Plate 001 — Aircraft
REF: BF-AIR-001A-10 Thunderbolt II “Warthog”
A-10 / A10 Thunderbolt II Warthog
A-10 Thunderbolt II
The A-10 / OA-10 Thunderbolt II, often known as the "Warthog," is the first US Air Force aircraft specially designed for close air support of ground forces. They are simple, effective and survivable twin-engine jet aircraft that can be used against all ground targets, including tanks and other armored vehicles.
The A-10 / OA-10 have excellent maneuverability at low air speeds and altitude, and are highly accurate weapons-delivery platforms. They can loiter near battle areas for extended periods of time and operate under 1,000-foot ceilings (303.3 meters) with 1.5-mile (2.4 kilometers) visibility. Their wide combat radius and short takeoff and landing capability permit operations in and out of locations near front lines. Using night vision goggles, A-10/OA-10 pilots can conduct their missions during darkness.
Thunderbolt IIs have Night Vision Imaging Systems (NVIS), goggle compatible single-seat cockpits forward of their wings and a large bubble canopy which provides pilots all-around vision. The pilots are protected by 900 pounds of titanium armor (referred to as a "titanium bathtub") that also protects parts of the flight-control system. The redundant primary structural sections allow the aircraft to enjoy better survivability during close air support than did previous aircraft.
The aircraft can survive direct hits from armor-piercing and high explosive projectiles up to 23mm. Their self-sealing fuel cells are protected by internal and external foam and are designed not to explode if shot. Manual systems back up their redundant hydraulic flight-control systems. This permits pilots to fly and land when hydraulic power or a wing is lost.
The Thunderbolt II can be serviced and operated from bases with limited facilities near battle areas. Many of the aircraft's parts are interchangeable left and right, including the engines, main landing gear and vertical stabilizers.
Avionics equipment includes communications, inertial navigation systems, fire control and weapons delivery systems, target penetration aids and night vision goggles. Their weapons delivery systems include heads-up displays that indicate airspeed, altitude, dive angle, navigation information and weapons aiming references; a low altitude safety and targeting enhancement system (LASTE) which provides constantly computing impact point freefall ordnance delivery; and Pave Penny laser-tracking pods under the fuselage. The aircraft also have armament control panels, and infrared and electronic countermeasures to handle surface-to-air missile threats. Installation of the Global Positioning System is currently underway for all aircraft.
The Thunderbolt II's 30mm GAU-8/A Gatling gun can fire 3,900 rounds a minute and can defeat an array of ground targets to include tanks. Some of their other equipment includes an inertial navigation system, electronic countermeasures, target penetration aids, self-protection systems, and AGM-65 Maverick and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles.
The first production A-10A was delivered to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, in October 1975. It was designed specially for the close air support mission and had the ability to combine large military loads, long loiter and wide combat radius, which proved to be vital assets to the United States and its allies during Operation Desert Storm and Operation Noble Anvil. In the Gulf War, A-10s had a mission capable rate of 95.7 percent, flew 8,100 sorties and launched 90 percent of the AGM-65 Maverick missiles.
The A-10s were an unwelcome addition to the Air Force arsenal. Air Force officials prized the high-flying, high-performance F-15 and F-16 jets, and were determined to leave the dirty work of close air support to Army helicopters.
In the 1980s, military planners intended the A-10s to fly low, slow missions to counter divisions of Soviet tanks stationed in eastern Europe.
In 1991, the planes proved their mettle in the Persian Gulf War, destroying more than 1,000 tanks, 2,000 military vehicles and 1,200 artillery pieces. Five A-10s were shot down during the war, far fewer than military planners expected.
The aircraft again saw service in the 1999 Kosovo War, but due to the rules of engagement imposed by the Clinton administration, which was paranoid about having an American aicraft shot down and thus possibly taking casualties, the aircraft did not perform well. During the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan A-10's did not take part in the initial stages. However, they were later based at Bagram air base and took part in subsequent operations, including Operation Anaconda in March 2002. Due to far less restrictive rules of engagement, the aicraft performed a great deal better than in 1999. Early in 2003, the aircraft saw service over Iraq again when America and Britain invaded the country and deposed Saddam Hussein. 60 A-10's were deployed, and one was shot down near Baghdad International Airport by Iraqi fire late in the campaign.
