A-10A Late

This page is about the American strike aircraft A-10A Late. For the premium version, see A-10A.

A-10A Late

AV-8C

A-7D

A-10A Late

AV-8C

A-7D

USA

VII Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
10.3	10.7	10.7

Class:

Strike aircraft

Research:260 000

Purchase:710 000

Show in game

Description

The A-10A Thunderbolt II (Late) is a rank VII American strike aircraft with a battle rating of 10.3 (AB) and 10.7 (RB/SB). It was introduced in Update "Wind of Change".

General info

Flight performance

Air brakes

Allows you to dramatically reduce the flight speed by releasing special flaps

Max speed

at 0 m676 km/h

Turn time29 s

Max altitude12 497 m

Engine2 х General Electric TF34-GE-100A

TypeJet

Cooling systemAir

Take-off weight26 t

The single biggest downside with the A-10 is its top speed. At 642 km/h at sea level, the A-10A is the slowest aircraft at its BR. Not enough emphasis can be put on how much of a disadvantage the A-10's speed is, especially at a battle rating of 10.0, where apart from another A-10, every single aircraft it faces will have at least a 400 km/h faster top speed.

Despite how crippling the A-10's speed is, there are a handful of advantages to being so slow. First, while it is slow, it still is manoeuvrable at those low speeds, even with a heavy weapon loadout. It also means that its turn time is tight and quick compared to supersonic aircraft.

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 0 m - sea level)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	624	609	12497	30.2	30.8	21.0	19.9	700
Upgraded	662	642		28.5	29.0	30.3	25.3

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear	Drogue chute
X	✓	✓	✓	X	X

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
874	370.4	N/A	740	370	~__	~__

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 550	< 650	< 500	N/A

Engine performance

Engine			Aircraft mass
Engine name		Number	Basic mass			Wing loading (full fuel)
General Electric TF34-GE-100A		2	11,636 kg			___ kg/m2
Engine characteristics			Mass with fuel (no weapons load)					Max Takeoff Weight
Weight (each)	Type		14m fuel	20m fuel	30m fuel	45m fuel	48m fuel
654 kg	High-bypass turbofan		13,092 kg	13,651 kg	14,659 kg	16,170 kg	16,489 kg	_,___ kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)			Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
Condition	100%	WEP	14m fuel	20m fuel	30m fuel	45m fuel	48m fuel	MTOW
Stationary	4,036 kgf	N/A	0.62	0.59	0.55	0.50	0.49	_.__
Optimal	4,036 kgf (0 km/h)	N/A	0.62	0.59	0.55	0.50	0.49	_.__

Survivability and armour

Flares/Chaff

Aircraft countermeasures to distract IR and radar-guided missiles and also AA radar

Crew1 person

Speed of destruction

Structural0 km/h

Gear370 km/h

The A-10A has substantial armour around the cockpit, fuel tanks, and transmission. This armour is mostly effective toward autocannons up to 25 mm calibre.

• 38 mm titanium alloy - "bathtub" around the bottom of the cockpit
• 44 mm bulletproof glass (54°) - windshield in front of the pilot

The A-10A is equipped with a whooping 480 countermeasures. This gives an extended and effective protection against even the most potent heat-seeking missiles it will face. However, while the pilot has ample armour protection, the other parts of the plane, such as the wing, tail and especially the unarmoured and exposed engines, will easily be destroyed by any short cannon burst.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB3 005 → 4 402

RB8 476 → 12 417

SB9 723 → 14 244

Total cost of modifications229 500

355 000

Talisman cost2 800

Crew training200 000

Experts710 000

Aces2 800

Research Aces1 080 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

100 / 310 / 600 %

232 / 232 / 232 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Compressor Research: 9 100 Cost: 14 000 310 New boosters Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 440 Wings repair Research: 19 000 Cost: 30 000 640 Engine Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 500	Fuselage repair Research: 9 100 Cost: 14 000 310 Airframe Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 440 G-suit Research: 19 000 Cost: 30 000 640 Cover Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 500 EFS Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 500	GAU_8A_belt_pack Research: 9 100 Cost: 14 000 310 Flares/Chaff Research: 9 100 Cost: 14 000 310 Mk82 Research: 9 100 Cost: 14 000 310 Hydra 70 Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 440 Mk84 Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 440 GAU_8A_new_gun Research: 19 000 Cost: 30 000 640 40px AGM-65D Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 500 AIM-9L Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 500

Armaments

Ballistic Computer
CCIP (Guns)	CCIP (Rockets)	CCIP (Bombs)	CCRP (Bombs)

