North American A-5 Vigilante

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_..._A-5_Vigilante

The North American A-5 Vigilante is an American carrier-based supersonic bomber
designed and built by North American Aviation for the United States Navy. Its
service in the nuclear strike role to replace the Douglas A-3 Skywarrior was
very short; however, as the RA-5C, it saw extensive service during the Vietnam
War in the tactical strike reconnaissance role. Prior to the unification of the
Navy designation sequence with the Air Force sequence in 1962, it was designated
the A3J Vigilante.

At the time of its introduction, the Vigilante was one of the largest and by far
the most complex aircraft to operate from a United States Navy aircraft carrier.
It had a high-mounted swept wing with a boundary-layer control system (blown
flaps) to improve low-speed lift. There were no ailerons. Roll control was
provided by spoilers in conjunction with differential deflection of the
all-moving tail surfaces. The use of aluminum-lithium alloy for wing skins and
titanium for critical structures was also unusual. The A-5 had two widely spaced
General Electric J79 turbojet engines (the same as used on the McDonnell Douglas
F-4 Phantom II fighter), fed by intake ramps and a single large all-moving
vertical stabilizer. Preliminary design studies had employed twin vertical
fin/rudders. The wings, vertical stabilizer and the nose radome folded for
carrier stowage. The Vigilante had a crew of two seated in tandem, a pilot and a
bombardier-navigator (BN) (reconnaissance/attack navigator (RAN) on later
reconnaissance versions) seated on individual North American HS-1A ejection
seats.

Despite being designated by the US Navy as a "heavy", the A-5 was surprisingly
agile; without the drag of bombs or missiles, even escorting fighters found that
the clean airframe and powerful engines made the Vigilante very fast at high and
low altitudes. However, its high approach speed and high angle of attack in the
landing configuration made returning to the aircraft carrier a challenge for
inexperienced or unwary pilots.

The Vigilante had advanced and complex electronics when it first entered
service. It had one of the first "fly-by-wire" systems on an operational
aircraft (with mechanical/hydraulic backup) and a computerized AN/ASB-12
nav/attack system incorporating a head-up display ("Pilot's Projected Display
Indicator" (PPDI), one of the first), multi-mode radar, radar-equipped inertial
navigation system (REINS, based on technologies developed for North American's
Navaho missile), closed-circuit television camera under the nose, and an early
digital computer known as "Versatile Digital Analyzer" (VERDAN) to run it all.


Role
Nuclear strike bomber or reconnaissance aircraft

National origin
United States

Manufacturer
North American Aviation

First flight
31 August 1958

Introduction
June 1961

Retired
20 November 1979

Status
Retired

Primary user
United States Navy

Produced
1956–1963
1968–1970

Number built
156

Under the Tri-Services Designation plan implemented under Robert McNamara in
September 1962, the Vigilante was redesignated A-5, with the initial A3J-1
becoming A-5A and the updated A3J-2 becoming A-5B. The subsequent reconnaissance
version, originally A3J-3P, became the RA-5C.

The Vigilante's early service proved troublesome, with many teething problems
for its advanced systems. Although these systems were highly sophisticated, the
technology was in its infancy, and its reliability was poor. Although most of
these reliability issues were eventually worked out as maintenance personnel
gained greater experience with supporting these systems, the aircraft tended to
remain a maintenance-intensive platform throughout its career.

The A-5's service coincided with a major policy shift in the U.S. Navy's
strategic role, which switched to emphasize submarine-launched ballistic
missiles rather than manned bombers. As a result, in 1963, procurement of the
A-5 was ended and the type was converted to the fast reconnaissance role.

Despite the Vigilante's useful service, it was expensive and complex to operate
and occupied significant amounts of precious flight deck and hangar deck space
aboard both conventional and nuclear-powered aircraft carriers at a time when
carrier air wings, with the introduction of the F-14 Tomcat and S-3 Viking, were
averaging 90 aircraft, many of which were larger than their predecessors. With
the end of the Vietnam War, disestablishment of RVAH squadrons began in 1974,
with the last Vigilante squadron, RVAH-7, completing its final deployment to the
Western Pacific aboard USS Ranger in late 1979. The final flight by an RA-5C
took place on 20 November 1979 when a Vigilante departed NAS Key West, Florida.
Reconnaissance Attack Wing One was subsequently disestablished at NAS Key West,
Florida in January 1980.

The Vigilante did not end the career of the A-3 Skywarrior, which would carry on
as photo reconnaissance aircraft, electronic warfare platforms, aerial refueling
tankers, and executive transport aircraft designated as RA-3A/B, EA-3A/B,
ERA-3B, EKA-3B KA-3B, and VA-3B, into the 1980s and early 1990s.

Specifications (A-5A Vigilante)

General characteristics
Crew: 2
Length: 76 ft 6 in (23.32 m)
Wingspan: 53 ft 0 in (16.16 m)
Height: 19 ft 5 in (5.91 m)
Wing area: 701 sq ft (65.1 m2)
Empty weight: 32,783 lb (14,870 kg)
Gross weight: 47,631 lb (21,605 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 63,085 lb (28,615 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × General Electric J79-GE-8 after-burning turbojet engines, 10,900
lbf (48 kN) thrust each dry dry, 17,000 lbf (76 kN) with afterburner

Performance
Maximum speed: 1,149 kn (1,322 mph; 2,128 km/h) at 40,000 ft (12,000 m)
Maximum speed: Mach 2
Combat range: 974 nmi (1,121 mi; 1,804 km) (to target and return)
Ferry range: 1,571 nmi (1,808 mi; 2,909 km)
Service ceiling: 52,100 ft (15,900 m)
Rate of climb: 8,000 ft/min (41 m/s)
Wing loading: 80.4 lb/sq ft (393 kg/m2)
Thrust/weight: 0.72 lbf/lb (0.007 kN/kg)

Armament

Bombs:

1× Mark 27 nuclear bomb, B28 or B43 freefall nuclear bomb in internal weapons
bay
2× B43, Mark 83, or Mark 84 bombs on two external hardpoints

Avionics
Systems carried by A-5 or RA-5C
AN/ASB-12 Bombing & Navigation Radar (A-5, RA-5C)
Westinghouse AN/APD-7 SLAR (RA-5C)
Sanders AN/ALQ-100 E/F/G/H-Band Radar Jammer (RA-5C)
Sanders AN/ALQ-41 X-Band Radar Jammer (A-5, RA-5C)
AIL AN/ALQ-61 Radio/Radar/IR ECM Receiver (RA-5C)
Litton ALR-45 "COMPASS TIE" 2-18 GHz Radar Warning Receiver (RA-5C)
Magnavox AN/APR-27 SAM Radar Warning Receiver (RA-5C)
Itek AN/APR-25 S/X/C-Band Radar Detection and Homing Set (RA-5C)
Motorola AN/APR-18 Electronic Reconnaissance System (A-5, RA-5C)
AN/AAS-21 IR Reconnaissance Camera (RA-5C)




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