Affectionately called the “A-10 Warthog” for its aggressive look and often painted with teeth on the nose cone, the A-10 Thunderbolt II is the U.S. Air Force’s primary low-altitude close air support aircraft. The A-10 is perhaps best known for its fearsome GAU-8 Avenger 30mm gatling gun mounted on the nose.
How old is the A-10 Thunderbolt?
The A-10 Thunderbolt II (also called the Warthog) is an attack aircraft made by Fairchild Republic. It first flew in 1972 and was introduced in 1977. It is designed to drop bombs, fire rockets, missiles, and its 30 mm Gatling Gun at enemies on the ground (like tanks).
Has the A-10 ever shot down an aircraft?
Seven hundred and fifteen A-10s had been built, but the active fleet was down to 390 units, what with weary and excess A-10s sent to the Davis-Monthan boneyard. (Many returned to base almost unflyable, but only seven Warthogs have ever been shot down or crashed due to combat.)
What does the A stand for in a-10 Warthog?
Acronym. Definition. A-10. Thunderbolt II. Copyright 1988-2018 AcronymFinder.com, All rights reserved.
Are A-10 Warthogs still being made?
With a variety of upgrades and wing replacements, the A-10’s service life can be extended to 2040; the service has no planned retirement date as of June 2017.
Why the A-10 Warthog is so formidable?
The windows in the A-10 are wider, giving pilots a larger field of view with which to see and attack targets. The engines of the A-10 are mounted high so that the aircraft can land in austere environments such as rugged, dirty or sandy terrain.
What is the top speed of an A10 Warthog?
420 mph
Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II/Top speed
Is the A-10 Warthog obsolete?
The A-10 is “very effective in current conflicts, but it is not viable in the long term,” according to Air Force fiscal 2022 talking points, as reported by Air Force Magazine.
What is the latest version of the A-10 Thunderbolt II?
Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II. This is the latest accepted revision, reviewed on 8 September 2019. The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is a single-seat, twin turbofan engine, straight wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic for the United States Air Force (USAF).
How much does it cost to buy a Thunderbolt 2?
Unit cost. US$18.8 million. (approx. $39.9M in 2019) The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is a single-seat, twin turbofan engine, straight wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic for the United States Air Force (USAF).
What wars did the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II fight in?
Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II. The A-10 served in the Gulf War ( Operation Desert Storm ), the American led intervention against Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, where the A-10 distinguished itself. The A-10 also participated in other conflicts such as in Grenada, the Balkans, Afghanistan, Iraq, and against Islamic State in the Middle East .
When was the first A-10 made?
Fairchild-Republic’s and Northrop’s designs were declared as the winners on 18 December 1970. Both companies manufactured one prototype, the YA-9 by Northrop and the YA-10 by Fairchild-Republic. The competition was won by the YA-10. The first A-10 aircraft were delivered in October 1975 to the Davis–Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona.
