A-4S-1

A-4S-1 "Super Skyhawk"

Name	A-4S-1 "Super Skyhawk"(McDonnell Douglas Aircraft )
Type	Attack and CAS (Close Air Support)
Year	October 1956
Engine	One General Electric F404-GE-100D non-afterburning turbofan
Length	12.72 m
Height	4.57 m
Ceiling	12,190m
Weight	10,206 kg
Speed	1,128 km /h
Max. Range	625 nm (1,158 km)
Wing span	8.38 m
Crew	1
Armament	Two Mk 12 20-mm cannon in wingroots; plus ordnance including : bombs, rockets, ASMs, AIM-9P AAMs and fuel tanks.

The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk
was designed by Edward Henry Heinemann as a single-seat carrier-borne attack bomber. The prototype Skyhawk, XA4D-1, flew for
the first time on 22 June 1954, only eighteen months after design work was initiated and features a simplified airframe and reduced
equipment as compared to other deck-landing combat aircraft. No wing folding mechanism is used as the Skyhawk is sufficiently
small without wings folded to ascend and descend on the elevators of U S Navy aircraft carriers. The Skyhawk entered service in
October 1956 and provided the US Navy and the USMC with their principal light attack platform for over 20 years. Total production of
all variants reached 2,960.

Early models comprised the Wright J65-W2 powered A-4A/B/Cs (differing in avionics and engine power), the Pratt & Whitney J52-P
engined A-4Es and A-4Fs with a dorsal avionics hump. Export models comprised A-4G (Australia), A-4H (Israel), A-4K (New
Zealand), A-4KU (Kuwait) and A-4P & 4Q (Argentina). The A-4L was a re-built A-4C for the USN Reserve. A-4Ns were similar to the
A-4H but featured uprated avionics, including a HUD. The last major production model was the A-4M, based on the A-4F but
introducing a Pratt & Whitney J52-P-408 engine.

A-4 trainer variants feature two cockpits in tandem with a single canopy, and some combat capability. The USMC's OA-4M was
used for FAC duties, and has been retired. The definitive TA-4J was a simplified version which lacks cannon armament and combat
capability. In USN service this is the major operational model, used for advanced training, including carrier qualification.

Singapore has the most capable Skyhawks, having upgraded surplus A-4B/Cs as A-4Ss. Three modification standards exist: the
basic refurbished aircraft, the A-4S-1 Super Skyhawk, re-engined with the GE-F404 turbofan, and the A-4SU with F404 and a new
digital avionics suite which include a Pave Penny laser designator, pilot's HUD and an inertial navigation system (INS).

Source-McDonnell Douglas

[Home] Fighters: [F-14] [F-15] [F-15E] [F-16] [F-18] [F-22] [F-111] [F-117] Helicopters: [AH-1] [AH-64] [CH-46] [CH-47] [UH-1] [UH-60] [RAH-66] Bombers: [B-1] [B-2] [B-52] Attack: [A-6] [AV-8B] [A-10] [AC-130] Electronic: [E-2] [E-3] [E-4] [EA-6] [E-8] Cargo: [C-5] [C-17] [MV-22] [MC-130] Missiles: [Sea Launched Cruise Missile] [Air Launched Cruise Missile] [AGM-142] Spy Planes: [U-2] Drones: [RQ-1] [Hunter] Surveillance: [S-3] Experimental Fighters: [X-29] [X-32] [X-35] [X-36] [X-40] [UCAV]