Category: Aircraft

As a derivative of the Su-27, the Su-30 has functioned for years as a workhorse fighter jet “bomb truck” which served in combat in Syria in 2015.

The Su-30 Is No Joke: The Russian Sukoi Su-35 fighter jet emerged in the mid-1990s and has since expanded into a massive global platform operating with more than 12 countries to include China, India, Algeria, Indonesia, Malaysia, and many others. Iran is also a likely buyer for the Su-35.

But another Russian aircraft these days, the Su-30, seems to get overlooked. Here is out take on what you need to know about this important Russian weapon of war in the sky.

Russian Aircraft: Meet the Su-30

The aircraft is described by KNAANO as being composed of two key mission areas, including its air-to-air control weapons system and air-to-surface system. Operating at speeds of Mach 2, the Su-30 uses four multi-function control panels in the cockpit to target and destroy ground objectives and also launch Kh-31A anti-ship missiles from the air. This certainly indicates the aircraft operates with a significant flexibility and effectiveness when it comes to lethality. A write up from the United Aircraft Corporation describes the Su-30 as a two-seat cockpit with an airbrake behind the canopy.

Su-30 in Ukraine

As a derivative of the Su-27, the Su-30 has functioned for years as a workhorse fighter jet “bomb truck” which served in combat in Syria in 2015. More recently, multiple reports claim the Russian Su-30 has been very successful in Ukraine against Ukrainian fighter pilots, ground targets, and surface ships. Both Ukrainian and Russian sources report heavy aircraft losses from the adversary for understandable war-information purposes, yet the exact number is difficult to discern in a precise or reliable way.

Perhaps the best information might suggest that air combat losses are roughly equivalent between Ukraine and Russia, according to USAFE-AFAFRICA Commander Gen. James Hecker. Speaking at the Air Force Association and cited in Air and Space Magazine, Hecker said in March 2023 that Ukraine has lost 60 aircraft compared to Russia having lost 70.

Perhaps the best indicator of a potential “stalemate” or uncertainty regarding the performance of Russian aircraft lies in the surprising and even mysterious fact that neither Russia nor Ukraine has achieved air superiority in the war over Ukraine. This fact, seemingly surprising given Russia’s reported massive fighter jet fleet-size advantage, is believed to be due to Ukrainian tenacity, air defenses, “will to fight,” and possibly poor Russian morale and combat performance.

While Russia is reported to operate more than 700 fighter jets, the extent to which they are maintained, operational and able to mass in formations may remain questionable. GlobalFirepower lists Russia as operating 773 fighter aircraft as opposed to Ukraine at 69. There are numerous press reports and photos showing destroyed Russian Su-30s in Ukraine as well as instances of pilots of downed-planes being captured. This may be due to Ukrainian air defenses and what senior Pentagon officials have described as a Russian “reluctance” to take risks against areas heavily defended by Ukrainian anti-aircraft weapons.

The Su-30 is listed as being able to attack with a wide range of weapons, to include a 30mm cannon.

Several articles on the Su-30 suggest the aircraft, which emerged in 1996, was in part designed to rival the U.S. Air Force F-15, a 1980s platform which has been extensively upgraded in recent decades. The targeting and weapons technology on the Su-30 do appear to be substantial, as evidenced by the details provided in the KNAAPO report. The Su-30 reportedly has precision glide bombs, advanced air-to-air missiles, and infrared targeting.

“Optoelectronic sighting system includes optical location sighting system and helmet mounted target designator. The Su-30MK optical location sighting system represents a combination of IR-direction finder and a laser rangу finder, and it is used to detect and track air targets by its radiation in forward and back hemispheres, to range air and ground targets with the help of laser beam and to illuminate ground targets and destroy them by air-to-surface guided missiles with semi-active laser seekers,” KNAAPO says.

Despite this, the U.S. Air Force F-15 has been integrated with advanced high-speed computing and Advanced Electronically Scanned Array radar capable of detecting enemy targets with great resolution in multiple directions simultaneously. Perhaps the F-15’s target sensors and detection range can outmatch the Su-30? That may be unclear, yet given how the two planes are roughly comparable in terms of speed, weaponry, and thrust-to-weight ratio, the answer to which plane is superior may depend upon targeting range and weapons guidance accuracy.

These give the Rafale an estimated Radar Cross Section (RCS) of slightly above one square meters—comparable to peers like the Super Hornet and Typhoon, but orders of magnitude greater than that of the F-35 jet. 

In January 2019, French Defense Minister Florence Parly announced France would commit $2.3 billion to develop an F4 generation of the Dassault Rafale twin-engine multirole fighter.  This would include production in 2022–2024 of the last twenty-eight of the original order of 180 Rafales, followed by the purchase of an additional thirty Rafales F4.2s between 2027–2030, for a total of 210.  Since 2008, France has deployed land- and carrier-based Rafales into combat in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Mali and Syria.

Despite incorporating stealth technology, the Rafale (“Burst of Fire” or “Gust of Wind”), is not a true stealth aircraft like the F-35.  True, the French jet’s wings and fuselage are primarily composed of radar-absorbent composite materials and lightweight titanium.  Other stealthy design features include S-shaped engine inlets, serrated edges and a channel exhaust cooling scheme designed to reduce infrared signature.

These give the Rafale an estimated Radar Cross Section (RCS) of slightly above one square meters—comparable to peers like the Super Hornet and Typhoon, but orders of magnitude greater than that of the F-35 jet.  Land-based Rafales are currently priced $76–$82 million per plane, only modestly cheaper than the F-35A which benefits from vastly greater economy of scale, though the Rafale’s operating costs are likely lower.

Paris particularly prizes maintaining an independent domestic arms industry and has never seriously considered purchasing F-35s. Instead, France is working with Germany and other partners to develop a sixth-generation Future Combat Air System stealth jet to enter service in 2035-2040. Until then, France is doubling down on the 4.5-generation Rafale by integrating additional F-35-style avionics and improving its network-centric warfare capabilities.

The Rafale is much more agile than the F-35, with superior climb rate, sustained turn performance, and ability to super-cruise (maintain supersonic flight without using fuel-gulping afterburners) at Mach 1.4 while carrying weapons. The Rafale’s all-moving canards—a second set of small wings near the nose—give the Rafale excellent lift and low-altitude speed and performance, as you can see in this majestic airshow display.

However, compared to larger fourth-generation twin-engine jets like the Su-35 or F-15, the Rafale can’t fly quite as high (service-ceiling of 50,000 instead of 60,000 ft), and has a lower maximum speed (only Mach 1.8 compared to Mach 2-2.5).

The Rafale’s agility won’t help as much if it is engaged at long distances by enemy surface-to-air missiles and stealth jets.  To compensate, the Rafale boasts an advanced Spectra electronic warfare system that supposedly can reduce the Rafale’s cross-section several times over—it is rumored by reflecting back signals using ‘active canceling.’  Spectra also incorporates powerful jammers and flare and chaff dispensers, provides 360-degree early-warning, and can even assist Rafale pilots in targeting weapons to retaliate against attackers.

Spectra’s capabilities reportedly allowed Rafales to deploy on raids over Libyan airspace in 2011 before air defense missiles had been knocked out.

Other key capabilities include sensor fusion of the Rafale’s RBE-2AA Active Electronically Scanned Array multi-mode radar, which can track numerous targets over 124 miles away, with its discrete OSF infrared-search and track system, which has an unusually long range of sixty-two miles.  Rafale pilots also benefit from uncluttered instrumentation combining voice command with flat-panel touch screens.

The multirole jet carries a punchy thirty-millimeter revolver cannon and up to twenty-one thousand pounds of weapons on fourteen hardpoints, making it a versatile air-to-ground platform.  Because Paris requires expeditionary capability in Africa, the Rafale can refuel in flight and carry up to five fuel tanks for very long transits, and can be operated from relatively unprepared airfields, unlike most high-performance jets.

What’s new in the Rafale F4?

Dassault produces three basic types of Rafales: the single-seat Rafale-C, the two-seat Rafale-B (the additional weapon systems officer being preferred for strike and reconnaissance missions) and the carrier-based single-seat Rafale-M, which has an arrestor hook, reinforced landing gear and buddy-refueling pod capability. Each type has evolved in common generations designated F1, F2, F3 and F3R.

The F4 generation introduces additional network-centric warfare capabilities and data-logistics similar to those on the F-35 Lightning, enabling Rafales on patrol to build a more accurate picture of the battlespace by pooling their sensors over a secure network, and even exchange data using new satellite communications antenna.  The pilots also benefit from improved helmet-mounted displays.

The Spectra defensive system will receive more powerful jammers and new threat libraries tailored to meet the improving capabilities of potential adversaries.  Furthermore, Dassault seeks to use “Big Data” technology to develop a predictive maintenance system reminiscent of the F-35’s troubled ALIS system to cost-efficiently implement preventative repairs.

Other systems to be tweaked include the air-to-ground mode of the RBE-2AA radar, the M88 turbofan’s digital computers, and a new AI-system for its reconnaissance and targeting pod allowing it to rapidly analyze and present information to the pilot.  Rafale-Ms will also receive a new automated carrier landing system.

New weapons set for integration most notably an improved model of the Mica short-to-medium range air-to-air missile, which has a range of forty-nine miles.  The Mica can be launched without initially being locked and guided remotely by a data link on the fighter before engaging either an infrared or AESA radar seeker to close in for the kill, using a vector-thrust motor to pull off tight maneuvers.  Because both the Rafale and the Mica missile can employ passive infrared targeting without using an indiscrete active-radar for guidance, the MICA can be launched with little warning for the target.

The Mica-NG model will incorporate new infrared-matrix sensors for better performance versus stealth fighters, carry additional propellant for longer range, and integrate internal sensors to reduce maintenance costs.  Its dual pulse motor will allow it to accelerate just prior to detonation for a greater probability of achieving a kill.

For longer range engagements, newer Rafales F3Rs and F4s can launch British Meteor missiles which can sustain Mach 4 speeds.

Another weapon set for integration is heavier 2,200-pound variants of the AASM HAMMER, a guidance kit similar to the U.S. JDAM.  Previously, the Rafale could only carry 485-pound variants of the weapon which can use either GPS-, laser- or -infrared guidance to deliver precise strikes.  Unlike the JDAM, the HAMMER also incorporates a rocket-motor, allowing it to hit targets up to thirty-seven miles away when released at high altitude.

The Rafale will also be modified to integrate future upgrades of the French SCALP-EG stealthy subsonic cruise missile and the supersonic ASMP-A cruise missile which carries a 300-kiloton-yield nuclear warhead.  Reportedly France may develop a hypersonic AS4NG variant increasing range from 300 miles to over 660 miles.

Currently, the French Armée de l’Aire has three Rafale multi-role squadrons and two nuclear-strike squadrons based in Mont-de-Marsan (south-western France), Saint-Dizier (north-eastern France) and al-Dhafra in the UAE.  There are also an operational conversion unit and a testing and evaluation squadron.

The French Navy has three Rafale-M squadrons which rotate onboard France’s nuclear-powered carrier Charles de Gaulle.  In 2018, a squadron of Rafale-Ms proved their capability to operate from the U.S. carrier George H. W. Bush.

The forthcoming Rafale F4s will progressively replace France’s fourth-generation Mirage 2000s, over 110 of which remain in service today.  French periodical Le Figaro claims that older Rafales will also eventually be updated to the F4 standard.

Abroad, Dassault is finish delivery of orders from Egypt (twenty-four), Qatar (thirty-six) and India (thirty-six).  All three countries may order additional Rafales, though the price of its initial Rafale order has caused a political scandal in New Delhi.

As France must wait nearly two decades before a European stealth fighter can enter service, its armed forces are betting that in the interim adding networked sensors and weapons to the Rafale’s superior kinematic performance and powerful electronic warfare systems will keep the agile jet relevant in an era of proliferating stealth aircraft and long-range surface-to-air missiles.

Little is known about how much of a threat Russia’s 5th-generation Su-57 poses to adversaries.

Russian media says many things about the airframe’s performance parameters, yet little seems to be known about its computing, weapons interfaces, sensing, and manned-unmanned teaming capabilities.

Certainly looking at the configuration, the Su-57 does look stealthy with its blended-wing body and rounded fuselage.

However, how might it compare with the F-35 in regard to sensing and high-speed, AI-enabled computing able to gather sensor input from disparate pools of data and perform immediate analysis and organization to present integrated information to a pilot?

Additional specs on the Su-57 suggest it can hit speeds of Mach 2 and travel ranges out to 2,200 miles.

This makes the jet slightly slower than an F-22, which can reportedly hit speeds of Mach 2.25. Also, the Su-57 may not have a thrust-to-weight ratio able to rival an F-22, meaning it may not be as competitive as a complete air-dominance platform such as the F-22.

It is reported that the Su-57 has an AESA, or Active Electronically Scanned Array radar and phased array radar, supported by extensive electronic countermeasures.

Further detail suggests the Su-57 operates with an F/A-18-like Infrared Search and Track targeting technology, which among other things, enables fighter jets to operate in a high-threat “jamming” environment.

How many Su-57s Does Russia Have?

Regardless of the extent to which the Su-57 can truly rival U.S. 5th-generation aircraft, Russia’s next-generation aircraft primarily suffers from a numbers problem. There are just not that many of them, as multiple public reports say there are currently somewhere between four and 15 operational Su-57 aircraft, and Russia’s TASS news agency has reported plans for the country to acquire 76 Su-57s over the next five years.

The U.S., for example, operates as many as 300 F-35s or more, and that is not including the fast-arriving NATO and European F-35s, so this gives the U.S. and NATO a sizeable margin of superiority when it comes to a possible air superiority war with the Su-57.

There is also the question of manned-unmanned teaming, as Russian media reports have made mention of efforts to connect drones with manned fighter jets using what the U.S. Air Force refers to as a “loyal wingman” type of scenario.

The U.S. Air Force, for instance, has shown that its Valkyrie drone is able to share real-time data with an F-35, and it does not seem at all clear that Russia’s Su-57 is in any way capable of such use of technology.

