Which engine do the A-10 and a carrier-based…

Which engine do the A-10 and a carrier-based anti-submarine aircraft share?

Short answer

The General Electric TF34, a US military turbofan used in both the A-10 Thunderbolt II and the S-3 Viking. It is a twin-spool, high-bypass turbofan. The USAF may have preferred the YA-10's already established TF34 over the untested F102.

Published: November 2, 2026 · Updated: November 2, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

Which engine do the A-10 and a carrier-based anti-submarine aircraft share?

Lockheed L-394 S-3B Viking (USN Bu No 159770, cn 394A-3099) (6-26-2024)ZLEA (CC BY SA), vía commons

The TF34, a shared engine

The General Electric TF34 is a US military turbofan used on the A-10 Thunderbolt II and on the S-3 Viking. It is a twin-spool, high-bypass turbofan engine.

The engine's weight in the A-X competition

The Air Force may have preferred that the YA-10 rely on the already established TF34 rather than the untested F102; added to this was the fact that Fairchild had no alternative work and was unlikely to survive if it did not win the A-X contract. The YA-9 fully met the USAF's requirements, but on January 18, 1973, the YA-10 was declared the winner. The announcement of the YA-10's selection for production came after testing and direct competition against the YA-9.

The aircraft that carries the TF34

The A-10 Thunderbolt II's airframe was designed around the powerful 30 mm GAU-8 Avenger rotary automatic cannon. The two YA-10 prototypes were built at Republic's Farmingdale, New York plant and made their first flight on May 10, 1972, with pilot Howard "Sam" Nelson at the controls.