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The Douglas XA-2 was a ground attack aircraft that was based on the O-2 biplane observation aircraft. In 1923 Douglas were asked to develop a new observation aircraft, to be entered in a competitive contest to find a replacement for the DH-4. Douglas won the contest for a Liberty engine powered aircraft with their XO-2, and early in 1925 received a contract to produce 75 aircraft.
One of these aircraft (serial number 25-380) was completed as an attack aircraft. It was given 420hp Liberty V-1410 inverted V engine (as used on the O-2), and was generally similar to that aircraft. The main difference was that the XA-2 was very heavily armed, with six fixed forward firing 0.3in machine guns and two flexibly mounted guns in the observer's position. Two of the forward firing guns were in the engine cowling two in the upper wing and two in the lower wing.
The aircraft was completed in 1926 and competed against the Curtiss XA-3 in competitive trials. The A-3 won the contest and the A-2 wasn't ordered into production.