Title: A-7 vs A-10 Close Air Support Aircraft Study. Korean Peninsula Scenario (U)
Author/Editor: James Wally Pratt
Publisher/Sponsor: Naval Postgraduate School
Supplier: –
Report Date: 3/1/1977
Document Number: –
Classification: Unclassified
Nautilus Filing Number: 7
Box Number: 1
Description
The 1977 study compares the effectiveness of the A-7 to the A-10, in theoretical simulated combat in Korea. He uses survivability as the indicator of success: aircraft that could make it to their targets undestroyed were the winners. He uses standard military procedure and defenses in his simulation, such as aircraft going against SAM batteries, infrared SAM batteries, and conventional anti-aircraft weapons. Following his explanation of the study, he lists pages of numbers that correspond to possible simulation results. This study may be significant in promoting the use of certain aircraft today.
As with all new technology, testing it is necessary before widespread use. Pratt uses computer simulations to test the effectiveness of the A-7 and A-10 aircraft in attack procedures. He gives the guidelines of the test, and lists his findings.
“The results of the study showed that the A-7 aircraft performed substantially better than the A-10 aircraft in this scenario.” [p. 5]
This report was released to the Nautilus Institute under the US Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).