed the pilot to detect laser energy for PID (Positive Identification) of an illuminated target. An Inertial Navigation System (INS is a Navigation aid that uses a Computer and motion sensors to continuously track the position orientation and Velocity The Lockheed-Martin AN/AAS-35V Pave Penny is a Laser spot tracker carried by US Air Force Attack aircraft and Fighter-bombers to enable The Pave Penny is a passive seeker and cannot self-designate a target for a Laser Guided Bomb (LGB). Later, the Low-Altitude Safety and Targeting Enhancement (LASTE) upgrade provided computerized weapon-aiming equipment, an autopilot, and ground-collision warning system. The A-10 is now compatible with night-vision goggles for low-light operation. Night vision is the ability to see in a dark environment Whether by biological or technological means night vision is made possible by a combination of two approaches sufficient In 1999, aircraft began to receive Global Positioning System navigation systems. Basic concept of GPS operation A GPS receiver calculates its position by carefully timing the signals sent by the constellation of GPS Satellites high above the Earth

The A-10 is scheduled to stay in service with the USAF until 2028. ^[10] In 2005, the entire A-10 fleet began receiving upgrades to the "C" model that will include improved fire control system (FCS), electronic countermeasures (ECM), and the ability to carry smart bombs. Note the term " fire control " may also refer to means of stopping a fire such as sprinkler systems A fire-control system Electronic Countermeasures ( ECM') are a subsection of Electronic warfare which includes any sort of electrical or electronic device designed to trick The A-10 will be part of a service life extension program (SLEP) with many receiving new wings. ^[10] A contract to build 242 new A-10 wing sets was awarded to Boeing on 29 June 2007. The Boeing Company is a major Aerospace and defense corporation originally founded by William E Events 512 - A Solar eclipse is recorded by a monastic chronicler in Ireland. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[11] Modifications to provide precision weapons capability are well underway. Hill AFB has completed work on its 100th A-10 precision engagement upgrade in January 2008. ^[12] The C model upgrades are to be completed in 2011. ^[13]

Design

The A-10 has superior maneuverability at low speeds and altitude, thanks to straight, wide wings with downturned "droop" wing tips. These also allow short takeoffs and landings, permitting operations from rugged, forward airfields near front lines. The aircraft can loiter for extended periods of time and operate under 1,000 feet (300 m) ceilings with 1. 5-mile (2. 4 km) visibility. It typically flies at a relatively slow speed of 300 knots (345 mph or 555 km/h), which makes it a much better candidate for the ground-attack role than fast fighter-bombers, which often have difficulty targeting small and slow-moving targets. Ground-attack aircraft are military aircraft designed to attack targets on the ground and are often deployed as Close air support for and in proximity to their own ground forces

Engine exhaust passes over the aircraft's horizontal stabilizer and between the twin tails, decreasing the A-10's infrared signature and lowering the likelihood that the aircraft can be targeted by heatseeking missiles. For Aircraft, the horizontal stabilizer or tailplane is a fixed or adjustable surface from which an elevator may be hinged A twin tail is a specific type of Vertical stabilizer arrangement found on some Aircraft. The placement of the engines partially shields them from anti-aircraft fire behind the wings and tail.

The A-10 has integrally machined skin panels. Because the stringers are integral with the skin there are no join or seal problems. These panels, fabricated using computer controlled machining, reduce the man-hours and hence the cost of manufacture. The tests of war have shown that this type of panel is more battle-hardy. The skin is not load-bearing, so damaged skin sections can be easily replaced in the field, with makeshift materials if necessary. ^[14]

Most thin flat areas of the airframe are honeycomb panels. This is because thin honeycomb sandwich panels are less likely to deform in any direction than sheet metal panels even if part of the panel has been blown off or structurally compromised. Honeycomb panels of this type on the A-10 include the flap shrouds, the elevators, the rudders and other sections of the fins. The leading edge of the mainplane is honeycomb to provide strength with minimal weight compromise.

