LTV A-7 Corsair II

The Ling-Temco-Vought A-7 Corsair II is a carrier-capable subsonic light attack aircraft introduced to replace the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk. The A-7 airframe design was based on the successful supersonic Vought F-8 Crusader. It was one of the first combat aircraft to feature a head-up display (HUD), an inertial navigation system (INS), and a turbofan engine. The Corsair II initially entered service with the United States Navy during the Vietnam War. It was later adopted by the United States Air Force, including the Air National Guard, to replace the Douglas A-1 Skyraider, North American F-100 Super Sabre and Republic F-105 Thunderchief. The aircraft was also exported to Greece in the 1970s, Canada in the early 1980s, and Portugal in the late 1980s.

In the 1990s, the US began selling surplus A-7 Corsair II attack fighters to Canada, Greece, and Portugal. In the early 2000s, the Canadian government had their A-7E fleet upgraded based on the YA-7F Strikefighter concept. The CA-187s received improved electronics, avionics, radar, and engines (the General Electric F110-GE-129). In 2016, the Corsair II would be phased out of service by the Lockheed Martin F-16CA Fighting Falcon.

Variants

 * A-7A: First production version. Early USN Corsair IIs had two 20mm Colt Mk.12 cannons with 250 rounds per gun. Maximum ordnance, carried primarily on the wing pylons, was theoretically 15,000 lb (6,804 kg), but was limited by maximum takeoff weight, so the full weapon load could only be carried with greatly reduced internal fuel; equipped with AN/APN-153 navigational radar, AN/APQ-115 terrain following radar, and a separate AN/APQ-99 attack radar; 199 built.
 * A-7B: Uprated TF30-P-8 engine with 12,190 lbf (54.2 kN) of thrust. In 1971, surviving A-7Bs were further upgraded to TF30-P-408 with 13,390 lbf (59.6 kN) of thrust; AN/APQ-115 terrain following radar in earlier A-7A is replaced by AN/APQ-116 terrain following radar; 196 built.
 * A-7C: First sixty-seven production A-7E with TF30-P-408 engines.
 * TA-7C: Two-seat trainer version for USN, twenty-four converted from A-7B, thirty-six from A-7C. In 1984, forty-nine airframes, including the eight EA-7Ls, were re-engined with the TF41-A-402 and upgraded to A-7E standard.
 * A-7D: Version built for the USAF, with one Allison TF41-A-1 turbofan, and a single 20mm M61 Vulcan rotary cannon; AN/APN-153 navigational radar in earlier models is replaced by AN/APN-185 navigational radar, AN/APQ-116 terrain following radar in earlier A-7B/C is replaced by AN/APQ-126 terrain following radar; 459 built.
 * A-7E: Naval carrier-capable equivalent of the A-7D; AN/APN-185 navigational radar in earlier A-7D is replaced by AN/APN-190 navigational radar, AN/APQ-126 terrain following radar in earlier A-7D is replaced by AN/APQ-128 terrain following radar; 529 built.
 * YA-7F Strikefighter: Stretched, supersonic version of A-7 powered by an F100, optimized for interdiction role, but cancelled after two prototypes were built.
 * CA-187C/D: Upgrade of the CA-187A/B based on the YA-7F.
 * A-7G: Proposed version for Switzerland, none built.
 * YA-7E/YA-7H: Two-seat prototypes built by Ling-Temco-Vought as a private venture.
 * A-7H: Modified A-7E for Greece without air-refueling capability, sixty built.
 * TA-7H: Two-seat trainer version for Greece.
 * A-7K: Two-seat trainer version for Air National Guard, thirty built.
 * EA-7L: Eight TA-7C modified into electronic aggressor aircraft used by VAQ-34, upgraded to A-7E standard while retaining twin seats in 1984.
 * A-7P: Ex-USN A-7As rebuilt for Portuguese Air Force, forty-four refurbished with TF30-P-408 engines and an avionics fit similar to the A-7E.
 * TA-7P: Two-seat trainer version for Portuguese Air Force; six converted from ex-USN A-7As.

Users

 * Canada
 * Royal Canadian Air Force
 * Royal Canadian Navy
 * Greece
 * Hellenic Air Force
 * Portugal
 * Portuguese Air Force
 * Thailand
 * Royal Thai Navy
 * United States
 * United States Air Force
 * United States Navy

Related Development

 * Vought F-8 Crusader
 * LTV YA-7F
 * Bombardier CA-187C/D Corsair II

Comparable Aircraft

 * Grumman A-6 Intruder
 * Mikoyan MiG-27
 * SEPECAT Jaguar
 * Sukhoi Su-17