United States Air Force

Like any other country, U.S.Air Force once thought that all fighter would ceased by the develop of guided missiles. In the Vietnam war, They knew that AAM often miss to hit, then AAM consumed fighter due to escape with bare life. At those where confused air erea, it was needed to define enemy by one's naked eyes. In case of Vietnam, some of rader defined MiG were Chinese force's MiG. Then they reflected the theories of jet fighters. Good acceleration, Turn quickly, Rise faster, Loop smooth and Good sight. These basic abilties attached importance. It was unbelievable that dull and bad sight did not so mentioned for the sake of weapon systems and pay load, or maximum speed. Then the bubble type canopy revived, vulcan gun attached defaultly, large wings attached to improve footwork. Here introduced current U.S. air force planes and export-objected fighter.

F-5　 F-12　 F-15　 F-16　 F-20　 F-22　 F-23 F-35　 A-10　 AC-130

Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter/ F-5E Tiger II

F-5 was economic light fighter. Mainly, it sold or given for developing countries. In United States, only a few F-5 occupied for the Vietnam war. F-5 origined N-156 prototype fighter made from T-38 trainer. Many countries choosed F-5 and double seated F-5 for training. Reasons were clear that they could use for real battle. Easy control, excellent footwork, fast rize, easy maintenance, these are the merit of F-5. Short foot , poor weapon system or rader are the weak points.

Span:8.05m Length:13.52m Height:3.93m Weight empty:3.73t gross:5.6t (Max.7.3t) Engine GE J85 GE5 1,140kg(A/B 1,750kg)2 Cf:--kl Vmax M=1.55 Vc:M=0.9 Zc=20,000m RC 11,600m/min Combat radius:100-530nm Range:1,700nm Armament:20mm Cannon2 (F-5A)

Span:8.13m Length:14.68m(With PP) Height:4.46m Weight empty:4.41t gross:7.12t (Max.9.92t) Engine GE J85-21 1,560kg(A/B 2,260kg)2 Cf:2.5kl Vmax M=1.6/12,200m Zc=16,200m RC 9,570m/min Combat radius:390nm Armament:20mm Cannon2+AAM*2+Bombs 3.18t 1st flight 1972/08/11 (F-5E)

Lockheed F-12/SR-71 Blackbird

F-12 Blackbird was a monster. It was a limited gas guzzler. It could fly with mach 3 continuously. But it could not do dog-fight or attack by ususl weapons. Small canopy, look like X-15's, prevent to watch enemy. I do not know who proposed such foolish fighter. Enjoyed were NASA engineers. They got two hand-me-down F-12, and use to high altitude explorations. F-12 proofed that the speed is only one part of ability but not at all. For the use of recon, SR-71 recorded no accident till retire though they consumpt 120 million dollars of running cost per year. That object is much suitable for this plane.

Span:16.94m Length:32.74m Height:5.64m Weight empty;27.22t gross:77.12t Engine J58 A/B 15.422kg*2 Cf:60kl Vmax M=3+ Zc=24,384m+ Range:2,730nm Armament:--(SR-71)

McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle

F-15 was heavy class champion for the last quarter of 20 th century. It was the comprehensive compilation of modern technology. It could control any air territory immediately. Long ranged rader and good analize system, variable kind of arms, fly-by-wire, advanced weapon system. Many new technology consumpted freely to made best machine. That means why this fighter costed so expensive, in the other side. So few countries could bought Grand Super Extra Delux Special F-15.

