Archive for category 5th GENERATION

F-22 Pilots would be Suffering from “Raptor Cough”

May 10

Posted by Recce 233 Savoie in American, F-22, Hum. Fact., Interviews, LISTEN, MEDIC, On board, Pilots, Planes, PLS 3 / SLP 3, USA, USAF | No Comments

F-22 - © USAF photo Tech Sgt Justin D. Pyle

According to the CBS news video report below, F-22 pilots would have stopped flying 5th-generation F-22 Raptor for they would have reported HH (Health Hazards) incidents onboard the most advanced fighter aircraft in the U.S. Air Force, and the most expensive ever.

“The F-22 has been plagued by a mysterious flaw that causes its pilots to become disoriented while at the controls, from a lack of oxygen.”

Thanks to this interview, we now know that a pilot would have touched a tree while flying an F-22 as he may have been suffering from hypoxia (oxygen deficiency in body tissue). Some other pilots reported dizziness, vertigo, and coughing spell.

“The Air Force launched an investigation that focused on the plane’s On-Board Oxygen Generating System, or OBOGS which takes air from outside the jet, passes through the engine, and through a chemical process to produce a concentrated oxygen that the pilot breathes – Watch the video:

Tags: Aeromedical, American, Consciousness, Cough, Dizziness, F-22, Flaw, Flight SAFETY, Health Hazards, HH, Human factor, Hypoxia, Interview, Langley, Lesley Stahl, LISTEN, Medical, NEWS, OBOGS, Oxygen, PHOTOS, Pilots, PLS 3333, Raptor, Report, Sick, USA, USAF, Vertigo, Video

Could RAFALE benefit from F-35 glitches?

Jan 30

Posted by Recce 233 Savoie in AIM-120, British, CVs, F-35, F-5, F/A-18 / CF-18 / CF-188, Flight Helmet, France, Gripen, Harrier AV-8B, IAF, India, Land., LISTEN, Money, Planes, PLS 3 / SLP 3, R&D, RAF, Rafale, READ, Sea Harrier, Sweden, Swiss AF, Switzerland, Tail, TECHNICAL English, Typhoon, UK, USA, USAF | No Comments

F-35 Lightning II

The British Harriers were to be replaced by the F-35Cs. Do you remember? You may have learnt from the recent news that the carrier variant of the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Joint Strike Fighter – CV JSF (Carrier Vessel variant’s Joint Strike Fighter) – F-35C was unable to catch the wire onboard the aircraft carrier during the latest landing tests.

Strange as it may seem, the F-35C’s designers may have not forecast what would unfold during a test flight while landing on an aircraft carrier:

The arresting hook (tailhook) never engaged the arresting wire as the clearance between the tail hook and the main landing gear’s tyre tread is too short for such a speed. An F-35C Lightning II missing her carrier landing has been reported even though some U.S. officials would have dismissed such information which might result from simulated tests.

Added to that is a software bug which had grounded the CV JSF for 6 days a few month earlier for the fifth-generation fighter aircraft might have encountered wing-folding input while flying!

As a result, the British Ministry of Defence might find a Plan-B solution as these design flaws, and some others which date back to November 2011 are deemed unacceptable for such an expensive fighter aircraft – $139.5 million for the F-35C (CATOBAR – Catapult Assisted Take Off But Arrested Recovery), and $150 million for the F-35B (STOVL – Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing). The latter can land on carriers but she is more expensive, and the JSF program costs have already increased several times.

Moreover, the JSF would not be able to fire AMRAAM air-to-air missiles as reported in this video:

RAFALE La Ferté Alais 2010 © Xavier Cotton http://passiondesavions.blogspot.com/

And there’s even more: according to a Pentagon study team report, 13 areas of concern that remained to be addressed in the F-35 would have been identified. For instance, the Helmet Mounted Display System (HMDS) would not work properly…

The British MoD is therefore considering the purchase of either F/A-18E Super Hornets or RAFALEs for the RAF. The French Dassault which has already lost the Swiss NAC tender due to replace the Swiss Air Force’s F-5s, would be proposing a new offer with 18 RAFALEs at a cost deemed lower than the 22 SAAB Gripens’ one according to the Swiss press.

