ST Aerospace A-4SU Super Skyhawk
Singapore Aircraft Industries · Singapore · first flew 1986 · bomber
The A-4SU Super Skyhawk was a major Singapore upgrade of the Douglas A-4S Skyhawk attack aircraft, used only by the Republic of Singapore Air Force.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, delta |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbofan, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 12.72 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Nose-mounted Pave Penny laser seeker
- Single General Electric F404 turbofan replacing the original Wright J65 turbojet
- Saddle-style dorsal hump housing the ADF, a feature of the A-4S base aircraft
An A-4 with a longer nose, five stores hardpoints and 30 mm ADEN cannons.
Specifications
- The ST Aerospace A-4SU Super Skyhawk has a length of 12.72 m (42 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.38 m (27 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 1128 km/h (701 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
After accidents and engine ageing, the RSAF decided in 1985 to upgrade its A-4S fleet rather than replace it. The programme added a non-afterburning F404 turbofan, which gave 29 per cent more thrust, and a modernised avionics suite. The first flight was on 19 September 1986.
Variants
The A-4SU was the single-seat upgrade of the A-4S-1 and the TA-4SU the two-seat trainer version.
Where you'll see it
It served from 1989 and was withdrawn from front-line duty on 31 March 2005. From 1999 it was used for advanced jet training in France, and the Black Knights display team flew it from 1990 to 2000.
Related aircraft
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