A 7 Corsair II Units 1975 91

A-7 Corsair II Units 1975-91

A highly detailed, illustrated history of the A-7 Corsair II and its service from the end of the Vietnam War through to Desert Storm. At the A7 Corsair II’s peak in the mid1980s, some 30 US Navy squadrons flew various versions of the aircraft, including six Naval Air Reserve units, and many of these units saw action across the Middle East. By the time the jet saw combat in Operation Desert Storm (1991), there remained only two fleet squadrons--many fleet squadrons having either disestablished or transitioned to the F/A18 Hornet--but both of these units (VA-46 and VA-72) played a major role in the campaign to free Kuwait. The book details the technological development and improvements that were introduced to the airframe post-Vietnam (the FLIR targeting pod from 1979 and AGM-88 HARM missile from 1983 being the most important), and how they shaped operational employment of the aircraft. The jet’s combat experiences in conflicts during the 1970s (Cambodia), 1980s (Lebanon, Grenada, Libya, and Iran), and 1990s (Iraq) are explained in detail, and Peter Mersky’s expert analysis is supported by numerous firsthand accounts from naval aviators that saw action with the A-7 during these campaigns. Author: Peter Mersky Illustrators: Jim Laurier & Gareth Hector 96 page softcover