The General Dynamics Model 100 was a 1960s proposal for a

counter-insurgency Counterinsurgency (COIN, or NATO spelling counter-insurgency) is "the totality of actions aimed at defeating irregular forces". The Oxford English Dictionary defines counterinsurgency as any "military or political action taken against the ac ...

(COIN)

ground attack aircraft An attack aircraft, strike aircraft, or attack bomber is a tactical military aircraft that has a primary role of carrying out airstrikes with greater precision than bombers, and is prepared to encounter strong low-level air defenses while pres ...

intended for use by the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

(USAF).

Development

The Model 100 was conceived by General Dynamics in 1966 as a response to a USAF requirement for a COIN aircraft to replace the

Douglas A-1 Skyraider The Douglas A-1 Skyraider (formerly designated AD before the 1962 1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system, unification of Navy and Air Force designations) is an American single-seat attack aircraft in service from 1946 to the ...

. The initial design featured a turboprop-powered aircraft with straight wings and a T-tail, but a later design had a conventional tail design. Although the Model 100 was referred to as A-8A, it is unclear if the USAF ever officially assigned the designation to the Model 100.Bradley, Robert, 2013. ''Convair Advanced Designs II: Secret Fighters, Attack Aircraft, and Unique Concepts 1929-1973.'' Manchester, England: Crécy Publishing. . The Model 100 was eventually shelved in favor of the A-X program that would result in the development of the

Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II The Fairchild Republic A-10 , also infamously known under the nickname , is a single-seat, twin-turbofan, straight-wing, subsonic attack aircraft developed by Fairchild Republic for the United States Air Force (USAF). In service since 19 ...

References

{{US attack aircraft 1960s United States attack aircraft General Dynamics aircraft Single-engined turboprop aircraft Cancelled military aircraft projects of the United States