Wingspan: 

53 feet 

Length: 

54 feet, 9 inches 

Height: 

16 feet, 2 inches 

Weight: 

58,660 lbs maximum 

Speed: 

1,544 mph Max, 576 cruise 

Ceiling: 

42,400 feet 

Range: 

878 Nautical miles (combat), 2,380 Nautical mile (transit) 

Power: 

Two Pratt and Whitney J52 P-8A Turbojets engines w/18,000 pounds thrust. 

Armament: 

18,000 lbs in a mix of bombs, rockets, and missiles depending upon mission. 

Crew: 

2 

Service: 

Navy and Marines 

* The A-6 Intruder is our primary attack aircraft aboard our carriers in the Gulf. The Intruder has seen action in both Vietnam and U.S. operations in Libya in 1986 and it is likely to provide close air support for any Marine operations that take place in Operation Desert Shield/Storm. The A-6 was to be replaced by the A-12 Stealth Attack fighter, but given cost overruns and mismanagement, Secretary Cheney canceled the A-12 giving the A-6 several more years in operation.

Iraqi Counterpart--

Iraq possesses no carrier aircraft, but has many similar ground-based attack fighters such as the SU-20, SU-24, and the French-built Mirage aircraft.

Action in Desert Storm--

A-6s were used extensively in attacking strategic targets inside Iraq. Launched from carriers in the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, A-6's were used in both day and night raids on strategic Iraqi positions inside the KTO. The performance of the over twenty-year-old plane was considered excellent and with the cancellation of the A-12 program, the A-6 may be in the service for several more years. A heavily modified version of the A-6, the EA-6B Prowler, served as an electronic warfare platform launched from carriers to clear a path through the Iraqi air defense network for other attack aircraft to move through.

95 Navy A-6s flew 4,045 sorties. The Marines deployed 20 A-6's flying 854 missions from land bases. Five A-6s were lost or damaged in combat; two early in the war during low-altitude attacks.

Flight of the Intruder
Steven Coonts

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USNF Fighters
Janes Interactive for Windows

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