Russia’s Izvestia news reports that the Su-57 is working to network with Russia’s S-70 Okhotnik B-drone. The extent of Russian progress with this may be unknown, in terms of whether the Su-57 can operate with the ability to control drones in real-time.

The Dassault Rafale is one of the least appreciated fighter jets in the world, and from this video it’s hard to understand why. The video, taken at the Zigermeet Air Show in Switzerland, shows a French Air Force Rafale performing detailed aerial acrobatics as well as any other fighter.

The Rafale jet visited the Swiss air show and performed a lengthy aerial display, the highlights of which are in the video. One particular maneuver worth mentioning: at the five minute mark the Rafale performs a high angle of attack maneuver where the aircraft flies horizontally, nose up, at a speed where it almost appears to hover in midair.

The Rafale is the main combat jet of the French armed forces. Developed in the late 1980s by French fighter manufacturer Dassault, the Rafale was designed as a twin-engine, multi-role combat aircraft. Rafale can carry out both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions, including air superiority, reconnaissance, strike, anti-ship and even nuclear delivery missions. A naval version, Rafale M, flies from the French Navy aircraft carriers Charles de Gaulle.

The Rafale is an agile jet, with a delta wing and large canards to enhance maneuverability. The Rafale is powered by two Snecma M88-2 afterburning turbofan engines, producing a total of 33,720 pounds of thrust. A RBE2-AA active electronically scanned array radar gives the French fighter the ability to detect, track and engage multiple targets at extended ranges. The Spectra electronic warfare suite, which includes a laser warning receiver, radar warning receiver, missile warning system, and jammers lets the French pilots know when their aircraft is being targeted and can deploy appropriate countermeasures.

Rafale is one of the most heavily armed fighter jets in the world, with 14 hardpoints for carrying bombs, missiles, rockets, external fuel tanks, and equipment pods. The jet can carry a wide variety of both French and American ordnance, including Mica, Magic, and Sidewinder air to air missiles, Paveway II laser-guided bombs, SCALP cruise missiles, and even the ASMP-A nuclear missile. Internally the jet is equipped with the GIAT 30-millimeter cannon with 125 rounds of ammunition.

But just look at it fly.

One of the lesser-known Lightning II variants, the F-35B is nonetheless slated to become a core pillar of the Marine Corps’ ability to project power.

Although commonly referred to in the singular, Lockheed Martin’s fifth-generation F-35 stealth fighter is technically three different planes: the F-35A conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) variant that is being procured by the US Air Force (USAF) to phase out the F-16 Fighting Falcon, the F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant that’s slated to succeed several of the Marine Corps’ aging fighters, and a F-35 catapult-assisted take-off but arrested recovery variant that’s optimized for operations from aircraft carriers. The F-35A is by far the most numerous of the three, with the Air Force seeking to procure just under 1,800 such units through the coming decades. But the fact that the F-35B and F-35C are being procured in smaller numbers does not make them any less significant for the key battlefield tasks that they are meant to perform.

The F-35B attained initial operating capability (IOC) in 2015. The fighter is principally slated to replace the 1980’s AV-8B Harrier II, which is rapidly approaching its planned 2025 sunset period after having its service life cut short due to mounting maintenance outlays. The F-35B is generally similar in dimensions to its F-35A counterpart, but there are several notable differences under the hood. The F-35B sacrifices about one-third of the F-35A’s fuel capacity, at 13,500 versus 18,250 pounds of internal fuel, to accommodate a shaft-driven lift fan (SDLF). Given these special design considerations, the F-35B also has a slightly lower weapons payload of 15,000 lbs and shorter combat radius of around 505 nautical miles. Still, the fighter features internal and external weapons bays that support the same weapons configurations as the F-35A.

The SDLF is, in essence, a lift system that gives the F-35B the unique capability to land vertically, in a similar fashion to a helicopter; it likewise helps the fighter to take off from short runways. The system works by generating a massive downward thrust that enables the plane to “hover.” It should be noted that F-35B’s STOVL capability is not a functionality trade-off in the sense that the fighter fully retains the ability to land on longer, conventional runways. Consider, also, that the F-35B’s slightly reduced range is offset by the fact that it can take off from and land in places where its F-35A counterpart cannot. It’s a similar story for the F-35C; whereas the former operates from aircraft carriers as part of U.S. Carrier Strike Groups (CSG’s), the F-35B can operate from smaller amphibious ships like the USS America. This means that amphibious assault formations can deploy their own fifth-generation stealth fighters without relying on the carrier fleets of nearby CSG’s, a major tactical boon for the Marine Corps. The F-35B’s “hover” ability opens new venues for scouting and close-air-support that are impossible for the other two F-35 variants and especially useful in the context of the Marine Corps’ amphibious assault operations.

The F-35B vastly outperforms the Harrier II that it is replacing in virtually every category, delivering a larger payload at a longer range and faster speed. The F-35B is exponentially more survivable due to its stealth-focused design, not only lowering operational risks across the board but also allowing the fighter to undertake deep penetration missions that would have been inconceivable for the Harrier. This comes in addition to the fighter’s revolutionary interoperability and networking features, with the F-35B able to act as a force multiplier for nearby surface, ground, and airborne units through its sensor fusion suite that can generate a dynamic, integrated picture of the battlefield.

There are currently fifty-seven F-35B’s in the Marine Corps’ possession, of which just over two dozen are trainer units. As of its most recent aviation plan, the service aims to procure 353 F-35B’s spread across fourteen mixed-strength squadrons, two reserve squadrons, and two fleet readiness squadrons. “Game changer” is nothing if not an overused phrase in defense commentary, but one thing is clear: the F-35B will transform how the Marines wage war.

In war and peace, Boeing did it right with the CH-47. There is no replacement for my Chinook – the only replacement is more CH-47s.

Almost half of the 6,000 plus total hours I’ve flown in my career took place in the legendary Boeing heavy-lift Chinook. During my second tour in Vietnam, I spent around 750 hours in the CH-47B while flying for the 132nd Assault Support Helicopter Company “Hercules.”It kept me safe in the skies over Vietnam, and I was proud to continue flying the Chinook when I got back stateside. The CH-47 defined my flying career with the U.S. Army and the California Army National Guard. After returning home, I continued to fly the Chinook for the National Guard, accumulating an additional 2,000 hours with the 49th Medium Helicopter Company “Delta Schooners” out of Stockton, CA.

I can confidently say that the Chinook is the best, most versatile helicopter available to the U.S. military – thanks in part to constant innovations, modifications, and improvements incorporated over time. I flew the A, B, C and D models and my time ran out before I could fly the CH-47F. The Chinook in use today has little in common with the helicopters I flew. It’s been upgraded for the modern battlefield with a digital cockpit and advanced airframe. Right now, it is the strongest, fastest, and safest helicopter in the U.S. Army.

During my decades with the Army National Guard, I not only became an instructor pilot but also had the privilege of commanding a Chinook Company and Battalion. This wealth of background knowledge and experience instilled in me an enormous amount of pride and respect about my helicopter, its mission, those that flew the CH-47 and importance to America’s national security.

Whether in combat or conducting stateside missions, there is nothing the Chinook cannot accomplish. Its heavy-lift capabilities, range, and speed enable it to get personnel, equipment, and ammunition where it’s needed when it’s needed.  I also hear it is about to get an upgrade. Due to the Chinook’s multi-mission commitments that have been added over time, the Army needs to increase its heavy-lift capability to continue achieving the mission. This next-generation Chinook Block II would be able to lift an additional 1,500 pounds. When it comes to delivering soldiers into active combat zones with all of the equipment, armor, and ammunition they need to get the job done safely, this 1,500 pounds could mean the difference between life and death.

Although I am now retired my experiences with the Chinook will always be with me, as I know they are for everyone else who had the honor to fly, crew, and maintain the CH-47. I’ve heard rumors that the Army wants to cancel future Chinook manufacturing prematurely, but know that cannot be true. The Chinook will continue to be the enduring capability for heavy lift. There is no reason to stop building the best cargo helicopter available.

In war and peace, Boeing did it right with the CH-47. There is no replacement for my Chinook – the only replacement is more CH-47s.

The planned phase-out retirement of the decades-old Air Force B-1B bomber introduces some interesting dynamics for the future of the military service’s bomber force, which leaders say is already massively depleted well below what is needed to meet growing threats. 

The planned phase-out retirement of the decades-old Air Force B-1B bomber introduces some interesting dynamics for the future of the military service’s bomber force, which leaders say is already massively depleted well below what is needed to meet growing threats.

Gen. Timothy Ray, the commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, has consistently said that the service suffers from a bomber shortage given the small number of B-2 Spirits and aging B-1B Lancers. In recent years, the service has configured the B-1B Lancer to fire hypersonic weapons in a clear effort to extend the platform’s service life. But several upgrades to the aircraft can only bring the older aircraft so far. The service is phasing out the B-1B Lancer in coming years, yet in a staggered way as B-21 Raiders continue to arrive. The question then becomes, will the timeless B-52 Stratofortress and B-21 Raider be the platforms to propel the force into the future? If so, then what does that mean in terms of tactics, strategies and service bomber-fleet approaches.

One immediate factor to consider is the progress, pace and enthusiasm related to the arrival of the B-21 stealth bomber. The fact that there are only twenty B-2 Spirits, coupled with the reality that the B-52 Stratofortress and B-21 Raider will be the key aircraft to sustain the Air Force bomber fleet, may explain why there is a continued refrain among observers, senior service leaders an and members of Congress asking to increase and even accelerate B-21 Raider production.

Part of the mission gap created by the departure of the B-1B Lancer may be picked up by the many capabilities of the now-arriving B-21 Raider. Of course, most details are not available for obvious security reasons, but it would not be surprising if the B-21 Raiders were able to integrate new levels of sensing, data analysis, weapons guidance, bomb delivery, computer processing and targeting. This means it is possible that B-21 Raiders could pick up a large number of missions now performed by B-1B Lancers.

At the same time, while the current long-term plan may appear to largely incorporate the B-21 Raider and the B-52 Stratofortress, the B1-B Lancer is not disappearing quickly. The service is still working on a multiyear upgrade and refinement program for the B1-B Lancer, which includes configuring its weapons bay and giving the plane improved weapons capacity, avionics, engines and communications systems.

For example, a demonstration several years ago showed that the B-1 Lancer could increase its bomb-carrying load from twenty-four bombs up to forty in the internal weapons bay. The service has also been giving the aircraft a new Bomb Rack Unit upgrade which increases the B-1B Lancer’s carriage capacity of five-hundred-pound weapons by as much as 60 percent. In recent years, the Air Force has also been giving the B1-B Lancer a new fully integrated targeting pod that integrates targeting controls with video feeds and other intelligence data. Then there is also a new Integrated Battle Station for the aircraft which enables greater in-flight data sharing such as target or navigational adjustments.

The B1-B Lancer can hit altitudes of sixty thousand feet, hit speeds of MACH 1.25 and fire multiple air-dropped joint direct attack munition bombs such as the GBU-31, GBU-38, GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb and GBU-54 precision weapon. The B-1B Lancer dropped a lot of bombs over Afghanistan and Iraq after having its combat debut in Operation Desert Fox in 1998.

The Me 262 was a fearsome weapon in the right hands and was remarkably reliable.

It is sometimes forgotten that the second world war saw a whole host of military jet aircraft take to the skies for the very first time. A lot of these aircraft came from Germany, with the Luftwaffe trying anything it could to stem the Allied onslaught. Arado came up with the radical Ar 234, creating what would become the world’s first jet bomber. Then there was the Heinkel He 162 Salamander, a radical machine that was a bit of a flawed masterpiece, but something that could have given the allies serious cause for concern.

Then we come to the Messerschmitt Me 262. This is perhaps the most well-known jet fighter from World War 2, and certainly the most recognizable from Germany. The Me 262 was probably the most successful of Germany’s jet aircraft, entering service in the Spring of 1944 and remaining in service right up until the end of the war. The type was even flown by the Czech air force up until 1951. Its service life was naturally cut short by the surrender of Germany in 1945, but the Me 262 could have changed the course of the war, had it come sooner, or the war went on longer.

Development Of The 262

The Me 262 can trace its roots back to 1936 when Germany considered creating an aircraft that used the jet engine constructed by Hans Joachim Pabst von Ohain. Following on from the Heinkel 178 test aircraft, the world’s first jet aircraft, the development of the Me 262 began before the war had even started. The design saw an aircraft with a swept-wing design, with two jet engines, one under each wing, and a sleek but bulky fuselage that looked much more modern than anything that was currently in flight. The Me 262 first took flight with its jet engines on July 18th, 1942.

Straight away, the potential in the aircraft was apparent as test flights showed the Me 262 to be much more maneuverable than the likes of the Messerschmitt Bf 109 or Focke Wulf 190. The handling of the jet improved as it got faster, but the biggest issue with the aircraft was unreliability thanks to its engine. The Junkers Jumo 004 and BMW 003 engines were very unreliable, which meant production only started until 1944. Thankfully, unlike with the He 162, there were no major structural issues with the Me 262.

Operational History Of The Me 262

The Me 262 went into service in April 1944, with the first unit being formed at Lechfield, just south of Augsburg. This however was more of a training wing and test wing, to optimize combat tactics with the new aircraft. The Me 262 though certainly took the Allied forces by surprise but losses would soon begin, with a few Me 262s being shot down by both Allied aircraft and anti-aircraft gunfire in the Autumn of 1944. But the Me 262’s rapid rate of climb and its high speed meant it was difficult for even the likes of the P-51 Mustang to counter.

This would allow pilots such as Franz Schall to shoot down a score of Allied aircraft, and Schall himself shot down 17 enemy fighters including 10 P-51s. It was at low speeds and applying throttle where the Me 262 would be vulnerable, which meant in high-speed dogfights, the Me 262 was virtually invulnerable to the Allied forces. The German’s would even fit R4M rockets to underwing racks to attack Boeing B-17 and other large American bombers. Soon, the American’s and British realized the only effective way to counter the Me 262 threat was to attack the aircraft on the ground.

Me 262 Had Limited Impact On The War

Despite the clear advantages the aircraft had over Allied fighters, the Me 262 had little hope of changing the outcome of the war. Me 262s would be built in low-profile production facilities, potentially in forests or underground. Lack of aviation fuel would keep many German aircraft on the ground, including the 262s, and only months after they entered service, Germany signed the unconditional surrender. Evaluations after the war by Britain and America showed the Me 262 to be superior to their own Gloster Meteor’s and P-80 Shooting Stars, showing the potential the aircraft had.

A Turning Point Lost

There is little doubt that the Me 262 could well have been a game-changer. It was faster than any Allied aircraft and was almost untouchable in a dogfight, only becoming an easy victim to well-placed anti-aircraft fire, or in slow turns or take-offs and landings. Political wrangling was partly to blame for its late introduction, with even Goering not believing in the potential of the jet aircraft. But had that not happened, and had Germany been able to keep fighting for even a year longer, things might have been slightly different. The Me 262 was a fearsome weapon in the right hands and was remarkably reliable and well built. It is perhaps a good job, for the sake of the world, that the aircraft didn’t enter service earlier.

Early in the morning of January 17, 1991, eight sleek helicopters bristling with missiles swooped low over the sands of the An Nafud desert in as they soared towards the border separating Saudi Arabia from Iraq.

At 2:30 a.m., the choppers fanned out and set to work in teams of two. Rocket motors flashed as Hellfire missiles streaked towards two Iraqi radars powerful enough to potentially pick up the faint signature of a stealth plane.

Minutes after the radars had been reduced to rubble, Nighthawk stealth jets soared through the twenty-mile-wide radar gap, headed for Baghdad. But the Army’s Apache attack helicopter aviators they had struck first to “kick down the door” for the Nighthawks.

Nearly three decades later, the Apache’s status as the world’s premier attack helicopter remains largely unchallenged, and the type continues to see extensive action in the Middle East and in demand in countries as diverse as the UK, Egypt, India and Taiwan. The $35 million armored attack helicopter, which can pack as many as sixteen tank-busting missiles under its stub wings, remains supreme.

The Apache’s origins date back to the United States withdrawal from the Vietnam War, as the Army turned its attention back to the huge mechanized armies of the Warsaw Pact. Helicopter gunships had proven highly useful in Vietnam for delivering precise strikes and loitering air support—but relatively lightly-armed Viet Cong had shot down hundreds of them. The Red Army mustered heavier anti-aircraft defenses and huge tank armies that would not be phased by miniguns and anti-personnel rockets.

Seeking a helicopter fit to tackle Soviet tank division, the Army ultimately had to choose between the Bell YAH-63, which resembled a stretched-out Cobra, and the McDonnell-Douglas YAH-64. Disliking the former’s tricycle landing gear and two-shaft rotor, the Army selected the YAH-64 in 1976. Per custom (and even regulation), permission was obtained from Apache elders to name the helicopter after the Native American tribe.

The AH-64’s tandem seats situate the pilot higher to the rear while a weapons officer and co-pilot sat closer to the nose. Though both can fly the chopper, the pilot uses a PNVS wide-angle infrared night-vision system for navigation, while the gunner employs a rotating TADS targeting system, combining zoomable infrared cameras with a laser-target mounted in a turret on the Apache’s nose.

The crew are protected by 2,500 pounds of light boron plating and Kevlar-lined seats, protecting them from ubiquitous 12.7-millimeter machineguns and twenty-three-milimeter flak cannons, while the fuel tanks have self-sealing protection system. Both laser and radar-warning receivers alert the crew to imminent missile attacks, and a rotor-mounted ALQ-144A “disco ball” infrared jammer can help mis-direct heat-seeking missiles.

Two 1,700-horsepower T700-GE-701 turboshafts, slung on each side of the fuselage in heat-signature-reducing pods, turn the four-bladed main and tail rotors made of steel and composite materials, allowing speeds of 182 miles per hour, a service ceiling of 21,000 feet, and an endurance of 150 minutes. Despite weighing nearly nine tons loaded, the Apache proved exceptionally agile, capable of pulling off barrel rolls and loops.

The Apache’s stub wings each mount two pylons typically carrying a mix of pods carrying nineteen 2.75-inch rockets for use against personnel and light vehicles, and quad-racks of AGM-114 Hellfire anti-tank missiles.

