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Nigel G Wilcox

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McDonnell Douglas A-12 Avenger II

Developed as a replacement for the A-6 Intruder to be phased in by 1994, the Navy wanted to buy 620 A-12’s from McDonnell Douglas, while the Marines wanted 238. But by early 1990, it was becoming evident that delays and cost increases were pushing back the release of the A-12. In response, Secretary of Defense Cheney demanded a government report to dispel reasons why he should cancel the program altogether. They couldn’t persuade him otherwise, and that was that.

The McDonnell Douglas/General Dynamics A-12 Avenger II was a proposed American attack aircraft from McDonnell Douglas and General Dynamics. It was to be an all-weather, carrier-based stealth bomber replacement for the Grumman A-6 Intruder in the United States Navy and Marine Corps. Its Avenger II name was taken from the Grumman TBF Avenger of World War II.

Maximum speed: 926 km/h (575.39 mph) Range: 919.63 mi Length: 37.83 ft Wingspan: 70.21 ft Passengers: 2 Manufacturers: McDonnell Douglas · General Dynamics

General characteristics
Crew: 2
Length: 37 ft 10 in (11.5 m)
Wingspan:
Unfolded: 70 ft 3 in (21.4 m)
Folded: 36 ft 3 in (11.0 m)
Height: 11 ft 3 in (3.4 m)
Wing area: 1,308 ft² (122 m²)
Empty weight: 39,000 lb (17,700 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 80,000 lb (36,300 kg)
Maximum fuel capacity: 21,322 pounds (9,700 kg) (internal)
Powerplant: 2 × General Electric F412-GE-D5F2 non-afterburning turbofans, 13,000 lbf (58 kN) each

Performance
Maximum speed: 500 knots (580 mph, 930 km/h)
Range: 800 nmi (920 mi, 1,480 km)
Service ceiling: 40,000 ft (12,200 m)
Rate of climb: 5,000 ft/min (25 m/s)
Wing loading: 61 lb/ft² (300 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 0.325

Armament
Payload capability: 5,160 pounds (2,300 kg) in internal weapons bay including:
2× AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles
2× AGM-88 HARM air-to-ground missiles
Unguided or precision-guided bombs

Role: All-weather naval stealth bomber
Manufacturer: McDonnell Douglas and General Dynamics
Status: Canceled
Primary users: United States Navy
                      United States Marine Corps
Number built:   0; mockup only
Program cost : US$57 billion (projected)[2]
Unit cost :        US$84 million (estimated)

Top Speed: 580 mph
Interesting Fact: Super Hornet uses the GE F414 turbofan engine

The McDonnell Douglas/General Dynamics A-12 Avenger II, (sometimes confused with th Lockeed A-12) was a proposed American attack aircraft from McDonnell Douglas and General Dynamics. It was to be an all-weather, carrier-based stealth bomber replacement for the Grumman A-6 Intruder in the United States Navy and Marine Corps. Its Avenger II name was taken from the Grumman TBF Avenger of World War II.

The development of the A-12 was troubled by cost overruns and several delays, causing questions of the program's ability to deliver upon its objectives; these doubts led to the development program being canceled in 1991. The manner of its cancellation was contested through litigation until a settlement was reached in January 2014.
Beginning in early 1990 McDonnell Douglas and General Dynamics revealed delays and projected cost increases. The weight of the aircraft had significantly increased due to complications with the composite materials used, the weight being 30% over design specification, this was a significantly negative factor for carrier-based operations.Technical difficulties with the complexity of the radar system to be used also caused costs to increase; by one estimate the A-12 was to consume up to 70% of the Navy's budget for aircraft. After delays, its critical design review was successfully completed in October 1990; the A-12's maiden flight was rescheduled to early 1992. In December 1990, it was planned for 14 Navy aircraft carriers to equipped with a wing of 20 A-12s each.

A government report released in November 1990 documented serious problems with the A-12 development program. In December 1990 Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney told the Navy to justify the program and deliver reasons why it should not be canceled. The response given by the Navy and the contractors failed to persuade the Secretary of Defense, as he canceled the program in the following month, on 7 January 1991, for breach of contract.

"The A-12 I did terminate. It was not an easy decision to make because it's an important requirement that we're trying to fulfill. But no one could tell me how much the program was going to cost, even just through the full scale development phase, or when it would be available. And data that had been presented at one point a few months ago turned out to be invalid and inaccurate." Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney, 1991.

The government felt the contractors could not complete the program and instructed them to repay most of the $2 billion that had been spent on A-12 development. McDonnell Douglas and General Dynamics disputed this in Federal Claims court; the reasons and causes for the cancellation have been debated and remain an issue of controversy, with suggestions of political expediency and scheming to be behind the action.

The manner in which the program was canceled led to years of litigation between the contractors and the Department of Defense over breach of contract. On 1 June 2009, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled that the U.S. Navy was justified in canceling the contract. The ruling also required the two contractors to repay the U.S. government more than US$1.35 billion, plus interest charges of US$1.45 billion. Boeing, which had merged with McDonnell Douglas, vowed to appeal the ruling, as has General Dynamics. In September 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court said it would hear the two companies' arguments, that the government canceled the project improperly and that the use of a state secrets claim by the U.S. prevented them from mounting an effective defense. In May 2011, the Supreme Court set aside the Appeals Court decision and returned the case to federal circuit court.