Favorite Military Aircraft

[NeoTassadar]

The new software Longbow Apache.
Saw the missles range on Tech TV just a few minutes ago.
Better to give than to recieve. I know where that came from now.

[NightWalker XI]

I forgot to add I also like these two:

B1 Lancer



Eurofighter Typhoon

[Chryse]

FYI: The AH-6 is not called a "Nightstalker." It's formal name is "Cayuse", early versions of which flew in Vietnam.

It's currently flown by the U.S. Army's 160th Special Operations Air Regiment (SOAR) who call it the "Little Bird".

You weren't too far off in the name, though, since the nickname for the 160th SOAR is "Nightstalkers".

Also, the Nightstalkers were the guys who were tasked to provide air ops for the Rangers and Delta Force in Mogadishu, Somalia in the early 90's, and it was two of their Blackhawks that went down in the events portrayed in Blackhawk Down. It was also their Little Birds that helped keep the Rangers and Delta operators alive overnight, flying continuous air-to-ground sorties to keep the Somalis from overrunning the guys down below till help could arrive to evacuate them.

[Spider]

Yea I love those choppers I hope I will fly one lol but chances are it wont happen since I'm going up for ground pilot n the military so... that means big trucks jeep and tanks weeeee!!!

[MrVulcan]

nonono, These are the best ones out there by far:

The great F-22


And the russian counderpart the S-37


And, of course if you want pure brute strength, you must have the tried and true B-52



Here are my reasons for these choices:
1st, some would try and argue that the SU-37 can easily beat out the F-22 and the S-37 for the best fighters, however keep in mind that though the Su-37 has a greator standard monervalibity than the F-22 and more payload than the S-37, its max alt and speed due to the type of vector thrust that they are using is naything but impressive.

The S-37 is by far more mobile, and the F-22 is by far faster/higher alt and larger payload total (assuming it uses meators or EAARMs and not the horrid AARAMs). Dont let the roll rate trick you into thinking that it can outproform either of the other 2 super fighters.

Also, I admit that the S-37 and Su-37 are using IRAM Systems for tracking (and hte US IRAM counterpart isnt as sensative yet), however though very good at convential tracking, the F-22 does have the Anti-Heat build that the others lack, also the super cool thrust that would make it possible to see with IRAM, but impossible to track from anywhere beyond the 0-zone (and at that point it dosnt matter anyway )

And Nothing out there can bring more pain than the B-52.

[NightWalker XI]

MrVulcan the Eurofighter Typhoon is better than the F22 and cost alot less.....

ph33r the EU!

Although I love the Sukhoi 37, I love inverted wing designs

[MrVulcan]

Night, please dont take offence to this as I dont mean any, just trying to compare the 2 planes:

The Eurofighter Typhoon can be better compared to the abilities of the JSF, not the F-22. The Eurofighter Typhoon tries to be a multi role fighter that can also be a fighter, and fails.

The F-22 has the great anti heat shielding that the typhoon lacks (so very vonerable to the IRAM type systems),
the F-22can reach a top speed of well above its euro counterpart (typhoon can only reach a max of M 1.85 in tests (last I read about anyway), and lacks stable supercruse)

The payload is horrid, and if I remember right (could be wrong), the euro counterpart does not have the range of the other 3 new fighters.

The Eurofighter Typhoon's moneravilibity is not anything compared to the F-22 (due to the adv vector thrust on the F-22)
And it has almost a laughable atempt at Anti-Short-Range-Radar capabilities

Ill admit that europe is trying to make it look good, but they should have realised that a multi role fighter that tries to be a fighter doesnt work after the horrid failure that the tornado turned out to be

Cost.. well yes, America does dish out the cash as it does with all military toys but the Eurofighter Typhoon costs more than the the S-37 or the Su-37 and both are better fighters.
Also, remember that even though the Eurofighter Typhoon costs aobut 60% that of an F-22, remember that the US's budget for the F-22 is much much larger than the Euro's budget for the Eurofighter Typhoon, and that there will be more F-22s created than Eurofighter Typhoons and S-37s total, so cost dosnt actually mean much to the most industrilised nation in the world We like big toys
--------------------------------------
The S-37 is a very very sweet plane, it can run circles around the others as far as moneravilibity thanks to those wings. *though its payload and maxspeed leave something to be desired*

[NeoTassadar]

Nothing can defeat the Scout!
Sorry, playing too much Homeworld lately. Damn, it never gets old.