The ailerons are at the far ends of the wings to gain greater rolling moment as with most aircraft but there are two distinguishing features. For the band with a similar name see The Ailerons Ailerons are hinged control surfaces attached to the Trailing edge of the Wing of a Fixed-wing In a vehicle suspension, roll moment is the Moment of inertia of the vehicle's Sprung mass (the portion of its weight supported by the suspension First, the ailerons are larger than is typical, almost 50% of the chord, providing improved control even at slow speeds. In reference to Aircraft, chord refers to the distance between the leading edge and trailing edge of a Wing, Horizontal stabilizer or Vertical stabilizer The aileron is also split, making it a deceleron. A deceleron is a type of Aileron, developed in the late 1940s by Northrop originally for use on the F-89 Scorpion Fighter aircraft.

The Thunderbolt II can be serviced and operated from bases with limited facilities near battle areas. An unusual feature is that many of the aircraft's parts are interchangeable between the left and right sides, including the engines, main landing gear, and vertical stabilizers. In Aviation, the undercarriage or landing gear is the structure (usually wheels that supports an Aircraft on the ground and allows it to taxi The vertical stabilizers, or fins, of Aircraft, Missiles or Bombs are typically found on the aft end of the Fuselage or body The sturdy landing gear, low-pressure tires and large, straight wings allow operation from short rough strips even with a heavy ordnance load, allowing the aircraft to operate from damaged airbases. The aircraft is designed to be refueled, rearmed and serviced with minimal equipment. Operating from a forward area is both useful for close air support and necessary due to the A-10's relatively low cruise and top speeds.

Because of the close proximity of the front landing gear and the A-10's main cannon, the landing gear is offset to the aircraft's right and cannon slightly to the left (see schematic below). The offset front landing gear causes the A-10 to have dissimilar turning radii. Turning to the right on the ground takes less space than turning left. ^[15]

Durability

The A-10 is exceptionally hardy. Its strong airframe can survive direct hits from armor-piercing and high-explosive projectiles up to 23 mm. The aircraft has triple redundancy in its flight systems, with mechanical systems to back up double-redundant hydraulic systems. For the mechanical technology see Hydraulic machinery and Hydraulic cylinder Hydraulics is a topic of science and Engineering This permits pilots to fly and land when hydraulic power or part of a wing is lost. Flight without hydraulic power uses the manual reversion flight control system; this engages automatically for pitch and yaw control, and under pilot control (manual reversion switch) for roll control. In manual reversion mode, the A-10 is sufficiently controllable under favorable conditions to return to base and land, though control forces are much higher than normal. The aircraft is designed to fly with one engine, one tail, one elevator and half a wing torn off. ^[16] Self-sealing fuel tanks are protected by fire-retardant foam. In Aviation, self-sealing fuel tank is a Fuel tank technology in wide use since World War II that prevents fuel tanks primarily on Aircraft from Additionally, the main landing gear is designed so that the wheels semi-protrude from their nacelles when the gear is retracted so as to make gear-up landings (belly landing) easier to control and less damaging to the aircraft's underside. The word nacelle is derived from the Old French nacele, which means a small Boat or Dinghy, which was in turn derived from the A Belly landing is an Emergency landing procedure in which an Aircraft lands without its Landing gear fully extended&mdashusing its underside or belly They also are all hinged toward the rear of the aircraft, so if hydraulic power is lost the pilot can simply drop the gear and a combination of gravity and wind resistance will open and lock the gear in place.

The cockpit and parts of the flight-control system are protected by 900 pounds (408 kg) of titanium armor, referred to as a "titanium bathtub". Titanium (taɪˈteɪniəm is a Chemical element with the symbol Ti and Atomic number 22 Armour (or armor) is protective covering most commonly manufactured from metals to prevent damage from being inflicted to an individual or a vehicle through use of direct contact The tub has been tested to withstand multiple strikes from 20 mm cannon fire. The thickness of the titanium varies from ½ an inch to 1½ inches determined by a study of likely trajectories and deflection angles. This protection comes at a cost, though; the armor plating itself weighs almost 6% of the entire aircraft’s empty weight. To protect the pilot from the fragmentation likely to be created from impact of a shell any interior surface of the tub that is directly exposed to the pilot is covered by a multi-layer Kevlar spall shield. Kevlar is the registered Trademark for a light strong para-aramid Synthetic fiber, related to other Aramids such as Nomex and Spall are flakes of a material that are broken off a larger solid body and can be produced by a variety of mechanisms including as a result of Projectile impact Corrosion The canopy consists of a bullet-proof diffusion-bonded stretched-acrylic to withstand small arms fire and is resistant to spalling. The front windscreen offers shielding resistant to 20 mm cannon fire.

