The List of Douglas A-4 Skyhawk operators lists the countries and their military units that operate or have operated the Skyhawk.
Argentina 
The Argentine Air Force used 50 A-4P (ex U.S. Navy A-4B) with V Air Brigade, and 25 A-4C with IV Air Brigade, from 1965 to 1999. 19 were lost during the Falklands War (Spanish : Guerra de las Malvinas) . All were replaced by refurbished A-4Ms, designated as A-4AR Fightinghawk, in 1999. Also an unknown number of A-4E, TA-4J and A-4M was/is used as spare parts.
The 3rd Fighter-Bomber Squadron of the Argentine Navy used 16 A-4Q (ex A-4B US Navy) for operations from the aircraft carrier ARA Veinticinco de Mayo (V-2) from 1971 to 1988. During the Falklands War they operated from land bases and three were lost.
Australia 
Australia ordered ten A-4G Skyhawks in October 1965 to replace all of the Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm's de Havilland Venom fighters which operated from HMAS Melbourne, the Royal Australian Navy's only active carrier. The Australian incorporated modifications such as being fitted to carry four AIM-9 Sidewinder heat seeking air-to-air missiles – the Skyhawk was purchased primarily to serve in the air defence role, as it was the only modern high performance jet capable of operating from the deck the small World War II -surplus light carrier Melbourne , which could not operate other larger fighters of the era. These aircraft retained the strike capabilities of its US counterparts and could carry 250-pound or 500-pound bombs, 2.75-inch or 5-inch rocket pods, and other stores for use in the maritime strike, close air support, or fleet defense roles. Changes were also made to the avionics fit and the aircraft did not have the A-4F's dorsal "hump." [1]
The first two Australian A-4Gs were handed over to the Royal Australian Navy on 26 July 1967, with all ten aircraft transported to Australia from the United States onboard HMAS Melbourne in November 1967. An order for a further eight A4-Gs and two TA-4Gs was placed in March 1970. These aircraft were former USN A-4Fs and TA-4Fs and were modified to A/TA-4G standard and arrived in Australia in August 1971 on board the troop transport HMAS Sydney. All of the A-4Gs operated from HMAS Melbourne and were based at the naval air station HMAS Albatross. The TA-4Gs could not be operated from Melbourne, as the carrier was too small to enable them to be safely operated. [1] The Australian Skyhawks were gradually withdrawn from service from 1982 after HMAS Melbourne was decommissioned without being replaced in June 1982; the last flight took place on 30 June 1984. [2]
Two Fleet Air Arm squadrons were equipped with A-4Gs:
Following the withdrawal of the A-4G from Australian service, eight surviving A-4G and two TA-4Gs were sold to New Zealand's Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1984 and were subsequently upgraded to A-4K specifications and later with the RNZAF "Kahu" program, with HOTAS, Maverick missile capability, and glass cockpit. Ironically, the RAN paid for some of the New Zealand aircraft to undertake target towing and maritime strike training roles. [4]
A-4B 142871 was altered to appear like the A-4G models used by VF-805 squadron and is on display since November 1999. Displayed first as A-4G 154906 (885) and then since 2007 as A-4G 154903 (882). Has been loaned to Fleet Air Arm Museum (Australia) at HMAS Albatross by the US Department of Navy. [5] [6] [7]
Brazil 
Indonesia 
See Also: Operation Alpha
Indonesia used 30 A-4E, two TA-4H and two TA-4Js from 1980 to 2003. The aircraft were obtained from the Israeli Air Force and some had seen previous American service in Vietnam. The first aircraft were flying from May 1980 from Halim Perdana Kusuma AFB, Jakarta.
In the 1970s the Indonesian Air Force had bought Northrop F-5 Tigers from the United States but were not allowed to use them in operations related to East Timor. As a solution Indonesia was offered 14 former Israeli Air Force A-4E Skyhawks which could be operated without restrictions. Being sensitive to be seen dealing with Israel the aircraft were actually purchased by Singapore to divert attention. The first batch of Indonesian aircrew were trained in Israel but returned to Indonesia via the United States to build up a cover story that they had been trained in the USA. As part of Operasi Alpha the first four aircraft (two A-4Es and two TA-4Hs) were shipped via Singapore and arrived in Indonesia on 4 May 1980. The rest of the aircraft were shipped in the same manner every five weeks with the last delivery in September 1980. The aircraft were first displayed in public during the Armed Forces Day on 5 October 1980. A further sixteen A-4Es were obtained in 1981 and 1982 as Operasi Alpha II. The Operasi Alpha I aircraft were used to replace the Lockheed T-33As with 11th Air Squadron at Iswahyudi Air Force Base and this unit was used initially as a transition squadron for Skyhawk training. The Operasi Alpha II aircraft were allocated to the 12th Air Squadron.
