US military aircraft supposedly made up of Chinese knockoff!
USAF
FIGHTERJETS compared: Sukhoi T-50 PAK FA vs F-22 RAPTOR
Cours d’anglais aéronautique sur FCL ANGLAIS
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 Russian 5th generation fighter aircraft:
MACH-20 AEROSPACECRAFT
New-York to Los Angeles in 12 minutes… It would have been a record-breaker, had it worked:
The DARPA and USAF FALCON project might give anybody the thrill of speed as this « aerospacecraft » has been designed to reach Mach 20 i.e. around 20,000 km/h; 5.6 km/s; 10,800 knots; or 12,400 mph depending on the air temperature, and the altitude which might be above at least FL900!
Unfortunately, the project seems to encounter major difficulties as the last test which unfolded on August 11, 2011 failed again. The previous one – also on an HTV2 – had failed in April. Click on the right-hand side picture to get further information on the first test. The Blackswift (HTV-3X) had been designed by ATK; Boeing; Lockheed Martin; and Skunk Works to provided a strategic strike anywhere in the world within an hour. It was cancelled due to a lack of funds (see the HTV-3 shown in the following video):
- DARPA stands for Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
- FALCON stands for Force Application and Launch from CONtinental United States
- FL stands for Flight Level (FL x 100ft = altitude)
- HTV stands for Hypersonic Test Vehicle or Hypersonic Technology Vehicle
- RCS means here in the videos: Reaction Control System (and not Radar Cross Section)
Click on the picture below, and then on the blue arrows to watch the different phases of light:
JSF F-35 Lightning II at Paris Airshow 2011
The U.S. F-35Cs – 5th-generation-fighter a/c – showed below are CATOBAR fighter jets. CATOBAR stands for Catapult Assisted Take Off But Arrested Recovery. It means that this variant of the F-35 JSF – Joint Strike Fighter aka Lightning II – is designed to be launched from a CV (Carrier Vessel aka aircraft carrier), and it is designed to land thanks to arrestor (or arresting) wires and hooks – Video:
Boeing Phantom Ray maiden flight
The Boeing J-UCAS (Joint-Unmanned Combat Air System) took off from Ewards U.S. Air Force Base on April 27, 2011. This stealthy drone has been developed from the X-45C.
Video of the first flight: