Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!ub!rutgers!att!cbnews!military From: jfb@ihlpm.att.com (Joseph F Baugher) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Persian Gulf Combat Aircraft--The A-4 Skyhawk Keywords: facts, figures, data Message-ID: <1990Oct8.030359.11680@cbnews.att.com> Date: 8 Oct 90 03:03:59 GMT Sender: military-request@att.att.com Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories - Indian Hill - Naperville, Illinois Lines: 317 Approved: military@att.att.com From: jfb@ihlpm.att.com (Joseph F Baugher) There is an additional combat aircraft which I have not previously described in my series of postings on combat aircraft in the Persian Gulf. It is the A-4 Skyhawk, which participated in the initial fighting during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. The Skyhawk was produced in so many different versions that it is difficult to keep them all straight. These versions have widely varying capabilities, and it is impossible to lump them all into a single umbrella description. Each of the variants must be described separately, which is what I will try to do in this posting. Here is a summary of the various variants which have been produced: A-4A One Wright J65-W-4 turbojet. 2 20-mm cannon in wing roots. Two external stores racks under wings, one under the fuselage. Maximum weapons load of 5000 lbs. Avionics mounted in nose cone. Top speed: 664 mph at sea level. 8400 lbs empty weight. 20,000 lbs. maximum loaded weight. Total of 165 built. A-4B New single-skin rudder with dual hydraulic boost, strengthened rear fuselage structure, inflight probe-and- drogue refuelling system, changes in cockpit and gunsight. One Wright J65-W-16A turbojet, 7800 lb. st. Capable of carrying the Martin AGM-12 Bullpup air-to- surface missile. Several were refurbished and sold to foreign air forces. Total of 542 built. A-4C Addition of terrain-clearance radar in a 9-inch longer nose, autopilot, angle of attack indication system, LABS, and improved low-level ejector seat. Most were powered by Wright J-65-W-20 turbojet, 8400 lb. st. Total of 638 built. A-4D Designation not used to avoid confusion with pre-1962 designation of A4D. A-4E One 8500 lb. st. Pratt and Whitney J52-P-6A turbojet. Improved fuel consumption over J65 produced substantially increased range. Improved ejector seat. Improved navigation system (TACAN, Doppler, and radar altimeter). Two additional stores pylons under outer wing. Up to 8200 lbs. of external stores could be carried. In service, many examples were retrofitted with a humped electronics compartment behind the cockpit. Many also received the more powerful J52-P-8 of 9300 lb. st. Some had the straight refuelling probe replaced by the canted probe of the later A-4M. Total of 499 built. Maximum speed: 673 mph at sea level. Initial climb rate: 5750 ft/min. Normal range: 1160 miles. Maximum range: 2525 miles 28 surplus A-4E aircraft were transferred to Israel in 1973 as part of American emergency aid during Yom Kippur war. TA-4E Two-seat advanced training version of A-4E. 2-1/2 foot longer fuselage with tandem, two-seat cockpit. Reduced internal fuel capacity. Zero-zero ejector seats. Two built. A-4F One 9300 lb. st. Pratt and Whitney J52-P8A, zero-zero ejector seat, nosewheel steering, wing spoilers, additional avionics installed in hump compartment atop the fuselage. Better flak protection. Total of 147 built. Many were re-engined with the 11,200 lb. st. J52-P-408 turbojet. 8 ex-US Navy A-4Fs were delivered to Australia. TA-4F Production version of TA-4E powered by 9300 lb. st. J52-P-8A turbojet. Total of 238 built. Most were upgraded to TA-4J standards. A few became EA-4F "electronic agressors", and 23 became OA-4Ms. Two ex-US Navy TA-4Fs were transferred to the Royal Australian Navy. EA-4F Electronic countermeasures training aircraft. A-4G One 9300 lb. st. J52-P-8A turbojet. Version for Royal Australian Navy. Generally similar to A-4E. 8 built. Operated for a time from aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne. Most surviving Australian Skyhawks were sold to New Zealand. TA-4G Two-seat advanced trainer for Royal Australian Navy. Generally similar to TA-4F. Two built. A-4H Specifically designed for Israel's Heyl Ha'Avir to operate from land bases. Basically similar to the A-4E but powered by 9300 lb. st. J52-P-8A turbojet and fitted with modified square- tipped vertical tail surface. Ribbon-type drag chute in canister beneath rear fuselage. Two 30-mm DEFA cannon. Aircraft latter retrofited in Israel with the humped avionics compartment and extended tailpipe. Ninety built. TA-4H Two-seat trainer version of A-4H. Ten built. All delivered to Israel. TA-4J Two-seat advanced trainer. Some of the tactical systems are removed. One 8500 lb. st. J52-P-6 turbojet. Only one 20-mm cannon was fitted, and often even this was removed. 293 built. Many TA-4F trainers were updated to TA-4J standards. Will fulfill standard pilot trainer role until replacement by T-45 Goshawk. A-4K Version for the Royal New Zealand Air Force. One J52-P-8A turbojet, 9300 lb. st. Square-tipped fin and rudder. Drag chute beneath fuselage. 10 built. TA-4K Two seat advanced training version of A-4K for RNZAF. A-4KU Version for Kuwait. One 11,200 lb. st. J52-P-408A turbojet. Square-tipped vertical tail, breaking chute. Generally similar to A-4M. 30 built. TA-4KU Two seat trainer version of A-4KU for Kuwait. 6 built. A-4L Designation given to A-4C taken out of fleet squadron service and overhauled for use by reserve squadrons. Improved instrumentation and humped avionics compartment. Equipped with uprated J65-W-20 of 8400 lb. st. A-4M Special version for US Marine Corps. 11,200 lb. st. J52-P-408A turbojet. Enlarged canopy for improved visibility, doubled ammunition capacity, self-contained electrical engine starter. Modified refuelling probe angled to starboard to prevent interference with electronic equipment in the nose. Square-tipped vertical tail, drag chute. Total of 158 built. 50 percent better climb and 25 percent shorter takeoff run. 13 were transferred to Israel, where they were brought up to A-4N standards. Most Marine Corps A-4Ms were retrofitted with heads up display and a Hughes ARBS (Angle/Rate Bombing System) featuring television and laser tracking modes. APG-53A terrain-clearance radar, ASN-41 inertial navigation system, and Elliot 546 heads-up display. Maximum speed: 670 mph at sea level. Initial climb rate: 8440 ft/min. Maximum fery range: 2055 miles (three external tanks) Can carry most of the Marine Corps inventory of weapons, including 250-lb and 500-lb bombs, gun pods, torpedoes, and Zuni and Mighty Mouses rocket packs. Various ECM pods can be attached to complement the internal systems. Typical Marine Corps close-support mission involves carrying 4000 lbs of ordinance a distance of 150 miles, including loiter time. 13 A-4Ms were delivered to Israel in 1973 as part of American emergency aid during the Yom Kippur War. OA-4M Designation given to 23 TA-4Fs modified to serve with the Marine Corps in the tactical forward air coordinator role. Avionics in hump, nose and fin caps, TACAN, ECM, additional navigational and communications equipment. A-4N Version for Israel. Retained basic airframe and engine of A-4M. New navigation/weapons delivery system, including a Lear Siegler digital computer, Singer-Kearfott inertial platform, Elliot heads up display. Two 30-mm DEFA cannon. ABRS laser seeker under nose, APN--153(V) mapping radar, radar altimeter, rear warning radar detector. Can carry the AIM-9 Sidewiner and Raphael Shafrir air-to-air missiles, unguided rocket packs, AGM-62A Walleye TV-guided glide bomb, IAI Gabriel III/AS air-to-surface missile, AGM-65 Maverick, AGM-12 Bullpup, Mk 82 Snakeye retarded bomb, plus various varieties of iron bombs. 117 built. A-4P 75 Ex-US Navy A-4Bs refurbished and delivered to Fuerza Aerea Argentina. Most were equipped with the Ferranit D126R Isis lead-computing weapons sight. A-4PTM Version for Royal Malaysian Air Force. 34 A-4C and A-4M surplus to US Navy requirements were refurbished and fitted with TACAN, a new navigation/communication system, attitude heading system, lead computing sight, and improved ejector seat. PTM stands for "Peculiar to Malaysia". All of the A-4PTMs can carry and fire the AIM-9 Sidewinder AAM. Approximately 20 of the A-4 PTMs have the capability of launching the AGM-65 Maverick surface-to-air missile. TA-4PTM Six A-4C/A-4L airframes modified as two-seaters and transferred to Malaysia. A-4Q Designation given to 16 refurbished A-4Bs acquired by Comando de Aviacion Naval Argentina in 1971 and based aboard the carrier 25 de Mayo. A-4S Surplus A-4Bs extensively modified and transferred to Singapore. Solid state electronics for communications, radio, and navigation systems. Redesign of cockpit. Installation of A-4M-type angled flight refuelling probe. Drag chute in canister beneath rear fuselage. 2 30-mm Aden cannon. 