A-10 Thunderbolt

Background

The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The only United States Air Force aircraft designed solely for close air support of ground forces, the A-10 was built to attack tanks, armored vehicles, and other ground targets with limited air defenses.

The A-10 was designed around the GAU-8 Avenger, a 30 mm rotary cannon that is the airplane's primary armament and the heaviest such automatic cannon mounted on an aircraft. The A-10's airframe was designed for survivability, with measures such as 1,200 pounds (540 kg) of armor for protection of the cockpit and aircraft systems that enables the aircraft to continue flying after taking significant damage. The A-10A single-seat variant was the only version built, though one A-10A was converted to the A-10B twin-seat version. In 2005, a program was begun to upgrade A-10A aircraft to the A-10C configuration.

The A-10's official name comes from the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt of World War II, a fighter that was particularly effective at close air support. The A-10 is more commonly known by its nicknames "Warthog" or "Hog". It also has a secondary mission, where it provides airborne forward air control, directing other aircraft in attacks on ground targets. Aircraft used primarily in this role are designated OA-10. With a variety of upgrades and wing replacements, the A-10's service life has been extended to 2028.

Model Type - A-10A Thunderbolt II

Class - Close Air Support and Ground Attack Aircraft

Crew - 1

SDC By Location

Nose/Cockpit 300

Main Body/fuselage 700

Wings (2) 350 ea

Tailplanes (2) 300 ea

Engines (2) 300 ea

GAU-8 100

AR - 12 (vehicle AR)

Armour - Stops upto and including the equivalent of standard 7.62 rifle rounds. Cockpit area stops up to and including the equivalent of standard 20mm rounds. Explosive and ramjet rounds can still be effective.

Speed

Flying - 835kph

Range - Combat Radius 460km

Altitude - 13700m (45000ft)

Statistics

Height - 4.5m

Length - 16.3m

Width - 17.5m

Weight - 23 tons maximum, 11.3 tons empty

Cargo - Minimal survival gear

Power System - 2× General Electric TF34-GE-100A turbofans

Cost - 11.7 million dollars US

Weapons

Weapon Type - GAU-8 30mm gatling cannon

Primary Purpose - Anti-vehicle

Range - 1200m

Damage - 1d6x100sdc per burst

Rate Of Fire - equal to pilots attacks

Payload - 60 bursts

Bonuses - na

Weapon Type - Hardpoints (11, 4 per wing, 3 fuselage)

Primary Purpose - Anti-fighter, anti-installation

Range - As per missile type

Damage - As per missile type

Rate Of Fire - 1 at a time equal to pilot attacks

Payload - each hardpoint can carry: 1 light HE air to air missile or 1 HE air to ground missile or 1 19-shot HE mini-missile launcher or 1 4-shot A/P mini-missile launcher or 3 Light HE bombs or 2 HE Bombs or 1 Heavy HE bomb or 1 HE Cluster bomb

Bonuses - na

Bonuses and Penalities

Use vehicle combat training and combat flying if applicable

+1 attack at level 7

+1 dodge at level 6 and 12

Systems of Note

Radar - Range of 200km. Able to track upto 12 targets, display 6 targets and lock onto 1 target at once.

Radar Warning Receiver - Warns of potential Radar Lock. Range - 200km

Chaff/Flare Dispensers - 75% to cause locked on missiles to lose lock and fly off elsewhere.

Targeting Computer - +1 to strike with all on board weapon systems

Combat Computer - Identifies Friend or Foe and is tied to the radar System.

Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) - For dropping laser guided munitions. +1 to strike with said munitions.

GPS/Inertial Navigation System.

Communications - Range 400km, can boosted via satellite relay.

Ejection Systems - Ejects Pilot and Radar Officer from damaged aircraft.

References Used

Wikipedia