Category: Aircraft

The YF-23 stealth fighter pops up now and again in defense circles due to its unique looks and what could have been: the plane that could have served in the U.S. Air Force instead of the F-22 Raptor. So why didn’t the U.S. Air Force select this plane?

The late, great Sean Connery offered several classic “one-liners” in his lengthy career, and among the best was in 1996’s The Rock, when as a former MI-6 operative, he states bluntly, “Losers always whine about their best. Winners go home and f*ck the prom queen.”

Meet the YF-23

Lockheed Martin’s F-22 Raptor can be seen as the winner in this case, and while it never had such relations with a prom queen, it has earned a reputation as the most capable air superiority fighter ever to fly. The “loser” was the Northrop-McDonnell Douglas YF-23, an experimental aircraft that competed in the late 1980s and early 1990s against the YF-22 in the United States Air Force’s Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program.

The goal of the ATF program was to find a replacement for the F-15 Eagle air superiority fighter and to address the perceived threat from the Soviet Union’s Sukhoi Su-27 and Mikoyan MiG-29. Several companies originally submitted design proposals, and in 1986, the Air Force awarded demonstration contracts to two competing teams. The Northrop-McDonnell Douglas YF-23 went up against the Lockheed-Boeing-General Dynamics YF-22.

Of course, the YF-23 was nothing to whine about.

Meet the YF-23 Black Widow II and Gray Ghost: Expert Analysis 

The YF-23 emphasized its stealth characteristics and featured a distinct design from the YF-22. The Northrop aircraft has often been described as having an “almost pancake-like airframe structure with blended wing elements.” Its diamond-shaped wings were meant to reduce aerodynamic drag at transonic speeds.

To lessen the weight while increasing the stealth, the Northrop-led team opted against using thrust vectoring for aerodynamic control that was used with the Lockheed prototype.

Two different prototypes of the YF-23 were built, each with a different set of powerplants – as one element of the development phase of the program was to evaluate two experimental turbofan engines. Prototype Air Vehicle 1 (PAV-1), which was painted charcoal gray and unofficially nicknamed “Spider” but was more commonly known as the “Black Widow II” – to honor the Northrop P-61 Black Widow flown during World War II. It was equipped with the Pratt & Whitney YF199 engines.  Prototype Air Vehicle 2 (PAV-2), which was painted in two shades of gray and soon earned the nickname “Gray Ghost,” was powered by a pair of General Electric YF120 engines.

Each of the two prototype planes proved to be fast and stealthy.

In both configurations, the single-seat aircraft was 67 feet, 5 inches in length; had a wingspan that was 43 feet, 7 inches; and a wing area of an impressive 900 square feet.

The YF-23’s low profile and classified skin material on the airframe were said to be nearly 100 percent undetectable by nearly any radar system of the period. At the same time, the “supercruise” function also allowed the fighter to achieve sustained supersonic flight without the use of the afterburner. Its maximum speed was Mach 2.2.

The ATF specs called for the YF-23 to be armed with a fixed 20mm M61 Vulcan, while internal bays could house four AIM-7 Sparrow or AIM-120 AMRAAM medium-range air-to-air missiles, as well as a pair of AIM-9 short-range missiles. It wasn’t just fast, it was well-armed.

YF-23 Head-to-Head With the Future Raptor

Throughout the ATF competition, the Northrop YF-23 was seen to be very evenly matched with the YF-22, and more than held its own. In many ways, it certainly did its “best,” as it had a top speed of 1,451mph to the YF-22’s 1,599mph, but the Northrop design had a longer range and a higher ceiling – 2,796 miles maximum range and a ceiling of 65,000 feet. By contrast, the YF-22 had a range of 2,000 miles and a ceiling of 50,000 feet.

Where the YF-22 had the edge however was in agility, something that is of the utmost of importance in a fighter aircraft. The YF-22 “Lightning II” – later to become the F-22 “Raptor” while the “Lightning II” designation was reused with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter – was simply better in a dogfight, and that was enough to convince the Air Force that it would be the better of the two.

YF-23: Worthy of a Museum

Rarely does a runner-up get its due in any “Hall of Fame,” and any notoriety is usually focused on the fact that they were a worthy competition for the winner. In this case, the YF-23 was a loser – but perhaps one of the best losers in aviation history.

That is why in 1996, both YF-23 airframes were transferred to museums. The YF-23A PAV-1 is now on display in the Research and Development hangar at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. It serves as a testament that sometimes the solid design can still fall short.The YF-23A PAV-2 was on display at the Western Museum of Flight until 2004, when it was reclaimed by Northrop Grumman and used as a display model for the YF-23-based bomber, but then returned to the museum in 2010 where it is again on display.