12th Air Squadron converted to the BAe Hawk in the 1990s but 11th Air Squadron continued to operate the Skyhawk until 2003 when were replaced by two Russian Su-27SK and two Su-30MK. However, the Indonesian Air Force is planning to reactivate the A-4 Skyhawks by buying spare parts, after the United States ended its weapons and spare part sales embargo. The aircraft made its final flight on 5 August 2005 from Makassar (Sulawesi) to Madiun (Java).
Israel 
The Israeli Air Force once operated 278 A-4s (46 A-4E, 90 A-4H, 117 A-4N, 25 TA-4H). The A-4H/TA-4H were delivered starting in 1968, and were immediately pressed into service in the ongoing War of Attrition. In May 1970 the type scored its sole aerial kills with the IAF when Ezra Dotan shot down a pair of Syrian MiG-17s, one using unguided air-to-ground rockets. [9] During the Yom Kippur War the aircraft flew a total of 4695 sorties, losing 53 aircraft. These prompted the US to initiate Operation Nickel Grass which provided Israel with 46 A-4Es as replacements during the war. In 1983 An A-4 was also involved in an unusual midair collision with an F-15 Eagle. The Eagle returned to base and landed despite losing its entire right wing while the A-4 was destroyed. The remaining 50 A-4N aircraft are currently being used for pilot training. These will be retired in 2015 and replaced by Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master training jets. [10] [11]
Kuwait 
Kuwait bought 30 A-4KU and six TA-4KU in 1976 and used them until 1997. During the 1991 Gulf war one was lost in combat and twelve due to other causes. The survivors of Operation Desert Storm were replaced by F/A-18 Hornet and sold to Brazil.
Malaysia 
The Royal Malaysian Air Force acquired a total of 88 A-4C and A-4L aircraft, although only 40 were rebuilt to A-4PTM (Peculiar To Malaysia) standard, which included a new bombing computer, body refurbishments and wiring updates. The remaining 48 aircraft were stored for spare parts. These aircraft are stored at the Kuantan Air Force base / Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Airport on the east coast of the Malayan peninsula.
The Skyhawk has been replaced in the attack role by the more sophisticated Boeing F/A-18D Night Strike Hornet (eight purchased), BAE Systems Hawk 200 (18 acquired) and BAE Systems Hawk 100 (ten acquired).
New Zealand 
Ten A-4K single-seaters, and four TA-4K two-seaters, were purchased by the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1969 as English Electric Canberra replacements, and shipped to New Zealand aboard the assault carrier USS Okinawa in 1970. [12] The A-4K is broadly comparable to the A-4F and G, although featuring extra avionics in a dorsal "hump", as adopted by later A-4Fs, cranked refuelling probe, and other minor changes. In 1984, ten ex-Australian A-4Gs were purchased. Under project Kahu, all aircraft updated to the A-4K Kahu standard, essentially by adopting the avionics from the F-16 Fighting Falcon, giving them the ability to use laser-guided bombs, as well as AGM-65 Maverick and AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles. Kahu is Māori for hawk. [13] Miniaturization enabled the hump to be removed from the older New Zealand aircraft at the same time. The A-4Ks operated from Ohakea in New Zealand and Nowra in Australia equipped 2 and 75 Squadron RNZAF.
The survivors were retired in 2001, and were to be sold in 2005 to a private US flight training firm in a $150 million deal. That transaction did not go through, but the aircraft were subsequently purchased in 2011/2012 by USA based defense contractor, Draken International. The aircraft are currently based at their Lakeland, FL facility.
Singapore 
In total, around 150 airframes, all A-4Bs and Cs, were purchased by Singapore. The first batch joined the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) in 1974. Some were modified in the late 1980s to A-4SU and TA-4SU standard with General Electric F404 engines and modernized avionics. With a few used as training aircraft based at the BA 120 Cazaux airbase in France.
RSAF units that flew the A-4 before retirement:
United States Units that flew the A-4 before retirement:
VMA-121 "Green Knights" [71]
United States The Texas-based company operates 4 A-4L model aircraft based out of North Texas Regional Airport (formerly Perrin AFB). The aircraft are primarily operated for flight testing activities, training, and demonstrations.
Canadian owned company Top Aces, (formerly known as Advanced Training Systems International), based at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport purchased ten A-4Ns and three TA-4Js from Israel in 2000. They are available for a variety of training and testing tasks, including Dissimilar air combat training, pilot training (providing lead-in Fighter training for the pilots of the United Arab Emirates' F-16E/Fs) and providing a high speed platform for test and evaluation purposes. One aircraft was destroyed in a crash in 2003 and a further two sold in 2006. [72]
The Massachusetts-based non-profit organization operates one ex-US Navy TA-4J N524CF (was BuNo 153524) as part of its "living history" flight program. It was acquired from AMARC in 2004, and is now based out of Houston, Texas. The organization offers licensed pilots the opportunity to purchase dual instruction time in the aircraft.
The Florida-based Aggressor Squadron operates eleven A-4 Skyhawks formerly of the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
Germany BAE Systems provides four former Israeli A-4Ns as target tugs for the German Air Force since 2001, replacing North American F-100 Super Sabres. The Skyhawks are operated by the BAE subsidiary E.I.S. Aircraft GmbH at Wittmund, the base of the Jagdgeschwader 71. In 2007 2 more A-4Ns were added.
NAeL Minas Gerais was a Colossus-class light aircraft carrier operated by the Marinha do Brasil from 1960 until 2001. The ship was laid down for the United Kingdom's Royal Navy during World War II as HMS Vengeance, was completed shortly before the war's end, and did not see combat. After stints as a training vessel and Arctic research ship, the carrier was loaned to the Royal Australian Navy from 1952 to 1955. She was returned to the British, who sold her to Brazil in 1956.
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a single-seat subsonic carrier-capable light attack aircraft designed and produced by the American aerospace manufacturer Douglas Aircraft Company, and later, McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated A4D under the United States Navy's pre-1962 designation system.
HMS Vengeance (R71) was a Colossus-class light aircraft carrier built for the Royal Navy during World War II. The carrier served in three navies during her career: the Royal Navy, the Royal Australian Navy, and the Brazilian Navy.
No. 75 Squadron RNZAF was an air combat squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. It was formed from the RAF's World War II bomber squadron, No. 75 Squadron, which had been initially equipped by the New Zealand government and was largely manned by New Zealanders. The squadron was created when, in a unique gesture, the squadron number, colours and battle honours were transferred to the RNZAF in 1946. It had flown more sorties and suffered more casualties than any other in the European theatre.
No. 2 Squadron RNZAF was a squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). It was formed in 1930 as part of the Territorial Air Force with the main headquarters at Wellington and shadow flights at New Plymouth and Wanganui. Squadron personnel conducted their annual flying at RNZAF Base Wigram. In 1937 the Territorial Squadrons were re-organised and No. 2 Squadron became the Wellington Territorial Squadron.
HMAS Albatross is the main naval air station for the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN) aviation branch, the Fleet Air Arm. The base, located near Nowra, New South Wales, was formally established in May 1942 as Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base RAAF Nowra, then was transferred to the Royal Navy as HMS Nabbington in 1944, and operated as a naval air station until it was decommissioned in late 1945. In 1948, the airfield was commissioned into the RAN as HMAS Albatross, as the primary shore base for the Fleet Air Arm. Since 2011, five squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm operate from Albatross. The current commander of the base is Captain Robyn Phillips, RAN.
Fighter Squadron Composite 13 (VFC-13), also known as the "Fighting Saints", is a fighter squadron of the United States Navy Reserve that provides adversary training at NAS Fallon, Nevada. VFC-13 uses "Bogey" as its main radio callsign.
Strike Fighter Squadron 81 (VFA-81), also known as the "Sunliners", is a United States Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet strike fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana. They are currently assigned to Carrier Air Wing 1. Their mission is to conduct prompt and sustained combat operations from the sea. The squadron was originally designated VA-66 on 1 July 1955, was redesignated VF-81 the same day, redesignated VA-81 on 1 July 1959, and finally redesignated VFA-81 on 4 February 1988.
