Each wing carries four stores pylons: three outboard and one inboard of the wheel fairing. There are three pylons under the fuselage and the loads can be configured to use either the centre-line pylon or the two flanking fuselage pylons.įor weapon guidance, the aircraft can be fitted with Pave Penny laser guidance / electronic support measures, pod installed on the starboard fuselage pylon. The aircraft has 11 stores pylons, providing an external load capacity of 7,260kg. The pilot is equipped with night-vision goggles and also the infrared imaging display of the Maverick AGM-65. The aircraft are also to be fitted with BAE Systems terrain profile matching systems (TERPROM). Lockheed Martin has begun delivery of 21 USAF A-10 aircraft with the embedded global positioning system / inertial navigation system (EGI), which pinpoints the exact location of the aircraft. “The single-seat cockpit is protected by all-round armor, with a titanium ‘bathtub’ structure.” The cockpit is equipped with a head-up display, which is used for targeting and weapon aiming, a Have-Quick secure radio communications system, inertial navigation and a tactical air navigation (TACAN) system. The cockpit has a large bulletproof bubble canopy, which gives good all-round vision. The single-seat cockpit is protected by all-round armour, with a titanium ‘bathtub’ structure to protect the pilot that is up to 3.8cm thick. Sniper XR includes mid-wave FLIR (forward-looking infrared), dual mode laser, CCD-TV, laser spot tracker and IR marker. In February 2004, Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract for the integration of the Sniper XR targeting pod on the A-10 as part of the PE programme. 356 A-10 aircraft have been upgraded in the contract. The A10C began operational deployment in Iraq in September 2007. 100 A-10s had been upgraded by January 2008. The A-10C achieved initial operating capability in August 2007. The first was delivered to Baltimore Air National Guard in August 2006.Ī contract for full-rate production of 107 units was placed in August 2006. A contract for low-rate initial production (LRIP) of 72 units was awarded in March 2005. First flight of the upgraded A-10C was in January 2005. Lockheed Martin Systems Integration-Owego is prime contractor for the program.
“Up to 125 A-10 aircraft are to be upgraded by 2009.” Improvements include: hands-on throttle and stick control, two new Raytheon Technical Services 5in×5in multifunction cockpit displays, situational awareness datalinks (SADL), digital stores management system, integrated flight and fire control computer (IFFCC) from BAE Systems Platform Solutions for automated continuously computed weapons delivery, Sniper XR or Litening targeting pods for precision-guided weapons and helmet-mounted sighting system.
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The precision engagement upgrade programme for the A-10 includes enhanced precision target engagement capabilities, which will allow the deployment of precision weapons such as JDAM (joint direct attack munition) and wind-corrected munitions dispenser (WCMD), as well as enabling an extension of the aircraft’s service life to 2028. A-10C – precision engagement upgrade programme Both the contracts aim at upgrading the aircraft with avionics architecture to improve memory and data capability. The two contracts included A-10 Aircraft Structural Integrity Program (ASIP) which involves providing engineering services to the aircraft and upgraded data transfer unit (UDTU) which include trade study analysis and operational assessment / proof of concept. The 11-year contract will involve managing the production of 112 new A-10 wing assemblies and 15 wing kits. The contract was awarded as part of the total $1.6bn A-10 Thunderbolt life-cycle programme support (TLPS) contract.īoeing received a $999m contract from the US Air Force for delivering sustainment work on A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft, in August 2019. In September 2009, the US Air Force awarded two contracts worth $4.2m to Boeing for modernising its fleet of 365 A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft for a period of three to 18 months.
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