A-6 Intruder

Date: Feb 1963 to 28 Feb 1997
Location: [unknown]
Surname/tag: MILITARY_AND_WAR

The Grumman A-6 Intruder was an American, twinjet all-weather attack aircraft built by Grumman Aerospace. In service with the United States Navy and Marine Corps between 1963 and 1997, the Intruder was designed as an all-weather medium attack aircraft to replace the piston-engined Douglas A-1 Skyraider. ^[1]

The Navy's experience in the Korean War showed the need for a new long-range strike aircraft with high subsonic performance at very low altitude--an aircraft that could penetrate enemy defenses and find and destroy small targets in any weather. The Grumman A-6 Intruder was designed with these needs in mind.^[2]

A6A Intruder of VA-85 on board USS Kitty Hawk, Gulf of Tonkin, 1966

VA-85 A6A Flight Line NAS Cubi Point, PI. 1967

A6A Cockpit: Pilot. Port, Bombardier/Navigator, Starboard

Specifications: A6A^[3]

Length	54 feet 7 inches (16.1 meters)
Height	15 feet 7 inches (4.74 meters)
Wingspan	53 feet (16.1 meters)
Max Speed	648 miles per hour (1036 km/h)
Ceiling	40,600 feet (12,374 m)
Maximum Takeoff Weight	60,626 pounds (27,524 kg)
Range	1,077 miles (1,733 km) – full combat load
Powerplant	Two Pratt & Whitney J52-P8B engines (9,300 pounds thrust each)
Crew	2 (Side by Side Seating, Pilot and Bombardier/Navigator)

Armament

Quantity
10	2.75″ Rocket Pod
10	5″ Zuni Rocket Pod
28	Mk-20 Rockeye
28	Mk-81 (250 lbs)
28	Mk-82 Snakeye
13	Mk-83 (1,000 lbs)
5	Mk-84 (2,000 lbs)
20	Mk-117 (750 lbs)
28	CBU-78
	GBU-10E Laser Guided Bomb
	GBU-12D Laser Guided Bomb
	GBU-16B Laser Guided Bomb
	AGM-123A Skipper II
	AGM-45 Shrike
	AGM-62 Walleyes
	Mk-77 Napalm
	AIM-9 Sidewinder

Variants

A6B

The A6B received specialized equipment to detect and track enemy radar sites and to guide AGM-45 Shrike and AGM-78 Standard anti-radiation missiles, with AN/APQ-103 radar replacing earlier AN/APQ-92 used in the A-6A, plus AN/APN-153 navigational radar replacing earlier AN/APN-122, again used in the A-6A.

A6C

The A6C was fitted with a "Trails/Roads Interdiction Multi-sensor" (TRIM) pod in the fuselage for FLIR and low-light TV cameras, as well as a "Black Crow" engine ignition detection system. Radars were also upgraded, with AN/APQ-112 replacing earlier AN/APQ-103 in A-6B, and AN/APN-186 navigational radar replacing earlier AN/APN-153 in earlier A-6B. A vastly improved Sperry Corporation AN/APQ-127 radar replaced earlier AN/APG-46 fire control radar in A-6A

KA-6D

KA-6D

The KA-6D replaced both the KA-3B and EA-3B Skywarrior. During the early 1970s, 78 A-6As and 12 A-6Es were converted for use as tanker aircraft, providing aerial refueling support to other strike aircraft

A6E

A6E

The A6E was equipped with a microminiaturized digital computer, a solid state weapons release system, and a single, integrated track and search radar. The target recognition/attack multi-sensor (TRAM) version of the A-6E was introduced to the fleet in 1979. It was equipped with a chin turret containing a forward-looking infra-red (FLIR) system and a laser designator and receiver. Composite wing replacement and systems/weapons improvement programs (SWIP) maintained full A-6E combat systems capability for the A6E^[4]

Squadrons

Attack Squadron 85

Note:

For a grouping of profiles of persons affiliated with this aircraft, see the category for the A-6 Intruder

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=A6+Intruder
2. ↑ https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/grumman-6e-intruder.
3. ↑ Military Machine, Grumman A-6 Intruder, Jan 01, 2019, Colin Ritsick
4. ↑ FAS Military Analysis Network