Evolution of Fighter Aircraft

[EnlightenedMonk]

Chengdu J-10

General characteristics

Crew: 1 (basic), 2 (trainer variant)
Length: 15.5 m (50 ft 10 in)
Wingspan: 9.7 m (31 ft 10 in)
Height: 4.78 m (15.7 ft)
Wing area: 39 m² (419.8 ft²)
Empty weight: 8,000–9,730 kg (17,637–21,451 lb)
Loaded weight: 18,500 kg (40,785 lb)
Useful load: 5,500 kg (9,920 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 19,277 kg (42,500 lb)
Powerplant: 1× Saturn-Lyulka AL-31FN or WS-10A Taihang turbofan
Dry thrust: 79.43 kN / 89.17 kN (17,860 lbf / 20,050 lbf)
Thrust with afterburner: 122.5 kN / 129.4 kN (27,557 lbf / 29,101 lbf)

Performance

Maximum speed: Mach 2.2 at altitude, Mach 1.2 at sea level
g-limits: +9/-3 g (+88/-29 m/s², +290/-97 ft/s²)
Combat radius:
On hi-lo-hi mission: 2,540 km (1,370 nautical miles) with 4,000lb/1,814kg bombload and two air-to-air missiles
On lo-lo-lo mission: 1,310 km (710 nautical miles with 4,000lb/1,814kg bombload and two air-to-air missiles
Maximum range (without refueling): 3,400 km (2,113 mi)
Service ceiling: 20,000 m (65,600 ft)
Wing loading: 335 kg/m² (64 lb/ft²)
Minimum thrust/weight: 0.98

Armament

Guns: 1× 23mm twin-barrel cannon
Hardpoints: 11 in total (6× under-wing, 5× under-fuselage) with a capacity of 4,500 kg (9,900 lb) external fuel and ordnance,
Rockets: 90 mm unguided rocket pods
Missiles:
Air-to-air missiles: PL-8, PL-9, PL-11, PL-12
Air-to-surface missiles: PJ-9, YJ-9K
Bombs: laser-guided bombs (LT-2), glide bombs (LS-6) and unguided bombs
Others:
Up to 3 external fuel drop-tanks (1× under-fuselage, 2× under-wing) for extended range and loitering time

Avionics

NRIET KLJ-10 multi-mode fire-control radar
Externally-mounted avionics pods:
Type Hongguang-I infra-red search and track pod
BM/KG300G self-protection jamming pod
KZ900 electronic reconnaissance pod
Blue Sky navigation/attack pod
FILAT (Forward-looking Infra-red Laser Attack Targeting) pod

 

[EnlightenedMonk]

Shenyang J-11

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Length: 21.9 m (72 ft 0 in)
Wingspan: 14.70 m (48 ft 3 in)
Height: 5.92 m (19 ft 6 in)
Wing area: 62.04 m² (667.8 ft²)
Empty weight: 16,380 kg (36,110 lb)
Loaded weight: 23,140 kg (51,010 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 33,000 kg (73,000 lb)
Powerplant: 2× Lyulka AL-31F or Woshan WS-10A "Taihang" turbofans
Dry thrust: 74.5 kN / 89.17 kN (16,800 lbf / 20,050 lbf) each
Thrust with afterburner: 123 kN / 129.4 kN (27,600 lbf / 29,101 lbf) each

Performance

Maximum speed: Mach 2.35 (2,500 km/h, 1,600 mph)
Range: 3,720 km (2,010 nm, 2,310 mi)
Combat radius: 2,000 km (1,240 mi)
Service ceiling: 19,000 m (62,523 ft)
Rate of climb: >325 m/s (64,000 ft/min)
Wing loading: 371.0 kg/m² (76 lb/ft²)
Thrust/weight:
Dry: 0.66
With afterburner: 1.09
G-limit: 9 g

Armament

Guns: 1× 30 mm (1.18 in) Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-30-1 cannon
Hardpoints: 10: 2 under fuselage, 2 under air ducts, 4 under wings, 2 on wingtips with provisions to carry combinations of:
Missiles:
PL-12
PL-9
PL-8
Vympel R-27
Vympel R-77
Vympel R-73
Rockets: Unguided rocket launcher
Bombs: Free-fall cluster bombs

Avionics

Fire-control radar: NIIP Tikhomirov N001VE Myech coherent pulse Doppler radar
OEPS-27 electro-optic system
NSts-27 helmet-mounted sight (HMS)
Gardeniya ECM pods

