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Opinion

Why the A-6 Intruder Is Still the Best Navy Attack Plane to Grace the Deck of a US Carrier

A-6 Intruders would have been able to deliver far more ordnance for far less cost than the multirole planes we have instead employed.
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Why the A-6 Intruder Is Still the Best Navy Attack Plane to Grace the Deck of a US Carrier
A U.S. Navy A-6 Intruder on the display at the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum in New York City, in a file photo. NYC Russ/Shutterstock
Mike Fredenburg
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Commentary
The A-6 Intruder’s last combat missions were flown over Bosnia in 1994, and it was formally retired in 1997. During Operation Desert Storm, Navy A-6E aircraft flew 5,619 sorties striking 2,617 targets. Included in these sorties were 221 air defense suppression attacks using high-speed anti-radiation missiles (HARM).
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Mike Fredenburg
Mike Fredenburg
Author
Mike Fredenburg writes on military technology and defense matters with an emphasis on defense reform. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and master’s degree in production operations management.