[Trebor95]

SR-71

B-1

[xuur]

I've always been more of a fan of the 'old world' aircraft.


My favorites of all time still being the P-47 T-bolts



and A-26 Invader




Used to fly them alot in some of the online WWII sims I would once frequent. Just something about the boom 'n' zoom planes ya gotta love.

/shrug

[NightWalker XI]

Why would I take offense, perfectly good argument...

Anywho:

Your wrong about the payload...I will pull up the figures when I find them but I know for a fact the Typhhon has more than Raptor, reason being Raptor carries its paylod inside the fuselage unlike other aircraft, this limits its load.

Besides:

Eurofighter is gonna be a replacement for jets like F16�s. The F-22 is the replacement for F15 fighters. That�s a big difference.

F15�s are more expensive than F16�s so it would not be a good comparison.

JSF vs Eurofighter and F-22 vs F-15 would be more wise?

From 2008-9, Typhoons will get the new Meteor long range AAM, this is a new European developed Ramjet AAM. It could carry up to 6, with in RAF service, a couple of the ASRAAMs now entering service with the Tornado F3s.

(this will make the Typhoon have a nicer armament but the USA will have something for us too)

Typhoon lacks decent supercruise and thrust vectoring making ti less manouverable (the delta wing doesn't help either)

The F22 was designed to be an air dominance, as opposed to air superiorority fighter. It is 2+ generation stealth, which means in most cases what is schwaks will never have known it was there. It has an AESA radar which has longer range, adds to its stealthiness, and has an embedded jamming capability. It carries 3-5x the computing power for CCCI functions, and can control almost 50% of the airspace volume that an AWACS can. With this capability, it will also be able to control multiple drones. It is larger and carries more fuel.

So the aircraft are in different categories really but still, I believe that the EF2000 is better but that is just me

[NightWalker XI]

Anyway:

EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON MULTI-ROLE COMBAT FIGHTER, EUROPE
DESIGN

The aircraft is constructed of carbon fire composites, glass-reinforced plastic, aluminium lithium, titanium and aluminium casting. Stealth technology features includelow frontal radar cross-section, passive sensors and supercruise ability.

The foreplane/delta configuration is intentionally aerodynamically unstable which provides a high level of agility (particularly at supersonic speeds), low drag and enhanced lift. The pilot controls the aircraft through a computerised digital fly-by-wire system which provides artificial stabilisation and gust elevation to give good control characteristics throughout the flight envelope.

COCKPIT

The pilot's control system is a voice-throttle-and-stick system (VTAS). The stick and throttle tops house 24 fingertip controls for sensor and weapon control, defence aids management, and inflight handling. The direct voice input allows the pilot to carry out mode selection and data entry procedures using voice command.

The BAE SYSTEMS helmet-mounted symbology system (HMS) and head-up display show the flight reference data, weapon aiming and cueing, and the FLIR imagery. BAE Systems TERPROM ground proximity warning system is being fitted. The cockpit has three multifunction, colour, head-down displays (MHDDs), which show the tactical situation, systems status and map displays. An international consortium EuroMIDS, which includes Data Link Solutions of the US, supplies the MIDS Low Volume Terminal provides Link 16 capability for secure transfer of data.

WEAPONS

As well as an internally mounted 27mm Mauser gun, the EurofighterTyphoon has 13 hard points for weapon carriage: four under each wing and five under the fuselage. An armament control system (ACS) manages weapons selection and firing, and monitors weapon status.