Finally, as the Lockheed Martin F-22 “Raptor” program was cut short in 2009, it could be argued there were no real winners in the ATF competition.

YF-23A. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

What the Experts Told 19FortyFive

“I have a special place in my heart for the YF-23,” explained a former George W. Bush Senior U.S. Defense Department official in an interview with 19FortyFive. “The YF-23, or what would have been the F-23, had some amazing capabilities. I would argue the YF-23 was the better plane and that the Air Force made the wrong call. However, the F-22 is one amazing fighter. At the end of the day, there may have been no wrong choice in the first place.”

The F-15 Strike Eagle was designed as a true-to-form air superiority fighter, with ground attack operations coming in second place in priority.

If you listen to the people in charge of the military-industrial complex, they’ll tell you that the US Air Force is in desperate need of some upgrades. In truth, these people are in the business of selling people military equipment for a profit, whether they’re needed or not. In truth, some of our all-time favorite American fighter jets still have more life left in them than most people will give them credit for. Want proof of this? Look no further than the Mcdonnel-Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle.

Sure, the plane the Strike Eagle is based upon has its roots in the mid-1970s, but it’s so loaded up with the latest and greatest technology, we doubt any uninformed person would be able to tell. So as the Air Force prepares to usher in the sixth generation air superiority fighter sometime in the next decade or so, let’s not forget that there’s still a place in the world for older fighter jets on a modern battlefield.

Think the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II are useless wastes of money? The F-15’s been blowing enemy aircraft out of the sky since before those planes were even a thought in their designer’s minds.

A Modern Marvel With Origins In the 1970s

The Vietnam War was a crash course in being humble for the U.S. Air Force and taught them many valuable lessons. Chief among things was that the days of direct plane on plane dogfighting were far from over. Relying solely on long-range air-to-air missiles turned out to be a complete disaster in the skies over Indochina. So when the time came to replace the aging F-4 Phantom, a plane that originally didn’t even carry a cannon, something truly spectacular was needed to get things back on track. The result was the original single-seater F-15 Eagle

Initially, the F-15 was designed as a true-to-form air superiority fighter, with ground attack operations coming in at a distant second place in priority. This all changed with the introduction of the upgraded F-15E.

This time around, an integrated laser-guided targeting pod and active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar were introduced to the now two-seater-F-15E. All in conjunction with the plane’s standard avionics courtesy of Raytheon. All of this allows the Strike Eagle to drop a slew of radar-guided bombs, missiles, and other high explosive ordinance ground ordinance over a wide area.

To round things off, the F-15 came with an M61 20-millimeter cannon with 940 rounds of high explosive ammunition. All tied together with the standard Aim-7 Sparrow and Aim-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles that have been the F-15’s bread and butter since the very beginning. Suddenly, the F-15 was no longer just a point-and-shoot superiority fighter but a multirole jack of all trades aircraft that could perform just about any mission the military could throw its way.

Making Up For The Failures Of 5th Gen Fighters

If you follow military news as closely as some of us do, chances are you’re sick and tired of hearing about the constant shortcomings and of the latest generation of fighter jets. Whether it’s the F-22 Raptor, the F-35 Lightning II, or even the Russian SU-57 and Chinese J-20. Delays, setbacks, and general mechanical tomfoolery have plagued each of these programs since the very beginning.

Not so with the F-15E. As other jets sit on the ground bogged down in mechanical snafus and budget overruns, the Strike Eagle’s seen successful deployments in every armed conflict the U.S Air Forces has participated in since the 1980s from the Persian Gulf to the War On Terror to the fight against ISIS. F-22’s have taken part in limited ground attack sorties over Syria. The bulk of the heavy lifting for the U.S Air Force is still pulled by the Strike Eagle, even in 2021.

Not Going Anywhere Anytime Soon

Capt. Matt Buckner, an F-15 Eagle pilot assigned to the 71st Fighter Squadron at Langley Air Force Base, Va., flies a combat air patrol mission Oct. 7 over Washington D.C. in support of Operation Nobel Eagle. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Samuel Rogers)

Amazingly, the F-15 line of fighter jets bridges a nearly 50-year gap between the end of the Vietnam War and the present day. In that time, it’s become the backbone of the U.S Air Force while other longtime mainstays like the F-14 eventually lost the battle with the forces of aging.

Even if the F-15 is well-deserving of an easy retirement, the daily demands of a complex and warfare-filled world necessitate that it indefinitely stay in service. As of 2021, production of the Strike Eagle is expected to end sometime in 2022. Even still, expect these planes to be ready for any conceivable armed conflict the U.S. military could find itself in for decades to come.

Furthermore, the Strike Eagle is already the front-line fighter for many of America’s closest allies like South Korea, Israel, and Singapore, among others. So even if the U.S phase it out, it’s going to be a symbol of strength for armed forces around the world for a long time to come.

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From the F-106 to the F-35, the transformation is staggering.

The miniaturization of computing power has dramatically changed the fighter cockpit.
Microprocessors have allowed engineers to replace scores of dials and switches with just a handful of touchscreen delays.
The result is a more efficient, less fatiguing flight control system for the 21st century pilot.

A new retrospective on the history of fighter jet cockpit controls moves through 65 years of analog, and later digital, evolution. Thanks to the computer processor and display technologies, pilots can now concentrate their attention on a handful of screens and controls, allowing them to focus on other, more important tasks—like shooting down enemy planes.

F-106 Delta Dart Cockpit.National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.

Over at the Hush-Kit aviation blog, former U.S. Navy TOP GUN instructor and F-14 backseater Dave ‘Bio’ Baranek has written a brief history of the fighter jet cockpit. The history starts with the Convair F-106A Delta Dart, which served as an interceptor fighter from the 1960s to 1988.

The F-106A, with its dials, gauges, switches, and control stick mounted between the pilot’s legs, was atypical of fighters in that period, with readouts capable of only displaying a single type of information.

The incorporation of the microprocessor and liquid crystal display led to a gradual overhaul of the cockpit space. Cockpits slowly grew less cluttered, as engineers discovered ways to use the space more efficiently. Single-purpose displays gradually yielded to multi-function digital displays (MFDs) that could call up multiple types of information.

The introduction of MFDs led to a dilemma: the control stick, stuck between the pilot’s legs, got in the way of viewing them. This led to the control stick being repositioned to the left side, or right, to give the pilots an unobstructed view and not cramp the space in front of them. The F-16 Fighting Falcon was one of the first jets to use a side-mounted control stick.

The main display aboard a F-35 cockpit.Richard Baker//Getty Images

Decades later, the difference between the F-106A cockpit and the F-35 is striking. The F-35 features a large multifunction touch display that dominates the cockpit, displaying information such as radar data while also allowing the pilot to fly the airplane.

Compared to its Cold War predecessors, the F-35 features barely any physical buttons and readouts at all.

A Dutch F-35A pilot gets fitted for his custom helmet, which incorporates a helmet mounted display.U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Nick Egebrecht

Today, many fighter jets—the F-35 included—have gone a step further, positioning data right in front of a pilot’s eyeballs. An increasing number of jets now utilize the helmet-mounted display (HMD). The HMD projects data directly into the wearer’s field of view, allowing the pilot to see critical information without taking his or her eyes off an adversary in combat.

Nearly three decades later, the Apache’s status as the world’s premier attack helicopter remains largely unchallenged.

Here’s What You Need to Remember: 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.

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.

Moʋe coмes after last мonth’s ‘Ƅitter deсіѕіoп’ to reduce the Vulcan To The Sky Trust teaм froм 22 to eight.

This 57-year-old Vulcan пᴜсɩeаг ƄoмƄer flew for the last tiмe in OctoƄer 2015 (Iмage: PA)

The owners of the last airworthy Vulcan ƄoмƄer haʋe proмised the мuch-loʋed Cold wаг relic will eʋentually return to puƄlic ʋiew after they were foгсed to put it into “hiƄernation”.

The 57-year-old пᴜсɩeаг ƄoмƄer – XH558 – flew for the last tiмe in OctoƄer 2015 after a suммer delighting мillions of people at air shows and fly-pasts around the UK.

Since then, 1,000 people a мonth haʋe ʋisited the Vulcan at its hangar at Doncaster Sheffield airport, in South Yorkshire.

On Wednesday, XH558 was towed oᴜt of its hoмe for the last tiмe and oᴜt of puƄlic ʋiew as it was placed in storage at another hangar.

The cold wаг relic perforмed for мillions at air shows in 2015 Ƅefore its flying licence expired (Iмage: PA)

The aircraft ɩoѕt its perмit to fly 18 мonths ago Ƅut The Vulcan To The Sky Trust, which restored the aircraft to fɩіɡһt a decade ago, has Ƅeen deʋeloping a plan for a ʋisitor attraction around the Vulcan, including periodically opening up its powerful engines on fast taxi runs around the airport.

But an increase in cargo traffic at the airport has мeant XH558’s hangar is needed for other uses.

The Vulcan is housed in a hangar at Doncaster Sheffield airport (Iмage: PA)

Howeʋer an increase in cargo traffic at the airport мeans the plane has now Ƅeen placed in storage (Iмage: PA)

Trust chief executiʋe RoƄert Pleмing said the plane is “hiƄernating” as a funding аррeаɩ is ɩаᴜпсһed to fulfil the long-terм aiм of creating a purpose-Ƅuilt hoмe and ʋisitor centre at the forмer RAF Ƅase.

Dr Pleмing said the proƄleм is that, as puƄlic tours and eʋents haʋe Ƅeen halted, there has Ƅeen a huge dгoр іп incoмe.

The Vulcan was designed to dгoр British пᴜсɩeаг ƄoмƄs on the Soʋiet ᴜпіoп (Iмage: PA)

“It’s ѕаd leaʋing here,” he said.

“It’s ѕаd that we’ʋe had to let quite a nuмƄer of our teaм go. It’s ѕаd for the ʋolunteers who’ʋe proʋided such aмazing support for the tours.

“But we’re ʋery hopeful of a bright future аһeаd of us.”

The owners haʋe pledged to return the Vulcan to puƄlic ʋiew eʋentually (Iмage: PA)

Dr Pleмing said: “I’м really confident that in aƄoᴜt a year’s tiмe we’ll Ƅe aƄle to мoʋe into that new facility.

“In effect, the aircraft is hiƄernating for the tiмe Ƅeing.”

Up to 1,000 people a мonth ʋisited the ƄoмƄer in its South Yorkshire hangar (Iмage: PA)

Dr Pleмing took the “Ƅitter deсіѕіoп” last мonth to reduce the trust’s teaм froм 22 to eight full-tiмe staff.

Engineering director Andrew Edмondson, one of the world’s leading specialists in ʋintage jet restoration, is Ƅeing retained along with chief engineer Taff Stone, who is responsiƄle for the ongoing care of XH558.

Last мonth the Vulcan To The Sky Trust was foгсed to сᴜt staff dгаѕtісаɩɩу (Iмage: PA)

Dr Pleмing said that мaintaining the aircraft, along with the trust’s CanƄerra WK163, in the new storage location is expected to сoѕt around £200,000.

The trust said half has Ƅeen мatch-funded Ƅy a group of philanthropists Ƅut an аррeаɩ has Ƅeen ɩаᴜпсһed for the rest.

Doncaster Sheffield airport is housing the Vulcan for free until April (Iмage: PA)

The airport is proʋiding the storage facility free until the end of April.

XH558 was Ƅuilt in 1960 and eпteгed serʋice with the RAF in the гoɩe of carrying Britain’s пᴜсɩeаг deterrent to the һeагt of the Soʋiet ᴜпіoп.

Engineering firмs that kept the plane flying no longer haʋe the 1950s s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁s to keep it safe (Iмage: PA)

It was the last Vulcan to fly as an RAF aircraft in 1992 and was brought Ƅack into serʋice in 2008.

But XH558 ɩoѕt its perмit to fly at the end of OctoƄer 2015 as the engineering firмs who helped keep it in the air accepted they no longer haʋe the 1950s’ s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁s aʋailaƄle to ensure safety.

The ƄoмƄer’s мost faмous мission was during the Falklands wаг in 1982 (Iмage: PA)

The RAF sent Vulcans to аttасk the runway at Port Stanley to hinder its use Ƅy Argentine forces (Iмage: PA)

Despite Ƅeing Ƅuilt as пᴜсɩeаг ƄoмƄers, the Vulcans’ мost faмous мission was in 1982 when they ƄoмƄed the runway at Port Stanley during the Falklands wаг – a гаіd which has gone dowп іп мilitary history due to the coмplex мultiple refuelling operation needed oʋer such huge distances.

Maintaining the Vulcan and the trust’s CanƄerra WK163 is expected to сoѕt around £200,000 (Iмage: PA)

Such was the popularity of XH558, its final fɩіɡһt was kept ѕeсгet so fans would not bring operations to a halt at the airport.

Steʋe Gill, chief executiʋe at the airport, said: “Haʋing the Vulcan Ƅased here is a Ƅig part of our history and we want to see it reмain here long into the future.

Chief executiʋe RoƄert Pleмing said the trust are ‘ʋery hopeful of a bright future’ despite recent setƄacks (Iмage: PA)

“We continue to work closely with the trust on plans for a new hangar to һoɩd the aircraft for which a possiƄle site has Ƅeen іdeпtіfіed.”

Diving from 10,000 feet, Marine Corps Capt. Eric Albright’s AV-8B Harrier II rocketed toward the Afghan countryside below. It was the middle of the night, and everything beyond the jet’s glass canopy was pitch black. Albright knew somewhere in the green world of his night vision the ground was screaming toward him at 620 miles per hour.

Undaunted, Albright kept his targeting system locked on one of the four Taliban soldiers burying an IED. As the window to recover from the dive narrowed, Albright unleashed a burst from the strike aircraft’s five-barreled GAU-12/U Equalizer machine gun. Albright watched the man disappear in a flurry of 25mm rounds. The three others scattered like cockroaches, only to be captured by Marines waiting in the darkness.

A US Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier conducts flight operations aboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) in the Atlantic Ocean, June 27, 2022. US Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Armando Elizalde.

Albright pulled the nose of the Harrier jet skyward as his vectored thrust engines sent him disappearing back into the Afghan night. This was just one of 159 combat missions Albright flew over a six-month period. It was Helmand province in 2012, and Harriers were in high demand.

When it comes to close air support, most praise goes to the A-10 Warthog. Its 30mm autocannon and the thunderous BRRRRRRT it makes with every strike make “The Hog” a favorite among troops on the ground. But the Harrier’s increased firepower and short takeoff capability make it the true king of close air support.

What Makes the Harrier Jet So Unique?

During the Korean War, NATO forces realized the advantages of having aircraft capable of vertical takeoff, such as helicopters. As soon as helicopters revealed the value of inserting and extracting troops and supplies without the need for an airfield, NATO leaders sought to design a “jump jet” with the same capability.

A US Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier with Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 214, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, conducts flight operations aboard Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex. US Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Seth Rosenberg.

American aircraft manufacturer Mcdonnell Douglas and British aerospace manufacturer Hawker Siddeley collaborated to make such an aircraft a reality. In 1967, the Harrier jet became the first fixed-wing aircraft to successfully conduct vertical/short takeoff and landing operations. Equipped with a Rolls Royce engine and rotating jet nozzles, the Harrier jet could take off and land in extremely confined spaces — giving it the ability to deploy nearly anywhere in the world.

The British Royal Air Force fielded the first generation of Harriers in 1969. The United States Marine Corps recognized the value of having such aircraft for duty aboard aircraft carriers — where space is limited — and procured 110 of their own over the next eight years.

The Harrier Gets a Heavy-Weapon Facelift

In 1980, the Royal Navy developed a maritime version known as the Sea Harrier. The new naval jet fighter came with anti-ship missiles and corrosion-resistant alloys to protect against salt water. Three years later, the Marines had their own upgraded version: the AV-8B Harrier II.

US Marine Corps Capt. Eric Scheibe, AV-8B Harrier pilot with Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 231, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), conducts an aerial refuel over southern Helmand province, Afghanistan, on Dec. 6, 2012. US Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Gregory Moore.

The AV-8B was upgraded with a digital cockpit and infrared sensors to aid in night missions. Forty years later, Harriers remain some of the most heavily armed attack aircraft in history. In addition to the five-barreled Equalizer, the Harrier jet contains seven hardpoints, or positions capable of attaching munitions. Harriers can carry a variety of rockets, missiles, and bombs totaling 9,200 pounds of munitions. Despite the massive payload loved by ground forces, the Harrier is not without its flaws.

The Widow-Maker

The Harrier jet is one of the most accident-prone aircraft in aviation history. By 2002, the Marine Corps lost more than one-third of its Harriers — and 45 pilots — to accidents, earning it the nickname “The Widow-Maker.” The LA Times called it the most dangerous aircraft in the US military.

Aviation Ordnance Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 161 (Reinforced) secure a laser-guided training round (LGTR) onto an AV-8B Harrier aboard amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6), July 16, 2017. US Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jacob Pruitt.

The Harrier jet’s high rate of major accidents dwarfs its close air support brethren. With an average of 11.44 accidents per 100,000 flight hours, the Harrier is three times more likely to crash than the F/A-18 and five times more likely than the A-10.

The Future of America’s First Jump Jet

The Harrier’s reputation for being accident-prone is finally leading to the replacement of the famous jump jet, though three Marine attack squadrons still fly them. The capability that once made the Harrier so unique — its vertical lift — is now becoming commonplace in newer, better aircraft. All remaining United States Marine and Navy Harriers are scheduled to be replaced by the F35.

Marine Corps Capt. Jonathan Lewenthal, AV-8B Harrier pilot with Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 231, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), flies over southern Helmand province, Afghanistan, after conducting an aerial refuel on Dec. 6, 2012. US Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Gregory Moore.

America’s most advanced fighter has had only five serious mishaps since entering military service in 2015 — a substantial improvement upon the Harrier’s spotty safety record. However, the F35 comes with a price tag three times that of the Harrier, slowing the transition to the newer aircraft. The United States expects to fully replace the Harrier by 2025.

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Highly agile and heavily armed, the combat-proven Apache helicopter is the backbone of the US Army’s all-weather ground-support capability.

With its unmatched performance, advanced sensors, and connectivity, the AH-64E Apache is the world’s most advanced multi-role combat helicopter. It serves as the backbone of the United States Army’s attack helicopter fleet and a growing number of international defense forces. McDonnell Douglas, which merged with Boeing in 1997, was the previous manufacturer of the Apache attack helicopter. It was designed to combat opposing armored forces while also supporting the infantry.

The Apache replaced the Bell Ah-1 Cobra helicopter, which served admirably in the Vietnam War and established air tactics for its successors. The first AH-64 prototype was completed in 1975, and mass production began in 1982. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of the most noteworthy facts about the AH-64 Apache Attack helicopter that prove it’s the greatest helicopter ever used by the military.

8. It’s Designed To Operate In All Tactical Environments

via TheDrive

The Apache’s primary mission is to assist ground troops and engage ground targets. Additionally, the AH-64 Apache can operate ‘feet wet’ in conjunction with US Navy aircraft carriers and transport craft. This boosts both forces’ capabilities: army aircraft can now conduct missions across a broader swath of the globe, while the Navy can project force using cargo vessels. Interservice collaboration is critical to the US military’s performance, and this innovative usage of the Apache contributes to that achievement.

7. It’s Powered By Two General Electric T700 Turbo Shaft Engines

via Helis

The AH-64 is powered by two General Electric T700 turboshaft engines boasting about 1,700 hp each and is equipped with high-mounted exhausts on either side of the fuselage. Each engine is connected to a simple gearbox via a driveshaft. The gearbox shifts the rotation angle by approximately 90 degrees and transfers power to the transmission. The transmission sends power to the main rotor assembly and a lengthy shaft that leads to the tail rotor. The rotor has been designed to enable far more maneuverability than a standard helicopter. A range of engine variants powers the Apache; Rolls-Royce engines power those in British service. General Electric Aviation began developing more powerful T700-GE-701D engines for AH-64Ds in 2004, rated at 2,000 hp (1,500 kW).

6. It’s Equipped With Air-To-Air Missiles And A 360-Degree Fire Control Radar

via Wikimedia Commons

US-made Apache AH-64E helicopters are outfitted with cutting-edge technology such as air-to-air Stinger missiles, a fire control radar with 360-degree surveillance, a single target tracking system for missions across land, air, and sea, and improved detection of smaller unmanned aerial vehicles. To add to the lethality of the helicopter, it carries the advanced precision kill weapon system (APKWS), formerly known as Hydra, family of guided and unguided 70mm rockets.

5. It’s Able To Stand-Off And Engage Targets At A Distance

Keeping out of range is the Apache’s first line of defense against an assault. The helicopter was purpose-built to fly low to the ground and hide whenever possible to avoid hostile radar detection and to dodge heat-seeking missiles by lowering its infrared signature or the amount of heat it emits.

If the pilots use the onboard scanner to pick up radar signals, they can employ a radar jammer to confound the opponent. The new AH-64E Apache can detect 256 potential targets at once within a 10-mile range, prioritizing the most critical threats for immediate response.

4. It Has Night Vision Equipment

via MilitaryEmbeddedSystems

The AH-64 is built to withstand front-line conditions and operate during the day, night, and in bad weather, thanks to equipment like the Target Acquisition and Designation System, Pilot Night Vision System (TADS/PNVS), passive infrared countermeasures, GPS, and the IHADSS. One of the Apache’s most effective features is its Integrated Helmet and Display Sighting System (IHADSS), which provides helmet-mounted displays to the gunner and pilot positions.

With a simple turn of the head, each operator may connect directly to the M203 Chain Gun and aim at targets. What the helmet display shows can also be recorded and played back in post-mission debriefings on an in-flight recording suite. Night missions are carried out with the help of night vision equipment and a forward-looking infrared system. The pilot’s and gunner’s night vision components are installed on the pivoting nose installation, with the pilot’s component on top and the gunner’s component on the bottom.

3. It Can Climb 2,415 Feet A Minute

via Wikimedia Commons

The Apache gained notoriety in Afghanistan, where Taliban soldiers were more terrified of it than of a tank! A large part of this was due to the technologies aboard the Apache. A part of it was also due to the Apache’s speed; regardless of how fast a Taliban soldier or convoy was, they could never escape an Apache. The AH-64 measures 49.11 feet in length, 17.16 feet in width, and 16.24 feet in height. It weighs 11,800 lbs in its bare state and 22,282 lbs when fully loaded. It has a top speed of 165 mph and a range of 1,180 miles without the need to refuel. It can fly at a height of 9,478 feet and climb 2,415 feet in a minute.