The RAFALE is still in competition with the Eurofighter in the Indian MMRCA tender. the Indian officials are expected to make a decision this week. To be continued… ==> We have just learnt (on January 31, 2012) that the RAFALE has won the MMRCA tender…

Photo 1: © Recce 233 Savoie; Photo 2: © Xavier Cotton – http://passiondesavions.blogspot.com/

Tags: 5th generation fighters, AIM-120, AIRCRAFT, AMRAAM, Arresting hook, Arrestor hook, ASIA, Bid, British accent, Concerns, CV JSF, CVs-Aircraft carriers, Dassault, Dassault Aviation, Design, EADS, Eurofighter, F-35, F-35B, F-35C, Flaws, Flight helmet, Flight SAFETY, Folding wings, FRANCE, French, Glitch, Gripen, Gripen NG, HMDS, IAF, INDIA, Indian AF, JSF, Landing, Landing gear, LISTEN, MMRCA, MoD, Money, MRCA, NAC, NAVY, NEWS, Offer, Overshoot, Performance, PHOTOS, PLS 3333, Procurement, Purchase, R&D, RAF, RAFALE, READ, Recce 233 Savoie, Royal Navy, Saab, Simulating, Software, Sweden, Swiss AF, Switzerland, Tail hook, Tailhook, TECHNICAL English, Tender, Test flight, Typhoon, U.S., UK, US, US & DoD, USA, USAF, Video

FIGHTERJETS compared: Sukhoi T-50 PAK FA vs F-22 RAPTOR

Aug 22

Posted by Recce 233 Savoie in F-22, IAF, India, J-20 / J-XX, PLS 2 / SLP 2, RUSSIA, Russian AF, Su PAK-FA / T-50, USA, USAF | No Comments

First of all, here is a video on the first T-50′s public display (Moscow – MAKS 2011, August 17, 2011):

The Lockheed Martin/BIDS F-22 Raptor, and the brand new Sukhoi T-50 PAK FA are the current leading-edge 5th generation fighter aircraft. Lots of people would like to assess the capabilities of the two fighterjets. However, no aircraft can be compared regarding its specifications only as fighter aircraft are designed within a wider system – radars; weapon systems; training; and sharing information through data links.

All we know is that the F-22, and the PAK FA are equipped with excellent AESA radars. Though still secret, the Raptor’s stealth is deemed to feature a record-breaking RCS (Radar Cross Section). The T-50, which is to be fielded within the Indian and Rusian air forces, might be equipped with anti-AWACS missiles. The Chinese Chengdu J-20 has not disclosed much information so far, but it will be interesting to this new 5th-gen fighter with the two other aircraft.

Click on the infographics below to read some elementary specifications about the American, and the Russian 5th generation fighter aircraft:

F-22 Raptor specifications - Infographic © www.af.mil

The T-50 fifth-generation fighter

13:28 19/02/2010 The T-50′s specifications and performance compared to the Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor>>

Other news of the day

Tags: 2011, 5th GENERATION, 5th generation fighters, AESA, AWACS, BIDS, Characteristics, Comparison, Data link, Design, F-22, F22, INDIA, Indian AF, Infographics, J-20, Lockheed Martin, MAKS, Missiles, Moscow, NEWS, PAK FA, PLS 2222, Radars, Raptor, RCS, RUSSIA, Russian, Russian AF, Specifications, Stealth, Stealthy, Su PAK-FA / T-50, Sukhoi, Systems, T-50, T50, U.S., USA, USAF, Video, vs

French FIGHTERJETS and/or PILOTS possibly SUPERIOR

Feb 20

Posted by Recce 233 Savoie in Aeronautica Militare, Armée de l'Air, B2, Brazil, China, Dogfighting, F-22, F-5, FAB, France, Germany, HAF, IAF, India, Italy, J-20 / J-XX, Korea, S., MiG-21 / J-7 / F-7, Mirage 2000, Misc., Pilots, PLAAF, PLS 3 / SLP 3, RAF, Rafale, READ, ROKAF, Swiss AF, Switzerland, Typhoon, UAE, UAEAF, UK, USA, USAF | 3 Comments

First of all, it is not that simple. Last instance: The “World’s Armed Forces Forum” has recently posted a new topic relating to this Prepa PLS Anglais post: /rafale-vs-typhooneurofighter/ which was edited here on December 20, 2009. It is very clear that this was just a post to pass rumors on to other websurfers who may not have already read/heard such gossips.