The A-10 is scheduled to stay in service with the USAF until 2028, when it will be replaced by the Joint Strike Fighter.
A10 General Characteristics
- Primary Function: A-10 -- close air support, OA-10 - airborne forward air control
Contractor: Fairchild Republic Corporation
Power Plant: Two General Electric TF34-GE-100 turbofans Thrust: 9,065 pounds each engine - Length: 53 feet, 4 inches (16.16 meters)
- Height: 14 feet, 8 inches (4.42 meters)
- Wingspan: 57 feet, 6 inches (17.42 meters)
- Speed: 420 miles per hour (Mach 0.56) (but is able to fly at a relatively slow speed of 200 mph, which gives it an advantage in battlefields)
- Ceiling: 45,000 feet (13,636 meters)
- Maximum Takeoff Weight: 51,000 pounds (22,950 kilograms)
- Range: 800 miles (695 nautical miles)
- Armament: One 30 mm GAU-8/A seven-barrel Gatling gun; up to 16,000 pounds (7,200 kilograms) of mixed ordnance on eight under-wing and three under-fuselage pylon stations, including 500 pounds (225 kilograms) of Mk-82 and 2,000 pounds (900 kilograms) of Mk-84 series low/high drag bombs, incendiary cluster bombs, combined effects munitions, mine dispensing munitions, AGM-65 Maverick missiles and laser-guided/electro-optically guided bombs; infrared countermeasure flares; electronic countermeasure chaff; jammer pods; 2.75-inch (6.99 centimeters) rockets; illumination flares and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles.
- Crew: One
- Date Deployed: March 1976
- Unit Cost: US$9.8 million
- Inventory: Active force, A-10, 143 and OA-10, 70; Reserve, A-10, 46 and OA-10, 6; ANG, A-10, 84 and OA-10, 18
A10 Variants
YA-10A
Pre-production variant. 12 were built.
A-10A
Single-seat close air support, ground-attack version.
OA-10A
A-10As used for airborne forward air control.
YA-10B Night/Adverse Weather
Two-seat experimental prototype, for work at night and in bad weather. The one YA-10B prototype was converted from an A-10A.
A-10C
A-10As updated under the incremental Precision Engagement (PE) program.
A-10PCAS
Proposed unmanned version developed by Raytheon and Aurora Flight Sciences as part of DARPA's Persistent Close Air Support program.[123] The PCAS program eventually dropped the idea of using an optionally manned A-10.
Civilian A-10
Proposed by the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology to replace its North American T-28 Trojan thunderstorm penetration aircraft. The A-10 would have its military engines, avionics, and oxygen system replaced by civilian versions. The engines and airframe would receive protection from hail, and the GAU-8 Avenger would be replaced with ballast or scientific instruments
A10 Mission
The A-10 Thunderbolt II has excellent maneuverability at low air speeds and altitude, and is a highly accurate and survivable weapons-delivery platform. The aircraft can loiter near battle areas for extended periods of time and operate in low ceiling and visibility conditions. The wide combat radius and short takeoff and landing capability permit operations in and out of locations near front lines. Using night vision goggles, A-10 pilots can conduct their missions during darkness.
Thunderbolt IIs have Night Vision Imaging Systems, or NVIS, goggle compatible single-seat cockpits forward of their wings and a large bubble canopy which provides pilots all-around vision. The pilots are protected by titanium armor that also protects parts of the flight-control system. The redundant primary structural sections allow the aircraft to enjoy better survivability during close air support than did previous aircraft. The aircraft can survive direct hits from armor-piercing and high explosive projectiles up to 23mm. Their self-sealing fuel cells are protected by internal and external foam. Manual systems back up their redundant hydraulic flight-control systems. This permits pilots to fly and land when hydraulic power is lost.
