The article can be viewed by following this link: Why Planes Crash and How Technology is Keeping Us Safe

The article is about the causes of plane accidents and the precautions taken to try and prevent them. The article is interesting and informative and reveals a lot on the subject of plane catastrophes.

The legendary fighter called the McDonell Douglas F-4 Phantom II celebrated its 50th anniversary of active service in March 2008!

Picture of F-4 Phantom II above came from http://www.geocities.com

The Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor (more commonly known as the F-22 Raptor) was built in response to a request from the USAF for an Advanced Tactical Fighter. Its competitor was the McDonnell Douglas YF-23 Blackwidow. The Raptor won the competition and now is the main fighter of the USAF. It has partially replaced the F-15 Eagle (and Strike Eagle). The F-15 has been kept in service as not enough Raptors could be bought to fully replace it, due to the very high cost of the Raptor. The US is not willing to sell any Raptors to other countries.

The Raptor is mainly an air superiority fighter, meaning that it can invade and keep airspace and eliminate airborne threats nearby. It can also be used for ground attack, but is better suited to the air-to-air role. It is one of the most advanced fighters in the world. It has many displays in the cockpit giving the pilot vital information without overloading him.

One of the Raptor’s main advantages is stealth, which means that it is very difficult to detect by radar. It does this by deflecting radar signals away with its peculiar shape and is built of materials, which absorb much of the signals. It keeps its weapons on the inside of the plane, as weapons give a large radar cross section. It also can supercruise, meaning that it can fly faster than sound without the use of afterburner, which gives a very visible heat signature and wastes a lot of fuel. Its engines are slightly hidden by the nozzles at the back of the aircraft. All this means that the Raptor is almost invisible to radar and is very difficult for an enemy plane to lock on to. It also means that the Raptor, with its very effective radar, can see and shoot at enemies long before they see the Raptor. An enemy wishing to shoot down the Raptor would find it almost impossible to get a lock on a Raptor for radar guided missiles. It would find getting a lock for heat seeking missiles very hard, meaning it has to get in close and use guns and hope that the Raptor does not shoot it down before then. In the case of an enemy fighter managing to guide a missile to the Raptor, the Raptor has flares and chaff to confuse the missile. As dogfights very rarely happen nowadays, being able to win in a BVR (Beyond Visual Range) air fight is very important. The Raptor can do this very effectively. Also, the F-22 could be used along with B-2 Spirit stealth bombers to provide an almost invisible strike force.

Another advantage is thrust vectoring. The nozzles at the back of the Raptor direct the thrust from the Pratt and Whitney jet engines up or down, to give the Raptor extra manoeuvrability. The pilot does not have control over the nozzles or any control surface. The plane is aerodynamically unstable, so computers are needed to interpret the pilot’s commands and then move the control surfaces and nozzles in complicated ways, which a pilot could never do, to perform the action. The F-22 can also withstand 9G for long periods of time. In the event of a close fight, the F-22 also has a number of advantages over many other fighters.

But does all this mean that the F-22 is the best? It seems that no other fighter has all the advantages that the Raptor has, so it looks like that, in an air-to-air fight, the Raptor would most likely win. But this is not the only thing that air forces around the world need. The Eurofighter Typhoon equips the British, German, Italian and Spanish air forces, which are the countries involved in the building of the Typhoon. 72 were also sold to Saudi Arabia. The Typhoon can do almost all that the F-22 can, with the exception of stealth and thrust vectoring. The Eurofighter is slightly stealthy, but not as stealthy as the Raptor. However, the Eurofighter seems to be very good at air-to-air combat (though perhaps not as good as the Raptor) as it is very manoeuvrable, due to the high degree of aerodynamic unstableness. It can also supercruise and is slightly stealthy. But not only this, it is also perhaps better suited to ground attack than the Raptor and is much cheaper. Some might say that the Eurofighter is more cost effective. Another rival for the Raptor is the Sukhoi Su-35 Super Flanker. It is more manoeuvrable than the Raptor, with thrust vectoring nozzles which not only point up and down but also left and right. It is also fairly stealthy and cheaper than the F-22. Also, the Sukhoi PAK FA, if it comes out, will be extremely similar to the Raptor, so a very dangerous rival.