Depending on role, the fighter can carry the following mix of missiles:

Air-superiority: six BVRAAM (Beyond Visual Range)/AMRAAM air-to-air missiles on semi-recessed fuselage stations and two ASRAAM short-range air-to-air missiles on the outer pylons
Air interdiction: four AMRAAM, two ASRAAM, two cruise missiles and two anti-radar missiles (ARM)
SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defences): four AMRAAM, two ASRAAM, six anti-radar missiles
Multi-role: three AMRAAM, two ASRAAM, two ARM and two GBU-24 Paveway III
Close air support: four AMRAAM, two ASRAAM, 18 Brimstone anti-armour missile
Maritime attack: four AMRAAM, two ASRAAM, six anti-ship missiles
The UK RAF has selected MBDA (formerly Matra BAe Dynamics) Meteor for the BVRAAM requirement and Raytheon AMRAAM until Meteor enters service. Meteor uses a new air-breathing ramjet motor for increased range and manoeuvrability. AMRAAM will be fitted from 2002 and Meteor around 2010. German and Italian Eurofighters will carry the imaging infrared IRIS-T air-to-air missile being developed by BGT of Germany, expected to enter service in 2005. RAF Eurofighters will carry the MBDA Storm Shadow/Scalp EG stand-off cruise missile, which entered operational service on Tornado aircraft in March 2003, and also the MBDA Brimstone anti-armour missile due to enter service in 2004.

COUNTERMEASURES

The aircraft's defensive aids sub-system (DASS) is accommodated within the aircraft structure and integrated with the avionics system. DASS has been developed by the EuroDASS consortium - BAE Systems Avionics of the UK (prime contractor), Elettronica of Italy and Indra of Spain. The consortium was rejoined in October 2001 by EADS, after the German Federal Ministry of Defence contracted to re-enter the programmme. DASS provides an all-round prioritised assessment of threats with fully automatic response to single or multiple threats. DASS includes an electronic countermeasures/support measures system (ECM/ESM), front and rear missile approach warners, supersonically capable towed decoy systems, laser warning receivers and SaabTech Electronics BOL chaff and flare dispensing system. The avionics system is based on a NATO standard databus with fibre optic highways.

SENSORS

The aircraft is equipped with a CAPTOR (ECR 90) multi-mode X-band pulse Doppler radar, developed by the Euroradar consortium. The multi-mode radar has three processing channels. The third channel is used for jammer classification, interference blanking and sidelobe nulling. Euroradar is led by BAE SYSTEMS, with Indra of Spain, FIAR of Italy and EADS (DaimlerChrysler Aerospace) of Germany.

A Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) is mounted on the port side of the fuselage, forward of the windscreen. The FLIR operates in both 3 - 5 and 8 - 11 micron spectral bands. When used with the radar in the air-to-air role, it functions as an Infrared Search and Track system (IRST), providing passive target detection and tracking. In the air-to-surface role, the FLIR performs target acquisition and identification, as well as providing a night flying aid.

ENGINE

The Eurofighter is equipped with two Eurojet EJ200 engines, each delivering thrust of 90kN in full reheat and 60kN in dry power mode. Single-stage turbines drive the three-stage fan and five-stage HP compressor. The engine features: digital control; wide chord aerofoils and single crystal turbine blades; a convergent /divergent exhaust nozzle; and integrated health monitoring.


vs.

F/A-22 RAPTOR - ADVANCED TACTICAL FIGHTER AIRCRAFT, USA
DESIGN

The F/A-22 construction is 39% titanium, 24% composite, 16% aluminium and 1% thermoplastic by weight. Titanium is used for its high strength-to-weight ratio in critical stress areas, including some of the bulkheads, and also for its heat-resistant qualities in the hot sections of the aircraft. Carbon fibre composites have been used for the fuselage frame, the doors, intermediate spars on the wings, and for the honeycomb sandwich construction skin panels.

COCKPIT
The cockpit is fitted with hands-on throttle and stick control (HOTAS). The cockpit has six color liquid crystal displays. The Kaiser Electronics Projection Primary Multifunction Display provides a plan view of the air and ground tactical situation including threat identity, threat priority and tracking information.

Two displays provide communication, navigation, identification and flight information. Three secondary displays show air and ground threats, stores management and air threat information.

A BAE SYSTEMS head-up display (HUD) shows target status, weapon status, weapon envelopes and shoot cues. A video camera records data on the HUD for post-mission analysis.

