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United States Legacy Boeing
A-10 Thunderbolt II
Twin-engine close air support jet built around the GAU-8 Avenger rotary cannon, designed for anti-armor work and survivability at low altitude. Originally built by Fairchild Republic; type certificate now held by Boeing following corporate mergers.
In service since 1977 · 1 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
706
km/h
4,150
km range
13,700
m ceiling
7,260
kg payload
💲 ≈ $19,000,000, Historical unit cost
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Limited · 1 operator
In service since 1977. Status: legacy · ~716 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$48M – $67M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~30 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →
Interoperability
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the A-10 Thunderbolt II can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance. | 706 km/h |
|---|---|
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 4,150 km |
| Combat radius Distance an aircraft can fly, complete its mission and return without refueling. Roughly a third of ferry range. | 460 km |
| Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon. | 13,700 m |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | 30 mm GAU-8/A Avenger rotary cannon |
|---|---|
| Hardpoints External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts. | 11 |
| Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie. | 7,260 kg |
Protection
Armor, countermeasures and survivability.
| Armor Armor technology: composite, modular, ERA-fitted, uranium-ceramic. Exact compositions are classified. | Titanium armor bathtub around cockpit |
|---|
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 16.26 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span. | 17.53 m |
| Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles. | 4.47 m |
| Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew. | 11,321 kg |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 22,950 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 1 |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | General Electric TF34-GE-100A turbofan |
|---|---|
| Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost. | 2 |
| Thrust Total engine thrust (with afterburner where applicable). | 40 kN |
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Turbofan |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $19,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 716 |
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 1 |
Specifications compiled from public Boeing and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Dassault Aviation Rafale F4 Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Boeing A-10 Thunderbolt II? +
The Boeing A-10 Thunderbolt II has a maximum speed of 706 km/h.
What is the range of the Boeing A-10 Thunderbolt II? +
The Boeing A-10 Thunderbolt II has a maximum range of 4,150 km.
What is the weapons payload of the Boeing A-10 Thunderbolt II? +
The Boeing A-10 Thunderbolt II can carry up to 7,260 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the Boeing A-10 Thunderbolt II weigh? +
The Boeing A-10 Thunderbolt II has a combat weight of 22,950 kg.
How many crew does the Boeing A-10 Thunderbolt II require? +
The Boeing A-10 Thunderbolt II requires a crew of 1.
What is the main armament of the Boeing A-10 Thunderbolt II? +
The Boeing A-10 Thunderbolt II's primary weapon is the 30 mm GAU-8/A Avenger rotary cannon.
What engine does the Boeing A-10 Thunderbolt II use? +
The Boeing A-10 Thunderbolt II is powered by the General Electric TF34-GE-100A turbofan.
What is the Boeing A-10 Thunderbolt II used for? +
The Boeing A-10 Thunderbolt II is a fighter aircraft typically used for close air support, anti armor.
How many countries operate the Boeing A-10 Thunderbolt II? +
The Boeing A-10 Thunderbolt II is operated by 1 countries.
How much does the Boeing A-10 Thunderbolt II cost? +
The Boeing A-10 Thunderbolt II has an approximate unit cost of 19,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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