Span:13.05m Length:19.43m Height:5.63m Weight empty;12.9t gross:20.2-30.8t Engine P-W F-100-PW220 8,870kg(A/B 10,640kg)2 Cf:7.8kl Vmax M=2.3 Zc=18,300m Range:2670nm Armament:20mm M61A11(940)AMRAAM*8+Bombs 10t 1st Flight 1972/07/27(F-15C)

Span:13.05m Length:19.43m Height:5.63m Weight empty;14.5t gross:36.7t Engine P-W F-100-PW-129 (A/B 10,640kg)2 or GE F-100-129 cf:7.6kl Vmax M=2.5 Zc=18,300m Range:2470nm Armament:20mm M61A11(512)AAM4+ASM4 Bombs 11t (F-15E)

General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon

F-16 was origined by independent study of General Dynamics. There were a lot of airplane manias in General Dynamics. They thought that light and flexible dog fighter needed in near future. They enjoyed to pour their ideas for product the plan . So they could easily win when the first competition held. When many addition offered, there were many stock space to include them. F-16 costed only a half of F-15. That means not F-15 was too expensive but F-16 had completed with well balanced economy method. For a example, F-16 ignore over mach 2 speed. There were no case to fight over mach 2. Combat speed maybe ranged mach 0.6 to mach 1. They could only fly forward at the speed mach 2 or over, it could not fire missile nor gun. F-15 had expected everything. F-16 seeked basic but important performances and controllability. These brouht excellent cost performance to F-16 than F-15. In NATO countries, F-16 winned to Mirage after conquered dirty trap of France. F-16 was the middle class masterpiece of forth quarter of 20th century.

Span:9.45m Length:15.03m Height:5.09m Weight empty;8.58t gross:12.2-19.2t Engine GE F110-GE-129 (A/B 13,420kg)1 Cf:--kl Vmax M=2.0+ Zc=15,240m Range:2,330nm Armament:M61A11 AAM4 HARM2 Bombs max 7t 1st Flight 1974/01/20 (F-16C-50)

Northrop F-20 Tiger Shark

F-20 was prepaired for renewal of F-5. Competitor was that excellent F-16. F-5 met fatal accidents while sales tour held. So no country choosed F-20. F-20 had some excellent merits. It could not dispised as a poor one. Compact and exellent rader and weapon system, powerful engine, good footwork, easy maintenace. I think F-20 best fitted for Taiwan and Korea.

Span:8.13m Length:14.4m Height:4.22m Weight empty;5.96t gross:12.7t Engine GE F404-GE-100 (A/B 8,165)1 Cf:--kl Vmax M=2/13,000m Zc=17,315m Range:390nm(Hi-Lo-Hi /bomb 250kg2) Armament:20mmCannon(225)2 AAM4 HARM*2 Bombs max 4t 1st Flight 1982/08/30 (F-20)

Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor

For many days, I fotgot about jet-fighters. To say truth, 1970 to 1997 was white till I begin this homepage. So I know about the matter concerned about air crafts before 1970. Till that term, many aircraftmaker ceased away. That is my whisper.
Lockheed company generally believed as a fighter company, in Japan. Maybe P-36 and F-104 efforted to spread the name "Lockheed" Before World War th second, Lockheed had brought standstill and sold with several ten thosand dollars. New owner mentiond to make middle class cargo or passenger plane. The War brought a lot of fortune to Lockheed company. After the war, lockheed made Constellation, Electra, Hercules, Star Lifter, Try Star and Galaxy as passenger or cargo air planes. That means Lockheed is one of largest cargo plane maker than to say fighter maker. These are my whisper, too.
F-22 Raptor is 21th century fighter. Remarkable are ability of stealth and supersonic cruise. Compared with competitor F-23, F-22 have much dog-fight ability. It was the difference of concept of engineer to attach character to the plane. F-22 attached extremely excellent rader. It generate quite wide banded wave but faintly output at each frequency. So enemies could not catch the rader wave.

