A-6 Intruder

A-6 Intruder

Primary Function:	All-weather medium attack aircraft
Contractor:	Grumman Aerospace Corporation
Unit Cost:	$22 million
Propulsion:
All Model	Two Pratt & Whitney J52-P8B engines
E model, post 1991	Two Pratt & Whitney J52-409 engines
Thrust
All Model	9,300lb (4,218kg)
E,post 1991	12,000lb (5,443kg)
Dimension
Wingspan:	53 feet (16.1 meters)
Length:	54 feet 7 inches (16.1 meters)
Height:
A/C	15 feet 7 inches (4.74 meters)
E	16 feet 3 inches (4.95 meters)
Weight:	Take-off maximum gross, 60,626 pounds (27,524 kg); take-off maximum gross(carrier), 58,600 pounds (26,370) kg); empty, 25,630 pounds (11,636 kg)
Performances
Speed:	563 knots (648 miles, 1036 km, per hour)
Ceiling:	44,600 feet
Range:	With full combat load, 1,077 miles (1,733 km); with external fuel tanks, 3,100 miles (4,991 km)
Armament:
	Five stores locations each rated at 3,600 pounds (1,634 kg) carrying any combination of Mk 80 series GP bombs, Guided Bomb Units (GBUs) , AGM-65 Maverick missiles, AGM-88 Harm missile , AGM-84D Harpoon missiles, AIM-9 Sidewinder missile, and the AGM-62 Walleye.
Crew:	Two
Date Deployed:
	First flight, April 19, 1960
	Operational, February 1963

In 1956, the Navy requested a "Carrier borne all weather attack aircraft", its size was to be bigger then the A-4 Skyhawk but smaller then the A-3 Sky Warrior. The requirement also emphasized on the ability to fly a long-range mission at low altitude and be capable of performing its mission even in bad weather. The plane must also be capable of navigating through terrain without help of external sources such as beacons.

7 companies responded to the request and Grumman's model 128 was selected as the winner. Initially the plane was designated as A2F-1 and later redesignated as A-6. Eight-test plane was ordered and the first A-6 flew on 19 April 1960. 482 A-6 was delivered to the Navy, the first being in February 1963.

The A-6 first saw action in the Vietnam War when USS Independence sailed into the Gulf of Tokin's with VA-75 on board. With the Vietnam War escalating in 1965, the A-6 DIANE system endowed an excellent operating ability in all weather conditions. With the cancellation of the A-12 program, the Navy continued to upgrade it's A-6E fleet. The E model was rewinged with composite material, SWIP was introduced to expand the weapon capability and new HUD and extra fuel was also introduced to the Intruder. The A-6 served with 14 Navy attack squadron and 5 USMC squadrons.

A-6B is a variant of the A model, 19 was produced. It was designed for SAM suppression in the Vietnam War.

A-6C 12 was produced, designed with turret mounted FLIR and LLLTV equipment for improved night attack capability

KA-6D 78 was produced; the model was given the mission of tanking other planes during flight operations. It is equipped with TACAN and the buddy refueling system. The KA-6D is the Navy's standard tanker.

A-6E first flown on 27th February 1970, it introduced a multi-mode navigation attack radar and a computerised nav/attack system. Most navy and USMC A-6E were updated in 1974 with a TRAM laser designator and FLIR turret giving smart weapon capability.

A-6F Similar airframe to the E model except with improved digital avionics, new radar and F404 turbofans. The Navy canceled the F model when it opted to continue with its A-12 program.

A-6G Similar to the F model except it retained the J52 engines

The A-6E is an all-weather, two-seat, subsonic, carrier-based attack aircraft. In spite of its weight, it has excellent slow-flying capabilities with full span slats and flaps. The crew, sitting side by side, can see in all directions through a broad canopy. The aircraft is equipped with a micro-miniaturized digital computer, a solid state weapons release system, and a single integrated track and search radar. The Intruder is armed with laser-guided weapons and equipped with a chin turret containing a forward-looking infra-red (FLIR) system and laser designator and receiver.