- B-2 Bomber - The B-2 Spirit, often called the Stealth Bomber, is one of the most advanced and iconic aircraft in the U.S. Air Force. Designed by
Northrop Grumman, it’s a long-range, heavy strategic bomber capable of delivering both conventional and nuclear weapons—all while remaining virtually invisible to radar. B-2 Bomber's sleek, flying-wing design and radar-absorbing
materials allow it to penetrate the most sophisticated enemy defenses. With a range of over 6,000 nautical miles unrefueled—and more than 10,000 with mid-air refueling—it can strike targets anywhere on the planet. It can carry
up to 40,000 pounds of ordnance, including precision-guided bombs and nuclear payloads. Only 21 were ever built, and just 19 remain in service today.
- F-55 Fighter Jet - The F-55 fighter jet isn’t an officially recognized
aircraft in the U.S. military’s current arsenal—it’s more of a concept. The F-55 is a proposed sixth-generation fighter jet intended to succeed the F-22 Raptor and features enhanced stealth, electronic warfare capabilities,
and a twin-engine design. However, experts have raised concerns about its feasibility, as it would require a complete redesign rather than just an upgrade.
- F-47 Fighter Jet - The F-47, developed by Boeing, is the first sixth-generation fighter jet officially contracted by the U.S. Air Force under the Next
Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program. It is designed to replace the F-22 Raptor and will integrate AI-controlled drone wingmen, advanced stealth, and superior range. The U.S. has offered the F-47 to Japan, signaling a shift
in military alliances.
- Chengdu J-20 - China’s Chengdu J-20, also known as the Mighty Dragon, is a fifth-generation stealth fighter developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation.
It is designed for air superiority and precision strikes, with advanced radar-evading capabilities. The J-20 has been in service since 2017, making China the second country to field an operational stealth aircraft.
- F-35 Lightning II - The F-35 is a fifth-generation multirole stealth fighter developed by Lockheed Martin. It comes in three variants:
F-35A (Air Force), F-35B (Marines), and F-35C (Navy). The F-35 is redefining aerial combat, eliminating the need for traditional dogfighting by using long-range missiles and advanced situational awareness. Lockheed Martin is also
working on a pilot-optional version.
- Saab Gripen E - The Saab Gripen E is Sweden’s latest multirole fighter, designed for high survivability and adaptability. It features advanced
electronic warfare systems, AI-assisted decision-making, and a revolutionary avionics architecture. The Gripen E is built for long-range missions and superior maneuverability, making it a strong competitor in modern air combat.
- There are several exciting developments in fighter jet technology. The fifth-generation fighter jets include America's F-35 Lightning II and F-22 Raptor, China's Chengdu J-20, and Russia's Sukhoi SU-57. The U.S. has unveiled the F-55,
a sixth-generation fighter jet designed to succeed the F-22 Raptor. Meanwhile, Boeing has secured the contract for the F-47, another sixth-generation stealth fighter that will fly alongside AI-controlled drone wingmen. China is making
strides with a new tailless stealth jet as its first flying sixth-generation fighter jet. Canada is reconsidering its purchase of F-35s and exploring alternatives like Sweden’s Saab Gripen E. The biggest difference between
5th and 6th-generation jets lies in stealth, artificial intelligence integration, and pilot-optional capabilities. While 5th-gen jets like the F-35 and J-20 rely heavily on stealth and networking, 6th-gen aircraft like
the F-47 incorporate autonomous drone wingmen to assist pilots in combat.
- Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a highly versatile stealth fighter with superior sensor integration and an advanced helmet display system. This American fighter jet is a fifth-generation stealth fighter designed
for multirole combat, including air superiority, strike missions, and electronic warfare. It is one of the most advanced aircraft in the world, featuring sensor fusion, low observability, and networked warfare capabilities.
The F-35 is often referred to as the "quarterback of the skies" due to its ability to coordinate operations across air, land, sea, space, and cyber domains.
- Stealth Technology: The F-35 is designed to evade radar detection, making it highly survivable in contested airspace.
- Sensor Fusion: It integrates data from multiple sensors to provide pilots with a comprehensive battlefield picture.
- Variants:
- F-35A: Conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant for the U.S. Air Force.
- F-35B: Short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant for the U.S. Marine Corps.
- F-35C: Carrier-based variant for the U.S. Navy.
- