Military of China, force comment.
Military of China, force comment.

The picture shows the F-22 fighters for the U.S. military combat exercise Data Figure: Russian T-50 fifth-generation fighter-type test

from the mid-1940s appeared to jet engine-powered fighter appears, press the era, especially its technical level will be divided into three generations of fighter aircraft, is currently developing a fourth generation fighter aircraft.

1. The first generation

the late 1940s, flying slower than the speed of sound, subsonic combat aircraft, the maximum speed of M=0.8, a combat radius of about 400 ~ 800km, models of the United States on behalf of the F-86, the former Soviet MiG-15. In the Korean War, the Chinese People’s Volunteers MiG-15 and U.S. F-86 over the air, desperate for fighting against brain, this is the first time the two sides are the world’s first jet fighter combat. Have now retired, can only be seen in the aviation museum.

2. 2nd Generation

the late 1950s to the early seventies, the maximum flight speed of M-2.0, cruising speed M=0.8, a combat radius of about 1000km. Models of the United States on behalf of the F-104 (50 late), F-4 “Phantom”-style (early 1960s), the former Soviet Union’s MiG-21 (late 1950s), MiG-23 (early 1970s) , at present, most are still in service.

3. 3rd generation

grams in the 1970s so far. Features: high mobility, requiring aircraft thrust-weight ratio (thrust/weight of the aircraft) is greater than 1.0, the previous fighter thrust-weight ratio are small for this to be used a lot of advanced technology, especially the engine thrust-weight ratio (thrust/engine weight ) to reach 8.0. Aircraft can rise vertically, the largest aircraft flying M=2.1 ~ 2.3, cruise M=0.8, combat radius=800 ~ 2000km. Representative models are: the U.S. F-15 (1974), F-16 (1978), FA-18 (1980), the former Soviet Union’s MiG-29 (1983), Su-27 (1984). Su-27 at the Paris Air Show 1989, made a wonderful “Cobra” maneuver, it still did not forget, represents the 3rd generation fighter outstanding high mobility. These types of aircraft in service is still a powerhouse in the models.

4. 4th generation

1997 年 9 月 7 on the U.S. F-22 first flight, marking the 4th generation fighters will enter, then, Russia’s S-37, 1.44 U.S. Joint Strike Fighter JSF has had their first flight. F-22 in 2005, JSF (now ordered the F-35) to enter service around 2010; Russia’s two aircraft is due to economic problems, there is no clear plan.

two fourth-generation fighter features (mainly)

1. With high agility

2. Have a high stealth

3. a short takeoff and vertical landing capability

4. with supersonic cruise capability

5. with a multi-target attack capability

6. Buried type weapons bay

three. 3.5 generation fighter

European 卅四 countries (Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain) developed EF2000 “Typhoon” aircraft, the French developed the “Rafale” fighter Although third-generation fighter based on the development of next-generation fighter, because they do not have a supersonic cruise capability, so called “3.5 generation fighter.”

four fourth-generation fighters

on the sub-generation fighter, Europe and Russia have different name. The F-22, T-50, for example, Russia called for the fifth-generation fighter, while in Europe they are called fourth-generation fighters.

the development of fourth-generation fighter is the most advanced generation of fighter aircraft with built-in weapons, stealth design, but also can reduce the pilot work with a load, to improve their situational awareness of the integrated avionics system. Fourth-generation fighter aircraft are supersonic cruise features, low detectability, with easy maintenance and so on.

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