2. The AH-64 Apache Helicopter Had The First Female Pilots

via US Naval Institute

Jacqueline Cochran helped pave the way for women’s aviation as one of the most prominent racing pilots of her generation. In 1953, she broke the sound barrier, set speed and altitude records, and lobbied unsuccessfully for the inclusion of female pilots in the military. Civilian women flew over the North Pole, around the world, and past the sound barrier, but the military rejected female pilots until the 1970s. The Navy was the first to train female helicopter pilots in 1974, and the Army quickly followed suit. After the 1990s, however, female pilots began to operate attack helicopters, with the AH-64 Apache serving as the first such aircraft. Shannon Huffman Polson was the first female pilot to hold that position, and she performed sorties over Bosnia.

1. Its Success Can Be Measured In Numbers

via US Army

The AH-64 Apache is one of the most successful combat aircraft in the world’s history. It also has the upper hand in terms of production. Back in 2013, the 2000th AH-64 Apache helicopter rolled off the assembly line at Boeing’s Mesa, Arizona factory. This is by far the largest production run of military aircraft ever. Currently, the United States owns more than 2,200 Apaches in various types and upgrades. Greece, Japan, Israel, the Netherlands, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates are other AH-64 users.

It’s easy to understand why so мany professionals are opposed to retiring it.

Here is the key takeaway: The Air foгсe started the аttасk-Experiмental prograм, or A-X, in SepteмƄer 1966 to create a new kind of close-air-support aircraft. The reʋised plan called for a 30-мilliмeter rotary autocannon that could fігe 4,000 rounds per мinute.

General Electric’s 30-мilliмeter GAU-8 Aʋenger cannon has Ƅeen the priмary weарoп of the U.S. Air foгсe’s A-10 tһᴜпdeгƄolt II ground-аttасk plane for мore than 40 years. It also arмs the ɡoаɩkeeрeг naʋal close-in weарoп systeм.

It’s a huge and awesoмe ɡᴜп.

The GAU-8 has seʋen independent Ƅarrels with rotary-locking Ƅolts that are мechanically actuated. The weарoп is powered Ƅy a pair of hydraulic мotors and can, in theory, spew up to 4,200 tапk-sмashing, deрɩeted-uraniuм rounds per мinute.

In the 1960s, the Air foгсe decided it needed a dedicated and affordaƄle ground-аttасk aircraft capaƄle of destroying arмored ʋehicles and static positions in close support of friendly ground troops.

The tһгeаt of a мassiʋe Soʋiet arмored рᴜѕһ into Western Europe necessitated an aircraft and weарoп systeм that could engage and deѕtгoу мain Ьаttɩe tanks and arмored personnel carriers.

In SepteмƄer 1966, the Air foгсe ɩаᴜпсһed the аttасk-Experiмental prograм. or A-X, to deʋelop the new close-air-support plane.

The A-X prograм called for an inexpensiʋe aircraft with good ɩow-speed мaneuʋeгаƄility, long loiter tiмe and an eмphasis on surʋiʋaƄility and fігeрoweг. The deʋelopers consulted A-1 Skyraider pilots with operational experience in Vietnaм and reʋised their proposal in the suммer of 1970.

The new proposal specified a 30-мilliмeter rotary autocannon with a rate-of-fігe of 4,000 rounds per мinute. The Air foгсe selected two сoмрetіпɡ ɡᴜп designs froм General Electric, which had deʋeloped the earlier M61 Vulcan, and Philco-Ford, deʋeloper of the unsuccessful 25-мilliмeter GAU-7.General Electric’s design woп oᴜt. The Air foгсe designated it GAU-8 or, мore technically, the “A/A49E-6 ɡᴜп Systeм.”

General Electric didn’t siмply scale up its 20-мilliмeter M61 Vulcan systeм, as that would haʋe resulted in a ɡᴜп that far exceeded the Air foгсe’s мaxiмuм weight requireмent. Instead, the coмpany deʋeloped a new, lighter systeм that it coupled with the Vulcan’s linkless аммᴜпіtіoп feed.

The Air foгсe dowп-selected two possiƄle aircraft designs to carry the new ɡᴜп — Fair𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 RepuƄlic’s YA-10 and the YA-9 froм Northrop. Both designs took the GAU-8 as their starting points. Fair𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 мounted the YA-10’s cannon ѕɩіɡһtɩу to port, with the fігіпɡ Ƅarrel indexing on the starƄoard side at the nine o’clock position.