Though the Raptor seems to be the best air-to-air fighter around at the moment, we must not forget how important roles such as ground attack and ground support are and that other planes might perform these other roles better. It is also likely that other similar fighters to the Raptor will come out in the near future.

MORE INFORMATION ON THE RAPTOR CAN BE VIEWED ON THE “FIGHTERS” PAGE

Random Helcopter fact- The RAH-66 Comanche was going to be a US Reconnaisance/Attack Helciopter with stealth features. Part of its job was going to be designating targets for the AH-64 Apaches, the premier US attack helicopter. Unfortunately, due to cost, the Comanche was cancelled in 2004.

Random Plane Fact: The Northrop/Mcdonell Douglas YF-23 Black Widow II lost to the Lockheed Martin YF-22 Lightning II in the Advanced Tactical Fighter competition. The YF-23 was named after the P-61 Black Widow from the second world war. The YF-22 Lightning II is now called the F-22 Raptor. The F-35 has been given the name “Lightning II” instead.

however, from sunday 17th, I will be away for another week

There is still a plane on the What Plane Is It page!

Random plane fact: The Lockheed Martin X-35 (now F-35 Lightning II) was chosen over the Boeing X-32 in the US Joint Strike Fighter competition. The F-35 is named after the P-38 Lightning from the Second World War.

I will be going on holiday tomorrow (Saturday 19th July). This will last 23 days (up to 11th August). Unfortunately, this will mean that I will not be able to update my blog during that time. There is a new plane on the “What Plane Is It” page which you can identify. After that there will be no more planes until soon after 11th August. Feel free to comment during that time, I will read it as soon as possible after I get back. If you comment on the “What Plane Is It” page or the “Your Favourite Planes” page during that time, I will tell you if you got it right and update the scores soon after I get back.

Random Plane Fact: The F-117 Nighthawk was kept secret for 7 years after its first flight (first flight= 1981, revealed to world= 1988).

There is a new plane on the “What Plane Is It” page! Try and see if you can recognise it! If you can, say what it is in a comment. I have blurred it and added some colours to make it harder! Try it!

You could also tell us about your favourite plane on the “Your Favourite Planes” page!

The first letter of these codenames tells us the use of the equipment.

For missiles, A is for Air to Air, K is for Air to Surface (from the Russian designation Kh), S is for Surface to Surface and G is for Surface to Air (The G is from Ground to Air).

For planes, the NATO reporting names are even simpler.
F is for Fighter or Ground Attack Aircraft, B is for Bombers, C is for Cargo Aircraft, H is for Helicopters and M is for Miscellaneous which can include reconnaisance planes, tankers, trainers etc.

Here are some examples of NATO reporting names.

MiG 29 Fulcrum
Su-27 Flanker

Tu-95 Bear
Tu-22 Blinder

Tu-144 Charger
Tu-134 Crusty

etc.

There have not been very many posts recently, I aim to do more in the future, but it is difficult to find time! I will soon bring out a post on NATO codenames.

But now I will show you two very interesting comments by dr. nick stage–PHD which he put onto my old blog (I used to have a different blog, but then I started this one which is better).

Here are the comments by dr. nick stage–PHD :

Comment 1:

“The new Russian Sukhoi SU-37 jet fighter aircraft
can be modified into a new SU-37 ULTRA-SUPER
FLANKER Jet.

There would be a 2-man crew–PILOT, and sitting in tandem with the Navigator-Weapons REO Officer.

A new engine, a modified Llukya AL-41,
would weigh–with after-burner, 2,950 Lbs.,
and in non-after-burner mode generate
27,700 lbs. of thrust–a thrust to weight
ratio of 9.4-to-1.0.
In after-burner operations, the maximum
thrust of 46,350 lbs. of thrust–a 16.6
to-1.00 the thrust to weight ratio.

Combat Radius—–970 miles–2-engined versions.
Combat Radius—–786 miles–3-engine versions.

Climb Rate—79,500 feet per minute-2 jet engines.
Climb Rate—94,200 feet per minute-3 jet engines.

Service ceiling altitude–70,480 feet.

A compression Ratio of 33.8-1.00; comparable
to the new USAF F-22 “Raptor” jet engine 35.10
to 1.00 compression Ratio.