Recent proof of the durability of the A-10 was shown when USAF Captain Kim Campbell, flying a ground support mission over Baghdad during the 2003 invasion of Iraq suffered extensive flak damage to her A-10. Major Kim Reed-Campbell (born 1975 is a pilot in the US Air Force. Baghdad (بغداد) is the Capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is also coterminous The 2003 invasion of Iraq, from March 20 to May 1 2003 was spearheaded by the United States, backed by British forces and smaller contingents from Australia The hit damaged one of the A-10's two engines and crippled its hydraulic system, forcing the back-up mechanical system to operate the aircraft's stabilizer and flight controls. Despite this, the pilot managed to fly it for an hour and landed it safely at the air base in manual reversion mode.

Powerplant

There are several reasons for the unusual location of the A-10's General Electric TF34-GE-100 turbofan engines. First, the A-10 was expected to fly from forward air bases, often with semi-prepared substandard runways that presented a high risk of foreign object damage to the engines. The height of the engines lowers the chance that sand or stones will enter the inlet. This also allows engines to remain running, allowing for shorter servicing and rearming turn-around times by ground crew. Servicing and rearming are further helped by having wings closer to the ground than would be possible if the engines were wing-mounted. The position also reduces the IR signature, which starts low anyway due to the engines' 6:1 bypass ratio. Description Jet engines are generally able to create considerably more energy than they can use in moving air through the engine core Because of their high position, the engines are angled upward nine degrees to bring the combined thrust line closer to the aerodynamic center of the aircraft. The aerodynamic center of an Airfoil moving through a Fluid is the point at which the Pitching moment coefficient for the airfoil does not vary with This avoids trimming measures to counteract a nose-down pitching moment if the engines were parallel to the fuselage. The heavy engines require strong supports, so their pylons are connected to the airframe by four bolts. ^[17]

All four fuel tanks are near the center of the aircraft, reducing the likelihood that they will be hit or separated from the engines. The tanks are protected by several measures. The tanks are separate from the fuselage and so projectiles would need to penetrate the skin before reaching the tank. The refueling system is purged after use so that there is no fuel unprotected anywhere in the aircraft. All pipes self-seal if they are compromised. Most of the fuel system components are inside the tanks so that if a leak were to occur from the component the fuel would not be lost. If a tank does get damaged, check valves ensure that fuel does not flow into the compromised tank. Most importantly, reticulated polyurethane foam lines both the inner and outer sides of the fuel tanks, holding debris and restricting fuel spillage in the event of damage. The other source of possible combustion, the engines, are shielded from the fuel system and the rest of the airframe by firewalls and fire extinguishing equipment.

Weapon systems

Although the A-10 can carry considerable disposable stores, its primary built-in weapon is the 30 mm GAU-8/A Avenger Gatling gun. The General Electric GAU-8/A Avenger is a 30 mm, hydraulically-driven seven-barrel Gatling-type rotary cannon The Gatling gun is considered by some to have been the first Machine gun: although it did not automatically reload under its own power it was capable of firing continuously One of the most powerful aircraft cannons ever flown, it fires large depleted uranium armor-piercing shells. Depleted uranium (DU is Uranium primarily composed of the Isotope Uranium-238 (U-238 In the original design, the pilot could switch between two rates of fire: 2,100 or 4,200 rounds per minute. ^[18] This was changed to a fixed rate of 3,900 rounds per minute. ^[19] The cannon takes about half a second to come up to speed, so 50 rounds are fired during the first second, 65 or 70 rounds per second thereafter. The gun is accurate; it can place 80% of its shots within a 40-foot (12. 4 meter) circle from 4,000 feet (1,220 meters) while in flight. ^[20] The GAU-8 is optimized for a slant range of 4,000 feet (1,220 m) with the A-10 in a 30 degree dive. ^[21]

