{
  "id": "a-10-thunderbolt-ii",
  "name": "A-10 Thunderbolt II (Warthog)",
  "aliases": [
    "A-10A Warthog"
  ],
  "domain": "air",
  "country": "USA",
  "category": "Close air support aircraft",
  "status": null,
  "fielded": 1976,
  "operators": [
    "USA"
  ],
  "prolif_count": 2,
  "summary": "The A-10 Thunderbolt II is the U.S. Air Force’s primary low-altitude close air support aircraft. The A-10 is perhaps best known for its fearsome GAU-8 Avenger 30mm Gatling gun mounted on the nose.",
  "specs": [
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Manufacturer",
      "section": "system",
      "v": "Fairchild-Republic, Farmingdale, Long Island, N.Y. and Lockheed Martin Systems, Owego, N.Y. (A-10C platform-wide upgrade)",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "crew",
      "v": 1,
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Hardpoints",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "11 Pylons (eight under wing, three under fuselage)",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "length_m",
      "v": 16.26,
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "width_m",
      "v": 17.53,
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "label": "Wingspan"
    },
    {
      "k": "height_m",
      "v": 4.47,
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Wing area",
      "section": "dims",
      "v": "47 sq m",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "engine_name",
      "v": "General Electric TF34-GE-100",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Thrust / power",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "4,112 kg (static thrust each)",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Radio",
      "section": "firecontrol",
      "v": "Have-Quick, secure radio communications system",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Fire Control System Type",
      "section": "firecontrol",
      "v": "Integrated Flight & Fire Control Computer (IFFCC)",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Fire Control Radar",
      "section": "firecontrol",
      "v": "Synthetic Aperture Radar pod.",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Navigation",
      "section": "firecontrol",
      "v": "Inertial navigation and a tactical air navigation (TACAN) system.",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Terrain Mapping",
      "section": "firecontrol",
      "v": "BAE Systems terrain profile matching systems (TERPROM).",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Targeting Pod",
      "section": "firecontrol",
      "v": "Sniper XR targeting pod which features mid-wave FLIR (forward-looking infrared), dual mode laser, CCD-TV, laser spot tracker and IR marker.",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "EW countermeasures",
      "section": "protection",
      "v": "using jammer pods and countermeasure flares. Also features electronic support measures (ESM) such as the Litton ALR-46/ALR-69 radar warning receiver.",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Chaff / flares",
      "section": "protection",
      "v": "Yes",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Cockpit Armor",
      "section": "protection",
      "v": "The single-seat cockpit is protected by all-round armor, with a titanium ‘bathtub’ structure to protect the pilot that is up to 3.8cm thick.",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Performance: speed (max)",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "367 knots (423 mph, 681 km/h)",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Performance: speed (cruise)",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "300 knots (345 mph, 555 km/h)",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Performance: range radius (typical load)",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "250 nm (290 mi, 460 km) w/9,000-lb (4,310-kg) weapons load, 1.8 hour loiter",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Performance: range radius (deep strike)",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "540 nm (620 mi, 1,000 km)",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Performance: ferry range",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "2,209 nm (2,542 mi, 4,091 km)",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Performance: climb rate",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "6,000 ft/min (1,829 m/min)",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Performance: ceiling",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "45,000 ft (13,720 m)",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Main Gun System: api (aerojet)",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "Armor Piercing Incendiary, 26.4 oz (748 g)",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Main Gun System: api, pgu-14/b",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "API round has a lightweight body which contains a sub-caliber high density penetrator of Depleted Uranium (DU).",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Main Gun System: api (honeywell)",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "Armor Piercing Incendiary, 25.3 oz (717 g)",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Main Gun System: hei/tp",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "High Explosive Incendiary / Target Practice, 24.5 oz (694 g)",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Main Gun System: hei, pgu-13/b",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "HEI round with high density Depleted Uranium (DU).",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Weapons Load: mark 82 load (pure)",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "18 x Mark 82 500-lb (227-kg) bombs",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Weapons Load: mark 84 load (pure)",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "6 x Mark 84 2,000-lb (907-kg) bombs",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Weapons Load: agm-65 load (pure)",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "6 x AGM-65 Maverick Air-to-Ground Missiles",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Weapons Load: rockeye package (pure)",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "18 x Rockeye II Cluster Bombs",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Weapons Load: mark 82 gbu-54 laser-guided / jdam package",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "6 x 500-lb (227-kg) Laser-guided Bombs",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Weapons Load: mark 84 gbu-54 laser-guided / jdam package",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "4 x 2,000-lb (907-kg) Laser-guided Bombs",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Weapons Load: note",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "All loads include basic load for the GAU-8/A main gun.; Other combinations available based on mission parameters.",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "armament",
      "v": "GAU-8/A; Mark 82; Mark 84; Mark 20 (Rockeye II); AGM-65 Maverick; AIM-9 Sidewinder",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    }
  ],
  "payloads": [
    {
      "name": "GAU-8/A",
      "role": "Multi-barrel cannon in fuselage",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "caps": {
        "Type": "Multi-barrel cannon in fuselage",
        "Caliber": "30 mm",
        "Rate of fire": "3,900 rds/min"
      },
      "qty": "1,174 rds (in rear-mounted drum w/link-less feed)"
    },
    {
      "name": "Mark 82",
      "role": "High Explosive Bomb",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "caps": {
        "Type": "High Explosive Bomb",
        "Length": "87.4 inches (2.22 m)"
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Mark 84",
      "role": "High Explosive Bomb",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "caps": {
        "Type": "High Explosive Bomb",
        "Length": "129 in (3280 mm)"
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Mark 20 (Rockeye II)",
      "role": "Anti-tank Cluster Bomb",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "caps": {
        "Type": "Anti-tank Cluster Bomb"
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "AGM-65 Maverick",
      "role": "Air-to-Ground Missile",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "caps": {
        "Type": "Air-to-Ground Missile",
        "Warhead": "57 kg WDU-20/B shaped-charge (A/B/C/D/H models), 136 kg WDU-24/B penetrating blast-fragmentation (E/F/G/J/K models) and ",
        "Length": "8 ft 2 in (249 cm)"
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "AIM-9 Sidewinder",
      "role": "Air-to-Air Missile",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "caps": {
        "Type": "Air-to-Air Missile",
        "Warhead": "WDU-17/B annular blast-frag, 20.8 lb (9.4 kg), detonation mechanism is an IR proximity fuse",
        "Length": "9 feet 11 inches (3.02 m)"
      }
    }
  ],
  "variants": [
    {
      "name": "A-10 (A-10A)",
      "text": "First production model.",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "A-10 N/AW",
      "text": "This was a company-funded two-seat prototype for the night/adverse weather (N/AW) mission. It featured a second, elevated seat for a weapons system officer (WSO); a Westinghouse multi-mode radar; Texas Instruments forward-looking infrared (FLIR) sensor…",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "OA-10",
      "text": "A-10 aircraft were re-designated for forward air control (FAC) duties beginning in October 1987 as a replacement for the OV-10 Bronco.",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "A-10C",
      "text": "This variant features updated controls (some borrowed from supersonic jets), computers and digital targeting equipment as part of a major electronics overhaul.",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Other Upgrades",
      "text": "The low-altitude safety and target enhancement (LASTE) program involved Grumman Aircraft Systems and General Electric. The development program sought to fit a ground-collision avoidance system (GCAS) to improve low-level survivability; and enhanced altitude…",
      "src": [
        "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "art": "fighter",
  "image": {
    "file": "a-10-thunderbolt-ii.jpg",
    "thumb": "a-10-thunderbolt-ii-thumb.jpg",
    "credit": "Airman 1st Class Mikaley Kline",
    "license": "Public domain",
    "url": "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%27Thunder%27_rolls_at_Fort_Irwin_150716-F-IF502-064.jpg",
    "title": "File:'Thunder' rolls at Fort Irwin 150716-F-IF502-064.jpg"
  },
  "verified": null,
  "changelog": [
    {
      "date": "2026-10-10",
      "change": "Entry created from the Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN), bulk import"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-10-10",
      "change": "Added photo (Public domain)"
    }
  ],
  "url": "https://www.defensepedia.com/systems/a-10-thunderbolt-ii.html",
  "sources": {
    "weg-a-10-thunderbolt-ii": {
      "title": "A-10 Thunderbolt II (Warthog) American Close Air Support Aircraft",
      "publisher": "U.S. Army TRADOC G-2 Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)",
      "url": "https://odin.t2com.army.mil/WEG/Asset/A-10_Thunderbolt_II_Warthog_American_Close_Air_Support_Aircraft",
      "published": "2026-03-20",
      "tier": 1,
      "checked": "2026-10-10"
    }
  }
}