A-10 Thunderbolt II a.k.a Warthog
The A-10 Thunderbolt II is single-seat, close air support
and anti-armor attack aircraft. The OA-10 is a forward air
control aircraft with attack capability. The A-10 program
was started to counter the massive Soviet tank threat
during the 1970's. The A-10 is built around a 30mm 7-barrell
cannon with depleted uranium rounds, The Thunderbolt
is equipped with FLIR and NVG and now operates in both
the day and night.
Primary Function: A-10 -- close air support,
OA-10 - airborne forward air control
Contractor: Fairchild Republic Co.
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)
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: $8.8 million
Inventory: Active force, A-10, 114 and OA-10, 72; Reserve, A-10, 24 and
OA-10, 21; ANG, A-10, 72 and OA-10, 18