The fuselage of the aircraft is built around the gun. ^[22] For example, the nose wheel is offset to the right so that the gun's firing barrel at the 9 o'clock position is aligned on the aircraft's centerline. The early A-10s carried 1,350 rounds of 30 mm ammunition, but it was replaced by a 1,174 round drum^[21] whose helix was less susceptible to damage during loading. The 1,174-round drums were beefed up. The damage caused by a portion of those rounds firing prematurely due to impact of an explosive shell would be catastrophic. It is for this reason that a great deal of effort has been taken to protect the 5 ft (1. 52 m) wide, 9 ft (2. 74 m) long drum. There are many plates of differing thicknesses between the skin and the drum. These plates are called trigger plates because when an explosive shell hits a target it first penetrates its armor, then detonates. As the drum has many layers of thin armor, the shell's detonation is triggered before reaching the drum. A final layer of armor around the drum itself protects it from fragmentation damage. The gun is loaded by Syn-Tech's linked tube carrier GFU-7/E 30 mm ammunition loading assembly cart. This vehicle is unique to the A-10 and the GAU-8.

Another commonly used weapon is the AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missile, with different variations for either electro-optical (TV-guided) or infra-red targeting. The AGM-65 Maverick is an air-to-ground tactical missile (AGM designed for close air support The Maverick allows targets to be engaged at much greater ranges than the cannon, a safer proposition in the face of modern anti-aircraft systems. During Desert Storm, in the absence of dedicated forward-looking infrared cameras, the Maverick's infra-red camera was used for night missions as a "poor man's FLIR". A forward looking infrared (FLIR is an imaging device that senses infrared radiation Other weapons include cluster bombs and Hydra rocket pods. Cluster munitions or cluster bombs are air-dropped or ground-launched munitions that eject a number of smaller submunitions a cluster of bomblets The Hydra 70 rocket is a weapon derived from the 275 inch (70 mm "Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket" ( Mk 4/Mk 40 Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket) developed by the U Although the A-10 is equipped to deliver laser-guided bombs, their use is relatively uncommon; at the low altitudes and speeds of typical A-10 operations, standard unguided bombs provide adequate accuracy at far lower cost. A laser-guided bomb (LGB is a Precision-guided munition (PGM that uses semi-active Laser homing to strike a designated target with greater accuracy than a free-fall In any event, the guided weapons would provide little benefit, as there would be nearly no time for the weapons to steer onto a target. A-10s usually fly with an ALQ-131 ECM pod under one wing and two AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles under the other for self-defense. Electronic Countermeasures ( ECM') are a subsection of Electronic warfare which includes any sort of electrical or electronic device designed to trick The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a heat-seeking, short-range Air-to-air missile carried by Fighter aircraft and recently certain gunship helicopters An air-to-air missile ( AAM) is a guided Missile fired from an Aircraft for the purpose of destroying another aircraft

Modernization

The A-10 Precision Engagement Modification Program is an estimated US$420 million program that will see 356 A-10s upgraded with a new flight computer, new glass cockpit displays and controls, two new 5. A glass cockpit is an Aircraft cockpit that features electronic instrument displays. 5 inch color displays with moving map function and an integrated digital stores management system. A second DC generator will be installed to provide the additional power these systems consume.

Other funded improvements to the A-10 fleet include a new data link, the ability to employ smart weapons such as the JDAM and Wind Corrected Munitions Dispensor, and the ability to carry an integrated targeting pod such as the Northrop Grumman LITENING or Lockheed-Martin Sniper XR Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP). Also included is the ROVER or remotely operated video enhanced receiver to provide sensor data to personnel on the ground. ^[13]

Structural improvements will feature an all new wing for the 242 A-10s that were originally built with "thin skin" wings. ^[13] Long lead funding has also been provided for an improved higher thrust engine.

