The “A-10 Warthog Thunderbolt II ” is a product of Fairchild Aircraft which was introduced in March 1977. The A-10 Thunderbolt II has a single-seat cockpit and a large bubble canopy that provides the pilots with all-around vision. It has a twin General Electric TF34-GE-100 turbofan engine, straight wing jet aircraft developed for the United States Air Force with a top speed of 706 km/h, Wingspan is 18 m, It has a range of 4,148 kmIts.
The name ”A-10 Warthog thunderbolt ii” was derived from 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. The GAU-8 is designed to fire armor-piercing depleted uranium and high explosive incendiary rounds. General Electric TF34 is the engine that comes with this peculiar aircraft.
The Flight
Navigating at low airspeeds and altitude with a high level of accuracy and the survivable weapons-delivery platform is what the A-10 Thunderbolt II has been known for. The aircraft has the ability to hover near battle areas for extended periods of time and operate in low ceiling and visibility conditions and still get the work done perfectly. Its short takeoff and landing capability give it a boost operating in and out of locations near front lines with its wide combat radius. Using night-vision goggles, A-10 pilots can conduct their missions during darkness.
The aircraft comes with Night Vision Imaging Systems, or NVIS, goggle compatible. The titanium armor that comes with the aircraft protects both the pilot and parts of the flight-control system. The redundant primary structural sections allow the aircraft to enjoy better survivability during close air support than did the previous aircraft
This highly sophisticated aircraft can survive direct hits from armor-piercing and high explosive projectiles up to 23mm. Its self-sealing fuel cells are protected by internal and external foam. Manual systems back up their redundant hydraulic flight-control systems that permit pilots to fly and land when hydraulic power is lost.
Upgrades And Modifications
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To maintain its high level of performance, the A-10 “Warthog” went through a lot of upgrades over the years. One of which took place in 1978, the aircraft received the Pave Penny laser receiver pod, which sensed reflected laser radiation from a laser designator. Pave Penney has now been discontinued in favor of more capable advanced targeting pods. The A-10 began receiving an inertial navigation system in 1980. Later, the Low-Altitude Safety and Targeting Enhancement (LASTE) upgrade provided computerized weapon-aiming equipment, an autopilot, and a ground-collision warning system.
In 1999, the aircraft got the Global Positioning System navigation systems and a new multi-function display. In 2005, the entire A-10 fleet got the Precision Engagement upgrades that include an improved fire control system, electronic countermeasures, upgraded cockpit displays, the ability to deliver smart bombs, moving map display, hands-on throttle and stick, digital stores management, LITENING and Sniper advanced targeting pod integration with the situational awareness data link or SADL, variable message format, or VMF, GPS-guided weapons, and upgraded DC power. The entire A-10 fleet has been Precision Engagement modified and now carries the A-10C designation.
Maintenance Of The A-10 Warthog
The good thing about the A-10 Warthog thunderbolt II is that it can be serviced and operated from austere bases with limited facilities near battle areas, as most of the aircraft’s parts are interchangeable left and right, including the engines, main landing gear and vertical stabilizers. Avionics equipment includes multi-band communications; Global Positioning System and inertial navigation systems; infrared and electronic countermeasures against air-to-air and air-to-surface threats. And, it has a heads-up display to display flight and weapons delivery information.
Armament
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30 mm GAU-8/A cannon; up to 16,000 pounds of mixed ordnance on eight under-wing and three under-fuselage pylon stations, including 500 pound Mk-82 and 2,000 pounds Mk-84 series low/high drag bombs, incendiary cluster bombs, combined effects munitions, mine dispensing munitions, AGM-65 Maverick; AIM-9 Sidewinder.
Capabilities Of The A-10 Warthog
The Thunderbolt II can employ a wide variety of conventional munitions, including general-purpose bombs, cluster bomb units, laser-guided bombs, joint direct attack munitions or JDAM, wind corrected munitions dispenser or WCMD, AGM-65 Maverick and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, rockets, illumination flares, and the GAU-8/A 30mm cannon, capable of firing 3,900 rounds per minute to defeat a wide variety of targets including tanks.
The first production A-10A was delivered to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz, in October 1975. The upgraded A-10C reached initial operational capability in September 2007. Specifically designed for close air support, its combination of large and varied ordnance load, long loiter time, accurate weapons delivery, austere field capability, and survivability has proven invaluable to the United States and its allies. The aircraft has participated in operations Desert Storm, Southern Watch, Provide Comfort, Desert Fox, Noble Anvil, Deny Flight, Deliberate Guard, Allied Force, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
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