The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a compact United States carrier-based attack aircraft designed by Ed Heinemann for the Navy and Marine Corps. Built by Douglas and later McDonnell Douglas, it became a long-lived light-attack platform with documented combat use in Vietnam, the Middle East, the Falklands, East Timor, and the Gulf War.
U.S. Navy Skyhawks flew some of the conflict's first U.S. strikes in Vietnam and served as light-attack aircraft there.
Israeli Air Force Skyhawks flew ground-attack missions during the War of Attrition.
The Israeli Air Force says the A-4 Skyhawk was the main attack plane during the Yom Kippur War and that Skyhawk crews flew about 1,000 operational sorties on the southern front.
Read detailed usageAn Israeli Air Force A-4 was shot down over Lebanon on 6 June 1982 during the invasion.
Argentine Skyhawks flew bombing missions against Royal Navy vessels, including attacks that helped sink HMS Coventry and HMS Ardent.
Indonesian Air Force Skyhawks were used for counterinsurgency strikes in East Timor.
Kuwaiti Skyhawks participated in Operation Desert Storm.
This page keeps a broader holding archive for the Skyhawk's additional documented combat use beyond the named conflict archives attached here.
Timeline
The XA4D-1 prototype first flew on 22 June 1954.
The Skyhawk entered operational service on 1 October 1956.
Official Navy history says A-4s participated in the first strikes of the Vietnam War after attacks against American destroyers in the Tonkin Gulf.
Israeli Air Force history says the A-4 was the main attack plane during the Yom Kippur War and flew about 1,000 operational sorties on the southern front.
