Production History of the A4su super
skyhawk
# In 1972, Singapore purchased 40 surplus U.S. A-4C airframes,
designated A-4S, for use by the Royal Singapore Air Force
(RSAF).
# Refurbishment of the first eight A-4S Skyhawks, by Lockheed Air
Services in the U.S., included installation of the 8400 lb thrust
Curtiss J65-W-20 engine; wing lift spoilers; 30-mm cannons;
state-of-the-art optical gunsight, communications equipment, and
Sidewinder air-to-air missile capability; and two additional
ordnance wing stations. The remaining 32 A-4S airframes were
shipped to and upgraded in Singapore.
# The A-4S first flew on July 14, 1973.
# Seven TA-4S variants were unique. To maintain engine commonality,
A-4S (A-4C) airframes were lengthened, a la the TA-4, to provide a
second cockpit; however, rather than the single canopy
characteristic of other "T" birds, each TA-4S cockpit had a
separate canopy.
# In 1980, Singapore purchased an additional 86 Skyhawks from U.S.
suplus (70 A-4Cs, 16 A-4Bs).
# From 1984 to 1989, the RSAF conducted an ambitious Skyhawk
service life extension program. Most of the A-4S airframes were
extensively re-built and modernized. Redesignated A-4SU (SUper),
upgrading included replacement of J65 engines with the 11,000 lb
thrust F404-GE-100D; new refrigeration, hydraulic pump, air turbine
starter, electrical power, and oil cooler systems; new sensors,
cockpit instrumentation, and state-of-the-art avionics; and
improved air-to-air and air-to-ground ordnance carrying and control
capability.
# The re-engineered A-4SU "Super Skyhawks" became operational in
1988.
A-4C (A-4S) BuNos Known Sold to Singapore
142101, 142119, 142125, 142131, 142711, 142746, 142751,
142770,
142771, 142774, 142800, 142819, 142832, 142840, 142850,
142870,
142876, 142882, 142908, 142942, 144874, 144926, 144971,
144974,
144980, 145013, 145030, 145038, 145046, 145056, 145059,
145110,
147779, 148521, 148526, 148603, 149498, 143537
A-4S Known Singapore Serials
600, 601, 602, 603, 604, 605, 606, 607, 616, 617, 618, 619, 620,
621,
622, 623, 630, 631, 632, 633, 634, 635, 636, 643, 644, 645, 646,
647,
648, 649, 650, 656, 657, 658, 659, 660, 679, 680, 681, 682, 683,
914,
917, 918, 919, 923, 924, 927, 928, 933, 936, 937, 938, 939, 940,
941,
942, 945, 946, 947, 956, 957, 960, 961, 967, 969, 970, 971, 972,
973,
974, 975, 976, 977, 981, 983, 985, 991, 992, 993, 994
TA-4S Known Singapore Serials
651, 652, 653, 687, 688, 689, 690, 900, 901,
902, 903, 904, 905, 906, 907, 908, 909
