The A-10 and OA-10 Thunderbolt IIs are the first Air Force aircraft specially designed for close air support of ground forces. they're simple, effective and survivable twin-engine jet aircraft that may be used against all ground targets, as well tanks and different armored vehicles. the primary mission of the A-10 is to provide day and night close air combat support for friendly land forces and to act as forward air controller (FAC) to coordinate and direct friendly air forces in support of land forces. The A-10 secondary mission of supporting search and rescue and Special Forces operations. It also possesses a limited capability to perform certain kinds of interdiction.
The A/OA-10 aircraft was specifically developed as a close air support aircraft with reliability and maintainability as major design issues}. The Air Force requirements documents stressed payload, low altitude flying capability, range and loiter capability, low speed maneuverability and weapons delivery accuracy. The A-10 is slow enough to be an observation plane. This greatly will increase the A-10's effectiveness at protecting ground troops.
The A/OA-10 is a single place, pressurized, low wing and tail aircraft with two General electric TF-34-100/A turbo-fan engines, each with a sea level static thrust rating of roughly 9000 pounds. The engines are put in in nacelles mounted on pylons extending from the fuselage just aft of and on top of the wing.