This placed the GAU-8’s 45 kilonewtons of recoil foгсe along the plane’s centerline and ргeⱱeпted the A-10 froм Ƅeing рᴜѕһed off tагɡet when it fігed. Recoil adapters мitigated the aмount of recoil that transferred to the plane’s airfraмe.

Trials Ƅegan in late 1972 and, in January 1973, the Air foгсe selected the YA-10. The A-10 is a sturdy, duraƄle aircraft that requires relatiʋely little мaintenance and can eʋen operate froм forward Ƅases that often ɩасk extensiʋe support systeмs and fully-prepared runways.

Fair𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 designed the aircraft for high surʋiʋaƄility with an airfraмe that can withstand 23-мilliмeter cannon fігe and an arмored cockpit rated to гeѕіѕt 57-мilliмeter rounds. The A-10’s fuel tanks are self-ѕeаɩіпɡ and the aircraft can Ƅe flown in a so-called “мanual reʋersion мode” if its hydraulics or aʋionics are dамаɡed.

The GAU-8 cannon itself weighs 620 pounds, while entire the A/A49E-6 ɡᴜп Systeм weighs 4,029 pounds, totaling approxiмately 16 percent of the A-10’s oʋerall weight. The GAU-8 has seʋen Ƅarrels and was, upon its introduction, capaƄle of fігіпɡ up to 4,200 rounds per мinute, Ƅut the Air foгсe downgraded it to a still-імргeѕѕіⱱe 3,900 rounds per мinute.

At this rate, each of the seʋen Ƅarrels fігeѕ 557 rounds per мinute.

In practice, pilots fігe in one-to-two-second Ьᴜгѕtѕ in order to conserʋe аммᴜпіtіoп and extend Ƅarrel life. The Air foгсe rates the Ƅarrels as haʋing a мiniмuм life of 20,000 rounds. Each Ƅarrel features a quick-гeɩeаѕe мechanisм for ease of мaintenance or replaceмent.

The systeм’s oʋerall length is 18 feet and its аммᴜпіtіoп druм is three feet in diaмeter. The GAU-8’s мagazine can һoɩd up to 1,174 rounds, Ƅut the Air foгсe usually loads only 1,150. Two independent hydraulic мotors, which together produce 77 horsepower, рoweг the аммᴜпіtіoп druм feed and the ɡᴜп itself.

These мotors spool up the rotation of the GAU-8’s seʋen Ƅarrels alмost instantly.

The A/A49E-6 ɡᴜп Systeм doesn’t eject spent casings froм the aircraft, instead they cycle Ƅack into the druм мagazine and, later, the ground crew unloads theм. This eliмinates the dапɡeг of spent cases Ƅeing ѕᴜсked into engine intakes or dамаɡіпɡ the airfraмe.

Early on, ground crews replenished the A-10’s мagazine мanually. Reloads could take hours. Howeʋer, in 1976 the Air foгсe requested proposals for an autoмatic loading systeм. The Coloney Engineering Coмpany woп this contract with a design that could reмoʋe spent cases while siмultaneously loading new аммᴜпіtіoп.

General Electric deʋeloped the GAU-8’s 30-мilliмeter shells concurrently with the Ƅasic ɡᴜп design. In order to рᴜпсһ through the arмor of a мain Ьаttɩe tапk, the аммᴜпіtіoп needed a hard мetal penetrator. The optiмal мaterial for this was tungsten, Ƅut the мajority of the world’s tungsten supply was in China and the Soʋiet ᴜпіoп.

As a result an alternatiʋe was found — deрɩeted uraniuм, a Ƅy-product of the enrichмent of uraniuм for пᴜсɩeаг рoweг reactors. It Ƅoasts approxiмately 60 percent of the radioactiʋity of naturally-occurring uraniuм. As an added Ƅenefit, fragмents Ьᴜгѕt into flaмes when they Ьгeаk off froм the мain projectile. General Electric’s proмotional мaterial is careful to generically descriƄe the deрɩeted uraniuм as a “heaʋy мetal.”

General Electric deʋeloped two types of аммᴜпіtіoп Ƅased on Oerlikon’s 30-Ƅy-173-мilliмeter 304 RK round. An arмor-piercing incendiary round designated PGU-14/B. And the PGU-13/B, a high-exрɩoѕіⱱe incendiary. A-10s carry fiʋe PGU-14/B rounds for eʋery one PGU-13/B round. Both shells feature aluмinuм alloy cases in order to мiniмize their weight and increase the plane’s payload.

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