wing loading: Rafale C: 276 kg/m2 Rafale M: 288 kg/m2 Typhoon: 291 kg/m2 Gripen C: 293 km2 F-22: 314 kg/m2 F-35A: 428 kg/m2 F-35B: 434 kg/m2 F-35C: 338 kg/m2 F-15C: 278 kg/m2 F-16A: 339 kg/m2 F-16C: 392 kg/m2 F-18E: 403 kg/m2 Su-27: 324 kg/m2 Su-35: 377 kg/m2 Harrier II GR-7: 352 kg/m2 Harrier II Plus: … Continue reading Aircraft performance parameters quick look
Tag: comparision
Fighter aircraft gun comparision
Introduction Despite repeated proclamations about the "end of the dogfight", gun has always remained an important part of fighter aircraft's armament. There are several reasons. Having a gun provides a psychological security of having a fallback option if missiles are expended. Gun also has far lower minimum range than even most agile of modern dogfighting … Continue reading Fighter aircraft gun comparision
Fighter aircraft engine comparision
Introduction This article will compare several engines used in modern fighter aircraft: EJ200 (Typhoon), M88 (Rafale B/C/M), RM-12 (Gripen A/B/C/D), F-135 (F-35A/B/C), F-119 (F-22A), F404-GE-402 (F-18C/D), F-414-400 (F-18E/F, Gripen E/F), AL-31F (Su-27, Su-30, J-11). Thrust to drag Since frontal area dominates drag, and engine frontal area dominates aircraft frontal area, thrust to drag ratio will … Continue reading Fighter aircraft engine comparision
Comparing modern fighter aircraft
Nature of air to air combat “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” ---G. Santayana Fighter aircraft exist to destroy other aircraft, and allow other aircraft to carry out their missions without interference from enemy fighter aircraft. That being said, there exists a colloqial - and incorrect - use of term … Continue reading Comparing modern fighter aircraft
Close coupled vs long arm canard
Canards overview and general effectsCanard is a small control surface placed in front of the main wing, similar to how tail is behind it. There are two main variations - long arm and close coupled canard.Canard has a major advantage over the horizontal tail in the level flight. As aircraft passes through the transonic region, … Continue reading Close coupled vs long arm canard
Saab Gripen vs F-35
AIRFRAME PERFORMANCE Contrary to some claims, F-35 has rather simple and conventional aerodynamics. Basic configuration is similar to F-16, however lack of LERX, and use of lower-performance but stealth-friendly chimes for high AoA lift enhancement, means that it will have far less body lift than F-16 to help compensate for its high wing loading, and … Continue reading Saab Gripen vs F-35
AIM-120D vs MBDA Meteor
Design requirements AIM-120 was started as a project to replace painfully ineffective AIM-7 Sparrow and AIM-54 Phoenix (which are only effective against heavy bombers and (in case of later-iteration AIM-54) non-maneuvering fighters). It was to be relatively small BVR missile, so as to be able to be carried by the F-16. Meteor is a result … Continue reading AIM-120D vs MBDA Meteor
Aircraft combat presence comparision
Aircraft combat presence = total sorties per day = aircraft bought for a cost * sortie rate Aircraft bought for 1 billion USD (using flyaway costs): F-22: 4 F-35A: 5 EF-2000 T2 Luftwaffe: 9 EF-2000 T2 RAF: 8 EF-2000 T3 RAF: 8 Rafale C: 12 Rafale M: 11 F-15 A: 23 F-15 K: 10 F-16 … Continue reading Aircraft combat presence comparision
Comparing options for Australia
Some claim that Super Bug is a better solution than F-35 is... some claim that it is not. So I have decided to carry out point-by-point comparision between F-18E and F-35, throwing in Tranche 2 Eurofighter Typhoon and Rafale C as examples of modern Western fighter, as well as possible alternatives. What makes this comparision … Continue reading Comparing options for Australia
History and War 