USAF photo by TSgt Fernando Serna
Mission
The A-10 and OA-10 Thunderbolt II's are the first Air Force aircraft designed to help ground forces. They are simple, yet very effective aircraft that can be used against all ground forces, including tanks and other armored aircraft.
Characteristics
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 retarded bombs, 2,000 pounds (900 kilograms) of general-purpose bombs, incendiary and Rockeye II cluster bombs, combined effects munitions, Maverick missles 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 missles.
Crew: One
Date Deployed: March 1976
Unit Cost: $8.8 million
Inventory: Active force = A-10: 72 and OA-10: 72; Reserve = A-10: 24 and OA-10: 12;
National Guard = A-10: 64 and OA-10: 30
