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The '''A-5 Vigilante''' was a [[aircraft carrier|carrier]]-based long-range strike bomber. It was designed to replace the [[A-3 Skywarrior]] in the [[United States Navy|Navy]] [[nuclear deterrent role]].
==Design==
In 1953, [[North American Aviation]] began plans for a supersonic carrier-based bomber which could deliver nuclear weapons at long range. The [[United States Navy]], in need of an aircraft to replace the [[A-3 Skywarrior]], contracted the company to build it in 1956; the first prototype was two years and two days later in 1958. Although a large, unwieldy aircraft, it was surprisingly fast and maneuverable. It also featured a 'linear bomb bay', where the [[bomb]] was ejected back from the bomb bay at the same speed of the aircraft. This obliviated the need for forward-looking bombsights.
[[Category:Aircraft]]