A-10 Thunderbolt II

Overview:

The A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing 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 with a limited air interdiction capability. 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. The A-10 is more commonly known by its nickname "Warthog" or simply "Hog". As a secondary mission, it provides airborne forward air control, guiding other aircraft against ground targets. A-10s used primarily in this role are designated OA-10. The A-10 has superior maneuverability at low speeds and altitude, thanks to large wing area, high wing aspect ratio, and large ailerons. The large high aspect ratio wing also allows for 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 platform for the ground-attack role than fast fighter-bombers, which often have difficulty targeting small and slow-moving targets. 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 heat-seeking missiles. The placement of the engines behind the wings partially shields them from anti-aircraft fire. The leading edge of the wing is honeycomb to provide strength with minimal weight compromise. Honeycomb panels of this type on the A-10 include the flap shrouds, elevators, rudders and other sections of the fins. Although the A-10 can carry considerable disposable stores, its primary built-in weapon is the 30 mm GAU-8/A Avenger Gatling gun. One of the most powerful aircraft cannons ever flown, it fires large depleted uranium armor-piercing shells. In the original design, the pilot could switch between two rates of fire: 2,100 or 4,200 rounds per minute; this was changed to a fixed rate of 3,900 rounds per minute. 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 precise; it can place 80% of its shots within a 40-foot (12.4 m) circle from 4,000 feet (1,220 m) while in flight. 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. The fuselage of the aircraft is built around the gun. 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 gun's ammunition drum can hold up to 1,350 rounds of 30 mm ammunition, but generally holds 1,174 rounds. The damage caused by rounds firing prematurely due to impact of an explosive shell would be catastrophic, so a great deal of effort has been taken to protect the 5 feet 11.5 inches (1.82 m) long drum. There are many armor plates of differing thicknesses between the aircraft skin and the drum, to detonate an incoming shell before it reaches 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; a vehicle unique to the A-10 and GAU-8.

Specifications:

Role

• Close air support ground-attack aircraft.

First Flight

• 10 May 1972

Introduction

• March 1977

Status

• In service.

Primary User

• United States Air Force.

Number Built

• 715

Unit Cost

• US$11.7 million (average).

Crew

• 1 pilot
  

Length

• 53 ft 4 in (16.26 m).

Height

• 14 ft 8 in (4.47 m).

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 (40.32 kN) each.

Guns

• 1× 30 mm (1.18 in) GAU-8/A Avenger gatling cannon with 1,174 rounds.

Rockets

• 4× LAU-61/LAU-68 rocket pods (each with 19× / 7× Hydra 70 mm rockets, respectively).
• 4× LAU-5003 rocket pods (each with 19× CRV7 70 mm rockets).
• 6× LAU-10 rocket pods (each with 4× 127 mm (5.0 in) Zuni rockets).

Missiles

• 2× AIM-9 Sidewinders air-to-air missiles for self-defense.
• 8× AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missiles.

Bombs

• Mark 80 series of unguided iron bombs.
• Mk 77 incendiary bombs.
• BLU-1
• BLU-27/B Rockeye II
• Mk20
• BL-755
• CBU-52/58/71/87/89/97 cluster bombs Paveway series of Laser-guided bombs.
• Joint Direct Attack Munition (A-10C).
• Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser (A-10C)*SUU-42A/A Flares/Infrared decoys dispenser pod and chaff pod.

Avionics

• Pave Penny laser tracker pod (mounted beneath right side of cockpit) for use with Paveway LGBs.