805 Squadron was a Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm squadron. Originally formed as 805 Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm in 1940 and operating for the duration of World War II in both the Mediterranean and Pacific theatres. 805 Squadron was recreated as a unit of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in 1948, and operated from Australian aircraft carriers until 1982, having the distinction of being the last fast jet squadron in the RAN. 805 Squadron was re-established in 2001 to operate the Kaman Super Seasprite as a replacement for helicopters currently in service, but problems with the helicopters saw the project cancelled and the squadron disbanded in 2008.
The ST Aerospace A-4SU Super Skyhawk is a major upgrade project of the Douglas A-4S Skyhawk attack aircraft undertaken by Singapore Aircraft Industries in the 1980s. It was used exclusively by the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), serving in the fighter-bomber role from 1989 until retirement from front line service in 2005. Since mid-1999, the A-4SU took on the additional role of being the designated advanced jet trainer (AJT) aircraft for the RSAF's AJT training program/detachment in Cazaux, France.
Lucy Young is an American naval officer. In 1980 she became the first woman to qualify in Naval Air Combat Maneuvering (ACM). After that, she became an ACM instructor. At that time, female aviators were forbidden from combat duty stations. After she retired from the Navy, she got a job at a legacy carrier and became one of the first female captains.
724 Squadron was a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm and Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm flying squadron. The squadron was formed for the first time in 1945 and was last disbanded in 1984.
All Weather Fighter Squadron 3 was a designation which was used by two separate U.S. Navy aviation squadrons. The first squadron to use the designation was established as Composite Squadron THREE (VC-3) on 20 May 1943, was redesignated All Weather Fighter Squadron THREE on 1 July 1956 and was disestablished on 2 May 1958. The second squadron to use the designation was established as "Navy Air Training Unit-Pacific (NATUPAC)" on 22 May 1944, was redesignated "Night Development Squadron Pacific (NightDevRonPac)" on 6 April 1946, then "Fighter All Weather Training Unit Pacific (FAWTUPAC)" on 1 September 1948 and finally, on the same day as the first squadron designated VF(AW)-3 was disestablished, 2 May 1958, was redesignated "All Weather Fighter Squadron THREE (VF ". This second squadron to carry the VF -3 designation adopted the insignia and nickname "Blue Nemesis" from the first VF -3 and was the only U.S. Navy unit to be assigned to the North American Air Defense Command.
VA-64 was an Attack Squadron of the U.S. Navy. It was established on 1 July 1961, and disestablished on 7 November 1969. The squadron was known as the Black Lancers, and was the second squadron to carry the VA-64 designation. It was formed to provide an air defense capability for Carrier AntiSubmarine Air Groups. The squadron flew A4D-2N/A-4C and A4D-2 aircraft.
The McDonnell Douglas A-4G Skyhawk is a variant of the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk attack aircraft developed for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The model was based on the A-4F variant of the Skyhawk, and was fitted with slightly different avionics as well as the capacity to operate AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. The RAN received ten A-4Gs in 1967 and another ten in 1971, and operated the type from 1967 to 1984.
VA-34, nicknamed the Blue Blasters, was an Attack Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Fighter Squadron VF-20 on 15 October 1943, redesignated as VF-9A on 15 November 1946, as VF-91 on 12 August 1948, and as VF-34 on 15 February 1950. It was finally redesignated VA-34 on 1 July 1955. The squadron was disestablished on 1 June 1969. It was the second squadron to bear the VA-34 designation, the first one having been renamed VA-35 in 1950.
VA-44, nicknamed the Hornets, was an Attack Squadron of the US Navy. The squadron was established as Fighter Squadron VF-44 on 1 September 1950, and redesignated VA-44 on 1 January 1956. It was disestablished on 1 May 1970. It was the second squadron to be designated VA-44, the first VA-44 was disestablished on 8 June 1950.
VF-43 was a fighter squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was originally established as Fighter Squadron 74A (VF-74A) on 1 May 1945, it was redesignated Fighter Squadron 74 (VF-74) on 1 August 1945, redesignated VF-1B on 15 November 1946, redesignated VF-21 on 1 September 1948, redesignated as Attack Squadron 43 (VA-43) Challengers on 1 July 1959 and Fighter Squadron 43 (VF-43) on 1 June 1973. It was disestablished on 1 July 1994.