The A-10 has received many upgrades over the years. In 1978, the aircraft received the Pave Penny laser receiver pod, which sensed reflected laser radiation from a laser designator. Pave Penney has now been discontinued in favor more capable advanced targeting pods. The A-10 began receiving an inertial navigation system in 1980. Later, the Low-Altitude Safety and Targeting Enhancement (LASTE) upgrade provided computerized weapon-aiming equipment, an autopilot, and a ground-collision warning system. In 1999, aircraft began to receive Global Positioning System navigation systems and a new multi-function display. In 2005, the entire A-10 fleet began receiving the Precision Engagement upgrades that include an improved fire control system (FCS), electronic countermeasures (ECM), upgraded cockpit displays, the ability to deliver smart bombs, moving map display, hands on throttle and stick, digital stores management, LITENING and Sniper advanced targeting pod integration, situational awareness data link or SADL, variable message format, or VMF, GPS-guided weapons, and upgraded DC power. The entire A-10 fleet has been Precision Engagement modified and now carries the A-10C designation.
The Thunderbolt II can be serviced and operated from austere bases with limited facilities near battle areas. Many of the aircraft's parts are interchangeable left and right, including the engines, main landing gear and vertical stabilizers. Avionics equipment includes multi-band communications; Global Positioning System and inertial navigations systems; infrared and electronic countermeasures against air-to-air and air-to-surface threats. And, it has a heads-up display to display flight and weapons delivery information.
The Thunderbolt II can employ a wide variety of conventional munitions, including general purpose bombs, cluster bomb units, laser guided bombs, joint direct attack munitions or JDAM, wind corrected munitions dispenser or WCMD, AGM-65 Maverick and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, rockets, illumination flares, and the GAU-8/A 30mm cannon, capable of firing 3,900 rounds per minute to defeat a wide variety of targets including tanks.
A10 Background
The first production A-10A was delivered to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., in October 1975. The upgraded A-10C reached initial operation capability in September 2007. Specifically designed for close air support, its combination of large and varied ordnance load, long loiter time, accurate weapons delivery, austere field capability, and survivability has proven invaluable to the United States and its allies. The aircraft has participated in operations Desert Storm, Southern Watch, Provide Comfort, Desert Fox, Noble Anvil, Deny Flight, Deliberate Guard, Allied Force, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
A-10 Aircraft operators:
- USAF United States Air Force
- 25th Fighter Squadron
- 66th Weapons Squadron
- 74th Fighter Squadron
- 75th Fighter Squadron
- 354th Fighter Squadron
- 357th Fighter Squadron
- 358th Fighter Squadron
- 422d Test and Evaluation Squadron
- (Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada)
- Air National Guard
- 104th Fighter Squadron
- 107th Fighter Squadron
- 163d Fighter Squadron
- 190th Fighter Squadron
- Air Force Reserve Command
- 45th Fighter Squadron
- 47th Fighter Squadron
- 76th Fighter Squadron
- 303d Fighter Squadron
Former operators
- United States Air Force
- 18th Tactical Fighter Squadron
- 78th Tactical Fighter Squadron
- 81st Fighter Squadron
- 91st Tactical Fighter Squadron
- 92d Tactical Fighter Squadron
- 343rd Tactical Fighter Squadron
- 353rd Tactical Fighter Squadron
- 355th Tactical Fighter Squadron
- 356th Tactical Fighter Squadron
- 509th Tactical Fighter Squadron
- 510th Tactical Fighter Squadron
- 511th Tactical Fighter Squadron
Air Force Reserve Command
47th Fighter Squadron
706th Fighter Squadron
- Air National Guard
- 103d Fighter Squadron
- 118th Fighter Squadron
- 131st Fighter Squadron
- 138th Fighter Squadron
- 172d Fighter Squadron
- 176th Tactical Fighter Squadron
- 184th Fighter Squadron