A-7 Corsair II
Overview
Built originally on the airframe of the F-8U Crusader, the A-7 underwent a number of modifications since its 1965 introduction. The A-7 Corsair II, which is retired, was used by TAC for close air support attack missions. The A-7E was the final fleet version of the A-7. After more than two decades of service, however, it was replaced by the F/A-18 Hornet.The A-7E had a 20mm gun and can carry payloads of up to 15,000 pounds of bombs and missiles. Eight ordnance stations were available. A-7E Corsair IIs were part of the two-carrier battle group that conducted a joint strike on selected Libyan terrorist-related targets in 1986. Together with carrier-based F/A-18s, A-7s used anti-radiation missiles to neutralize Libyan air defenses.
F/A-18s replaced A-7Es in the carrier air wing mix. The last two squadrons transitioned in FY 1992. Replacing A-7s with F/A-18s gave operational commanders more flexibility by allowing them to employ the F/A-18s in either the fighter or attack role. Also, a smaller number of aircraft (85) are needed in an F/A-18 equipped carrier air wing than in an A-7E equipped carrier air wing (94).
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| Contractor |
Ling-Temco-Vought (Prime, now Northrop Grumman Corp.) |
| Power Plant |
Single Allison/Rolls Royce TF41-A-400 non-afterburning turbofan engine with a static thrust rating of 15,000 pounds |
| Accommodations |
- A-7E Pilot only
- TA-7C Two seats
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| Performance (A-7E/TA/7C) |
- Maximum speed at 20,000 feet Mach .94
- Range greater than 1,900 nautical miles
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| Avionics & Countermeasures |
- APQ-126 multi-mode nav/attack radar [Texas Instruments]
- AVQ-7 raster HUD
- ASN-91 INS, ASN-190 Doppler navigation system
- ASU-99 projected map display
- ALR-45 RWR
- ALR-50 SAM warning system [Magnavox]
- ALQ-126 ECM [ Sanders]
- APR-43 tactical radar warning system [Loral]
- ALQ-119 ECM [Westinghouse]
- ALQ-131 ECM [Westinghouse]
- ALQ-123 IR countermeasures [Xerox]
- ALQ-126 DECM [Sanders]
- ALQ-162 tactical communications jammer [Eaton AIL]
- ALQ-162 radar jammer Northrup
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| Armament (A-7E/TA-7C) |
- One internally mounted M61A1 20 mm six barrel cannon
- Six wing pylons
- Two fuselage launch stations
- Pylons can carry a large single weapon, multiple racks capable of six weapons per rack, or triple racks with three weapons per rack.
- Can carry 15,000 pounds of payload
- Compatible with practically all first line ordnance used by the U.S./USAF/NATO.
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| Mission and Capabilities |
- Modern, sophisticated, integrated, highly versatile airborne weapon system platform
- Capable of performing a variety of search, surveillance, and attack missions
- Can carry four externally wing-mounted 300 gallon fuel tanks, coupled with a variety of ordnance on remaining stations.
- Can conduct in-flight refueling operations
- Capable of transferring more than 12,000 pounds of fuel
- Fully integrated digital navigation/weapon delivery system is common to all current USN/USAF attack aircraft.
- Avionics system—which is based on state-of-the-art electronics, digital computing techniques, and an automation philosophy—provides unparalleled mission effectiveness and flexibility.
- The Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) capability means the A-7's night attack accuracy is equivalent to day attack accuracy.
- Consistently capable of delivering bombs with an accuracy of less than 10 mils Circular Error Probable (CEP) and guns at less than 5 mils CEP.
- During Desert Storm, demonstrated more than 95% operational readiness and did not miss a single combat sortie.
- Has flown more than 120,000 combat sorties and provided unprecedented response in Vietnam, Libya, Grenada, Panama, and Desert Storm.
- Survivability is enhanced via armor plating in critical areas and a state-of-the art DECM.
- Modernized with a new solid-state rate gyro assembly in the Automatic Flight Control System and a wing enhancement program that virtually eliminates flight hours as a constraint for measuring aircraft service life.
- Average scheduled/unscheduled direct maintenance man hours per flight hour is 11.
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External Dimensions:
| Wing Span |
11.8m |
| Wing span over missiles |
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| Wing chord: at root |
4.72m |
| Wing chord: at tip |
1.18m |
| Wing aspect ratio |
4 |
| Width, wings folded |
7.24m |
| Length overall |
14.06m |
| Height overall |
4.90m |
| Tailplane span |
5.52m |
| Distance between fin tips |
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| Wheel track |
2.90m |
| Wheelbase |
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| Wings, gross |
34.83m2 |
| Ailerons (total) |
1.85m2 |
| Leading-edge flaps (total) |
3.46m2 |
| Trailing-edge flaps (total) |
4.04m2 |
| Vert Tail Services (total) |
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| Horz Tail Services (total) |
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| Tailerons (total) |
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Weights and Loadings:
| Weight empty |
8,676kg |
| Maximum fuel weight |
| Maximum external stores load |
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| Take off weight (normal) |
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Fighter mission
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Attack mission
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Maximum
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| Maximum wing loading (attack mission) |
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Performance (At Maximum Takeoff Weight of 19,050kg): Return to Top
| Max level speed @ S.L. |
600 knots |
| Max speed, intermediate power |
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| Approach speed |
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| T-O run @ maximum take-off weight of 1,705m |
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| Minimum wind over deck: |
Launching
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Recovery
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| Combat radius, interdiction, hi-lo-lo-hi |
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Combat endurance, CAP 150 nm
from aircraft carrier |
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| Ferry range, unrefueled w/max internal & external fuel |
2,485nm |
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