A-10A "Thunderbolt II"

The A-10A "Thunderbolt II" is a twin turbofan attack aircraft that carries up to 16,000 pounds of external payload and an internally mounted 30mm rapid-fire cannon with high-velocity ammunition capable of penetrating the latest tanks and heavily armoured vehicles. It can fly and maneuver at very low altitudes and is built to survive intense antiaircraft fire, surface-to-air missiles, and attacks by other aircraft. Its mission is close air support under 1000-foot overcast with two nautical miles visibility, a role unmatched by any other airplane in the Air Force inventory. In Operation Desert Storm, the A-10 flew 8,100 sorties with a mission capable rate of 95.7 percent, launched ninety percent of the Maverick missiles used, and achieved the only two air-to-air gun kills in the war, proving a vital asset. With the last upgrade, A-10 units took three of the top seven spots, performing better than units with higher technology aircraft. The Laste System, an integrated computer and software package developed by General Electric, gave the A-10 enhanced accuracy for gunnery and bombing. It has a single-seat enclosed cockpit set well forward of the wings, a large transparent bubble canopy for all-around view, and a bulletproof windscreen.

Lackland AFB, Texas · United States