The Polish A-10 is a combat aircraft that’s possibly the most overkill 90’s jet ever designed.
Here are five interesting facts about this awesome fighter jet:
1. It wasn’t American or Russian built, but unexpectedly Polish
When you think of Aerospace Titans at the end of the Cold War, Poland would be far down your list, but the former Polish Commonwealth state is full of surprises.
It was chasing after its own fighter jet when regaining its independence from the USSR at the end of the Cold War, leading to the birth of the Polish A-10 concept.
2. It was set to fly up to a thousand kilometers per hour
The plane also had a combat range of 300 kilometers and a service ceiling of up to 12,000 meters.
3. The Polish military designed it to be a stealth plane inspired by the Americans
The plane was given a black paint job, internal components, engines mounted inside the wing, and a lower radar cross-section.
The military also used the latest computers in the 90s at that time, fly-by-wire controls, and even control for the onboard cannon- meaning you don’t have to aim with the nose.
4. There were serious flaws in its design
It was discovered later that the engines chosen the PW305 turbo fans, wouldn’t be powerful enough so they were swapped for Honeywell If-507s.
The obsession with stealth also got out of hand. If the plane was flying at a low altitude below 10,000 feet at a slow speed, it was hardly a situation that stealth would make a difference. Furthermore, they were issues with costs, and where to build it leading for the design to be eventually shut down.
5. If the aircraft was built, it could have opened up a whole new Polish Aerospace Market
Many countries all over the world would have loved a third party to purchase a reliable aircraft from, one that was so aligned with the US and Russia.
Asia and Africa would have been easy markets, and it might have also seen extensive use in the Middle East.