This post may have been deemed as a preposterous one among the aviation community. That is why I then posted this post: /french-fighter-aircraft-performance/ in early 2010. Well, in hindsight I ought to add that I had forgotten that confrontation between the French Dassault fighter aircraft with the Eurofighter: the Rafales – there were only two of them according to the report – shot down four Typhoons during an exercise. Yes, twice as many…

The assumption that a Rafale might have shot down an F-22 Raptor left my readers in utter disbelief in 2009. Well, in hindsight again, I ought to add that I had forgotten to quote the Korean balance sheet about the Rafale performance, as I had forgotten that a United Arab Emirates Air Force (UAEAF) Mirage 2000-9 (variant of Mirage 2000-5 Mk.2) flown by a French pilot would have – virtually – shot down an F-22 Raptor as well…

RAFALE fighter aircraft aerobatics at La Ferté Alais airshow 2010

RAFALE La Ferté Alais 2010 © Xavier Cotton http://passiondesavions.blogspot.com/

I would never write anything like “an F-5 cannot down any French jetfighter”. Let us get real on this – I guess that either an F-5 or a MiG-21 could down any Mirage 2000 or Rafale. It depends on the radars; the sensors; the weapon systems used that day; the weather conditions; the pilots’ training; and their skills; the distance – BVR or WVR, not to mention autonomy; etc. When I read that some people remain adamant that any Rafale cannot have downed any F-22 Raptor, I think that they have the right to take such a stance. As I have the right to believe that they are wrong in their assertion. All-in-all, everything would be rumors… So, why should they care about them?

The pragmatic Swiss have honestly stated that they would be interested in the French Rafale for they got the results of their demanding NAC tests. However, due to a shrinking defense budget, they may not buy Rafales.

As far as the Brazilian, Emirati, Greek, and Indian (for MMRCA tender) media are concerned, they have already issued – at least once – breaking news according to which their countries would not purchase any Rafale for it would be “too expensive“.

Blimey! Let them buy what they like. I do not know whether it is worth paying for such performance because with these tenders, it is not a question of purchasing warplanes but foreign policies. Nonetheless, I would not be suprised to learn that some French Rafale pilots might be eager to challenge the brand new Chinese J-20 5th-generation fighter aircraft as it is deemed to be less performant than the F-22 Raptor.

If it were to happen – J-20 vs Rafale – the result would remain, as usual, among the rumors.

Tags: 2000-5, 2000-9, 4.5 generation, 5th generation fighters, Aeronautica Militare, AIRCRAFT, Armée de l'air, ASIA, Asian, Bid, Black Eagle, CHINA, Chinese, Cinema, Contract, Dassault, Emirates, Emirati, Emirats, Eurofighter, EUROPE, European, F-22, F-5, F1, FAB, Fighter jets, FIGHTERS, Foreign affairs, FRANCE, French, FRENCH AIR FORCE, Greece, Greek, HAF, IAF, INDIA, J-20, Jet fighters, Korean, Les chevaliers du ciel, Luftwaffe, M2000, MiG-21, MiG-23, Mirage, Mirage 2000, MMRCA, Movie, MRCA, NAC, NEWS, PHOTOS, PLAAF, PLS 3333, Purchase, RAF, RAFALE, Raptor, READ, Recce 233 Savoie, ROKAF, Sky Fighters, South Korea, Su-22, Swiss, Swiss AF, Switzerland, Tender, Typhoon, UAE, UAEAF, USA, USAF, Video, vs

Brand new F/A-18F Super Hornets for RAAF

Jan 20

Posted by Recce 233 Savoie in AESA, Australia, Australian, F-22, F-35, F/A-18 / CF-18 / CF-188, Fuselage, LISTEN, Pilots, PLS 3 / SLP 3, RAAF, Wings | 2 Comments

The Royal Australian Air Force has flown F/A-18 Block-II Super Hornets since December 2010. Australia almost ordered F-35s but following a controversy about the JSF program (Joint Strike Fighter), purchased F/A-18Fs instead of the F-35 Lightning IIs expected in order to replace the old F-111s.

These fighter jets have taken up the F-4 Phantom II’s nickname “Rhino”. The Super Hornet is equipped with an AESA radar (Active Electronically Scanned Array radar – APG-79), and it can refuel other aircraft with its ARS – Aerial Refuelling System. Moreover, it has a low RCS signature (RCS: Radar Cross Section) with its rectangular air intakes, and its maneuverability has been improved thanks to enlarged Leading-Edge eXtensions or LEX.

The F-22 Raptor offer is likely to be turned down. However, Australia might purchase the convential take-off and landing (CTOL) variant of the JSF/F-35A

Video: