Editing A4 Skyhawk (section)

==IRL==
[[File:IRLDUDE.jpg|300px|right|thumb|]]

The A4 Skyhawk was developed in the 1950s as a lightweight, carrier-based attack aircraft, the first jet-powered aircraft to replace the Korean War A1 Skyraider. It was used by the US up until after the Vietnam War, where they lost over 300 aircraft during the conflict.  Despite its modern appearances the A4 was technologically only slightly more advanced than the F-86 and was not designed to be a fighter (unlike its original Soviet counterpart, the Su-7B, or Team Yankee's much newer Su-25).  Thrown up against MiGs a decade newer than it, the Skyhawk didn't have the performance to be competitive, and its missiles suffered the same problems that caused the F-4 so much trouble.

But everything America makes gets sold to someone, and Israel had become the biggest export customer for the A4.  They were using them well until 2008 through a series of avionic and missile upgrades. They were used for both bombing runs and dogfights during the Yom Kippur War.  The last brand new export A4s rolled off the production line in 1979, so the planes in Team Yankee would be at least fresh airframes in good condition, not beat up navy surplus.  

Interestingly, in US service the A4 was one of the few fighters cleared to use nuclear weapons by loft delivery, and initially had a special cockpit shield to protect the pilot.
{{Israeli Forces in Team Yankee}}