40 aircraft were modified. APQ-145 air/ground mapping and ranging radar. Doppler navigation radar. Ferranti ISIS lead-computing gunsight for gunnery and air-ground weapons delivery. Some modified by Singapore Aircraft Industries with new avionics and sturdier underwing pylons and given the A-4S-1 designation. TA-4S Two-seat training version of Skyhawk for Singapore. Modified from surplus A-4B airframes. Separate tandem cockpits and canopies for the two crew members. Remarks: . Total of 2960 Skyhawks built. Longest continuous manufacturing run of any US military aircraft (1954-1979). . Simple, reliable, easy to maintain. Its small size and high degree of maneuverability make it useful in air-to-air combat, even against more modern aircraft with twice its maximum speed. . No wing folding mechanism. . Provided the backbone of US Navy carrier-based striking power during the early stages of the Vietnam War. . Most dangerous missions flown by A-4 over North Vietnam were flak and defensive missile suppression. For these missions, armed with Shrike anti-radiation meissiles and cluster bombs. . Maneuverability of Skyhawk was a distinct asset when it encountered MiGs over North Vietnam. . Initially, attacks on North Vietnamese targets were made at low level to avoid detection by radar. However, the required zoom before bomb release resulted in an unacceptable loss of speed and maneuverability. Later, targets were approached at high altitude and high speed, and were bombed while in a shallow dive. This technique proved to give better bombing accuracy. . The early SA-2 surface-to-air missiles operated by the North Vietnamese were relatively easy for the Skyhawk to dodge, provided its pilot saw them coming. It was usually the one you didn't see that got you. . Last US Navy carrier-based Skyhawk squadrons were phased out in 1975, when they were replaced in service by the LTV A-7 Corsair II. Single-seat Skyhawks remained in service with Navy reserve units until the late 1970s. By the mid 1980s, only a few Skyhawks remained with agressor training units. Two-seat training versions still remain in service. . Marine Corps A-4Ms remain in service. . Maneuverability of Skyhawk lead to its use as an "agressor" aircraft for air combat training. . During the Falkland/Malvinas war between Argentina and Britain, A-4P and A-4Q Skyhawks operated by both Argentine air force and navy pilots flew many gallant attacks against Royal Navy ships. Often, these aircraft were flown to the limits of their range. Credited with sinking the HMS Ardent, HMS Antelope, and HMS Coventry, and damaging several others. Argentine bombs often failed to explode when they struck British ships (the bombs were designed for use against land targets); otherwise losses of Royal Navy ships might have been even higher. Losses of Argentine Skyhawks were appalling. Sea Harriers, surface-to-air missiles, and operational accidents accounted for 22 Argentine Skyhawks destroyed. . During Yom Kippur war of 1973, provided most of the Israeli short- range striking power on the Sinai and Golan Heights fronts. Losses to ground fire and surface-to-air missiles were very high, especially during the first few days of the war. The situation improved only after Israel was able to neutralize most of the enemy missiles and radar-guided flak, and Skyhawk losses began to decline. Israeli Skyhawks were victorious in several air-to-air encounters with enemy fighters. . Israeli Skyhawks have been upgraded over the years, notably by the addition of extended jet tailpipes for infra-red suppression and by the provision of various ECM systems. In addition, some have been fitted with locally-installed maneuver flaps under the wing. . Skyhawks continue in service with the Heyl Ha'Avir, and still fly occasional retaliatory strikes against guerilla bases in Lebanon. . Major upgrading program for New Zealand Skyhawks initiated in the mid 1980s, with installation of Westinghouse APG-66NZ radar optimized for maritime search and track, Ferranti heads-up display, HOTAS (hands-on throttle-and-stick) control, radar warning receiver, and chaff/flare dispenser. . A batch of refurbished Skyhawks were sold by Israel to Indonesia. . Proposal by Singapore Aircraft Industries to upgrade A-4S Skyhawk with General Electric F404-GE-100D turbofan. . During Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, the most determined resistance was provided by the Kuwaiti A-4KM Skyhawks. They were not on alert at the time of the Iraqi invasion. In spite of the runway being cratered by Iraqi air strikes, they were nonetheless able to mount several bombing and strafing attacks on advancing Iraqi forces. Kuwaiti sources claim that their air and ground forces destroyed 21 Iraqi MiG aircraft and 15 Iraqi helicopters during the invasion. Resistance was ultimately futile, and when the Bayan Palace finally fell, the surviving Kuwaiti Skyhawks fled to neighboring countries. References: McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Since 1920, Rene Francillon, Naval Institute Press, 1988. The World's Great Attack Aircraft Aircraft, Gallery Books, 1988. Modern Air Combat, Bill Gunston, Mike Spick, Crescent, 1983. Various issues of Aviation Week Joe Baugher ************************************* AT&T Bell Laboratories * "Bones!!!!!! " * 200 Park Plaza * "He's dead, Jim." * Naperville, Illinois 60566-7050 ************************************* (708) 713 4548 ihlpm!jfb jfb200@cbnewsd.att.com Who, me? 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