On 2 April 2007 the Government Accounting Office estimated the potential total cost of upgrading, refurbishing, and service life extension plans for the A-10 force at up to $4. Events 68 - Galba, Governor of Hispania, names himself legatus senatus populique Romani, breaking the line of Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. 4 billion. ^[23]

Operational history

The first unit to receive the A-10 Thunderbolt II was the 355th Tactical Training Wing, based at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona in March 1976. The 355th Fighter Wing ( 355 FW) is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base adjacent to Tucson, Arizona. The first unit to achieve full combat-readiness was the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing at Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina in 1978. For the civilian use of the facility after March 1993 see Myrtle Beach International Airport Myrtle Beach Air Force Base' was a United States Deployments of A-10As followed at bases both at home and abroad, including England AFB, Louisiana, Eielson AFB, Alaska, Osan Air Base, Korea, and RAF Bentwaters/RAF Woodbridge, England. For the civil use of this facility after 1992 see Alexandria International Airport England Air Force Base (1942-1992 is a former United States Eielson Air Force Base is located in Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska. Osan Air Base (K-55, is a United States Air Force facility located 7 RAF Bentwaters is a former Royal Air Force station about 80 miles NE of London, 10 miles ENE of Ipswich, near Woodbridge, Suffolk RAF Woodbridge is a former Royal Air Force station situated to the east of Woodbridge in the county of Suffolk, England. The 81st TFW of RAF Bentwaters/RAF Woodbridge operated rotating detachments of A-10s at four bases in Germany known as Forward Operating Locations (FOLs): Leipheim, Sembach Air Base, Nörvenich, and Ahlhorn. Sembach Annex (formerly Sembach Air Base is a United States Air Force installation near Kaiserslautern.

The A-10 saw combat for the first time during the Gulf War in 1991, destroying more than 1,000 Iraqi tanks, 2,000 military vehicles, and 1,200 artillery pieces. A-10s shot down two Iraqi helicopters with the GAU-8 gun. The General Electric GAU-8/A Avenger is a 30 mm, hydraulically-driven seven-barrel Gatling-type rotary cannon ^[6] Seven A-10s were shot down during the war. ^[24] A-10s had a mission capable rate of 95. 7%, flew 8,100 sorties, and launched 90% of the AGM-65 Maverick missiles fired in the conflict. The AGM-65 Maverick is an air-to-ground tactical missile (AGM designed for close air support ^[25] Part of the reason for this success were the burning oil wells that provided Iraqi tanks some cover from advanced electronics and high-flying fighters like the F-15 and F-16, where the trained eye, longer gun range and stable gun platform of the A-10 proved its worth.

In the 1990s many A-10s were shifted to the forward air control (FAC) role and redesignated OA-10. A forward air controller (FAC is a qualified individual who from a forward position on the ground or in the air directs the action of Military aircraft engaged In the FAC role the A-10 is typically equipped with up to six pods of 2. 75 inch (70 mm) Hydra rockets, usually with smoke or white phosphorus warheads used for target marking. This article is about the military applications of white phosphorus. OA-10s remain fully combat capable despite the redesignation.

A-10s again saw service in the 1999 Kosovo War, in the later stages of the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, in Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan in March 2002 and in the 2003 Iraq war. The term Kosovo War or Kosovo Conflict is often used to describe two sequential and at times parallel armed conflicts in Kosovo: 1996–1999 The War in Afghanistan, which began on October 7 2001 as the U Operation Anaconda is the code name for an operation in early March 2002 in which the United States military, along with allied Afghan military forces attempted to The Iraq War, also known as the Second Gulf War, the Occupation of Iraq, or the War in Iraq, is an ongoing Military campaign In Afghanistan the A-10 is based at Bagram. Bagram or Bagrām (ancient Alexandria of the Caucasus, medieval Kapisa) was an ancient city located at the junction of the Ghorband

On 30 April 2003, USCENTAF issued Operation Iraqi Freedom: By the Numbers, a declassified report about the aerial campaign in the conflict. Events 313 - Roman emperor Licinius unifies the entire Eastern Roman Empire under his rule Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. United States Air Forces Central ( USAFCENT, or AFCENT) formerly United States Central Command Air Forces ( USCENTAF, or informally just Sixty A-10s were deployed in Iraq; one was shot down near Baghdad International Airport by Iraqi fire late in the campaign. Baghdad International Airport ( Arabic:مطار بغداد الدولي, BIAP is Iraq 's largest Airport, located in a suburb about 16 km (10 Of the A-10s deployed, 47 were Air National Guard Aircraft, and 12 were from the Air Force Reserve. The A-10 had a mission capable rate of 85% in the war, and fired 311,597 rounds of 30 mm ammunition. The A-10 also flew 32 missions in which the aircraft dropped propaganda leaflets over Iraq. ^[26]