Aircraft base weight————29,600 lbs.
Fully loaded aircraft weight—-61,000 lbs.

both above–2 new jet engines.

Total aircraft weight-to-thrust ratio
of 1.00-to-1.52.
——————————

With the 3-engined version——–38,230 lbs.,
base weight, and 72,000 lbs, fully-loaded.
Total aircraft weight to thrust ratio of
1.00-to-2.44.

All 2-engined versions would have 2 jet
engines with vectored-exhaust thrust nozzles.

In the 3-engined version, the center-engine
would be used to keep the aircraft steadied.
This center engine would not have vectored thrust,
but it’s maximum thrust, in after-burner mode
would be 61,650lbs. of thrust—–essentially
a turbo-rocket RAM JET, for a “max-thrust”
for periods of up to 225 seconds–in Methane Gas
Injection!
To elaborate further:
There would Methane Gas Injection into
a tapered exhaust-section, giving this jet
a “kick-boot” in climbing.

In terms of G-loads—–maximum in turns–14.2 Gs.
In flight, a negative 4.5 Gs and up to a positive
12.5 Gs.

———————————–

On-board armaments:

1—-44 MILLIMETER CANNON–Nose of aircraft
with 109 rounds—3 per second of cyclic rate of fire. Each of the cannon shell would have a fusing
proximity-control to cause rounds to explode
in a shower of fragments 20-to-30 meters from
enemy target jet.
Shell velocity —4,400 feet per second.

2—-60-caliber wing machine guns—490 rounds
each, with a cyclic firing rate of 1,050 rounds
per minute–or 18.4 rounds per second.
Each round would have depleted-coated “slug”.

4-to-6 “Super-Phoenix”-type air-to-air missiles
with an effective 240-kilometer range, at
MACH 5.65. These missiles would be anti-satellite
ASAT-capable, also, especially during a modified
“Pugachev Cobra” manuever.
ALSO;
These missiles will carried internally
like in the USAF F-22 “Raptor” jets air-to-air
missiles.

On the wing “hard-points”, 4 “Super Sidewinder”
air-to-air missile—13.6 kilometer range
and at MACH 3.5 ,in speed.
Hard-points with missiles would have
a 11.8 G maximum turning force, before this G-force
would tear-off the missiles in a turn.

On board-avionics will be able to track
up to 10 targets, at the same time.

———————————————–

Instead of a long runway for take-off,
the mode of launching this aircraft would
be railed-sleds that are 580 meters in length.
This will be a 60-degree up-angle of launching
sled system.

The aircraft would have 4-to-8 JATO-RATO
launch-boosters, each generating 8,700 lbs of thrust for 22-to-31 seconds.
These rocket JATO-RATO boosters would be
jettisoned 3 seconds before aircraft lifts-off
from the launch-sled. G-Load–7.7-to-9.0Gs.

Just before launching this aircraft on the rail-
sleds, by 10 seconds before JATO-RATO ignition,
the aircraft will be in FULL-POWER-THROTTLE
Mode. At Lift-Off, the middle or core engine
will have a 35 second injection of Liquid
Methane into both the Combustor stages, but also
a 45 second Liquid Methane injection the
after-burner section, for a added “kick-boost”.

During this time, the two outer engines
will be at “full throttle”, at a vectored-exhaust
upward angle of 50 degrees for 24 seconds, then
back to horizontal-mode.

==============================================

This is my proposal for this ULTRA-SUPER-
FLANKER—call it the Sukhoi SU-37MMM-k-3,
or the “Super-Terminator” for the twin-engined
version, and the “Ultra-Terminator” ,for the
3-engined version.

Thank You:

from Dr. Nick Stage–PHD.
Indiana.”

Comment 2:

“As a back-up:

This proposed Ultra-Flanker-Ultra Terminator
Sukhoi Jet, would be MACH-2.0-capable at Sea Level,
a cruising speed at a maximum of MACH 2.75-plus,
and a maximum speed in the 2-engined version
of MACH 3.10, and in the 3-engined version
a MAXIMUM SPEED–for up to 395-430 seconds of
MACH 3.50-plus.

Thanks Again:
from
Dr. Nick Stage-PHD.
Indiana. ”

Thanks for the comments!