Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II

Type (Muster)
Ground attack aircraft (Nahunterstützungsflugzeug)

Country (Land)
USA

Manufacturer (Hersteller)
Fairchild Republic
Farmigdale, Long Island, NY
USA

This company no longer exists. Technical services for the A-10 are now provided by Northrop Grumman from ist facilites in Bethpage, NY ans St. Augustine, Florida.

General (Allgemeine Angaben)
Crew (Besatzung): 1 on a Goodrich ACES II ejection seat, or 2 in the YA-10B

Armament (Bewaffnung): The A-10A is built around the powerful General Electic GAU-8/A Avenger 30 mm seven barrell cannon monted in the nose. Fire rate is either 2100 or 2400 rounds per minute from an 1174 rounds drum magazine.
There are three stores stations under the fuselag plus four under each wing for a total external warload of 7260 kg. Among the weapons/external stores are:

28 x Mk 82 bombs (225 kg) or Mk 82 retarded bombs
·6 x Mk 84 bombs (900 kg)
8 x BLU-1 or BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
4 x SUU-25 flare launchers
20 x Rockeye II cluster bombs
16 x CBU-52/58/71/87/89/97 dispensers
10 x AGM-65A/B/D/G Maverick
laser guided bombs (GBU-10/12)
12 x LAU-68 rocked pods
10 BL755
2 x SUU-23 gun pods
2 x AIM-9L Sidewinder
ALQ-119 ECM pods
3 x 2270 litres drop tanks

Power plant (Antrieb): 2 x General Electric TF34-GE-100 turbofan
Thrust (Schub): 2 x 40,3 kN (9065 lbs)

Dimensions (Abmessungen)
Length (Länge): 16,26 m or 16.03 m for the prototypes
Height (Höhe): 4,47 m or 4,67 m for the YA-10B or 4,39 m for the prototypes
Span (Spannweite): 17,53 m or 16,76 m for the prototypes
Wing area (Flügelfläche): 47 sq m or 45,34 sq m for the prototypes
Wing aspect ratio (Flügelstreckung): 6,54
Wheel track (Spurweite): 5,25 m
Wheelbase (Radstand): 5,40 m

Weights (Massen)
Manufacturers empty weight (Leermasse): 9771 kg
Operating weight empty (Einsatzleermasse): 11321 kg or 12986 kg for the YA-10B or 9894 kg for the prototypes
Internal fuel (Kraftstoff): 4853 kg
Weapons load (Waffenzuladung): 7258 kg external loads
Weapons lad with full internal fuel (Zuladung mit vollen Tanks): 6505 kg
Normal take-off weight (normale Startmasse): 14438 kg or 21061 kg for the YA-10B
Maximum take-off weight (max. Startmasse): 22950 kg or 20206 for the prototypes

Performance (Flugleistungen)
Never-exceed speed (Grenzgeschwindigkeit): 834 km/h
Maximum speed (Höchstgeschwindigkeit): 706 km/h at sea level or 676 km/h for the YA-10B
Combat speed at 1500 m (Einsatzgeschwindigkeit): 704 km/h
Cruise speed (Marschgeschwindigkeit):
     - at sea level: 555 km/h
     - at 1525 m: 623 km/h
Dive speed (45 deg) below 2440 m (Sturzfluggeschwindigkeit): 481 km/h
Max rate of climb (max. Steigrate): 1828 m/min at sea level
Service ceiling (Dienstgipfelhöhe): 13635 m (45000 ft)
Take-off distance (Startstrecke):
    - at max take-off weight: 1220 m
    - from forward airstrips: 442 m at 14865 kg
Take-off run for the YA-10B: 945 m
Landing distance (Landestrecke): 610 m or 396 m at airstrips with lower weight
Operational radius (Einsatzradius:
     - 463 km for close air support (Luftnahunterstützung) with 1.7 hours loiter
     - 1000 km – 1290 km for deep strike
     - 460 km for the YA-10B at unspecified conditions
Ferry range (Überführungsreichweite): 3950 km

Costs (Kosten)
The US Air Force fact sheet lists a unit cost of 9,8 million US-Dollars in 1998 values

Customers (Kunden)
All two prototypes, six pre-series aircraft and 707 series production A-10As were built for the US Air Force.
In mid-2001 operational bases included:

