A community portal about Fighter aircraft with blogs, videos, and photos. According to Wikipedia.org: A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for attacking other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed to...
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A community portal about Fighter aircraft with blogs, videos, and photos. According to Wikipedia.org: A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for attacking other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed to attack ground targets, primarily by dropping bombs. Fighters are comparatively small, fast, and maneuverable. They were developed in response to the fledgling use of aircraft and dirigibles in World War I for reconnaissance and ground attack roles. These early fighters were mostly wooden biplanes with light machine guns. As aerial warfare became increasingly important, so did control of the airspace. By World War II, fighters were predominantly metal monoplanes with wing-mounted cannon. Following the war, turbojets replaced piston engines as the means of propulsion, and missiles augmented or replaced guns. For historical purposes, jet fighters are classified by generation. The generation terminology was initiated by Russian defense parlance in referring to the F-35 Lightning II as a "fifth generation" plane. Years are not exact and intended as a guideline. Modern jet fighters are predominantly powered by one or two turbofan engines, armed primarily with missiles, with a cannon as backup armament, and equipped with a radar as the primary method of target acquisition.
Many nations in the world are turning to the Russian made Su-27 in the present period as the fighter aircraft of choice for their military air force. Is the Su-27 a superior fighter to lets say the F-15 Eagle ? No, not even close, but realize that indeed it is available to all nations as Russia does not discriminate to hostile or rogue nations in their arms deals; you got the cash, they got the planes and they are building more. So, why is everyone buying these aircraft and what is it that... Read Full Story
The Aeronautical Design and Development Centre (ADDC) bagged a multi-million multi-year contract from Swedish arms manufacturer SAAB to participate in the design and development of Gripen NG (Next Generation) fighter aircraft. This is the first contract being awarded to ADDC, which was set up by SAAB in partnership with IT bellwether Tata Consultancy Services in September 2008. ADDC was established to create design and development capabilities within India for both military and civil... Read Full Story
Alenia North America is actively looking for a US manufacturer to support or potentially lead its forthcoming campaign to sell the Alenia Aermacchi M-346 advanced trainer to the US Air Force. Boeing earlier this year forged a partnership with Alenia Aermacchi to help the Italian manufacturer with marketing the M-346 and M-311 basic trainer outside the USA. Alenia North America president Giuseppe Giordo says this partnership could be extended to include the US market, but that the company is... Read Full Story
Australia can expect to pay no more than $75 million for each new Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) - substantially less than some estimates. Dr Stephen Gumley, chief executive of Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO), said he regarded JSF as affordable. "I would be surprised that we would be paying more than about 75 million Aussie dollars a copy for the aircraft, measured in 2008 dollars," he told a parliamentary committee. Read more Read Full Story
A BAE Systems led test team has welcomed the short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the F-35 Lightning II (also known as the Joint Strike Fighter) to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, for flight testing. The first F-35B aircraft, designated BF-1, arrived at Patuxent River on 15 November. The Integrated Test Force team at the station will now begin a carefully planned programme of flights that will see the aircraft begin steeper and slower descents before achieving the... Read Full Story
The Swedes are joined by French and US defence companies that have stepped up their campaigns following reports that the Brazilian government is likely to delay its decision until October at the earliest. France's Dassault, which is fielding its high-tech Rafale fighter, had been seen as the frontrunner up to now because of a guarantee to share all technology with Brazil - a key requirement of the tender. But Sweden's Saab, offering a new generation of its cost-effective Gripen jet, and US... Read Full Story
The Brazilian air force has granted three competitors 10 more days to submit a final round of proposals to sell a minimum of 36 fighters under its FX-2 contract. The three finalists - the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Dassault Rafale F3 and Saab Gripen NG - now have until 2 October to complete their bids for the multi-billion dollar contract, according to an air force statement. Brazil is extending the tender at the request of the bidding teams. "The three competitors have shown... Read Full Story
Defense Minister Nelson Jobim said Wednesday that Brazil will continue to negotiate with the three companies competing to replace its aging fleet of fighter jets. Brazil's selection of a fighter jet has "not yet finished," Jobim said Wednesday, after France's Rafale had earlier been seen as the winner. "The selection process of the FX-2 project (to acquire 36 fighters), led by the Air Force, which is not yet over, will continue with negotiations with the three participants; they will be... Read Full Story
Brazil's air force said on Wednesday it had chosen U.S.-based Boeing Co., France's Dassault and Saab of Sweden as finalists in a tender for 36 fighter jets as part of a fleet renewal. The air force wants a next-generation, multi-role fighter jet to replace its entire fleet over the next 15 years. That could eventually increase the size of the jet order to more than 100 aircraft. Six manufacturers participated in the tender, but only Boeing's F-18 E/F Super Hornet, Dassault's Rafale, and... Read Full Story
Brazil has set a deadline for French manufacturer Dassault to finalize its bid for a multi-billion-dollar fighter jet contract, also increasing pressure on competing offers by Swedish and US firms. Dassault has until September 21 to "formalize before the Brazilian Air Force a commercial proposition for the Rafale fighter jet consistent with the parameters set by French President Nicolas Sarkozy," the Defense Ministry said in a statement late Friday. Lula has already indicated that Dassault... Read Full Story
