What are the differences between top and bottom mounted airbrakes? What are the differences between airbrakes on the top side of jet aircraft (like on the F-15) compared to those on the lower side (like on the A-7), in terms of effectiveness and pitching when they are deployed?


From Wikipedia.


From Reddit.

Would pitch authority be better in one than the other?
Since airbrakes are frequently used during landing, putting them underneath the fuselage could create a ground clearance problem.

Putting brakes on the top only would create a pitch-up tendency when they are deployed. This is countered automatically by the Fly-By-Wire flight controls, so no correction is necessary for the pilot.