The A-10C first deployed to Iraq in the third quarter of 2007 with the 104th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base adjacent to Tucson, Arizona. The jets include the Precision Engagement Upgrade. ^[27]

The A-10 is scheduled to stay in service with the USAF until 2028 and possibly later,^[28] when it may be replaced by the F-35 Lightning II. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout ^[10] The entire A-10 fleet is currently undergoing upgrades. The A-10 could stay in service longer due to its low cost and its unique capabilities — such as its cannon, ruggedness and slow flying capabilities.

Variants

YA-10A 

The first two prototypes.

A-10A 

Single-seat close air support, ground-attack version.

OA-10A 

Single-seat forward air control version.

YA-10B Night/Adverse Weather

Two-seat experimental prototype, for work at night and in bad weather. Later redesignated YA-10B. Only one example was built, which is now on static display.

A-10C 

A-10As updated under the incremental Precision Engagement (PE) program featuring a new glass cockpit (including digital moving map displays), advanced datalink, and all-weather multi-mission precision weapons and laser targeting capability. A glass cockpit is an Aircraft cockpit that features electronic instrument displays. ^[29]

Operators

The A-10 has been flown exclusively by the United States Air Force and its Air Reserve Components, the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) and the Air National Guard (ANG). The Air Force Reserve Command ( AFRC) is a major command (MAJCOM of the U The Air National Guard ( ANG), often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the several states and As of March 2008, 20 squadrons operate the A-10 or its OA-10 variant (nine USAF, six ANG, and five AFRC).

United States Air Force

• 23d Wing - Moody Air Force Base, Georgia
  • 74th Fighter Squadron
  • 75th Fighter Squadron
• 51st Fighter Wing - Osan AB, South Korea
  • 25th Fighter Squadron
• 52d Fighter Wing - Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany
  • 81st Fighter Squadron
• 53d Wing - Eglin AFB, Florida
  • 422d Test and Evaluation Squadron (Nellis AFB, Nevada)
• 57th Wing - Nellis AFB, Nevada
  • 66th Weapons Squadron
• 354th Fighter Wing - Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska
  • 355th Fighter Squadron (inactivated 2007)
• 355th Wing - Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona
  • 354th Fighter Squadron
  • 357th Fighter Squadron
  • 358th Fighter Squadron

Air National Guard

• 103d Airlift Wing - Bradley ANGB, Connecticut (BRAC 2005 removed aircraft, given C-21 in 2007)
  • 118th Fighter Squadron
• 104th Fighter Wing - Barnes ANGB, Massachusetts (BRAC 2005 saw unit transition to F-15C in 2007)
  • 131st Fighter Squadron
• 110th Fighter Wing - Battle Creek ANGB, Michigan(BRAC 2005 moves aircraft to 107th Fighter Squadron at Selridge ANGB, Michigan)
  • 172d Fighter Squadron
• 111th Fighter Wing - Willow Grove ARS, Pennsylvania (BRAC 2005 sees unit losing aircraft in 2012)
  • 103d Fighter Squadron
• 124th Wing - Boise Air Terminal, Idaho
  • 190th Fighter Squadron
• 175th Wing - Warfield ANGB, Martin State Airport, Maryland
  • 104th Fighter Squadron
• 188th Fighter Wing - Fort Smith, Arkansas (Transitioned from F-16s to A-10s due to BRAC 2005)

Air Force Reserve Command

• 442d Fighter Wing - Whiteman AFB, Missouri
  • 76th Fighter Squadron (Moody AFB, GA)
  • 303d Fighter Squadron
• 917th Wing - Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana
  • 45th Fighter Squadron (Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ)
  • 47th Fighter Squadron
• 926th Fighter Wing - NAS JRB New Orleans, Louisiana
  • 706th Fighter Squadron (deactivated 2007)

A-10s on display

• AeroWeb's A-10 List on Display

Specifications (A-10A)