Span:13.56m Length:18.92m Height:5.05m Take off Weight self;14.4t max;27.2t Engine P-W F119-PW-100 1200kg(A/B 18,000kg)2 Cf:10t Vmax M=2.5 Zc=15,800m Combat radius;666nm Armament:20mm Valcan1 AAM*10 1st Flight 1997/09/07(F-22A)

Northlop F-23

Tradition of Storking-horse, Northrop failed to get order of F-23. Northrop made non-tail and long jet fighter. It could fly faster than F-22. But a matter of course F-22 have better footwork. Result was clear. At last Northlop combined with Vaut and Grumman. After the cease of the cold war, these chance to get order new jet fighter will be scarce, less and less. It means to lose important skill of jet fighter development. In case if one team bigin to sketch new air fighter, it will realized after they retired. If the air industories are difficult to continue, It makes more diffficult to get parts for forces. It is said that mobable jet fighters ceasing in many countries, even in America. I rather hope that all arms cease immediately. But human emotions will not change clever enough to stop the whole war and battle, I think

Span:13.28m Length:20.55m Height:4.24m Take off Weight 24.44t Engine P-W F119-PW-100 (A/B 26,250kg)*2 Vmax M=2 Zc=15,800m Armament:---(F-23 expected)

Lockheed Martin JSF F-35A

JSF (Joint Strike Fighter) planned for USAF, US Navy/Marine and United Kingdom. Main purpose of this project is to replace F-16, A-6, F-14, F-18 and Sea Harrier as stealthy strike fighter which attached V/STOL variation. For make up it with minimal costs, it planned basicly 3 type models which have same basic shell and components. (Estimated production aproximately USAF 1750(X-35A) Marine 600,U.K 150 (X-35B) U.S.Navy 500(X-35C) and estimated cost 40 to 50 million US$) The US Department of Defense determinded on 2001/10/26 to select Lockheed Martin X-35 than Boeing X-32 as the JSF. It will be the first practical used Supersonic VTOL fighter, and the first usuable US origined VTOL fighter. Of course it is the first stealthy fighter/attacker for U.S. Navy and U.K.

Span:10.97m(F-35A) 13.12m(F-35B:Navy model) Length:15.48m Height:4.48m Wing area 4.18 sq.m(F-35A) 50.2sq.m(F-35B) Weight self:9.98(F-35A) 10.89t(F-35B) gross 22.68t Engine P-W F119-PW-100*1 155kN+lift Fan 82kN Cf:6.8t Vmax M=1.5 RC --m/min Combat Radius:1500km(F-35B) Range:3000km Armament:20mm cannon(F-35A) bombs 5.9-7.7t(F-35B) 1st Flight 2000/10/24(X-35A)

Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II

U.S Air Force used even a elementary jet trainer as A-37 as attacking. The reason Jet attackers were too fast, helicopters could stay in sky for short hours. Then A-10 Thundervolt developped as air tunk. Thick protector, Powerful 30 mm gatring gun, energy saving turvo fan engines. These were quite different plane as ever made. Fairchild industriy give-uped 1998. That was a sake of the peace.

Span:17.53m Length:16.26m Height:4.47m Weight Self;11.61t Max 22.68t Engine GE TF-34-GE-100 5,000kg2 Vmax 390kt/SL Cruise 336kt Zc=--m RC=1,828m/min Combat Radius 250nm(Pl 4t, Reutering 2hours) Range;2,300nm Armament;30mm G.Gun(1350)1 +Bombs 7.2t 1st Flight 1972/05/10 (A-10)

Lockheed Martin AC-130U Spectre

U.S Air Force tested prototype gunship of C-130 in 1967 at Vietnum War, mainly use for mop guerrilla operation.

AC-130U is newest type of this series, and maybe used at Afghanistan operation in 2001. Its arms attached only left side of body. It turning around anti-clockwise and attack guerrilla with its quite heavy arms. It equips APG-180 rader, AAQ-17 flair, ALLTV, ALQ-172 jammer and ceramic armor. These equipment cost about 3/4 of cargo type C-130. Then AC-130U could use for night operation and its thousands bullets shoot through concrete walls easily and destruct fortress entirely.

Span:40.4m Length:29.8m Height:11.7m Weight Self;--t Max 69.7t Engine Arison T56-A-15 (4591shp)4 Vmax --kt Cruise 480km Zc=7500m RC= --m/min Combat Radius --nm Range; -- Armament;GAU-12U 25mm G.Gun(3000)1 40mm Cannon2 105mm grenade gun 1 Bombs --t (AC-130U)

Last updated 2002/08/08