WEAPONS
A variant of the M61A2 Vulcan cannon is installed internally above the right air intake. The general dynamics linkless ammunition handling system holds 480 rounds of 20mm ammunition and feeds the gun at a rate of 100 rounds per second.

The F-22 has four hardpoints on the wings, each rated to carry 2,270kg, which can carry AIM-120A AMRAAM or external fuel tanks. The main under-fuselage weapon bay has the capacity to carry AMRAAM AIM-120A or AIM-120C missiles, and the joint direct attack munition (JDAM).The Raytheon AMRAAM air-to-air missile is an all-weather, short- to medium-range fire-and-forget missile, with a range of 50 nautical miles. The side bays can be loaded with Lockheed Martin/Raytheon AIM-9M Sidewinder all-aspect, short-range air-to-air missiles.

RADAR
The AN/APG-77 radar has been developed for the F/A-22 by the Electronic Sensors and Systems Division of Northrop Grumman and Raytheon Electronic Systems. The radar uses an active electronically scanned antenna array of 2,000 transmitter/receive modules, which provides agility, low radar cross-section and wide bandwidth.

COUNTERMEASURES
The aircraft's electronic warfare system includes a radar warning receiver and a BAE Systems Information & Electronic Warfare Systems (IEWS) (formerly Lockheed Martin Sanders) missile launch detector.

NAVIGATION AND COMMUNICATIONS
The TRW CNI communications, navigation and identification system includes an intra-flight datalink, joint tactical information distribution system (JTIDS) link and an identification friend or foe (IFF) system. Boeing is responsible for mission software and avionics integration. The aircraft has a Northrop Grumman (formerly Litton) LTN-100G laser gyroscope inertial reference, a global positioning system and a microwave landing system.

ENGINE
The F-22 is powered by two Pratt and Whitney F119-100 engines. The F119-100 is a low-bypass afterburning turbofan engine, providing 156kN thrust. The F119 is the first fighter aircraft engine equipped with hollow wide-chord fan blades, which are installed in the first fan stage.

Thrust vectoring is controlled by a Hamilton Standard dual redundant, full authority digital engine control (FADEC). The FADEC is integrated with the flight control computers in the BAE SYSTEMS Astronics vehicle management system.

[NightWalker XI]

Forgot to say on above post:

As you can see, the EF2000 has 13 hardpoints and the F22 only has 4 on the wigns and I think tis another 4 inside

[Chryse]

I have to agree with MrVulcan here... it's not really fair to compare the Typhoon with the Raptor when the real comparison should be with the JSF.

The F-22 is designed from the ground-up to be an air supremacy fighter... to detect and engage targets beyond visual range (BVR), before the opposition knows they are even there. It's not designed to act in multiple roles and have to compromise certain attributes to do so. The Raptor has a much smaller radar cross-section than the Typhoon and is considered "stealthy". The Typhoon is stealthier than other aircraft in the inventories of EU air forces, but not as stealthy as the F-22.

The two cannot be compared fairly also because of what the U.S. and E.U. are looking for in their latest fighters. The Raptor would be expected to deploy overseas and to other parts of the world as part of American foreign policy. The E.U. is concerned with operating within the continental are of Europe. The U.S. pays more to specialize the Raptor because it has the resources to do so. The Eurofighter consortium is made up of several countries working together on a single airframe that can perform several roles in order to save costs.

Now, I am not knocking the Typhoon because it definitely will do a better job than the several types being used now, including the Tornado ADV's and GR's, the Jaguars, and the MiG-29's in service with the Luftwaffe. IMO, the biggest competitor to the Typhoon comes from the French in the Dassault Rafale (see below):



EDIT: NightWalker, you came along well with good stats, thanks. Like I said, the Typhoon will be a good aircraft but I don't think it's in the same category as the F-22. It carries more payload because it is expected to do more. However, while the primary mission of the F-22 is air supremacy, it does have the capability to carry weapons on external wing racks... the aircraft loses performance and stealthiness when these are carried.

[Cease]

My Favorites:

F-14
A-10
A-6