Data from The Great Book of Modern Warplanes^[30]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 53 ft 4 in (16. 26 m)
• Wingspan: 57 ft 6 in (17. The wingspan (or just span) of an airplane or a Bird, is the distance from the left wingtip to the right wingtip 53 m)
• Height: 14 ft 8 in (4. 47 m)
• Wing area: 506 ft² (47. 0 m²)
• Airfoil: NACA 6716 root, NACA 6713 tip
• Empty weight: 24,959 lb (11,321 kg)
• Loaded weight:
  
  • Standard: 30,384 lb (13,782 kg)
  • On CAS mission: 47,094 lb (21,361 kg)
  • On anti-armor mission: 42,071 lb (19,083 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 50,000 lb (23,000 kg)
• Powerplant: 2× General Electric TF34-GE-100A turbofans, 9,065 lbf (40. An airfoil (in American English) or aerofoil (in British English) is the shape of a Wing or blade (of a Propeller, rotor The NACA airfoils are Airfoil shapes for aircraft wings developed by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA In Military tactics, close air support ( CAS) is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are in close proximity to The Maximum Takeoff Weight or Maximum Takeoff Mass of an Aircraft is the maximum weight at which the pilot of the aircraft is allowed to attempt to take off The General Electric TF34 is a military Turbofan engine used on the A-10 Thunderbolt and S-3 Viking. A turbofan is a type of Jet engine, similar to a Turbojet. It essentially consists of a Ducted fan with a smaller diameter turbojet engine 32 kN) each

Performance

• Never exceed speed: 450 knots (518 mph, 833 km/h)
• Maximum speed: 450 knots (518 mph, 833 km/h) at 5,000 ft (1,500 m) with 18 Mk 82 bombs^[31]
• Cruise speed: 300 knots (340 mph, 560 km/h)
• Stall speed: 120 knots (220 km/h) ^[32]
• Combat radius:
  
  • On CAS mission: 250 nmi (288 mi, 460 km) at 1. In Aviation, V-speeds or Velocity-speeds are standard terms used to define Airspeeds important or useful to the operation of Aircraft, such In Aviation, V-speeds or Velocity-speeds are standard terms used to define Airspeeds important or useful to the operation of Aircraft, such The Mark 82 (Mk 82 is an unguided low- drag General-purpose bomb ( Dumb bomb) part of the U In Aviation, V-speeds or Velocity-speeds are standard terms used to define Airspeeds important or useful to the operation of Aircraft, such For other uses see Stall. In Aerodynamics, a stall is a sudden reduction in the lift forces generated by an Airfoil In Military tactics, close air support ( CAS) is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are in close proximity to 88 hour single-engine loiter at 5,000 ft (1,500 m), 10 min combat
  • On anti-armor mission: 252 nmi (290 mi, 467 km), 40 nm (45 mi, 75 km) sea-level penetration and exit, 30 min combat
• Ferry range: 2,240 nmi (2,580 mi, 4,150 km) with 50 knot (55 mph, 90 km/h) headwinds, 20 minutes reserve
• Service ceiling 45,000 ft (13,700 m)
• Rate of climb: 6,000 ft/min (30 m/s)
• Wing loading: 99 lb/ft² (482 kg/m²)
• Thrust/weight: 0. For Aircraft, ferry range means the maximum range the aircraft can fly In Aeronautics, a ceiling is the maximum Density altitude an aircraft can reach under a set of conditions In Aerodynamics, the rate of climb RoC is the speed at which an Aircraft increases its Altitude. In Aerodynamics, wing loading is the loaded weight of the aircraft divided by the area of the wing Thrust-to-weight ratio is as its name suggests the ratio of instantaneous Thrust to Weight (where weight means weight at the Earth ’s surface 36