 

[EnlightenedMonk]

Xian JH-7

General characteristics

Crew: 2: pilot, weapons operator
Payload: 9,000 kg (19,842 lb) of weapons
Length: 22.32 m (73 ft 2 in)
Wingspan: 12.8 m (41 ft 7 in)
Height: 6.22 m (20 ft 4 in)
Empty weight: 14,500 kg (31,900 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 28,475 kg (62,720 lb)
Powerplant: 2× Xian WS9 (a license-built Spey Mk202) afterburning turbofans
Dry thrust: 54.29 kN (12,250 lbf) each
Thrust with afterburner: 91.26 kN (20,515 lbf) each

Performance

Maximum speed: Mach 1.75 (1,808 km/h, 1,122 mph)
Combat radius: 1,759 km (890 nm, 1,093 mi)
Ferry range: 3,700 km (1,970 nm, 2,299 mi)
Service ceiling: 16,000 m (51,180 ft)
Wing loading: kg/m² (lb/ft²)

Armament

Guns: 1× 23mm twin-barrel GSh-23L autocannon, 300 rounds
Hardpoints: 9 in total (6× under-wing, 2× wing-tip, 1× under-fuselage) with a capacity of 9,000 kg (8,000 lb) external fuel and ordnance,
Rockets: 57mm/90mm unguided rocket pods
Missiles:
Air-to-air missiles:
PL-5
PL-8
PL-9
Anti-ship missiles:
Yingji-8K
Yingji-82K
Anti-radiation missiles:
Yingji-91
Bombs:
Unguided bombs
Laser-guided bombs

Avionics

JL-10A radar

 

[EnlightenedMonk]

JAS 39 Gripen

General characteristics

Crew: 1 (2 for JAS 39B/D)
Length: 14.1 m (46 ft 3 in)
Wingspan: 8.4 m (27 ft 7 in)
Height: 4.5 m (14 ft 9 in)
Wing area: 30.0 m² (323 ft²)
Empty weight: 5,700 kg (14,600 lb)
Loaded weight: 8,500 kg (18,700 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 14,000 kg (31,000 lb)
Powerplant: 1× Volvo Aero RM12 afterburning turbofan
Dry thrust: 54 kN (12,100 lbf)
Thrust with afterburner: 80.5 kN (18,100 lbf)
Wheel track: 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in)
Length (two-seater): 14.8 m (48 ft 5 in)

Performance

Maximum speed: Mach 2 (2,130 km/h, 1,320 mph)
Combat radius: 800 km (500 mi, 432 nmi)
Ferry range: 3,200 km (2,000 mi) with drop tanks
Service ceiling: 15,240 m (50,000 ft)
Wing loading: 336 kg/m² (68.8 lb/ft²)
Thrust/weight: 0.97

Armament

1 × 27 mm Mauser BK-27 cannon 120 rounds
6 × Rb.74 (AIM-9) or Rb 98 (IRIS-T)
6 × Rb.99 (AIM-120) or MICA
4 x Rb.71 (Skyflash) or Meteor
4 x Rb.75
2 x KEPD.350
4 x GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb
4 x rocket pods 13.5 cm rockets
2 x Rbs.15F anti-ship missile
2 x Bk.90 cluster bomb
8 x Mark 82 bombs
1 x ALQ-TLS ECM pod

 

[EnlightenedMonk]

F-15E Strike Eagle

General characteristics

Crew: 2
Length: 63.8 ft (19.43 m)
Wingspan: 42.8 ft (13.05 m)
Height: 18.5 ft (5.63 m)
Wing area: 608 ft² (56.5 m²)
Airfoil: NACA 64A006.6 root, NACA 64A203 tip
Empty weight: 31,700 lb (14,300 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 81,000 lb (36,700 kg)
Powerplant: 2× Pratt & Whitney F100-229 afterburning turbofans, 29,000 lbf (129 kN) each

Performance

Maximum speed: Mach 2.5+ (1,650+ mph, 2,660+ km/h)
Ferry range: 2,400 mi (2,100 nmi, 3,900 km) with conformal fuel tank and three external fuel tanks
Service ceiling: 60,000 ft (18,200 m)
Rate of climb: 50,000+ ft/min (254+ m/s)

Armament

Guns: 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M61 Vulcan gatling gun, 510 rounds of either M-56 or PGU-28 ammunition
Hardpoints: 2 wing pylons, fuselage pylons, bomb racks on CFTs with a capacity of 24,250 lb (11,000 kg) external fuel and ordnance,
Missiles:
Air-to-air missiles:
2× AIM-9M Sidewinder or 2× AIM-120 AMRAAM, and
4× AIM-7M Sparrow or additional 4× AIM-120 AMRAAM
Air-to-surface missiles:
6× AGM-65 Maverick
AGM-130
AGM-84 Harpoon
AGM-84K SLAM-ER
AGM-154 JSOW
AGM-158 JASSM
Bombs:
B61 nuclear bomb
Mark 82 bomb
Mark 84 bomb
CBU-87 Combined Effects Munition
CBU-89 Gator
CBU-97 Sensor Fuzed Weapon
CBU-103 CEM
CBU-104 Gator
CBU-105 SFW
GBU-10 Paveway II
GBU-12 Paveway II
GBU-15
GBU-24 Paveway III
GBU-27 Paveway III
GBU-28
GBU-31 JDAM
GBU-38 JDAM
GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb
GBU-54 Laser JDAM

Avionics

SUU-42A/A Flares/Infrared decoys dispenser pod and chaff pod or
AN/ALQ-131 ECM pod or
LANTIRN, Lockheed Martin Sniper XR & LITENING targeting pods or
up to 3× 600 US gallon Sargent Fletcher drop tanks for ferry flight or extended range/loitering time

 

[EnlightenedMonk]

F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

General characteristics

Crew: F/A-18E: 1, F/A-18F: 2
Length: 60 ft 1¼ in (18.31 m)
Wingspan: 44 ft 8½ in (13.62 m)
Height: 16 ft (4.88 m)
Wing area: 500 ft² (46.45 m²)
Empty weight: 30,600 lb (13,900 kg)
Loaded weight: 47,000 lb (21,320 kg) (in fighter configuration)
Max takeoff weight: 66,000 lb (29,900 kg)
Powerplant: 2× General Electric F414-GE-400 turbofans
Dry thrust: 14,000 lbf (62.3 kN) each
Thrust with afterburner: 22,000 lbf (97.9 kN) each
Internal fuel capacity: F/A-18E: 14,400 lb (6,530 kg), F/A-18F: 13,550 lb (6,145 kg)
External fuel capacity: 5 × 480 gal tanks, totaling 16,380 lb (7,430 kg)

Performance

Maximum speed: Mach 1.8+[11] (1,190 mph, 1,900 km/h) at 40,000 ft (12,190 m)
Range: 1,275 nmi (2,346 km) clean plus two AIM-9s[11]
Combat radius: 390 nmi (449 mi, 722 km) for interdiction mission[71]
Ferry range: 1,800 nmi (2,070 mi, 3,330 km)
Service ceiling: 50,000+ ft (15,000+ m)
Wing loading: 92.8 lb/ft² (453 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 0.93

Armament

Guns: 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M61 Vulcan nose mounted gatling gun, 578 rounds
Hardpoints: 11 total: 2× wingtips, 6× under-wing, and 3× under-fuselage with a capacity of 17,750 lb (8,050 kg) external fuel and ordnance,
Rockets:
Missiles:
Air-to-air missiles:
4× AIM-9 Sidewinder or 4× AIM-132 ASRAAM or 4× AIM-120 AMRAAM, and
2× AIM-7 Sparrow or additional 2× AIM-120 AMRAAM
Air-to-surface missiles:
AGM-65 Maverick
Standoff Land Attack Missile (SLAM-ER)
AGM-88 HARM Anti-radiation missile (ARM)
AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW)
Anti-ship missile:
AGM-84 Harpoon
Bombs:
JDAM Precision-guided munition (PGMs)
Paveway series of Laser guided bombs
Mk 80 series of unguided iron bombs
CBU-87 cluster
CBU-89 gator mine
CBU-97
Mk 20 Rockeye II
Others:
SUU-42A/A Flares/Infrared decoys dispenser pod and chaff pod or
Electronic countermeasures (ECM) pod or
AN/ASQ-228 ATFLIR Targeting pods or
up to 3× 330 US gallon (1,200 L) Sargent Fletcher drop tanks for ferry flight or extended range/loitering time or
1× 330 US gal (1,200 L) tank and 4× 480 US gal (1,800 L) tanks for aerial refueling system (ARS).

Avionics

Hughes APG-73 or Raytheon APG-79 Radar