A-10A Thunderbolt II

The A-10 Thunderbolt II is an attacker utilized by numerous countries and organizations featured in Ace Combat. It is typically used to make devastating low-altitude, low-speed attacks on enemy formations.

Strangereal
All countries in Strangereal utilize the A-10. It has been featured in numerous conflicts, including the Usean Continental War, Second Usean Continental War, and Belkan War.

Most notably, a squadron of highly maneuverable A-10s were deployed by Erusea against the Independent State Allied Forces during Operation Bunker Shot. The A-10s targeted ISAF ground troops over the beaches, but Mobius One and other ISAF pilots shot them down, ending the operation in victory for ISAF.

Infinity universe
The A-10 saw limited use in the USEA Federation. A few units were dispatched to protect the Avalon Dam facility. Another squadron were used during Operation Bunker Shot to defend against the advancing UN forces, but all were shot down.

As for the UNF, the Thunderbolt were widely used by mercenaries, proving to be an excellent choice for air-to-ground attack.

Game analysis
Air Combat=
 * AVAILABILITY
 * Complete "Destroy Pipe-Lines". Costs $800,000.


 * STATISTICS
 * Power: Minimum
 * Mobility: High
 * Offense: High
 * Stability: Maximum
 * Defense: Maximum


 * NAMED ACES
 * Sally (Scarface Squadron)


 * GALLERY

Trivia

 * Although it is unable to exceed a speed of 520 miles per hour outside diving flight, the A-10A is depicted as being able to break the sound barrier.
 * The A-10 Thunderbolt II currently holds the records for heaviest aircraft armor, longest combat duration and most damaged aircraft returned.
 * In Ace Combat: Assault Horizon, the design of the Thunderbolt II allows it to maintain pitch control while stalling, an ability shared with the F-35B Lightning II and the AV-8B Harrier II plus.
 * Color 1 in Ace Combat: Assault Horizon is replica A-10A from 81st Fighter Squadron 52d Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem United States Air Force Base, Germany (tail code SP).
 * Color 2 in Ace Combat: Assault Horizon is replica A-10A from 23d Tactical Fighter Wing, England Air Force Base, Louisiana (1981--1992, tail code EL)
 * Color 3 in Ace Combat: Assault Horizon is replica one A-10A from 118th Fighter Squadron 103rd Fighter Wing "Flying Yankees", Bradley Air National Guard Base, Connecticut Air National Guard (tail code CT), In 2003, A-10A 78-621 was painted in these markings to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the 103rd Fighter Wing. The scheme is inspired by the 118th TRS P-51s from World War II.
 * Black/white snow camouflage (FEAF in AC04, Soldier color scheme/Belkan AF ace pilot "Pelikan" in ACZ, Leasath AF ace pilot "Firestorm"/Special color scheme 1 in ACX, Color 03 in ACJA) it is replica experimental arctic camouflage scheme. In 1982, A-10A 80-0221 was repainted in an arctic camouflage scheme as an experiment for an upcoming exercise titled OPERATION Cool Snow Hog (Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska).
 * Knight color scheme (Belkan AF ace pilot "Storch") in AC5 is replica experimental camouflage scheme known as "Flipper". The 917th Tactical Fighter Wing (Air Force Reserve Command, Barksdale Air Force Base, tail code BD) applied an experimental three-tone camouflage scheme to A-10A 76-0530 in order to improve its protection against the sky or the ground. The scheme known as "Flipper" consisted of Dark Gray, Medium Gray and Light Ghost Gray and was developed in late 1990 for use during Operation Desert Storm. The scheme was ordered removed before the aircraft was committed to action.
 * Tree-tone brown desert camouflage (Special color scheme 2 in ACX, Color 04 in ACJA) is replica experimental camouflage scheme known as "Peanut". In order to develop better camouflage for Desert Storm, the USAF tested two experimental paint schemes of the A-10 in 1991. A-10A 76-0552 from 917th TFW (47th TFS) at Barksdale AFB was selected. It was known as the "Peanut " because of its special brown scheme (the other was known as the "Flipper" with a similar grey scheme). Both were not adopted finally and 76-0552 was repainted in the usual grey but never went to Desert Storm.