Offensive armament

The A-10A Late is armed with:

• A choice between two presets:
  • 1 x 30 mm GAU-8/A cannon, chin-mounted (1,174 rpg)
  • 1 x 30 mm GAU-8/A cannon + 480 x countermeasures

Suspended armament

The A-10A Late can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• Without load
• 2 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
• 42 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets
• 84 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets
• 84 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets + 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
• 10 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (5,000 lb total)
• 12 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (6,000 lb total)
• 12 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs + 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles (6,000 lb total)
• 6 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (12,000 lb total)
• 6 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs + 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles (12,000 lb total)
• 6 x AGM-65D missiles
• 6 x AGM-65D missiles + 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
• 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles

Custom loadout options

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles	1, 2									1, 2
500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs	1	1	1, 3	1, 3	1	1	1, 3	1, 3	1	1
Hydra-70 M247 rockets		7	7, 21	7, 21			7, 21	7, 21	7
AGM-65D missiles			3					3
2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs			1	1	1	1	1	1
Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,000 kg

Usage in battles

The A-10A Late is specifically designed to attack ground targets. The AGM-65Ds and Mk 84s provide substantial firepower against armoured ground units. When within range, the 30 mm GAU-8 cannon can be used: the gun may lack penetration power against armour, but is excellent at destroying exterior modules and inflicting damage by overpressure.

The A-10's low speed makes it difficult to reach enemy ground units and bases without being intercepted, and also makes the A-10 especially vulnerable to both attacking aircraft and SAMs. Another problem with being so slow is that it is very easy to get energy trapped. This means that any common enemy aircraft can simply fly above the A-10, and with its slow speed, it simply has no chance to follow and get in range to use its gun. After the A-10 inevitably pitches back down (or stalls), the enemy aircraft will dive down on the slow and vulnerable A-10. While the A-10 can utilize its all-aspect AIM-9Ls to potentially dispatch aircraft lacking flares before they can initiate an energy trap, flare-equipped aircraft (which can easily flare an AIM-9L) should never be engaged unless absolutely necessary as it will likely result in the A-10's destruction. This speed also disadvantages the A-10 in high-speed head-ons. While it does arguably have the most powerful gun in the game, the A-10 will have trouble dodging the rounds of an enemy aircraft because its low speed prevents it from quickly getting out of the way. Meanwhile, the enemy aircraft, which is likely going much faster than the A-10, won't have too much of a problem dodging the A-10's rounds provided they begin evading at an ample range.

However, the slow speed allows the A-10 much more time to aim its weapons at ground targets than if it were, say, a supersonic aircraft that is unmanoeuvrable at low speeds. Due to this, the A-10 can farm ground targets quicker than most other planes; with its 1,174 rounds of 30 mm, a single A-10 left unchecked to freely attack ground targets can reduce an enemy team's ticket count by half or more. As stated before, the A-10 has very little chance in a vertical dogfight. However, the A-10's slow speed and good low speed manoeuvrability gives it the advantage in a horizontal scissors dogfight, as the likely faster enemy aircraft will quickly pass in front of the A-10's devastating gun. In a prolonged horizontal low speed scissors dogfight, the enemy aircraft would have likely bled much of their speed, again giving the A-10 an advantage with its good low speed manoeuvrability. If the enemy attempts to run away, the A-10 can exploit their low speed to launch an AIM-9L. When flying the A-10, if you notice an attacking aircraft may be unaware of the A-10's speed weakness (or unaware of how to exploit it), attempt to force it into a horizontal turn fight or scissors where you will have the advantage.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Good manoeuvrability
• Great roll rate
• Good armour protection around the cockpit area that will protect the pilot
• 480 countermeasures are extremely effective against common heat-seeking missiles
• Devastating cannon with a large ammo pool
• Great payload options for ground attack
• Access to four all-aspect AIM-9L Sidewinder air-to-air missiles
• Sturdy wings which are hard to rip and don't break in dives
• The aircraft's slow speed means G-forces sustained during maneuvers isn’t much of an issue

Cons:

• Bad climb rate compared to other jets
• Does not have access to either gunpods or guided bombs
• Extremely poor top speed makes it easy prey
• Engine can potentially overheat when running at or near 100% throttle unless on a winter map

History

Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the A-10A Late from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

The Shooting Range #295 - Metal Beasts section at 00:28 discusses the A-10A Late.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

• [Devblog] A-10A Thunderbolt II: The 'Warthog' Arrives in War Thunder!

Fairchild Aircraft
Jet aircraft	A-10A · A-10A Late · A-10C