In Vietnam, AH-1 Cobra gunships had successfully picked off North Vietnamese tanks with wire-guided TOW missiles. But these required the helicopter to hover exposed for a half-minute or longer as the gunner piloted the missile to the target—a potentially suicidal tactic in a high-intensity conflict. The one-hundred-pound Hellfire was laser-guided, and traveled at supersonic speeds, meaning the operator only had to paint its target with a laser for ten seconds or less. This allowed Apaches to hover low behind terrain, perform a popup-Hellfire attack, and then duck back behind cover.

For precisely strafing personnel targets lightly armored vehicles, the Apache mounts a hydraulically-operated M230 “Chain Gun” under its chin which can rattle out five to ten 30-millimeter high-explosive dual-purpose shells per second, with 1,200 M789 shells carried in a looping feed mechanism.

The AH-64A entered service in 1986, with 821 eventually delivered through 1996. These initially imposed heavy new maintenance demands on Army mechanics.

First seeing action at night during the 1989 U.S. intervention in Panama, only two years later in the Gulf War did the Apache’s capabilities truly became evident. The 278 AH-64As deployed destroyed 500 armored vehicles for the loss of just one chopper to a rocket propelled grenade.

Despite its successes, the AH-64A remained a product of analog-era technology. After canceling AH-64A+ and B upgrades, the Army finally committed to the heavily modernized AH-64D variant with color digital flight displays, modem-based datalinks, and a new GPS and doppler radar navigation systems.

The D-model’s best known innovation, however, was an optional drum-shaped APG-78 “Longbow” radome on a mast atop the Apache’s rotor, used to target the radar-guided AGM-114L missiles up to five miles away. The Longbow’s raised position allowed an Apache to track multiple air or ground targets while hovering concealed behind trees or hills. Later Apaches also received modernized Arrowhead M-TADs sights, and some could carry Stinger heat-seeking missiles on the tips of their wing stubs, for use against helicopters, drones and slow-flying aircraft.

Apache Longbows proved many times more deadly and survivable than the AH-64As in exercises, so the Army upgraded 501 the new model, and retired the remaining un-upgraded AH-64As in 2012. However, the added weight of the Longbow did diminish speed and altitude performance.

After somewhat scandalously being kept from engaging in the 1999 Kosova conflict, Apaches would soon see extensive action in the U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. During the opening days of the latter, the 3rd Infantry Division massed 31 Apaches for an ambitious deep-penetrating raid targeting the Medina Armored division’s positions around Karbala.

This radical experiment in massed helicopter employment ended in near-disaster as the Apaches ran into an urban “flak trap” of Iraqi troops wielding assault rifles, heavy machineguns, surface-to-air missiles, twenty-three- and fifty-seven-millimeter flak cannons, and rocket-propelled grenades. Twenty-seven of the helicopters limped back to base riddled with heavy-caliber bullets. Another crash landed and Apache Vampire 12 crashed into a marsh, its crew captured and the wreckage prominently displayed on Iraqi television.

However, the Apache fought on for many long years of counterinsurgency warfare, sustaining several losses but infliciting considerable damage on its adversaries.

Apache exported abroad also saw considerable, high-profile action. For example, ibn 2002, the IDF controversially debuted a new tactic of using Apache-fired Hellfire missiles like high-collateral-damage sniper rifles to assassinate Hamas leaders. Israeli Apaches have also twice engaged aerial targets, shooting down a civilian Cessna and an Iranian stealth drone.

The United Kingdom, meanwhile, license-manufactured sixty-seven of its own Augusta-Westland Apaches with Rolls-Royce RTM322 turboshafts and punchier CRV7 rockets. These too have seen extensive action over Iraq and Afghanistan. Two were even once used to land a team of four commandos strapped to the stub-wings.

British Apaches were also uniquely deployed at sea from the amphibious assault ship HMS Ocean in May-September 2011 to knock out Libyan air-defenses and blast counterattacking tanks and amphibious commandoes.

The Future Apache

The Apache continues to evolve in the twenty-first century. The latest AH-64E Guardian model boasts uprated engines, remote drone-control capabilities, and a sensors designed to highlight muzzle flashes on the battlefield below. The Army has also experimentally deployed Apaches on U.S. Navy ships and had them practice anti-ship missions, and even tested a laser-armed Apache.

Following the retirement of OH-58D Kiowa scout helicopters, AH-64Es have been pressed into reconnaissance units, controversially sourced at the expense of National Guard units. However, the heavy attack helicopters have not proven a great fit for the scouting role, so a dedicated scout helicopter is being sought to replace them.

As short-range air-defense systems grow increasingly deadly, and attack helicopters more costly, the survivability of even the Apache on twenty-first century battlefields remains open to question. However, the attack helicopter’s ability to ferret out and battlefield targets and hammer them with precision missiles remains highly valued. Therefore, the Army plans to keep flying Apaches into the 2040s, by which time a new generation of “Future Vertical Lift” choppers may eventually assume their mantle.