Barksdale AFB, Louisiana (BD)
47^th Fighter Squadron - 17
Barnes MAP/ANGB, Massachussets (MA)
131st Fighter Squadron -17
Battle Creek ANGB, Michig. (BC)
172nd Fighter-Squadron - 17
Boise Air Terminal, Idaho (ID)
190th Fighter Squadron - 17
Bradley IAP/ANGB, Connect. (CT)
118th Fighter Squadron - 17
Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona (DM)
354th Fighter Squadron – 25
357th Fighter Squadron – 25
358th Fighter Squadron - 25
Eglin AFB, Florida (EG)
40th Flight Test Squadron - 2
Eielson AFB, Alaska (AK)
355th Fighter Squadron - 15
Martin State ANGB, Maryland (MD)
104th Fighter Squadron - 17
Nellis AFB, Nevada (WA)
USAF Weapons School - 12
New Orleans, Louisiana (NO)
706th Fighter Squadron - 17
Osan AB, Südkorea (OS)
25th Fighter Squadron - 21
Pope AFB, North Carolina (FT)
74th Fighter Squadron – 23
75th Fighter Squadron - 23
Spangdahlem AB, BRD (SP)
81st Fighter Squadron - 21
Whiteman AFB, Missouri (KC)
303rd Fighter Squadron - 17
Willow Grove JRB, Pennsylvania (PA)
103rd Fighter Squadron - 15

Remarks (Bemerkungen)
During the Vietnam conflict, US close support aircraft were confronted with heavy defensive fire. The USAF therefore sought a specially designed, heavily armed and simple ground attack machine that could sustain a lot of battle damage and still come home. Design features of tha A-10A therefore include:

30 mm cannon with high rate of fire and depleted uranium ammunition
robust airframe with many duplicated load paths, built 95 per cent of aluminium alloys. It can survive hits by 23 mm projectiles
high-mounted and well shielded engines
robust undercarriage with main wheels partly exposed for belly landings
heavy titanium armour "bathtub" for cockpit and ammunition
self-sealing fuel cells
excellent maneuvrability at low altitude
many back-up systems, flyable even without hydraulics
many interchangeable parts left and right plus other features for easy maintenance at forward locations
night-vision goggle compatible cockpit

History (Geschichte)
In light of the experience in Vietnam the Pentagon stated its A-X programme. Requests for proposals went out to 21 companies on 6 March 1967.
In 1970, the requirements were changed to include anti-armour missions against the Soviet threat, with a new RFP being issue in May. This thime, six comapanies responded. Northrop (YA-9A) and Fairchild Republic were given contracts to build two prototypes each for use in a fly-off.
The first YA-10A lifted off on 10 May 1972 followed by the second on 21 July. The USAF evaluation at Edwards Air Force Base began on 10 October 1972 and lasted until 9 December. On 18 January 1973 it was announced that the A-10A had been selected as the winner.
Fairchild-Republic then went on to build six aircraft and two static test airframes for Developmental Test and Evaluation. The first A-10A made its maiden flight on 15 February 1975. Changes included a larger wing area, improved windscreen, streamlined ordnance pylons and production-standard engines.
An initial order for 22 production A-10As was issued on 20 December 1974. The first series production aircraft flew on 21 October 1975. Deliveries began in the spring of 1976 to the 333rd Tactical Fighter Squadron of the 355th Tactical Training Wing at Davis-Monthan AFB.
The first operational A-10A unit was the 356th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, which received its aircraft from March 1977 and declared readiness in October 1977.
In the mid-70s, Fairchild Republic proposed a dedicated night/adverse weather version of the A-10. A pre series aircraft was modified with company money as the YA-10B and flew for the first time on 4 May 1979 at Edwards Air Force Base. Later, the USAF conducted a test programme at Eglin AFB but in the end there was no order forthcoming. The YA-10B featured a second, stepped cockpit and larger fins to maintain stability margins. Extended landing gear fairings were to house a Westinghouse radar for ground mapping and terrain following as well as a FLIR.
Production of the A-10A at the Farmingdale plant peaked at 12 a month and continued until 20. March 1984, when the 707th series aircraft was handed over.
In the late 80s, there were discussions to retire the A-10, but its duties as a forward air controller and its excellent performance in Operation Desert Storm (987 tanks and 1106 trucks as well as 926 artillery pieces and 501 APCs etc. killed during 8100 sorties) saved the day for the "Warthog”, which is now poised to remain in service until 2025 or so. To keep the airframes viable, a Hog-Up programme was started in the late 1990s. This should give the A-10As a service life of 16000 hours (instead of the original 4000).

Last updated 25 November 2002

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