FIGHTER PLANES

Category: 1980-1990

  • Yak-141 VTOL fighter during hover at 1992 Farnborough Airshow

    Yak-141 Freestyle: The Soviet Union’s Leap into Supersonic VTOL Technology

    Alright, buckle up because we’re diving into the Yak-141 Freestyle—a marvel of Soviet engineering that tried to outshine the skies with its vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) capabilities. Crafted by the legendary Yakovlev Design Bureau, the Yak-141 is not just a piece of aviation history; it’s a bold statement in the world of military aviation,…

  • Northrop F-20 in flight. (U.S. Air Force photo)

    F-20 Tigershark, Northrop

    The previous name of this fighter was F-5G, indicating that it was a single-engined development of the F-5. The F-20 had 80% more engine power, modern avionics, and an enlarged wing. It was a capable aircraft but found no customer, because the USAF preferred to stick with the F-16. It was also offered to the USN in…

  • During a Combat Patrol mission for NATO Operation Allied Force, a French Air Force Mirage 2000C disengages from a US Air Force KC-135R Stratotanker (out of view) post-refueling. Operating from Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, this KC-135R, manned by a crew from the 384th Air Refueling Squadron based in McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, is part of a significant contingent of tankers stationed at RAF Mildenhall aiding NATO aircraft throughout the operation.

    Mirage 2000, Dassault-Breguet

    The Mirage 2000 reverted to the familiar delta wing shape of the Mirage III, in a new, sophisticated form with slats and small canards. As light air-superiority fighter, it achieved some succes, despite the competition of the F-16 and F-18. The Mirage 2000C is the fighter version; the Mirage 2000N is a two-seat nuclear-armed strike aircraft, and the 2000D…

  • A B-1B banking during a demonstration in 2004

    B-1B Lancer, Rockwell

    The variable geometry B-1 bomber was designed as the successor for the elderly B-52. The B-1A was cancelled, partly because the high-flying bomber was obsolete, and partly for political reasons. The B-1B Lancer version, more optimised for low-altitude attacks and stealth, is now built in small numbers. The B1 turned out to be very maintenance intensive.…

  • Tornado IDS from the 6th Wing in Afghanistan in 2008.

    Tornado, Panavia

    Multi-role aircraft developed and built in cooperation with England, Germany and Italy. It is a compact twin-engined variable-geometry aircraft. The Tornado was also the first production military aircraft with flight-by-wire controls. There are strike-attack (IDS), air defence (ADV) and electronic warfare (ECR) versions. The ADV has an elongated nose. The original contractors bought 933 aircraft,…

  • Side view of a B-2 Spirit

    B-2A Spirit stealth bomber, Northrop Grumman

    Revealed on November 22, 1988, the B-2A is a stealth strategic bomber which resulted from a program started in 1978. The first of six prototypes made its maiden flight on July 17, 1989 with testing scheduled to be completed in 1997. The B-2 is shaped in the form of a ‘flying wing’, with smoothly contoured…

  • During the joint service experimentation event known as Millennium Challenge 2002 (MC02), an F-117A Nighthawk Stealth Fighter from the United States Air Force (USAF) soared above Nellis Air Force Base (AFB) in Nevada (NV). MC02, sponsored by the US Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM), aimed to investigate the application of Effects Based Operations (EBO) in the context of integrated joint operations for achieving swift and decisive outcomes (Rapid, Decisive Operations or RDO).

    F-117A Nighthawk, Lockheed

    The F-117 (the logic behind its out-of-series designation still remains a bit mysterious) is a ‘Stealth’ attack aircraft. It uses a flat, angled fuselage and wing panels to direct radar reflections in a few sharply defined directions. Despite the aerodynamic disadvantages of such design, computer controls make it easy to fly. The F117 can execute…

  • Russian_Air_Force_MiG-31_inflight_Pichugin

    MiG-31 Foxhound, Mikoyan-Gurevich

    The MiG-31 long-range interceptor was developed from the MiG-25. The two-seat MiG-31 fighter has more capable equipment, including the powerful ‘Zaslon’ phased array radar with a range of 200 km. It is claimed that an unit of MiG-31 can link their radars together, to establish a search pattern — covering a width of 800-900 km with…

  • Canadian_CF-18

    F/A-18 Hornet, McDonnell-Douglas

    Twin-engined shipboard fighter, developed from the smaller F-17. Because of its dual role as attack aircraft, it is officially known as the F/A-18. The F-18 is a medium-sized fighter, heavier than the F-16 but lighter than the F-14 and F-15. The RF-18 is a recce version, without the internal gun and with cameras in the nose. The USN planned to…

  • During a test flight in 1990, the second X-29 technology demonstrator aircraft is showcased, with its distinctive forward-swept wing design prominently visible. This aircraft was operated by NASA's Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility (subsequently renamed the Dryden Flight Research Center), located in Edwards, California. It was part of a collaborative program between NASA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the Air Force, aimed at exploring the aircraft's capabilities at high angles of attack and assessing its potential for military applications. In this photograph, tufts -- which are small cloth strips affixed to the aircraft's surface -- are observable on the X-29's aft fuselage, wings, and tail sections, employed to visually examine the airflow across the aircraft. The term "angle of attack," or high alpha, denotes the angle between the aircraft's body and wings and its actual flight trajectory. This specific aircraft was actively flown at Dryden from May 1989 until August 1992.

    X-29, Grumman

    The two X-29s were built to test a forward-swept wing of composite structure. The X-29 incorporates the forward fuselage of the F-5 and the landing gear of the F-16. It has close-coupled, all-moving canards. The X-29s made 374 flights, before they were put in storage. Two X-29As were built by Grumman Aerospace Corporation, the first flight taking place…