The Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot bi-turbojet attack fighter was created by the Sukhoi design bureau in 1968 to provide close air support for ground troops (CAS), following the failure of other Soviet fighters of the time, such as the MiG-21 and MiG-23, to perform CAS missions and to fill the Soviet Air Force’s need for a …
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat, regarded as the frontline US Navy fighter during the Cold War, was constructed by the Grumman Corporation to satisfy unique Navy needs for a carrier-based multi-purpose fighter and to sustain air superiority, particularly after the Soviets made significant advances. It was characterized by its variable-geometry wings, a twin tail, and a …
The Sukhoi Su-27 single-seat supersonic interceptor, popularly known as the Flanker in NATO, is a fourth-generation Soviet fighter that has been largely considered one of the greatest fighters of the 1990s. This multi-role fighter was powered by two puissant Lyulka AL-31F after-burning turbofan engines, and has a blended wing/body (BWB), where the wings and fuselage …
The P-51 fighter, created to protect allied bombers in the air, played a crucial role in achieving air dominance. With 8,000 aircraft manufactured, the P-51D variant was the most popular of all P-51 models. Though the Royal Air Force had been using the Mustang as a long-range escort fighter since 1942, the first American-owned Mustangs …
The McDonnell Douglas (Boeing currently) F-15E two-seat strike eagle is an improved variant of the US air-superiority fighter F-15 built to undertake ground strikes and air-to-air combat in any weather conditions, day or night, employing modern avionics and armament systems. The E model’s exceptional maneuverability is attributed to its powerful Pratt & Whitney F100-229 after-burning …
MC-130E/H Series Primary Role: Infiltration, exfiltration, and resupply of special operations forces “Combat Talon I” & “Combat Talon II” The MC-130E/H aircraft provide global, day, night and adverse weather capability to infiltrate, resupply and exfiltrate U.S. and allied special operations forces. The MC-130E “Combat Talon I” also has a deep penetrating helicopter refueling role during special …
Primary Role: Strategic Reconnaissance From an early date, the Boeing C-135 was recognized as an excellent airframe for various special missions. One of these was strategic reconnaissance, using the aircraft’s capacious cabin to house large amounts of electronic equipment. Designated RC-135, these aircraft can be detached on a global basis to cover areas of the world …
Mission The McDonnell Douglas KC-10A Extender is an advanced aerial tanker and cargo aircraft designed to provide increased global mobility for U.S. armed forces. Although the KC-l0’s primary mission is aerial refueling, it can combine the tasks of a tanker and transport aircraft by refueling fighters and simultaneously carrying the fighter support personnel and equipment on …
Overview The Antonov An-124 Ruslan was designed in the mid-1970s to replace the turboprop-powered Antonov An-22. It is slightly larger than its U.S. counterpart, the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, but smaller than the An-225 “Cossack” which was originally designed to carry the Russian space shuttle. The first prototype (SSSR 82002, Number 318) flew on 26 December 1982 and made its …
Mission During the 1950s the versatile Lockheed C-130 Hercules was originally designed as an assault transport but was adapted for a variety of missions, including: special operations (low-level and attack), close air support and air interdiction, mid-air space capsule recovery, search and rescue (SAR), aerial refueling of helicopters, weather mapping and reconnaissance, electronic surveillance, fire …
