The A-10 Thunderbolt II, nicknamed the Warthog, is an American single-seat, twin-turbofan, straight-wing attack aircraft built by Fairchild Republic and designed specifically around its 30mm GAU-8 Avenger rotary cannon, entering United States Air Force service in October 1977. The cockpit is protected by roughly 1,200 pounds of titanium armor, and the aircraft can take off and land from short, austere airfields close to the front line, while its GAU-8 cannon fires 3,900 rounds per minute and ranks among the most powerful aircraft cannons ever flown. The A-10 flew in Operation Desert Storm in 1991, the Yugoslav Wars, and later operations in Afghanistan and Iraq and against the Islamic State, and it remains the only aircraft ever designed and built solely for close air support to have served with the United States Air Force.
Facts
Classification
Service Status Weapon Class Introduced Year Weapon Class
Weapon Class (category) FAQs
How can the A-10 keep flying after it is hit?
Titanium armor around the cockpit and backup flight controls let it survive hits up to 23mm.
Military.com says the A-10 can survive direct hits from armor-piercing and high explosive projectiles up to 23mm. The pilot is protected by titanium armor that also protects parts of the flight-control system, and manual systems back up the redundant hydraulic flight controls.
Connections
Associated With
Gulf War, Wars The A-10 Thunderbolt II, built around its 30mm cannon, flew extensive close air support and tank killing missions in the Gulf War
Operated By
Source Wikipedia: A-10 Thunderbolt II
Used In
Gulf War, Wars Source Wikipedia: A-10 Thunderbolt II
Iraq War, Wars Source Wikipedia: A-10 Thunderbolt II
Source Wikipedia: A-10 Thunderbolt II
Source Wikipedia: A-10 Thunderbolt II
In the Other Atlases
Manufactured By
Also in Business Atlas: the manufacturer of this subject.
Source Wikipedia: A-10 Thunderbolt IItier 4
Sources
1. Wikipedia: A-10 Thunderbolt II
WikipediaLead section, Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II Wikipedia article
is a single-seat, twin-turbofan, straight-wing, subsonic attack aircraft developed by Fairchild Republic for the United States Air Force (USAF).
Lead section, Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II Wikipedia article, service entry year
In service since 1977, it is named after the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt strike-fighter of World War II
Infobox: status
In service
- Weapon class classified from the entity's own sourced description text.
Lead and body text
The Thunderbolt II's airframe was designed around the high-power 30 mm GAU-8 Avenger rotary autocannon.
Lead section
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, also widely known by the nickname Warthog, is a single-seat, twin-turbofan, straight-wing, subsonic attack aircraft developed by Fairchild Republic for the United States Air Force (USAF). In service since 1977, it is named after the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt strike-fighter of World War II, but is commonly referred to as the "Warthog".
Used In: Gulf War, Wikipedia article text
It served in Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada, the Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm), the Yugoslav Wars, war in Afghanistan, the Iraq War, in the conflict against the Islamic State in the Middle East, Operation Odyssey Dawn in Libya, and the 2026 Iran war.
Used In: Iraq War, Wikipedia article text
It served in Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada, the Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm), the Yugoslav Wars, war in Afghanistan, the Iraq War, in the conflict against the Islamic State in the Middle East, Operation Odyssey Dawn in Libya, and the 2026 Iran war.
Used In: Syrian Civil War, Wikipedia article text
On 29 November and 3 December 2024, USAF A-10s were used against targets in Syria to defend US forces in eastern Syria as part of the ongoing Syrian civil war.
Used In: Yugoslav Wars, Wikipedia article text
It served in Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada, the Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm), the Yugoslav Wars, war in Afghanistan, the Iraq War, in the conflict against the Islamic State in the Middle East, Operation Odyssey Dawn in Libya, and the 2026 Iran war.
Operated By: United States Air Force, Lead
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, also widely known by the nickname Warthog, is a single-seat, twin-turbofan, straight-wing, subsonic attack aircraft developed by Fairchild Republic for the United States Air Force (USAF).
In Group: Ground-Attack Aircraft and Gunships, Lead sentence
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, also widely known by the nickname Warthog, is a single-seat, twin-turbofan, straight-wing, subsonic attack aircraft developed by Fairchild Republic for the United States Air Force (USAF).
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