Armament

• Guns: 1× 30 mm (1. 18 in) GAU-8/A Avenger gatling gun with 1174 rounds
• Hardpoints: 8× under-wing and 3× under-fuselage pylon stations holding up to 16,000 lb (7,200 kg) and accommodating:
  • Mark 82, Mark 83, and Mark 84 general-purpose bombs or
  • Mk 77 incendiary bombs or
  • BLU-1, BLU-27/B Rockeye II, Mk20, BL-755^[33] and CBU-52/58/71/87/89/97 cluster bombs or
  • Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser (A-10C) or
  • GBU-10 Paveway II, GBU-12 Paveway II, GBU-16 Paveway II and GBU-24 Paveway III laser-guided bombs or
  • Joint Direct Attack Munition (A-10C)^[34] or
  • AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missiles and AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles or
  • LAU-68 Hydra 70 mm (2. The General Electric GAU-8/A Avenger is a 30 mm, hydraulically-driven seven-barrel Gatling-type rotary cannon The Gatling gun is considered by some to have been the first Machine gun: although it did not automatically reload under its own power it was capable of firing continuously A hardpoint is any part of an Airframe designed to carry an external load The Mark 82 (Mk 82 is an unguided low- drag General-purpose bomb ( Dumb bomb) part of the U The Mark 83 is part of the Mark 80 series of low- drag General-purpose bombs in United States service The Mark 84 is an American General-purpose bomb, the largest of the Mark 80 series of weapons A general-purpose bomb is an air-dropped Bomb intended as a compromise between blast damage penetration and fragmentation in explosive effect The Mark 77 bomb (MK-77 is a US 750-lb (340 kg air-dropped Incendiary bomb carrying of a fuel gel mix which is the direct successor to Napalm. Incendiary devices or incendiary bombs are Bombs designed to start Fires or destroy sensitive equipment using materials such as Napalm, Thermite BL755 is a Cluster bomb. Its primary targets are Armored vehicles and Tanks with secondary Soft target (anti personnel capabilities Cluster munitions or cluster bombs are air-dropped or ground-launched munitions that eject a number of smaller submunitions a cluster of bomblets The Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser system is a tail kit for use with the TMD (Tactical Munitions Dispenser family of Cluster bombs to convert them to Precision-guided Raytheon GBU-24 Family A laser-guided bomb (LGB is a Precision-guided munition (PGM that uses semi-active Laser homing to strike a designated target with greater accuracy than a free-fall Overview The JDAM is not a weapon rather it is a "bolt-on" upgrade for unguided gravity bombs installed during build up of the munition by Naval Ordnancemen or Air Force The AGM-65 Maverick is an air-to-ground tactical missile (AGM designed for close air support An air-to-surface missile (also air-to-ground missile, AGM, ASM or ATGM) is a Missile designed to be launched from Military The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a heat-seeking, short-range Air-to-air missile carried by Fighter aircraft and recently certain gunship helicopters An air-to-air missile ( AAM) is a guided Missile fired from an Aircraft for the purpose of destroying another aircraft The Hydra 70 rocket is a weapon derived from the 275 inch (70 mm "Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket" ( Mk 4/Mk 40 Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket) developed by the U 76 in) and 127 mm (5. 0 in) rocket pods or
  • Illumination flares, ECM and chaff pods or
  • ALQ-131/ALQ-184 ECM pod or
  • LITENING AT/Sniper XR targeting pods (A-10C)

Popular culture

Nicknames

The A-10 Thunderbolt II received its popular nickname "Warthog" from the pilots and crews of the USAF attack squadrons who flew and maintained this unique aircraft. The warthog or common warthog ( Phacochoerus africanus, "African Lens-Pig" is a wild member of the pig family that lives in Africa The A-10 is the last of Republic's jet attack aircraft to serve with the USAF. The Republic F-84 Thunderjet was nicknamed the "Hog", F-84F Thunderstreak nicknamed "Superhog", and the Republic F-105 Thunderchief tagged "Ultra Hog". WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see Wikipe diaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout ^[3] A less common nickname is the "Tankbuster". ^[35]

See also

• 190th Fighter Squadron, Blues and Royals friendly fire incident - March 28, 2003
  

Comparable aircraft

• Northrop YA-9
• Sukhoi Su-25
  

Related lists

• List of attack aircraft
• List of active United States military aircraft
• List of friendly fire incidents
  

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

• USAF A-10 fact sheet page
• A-10.org web site
• A-10 web page on GlobalSecurity.org
• A-10 web page on fas.org
• The Warthog Pen web site
• Video of an A-10 weapon test

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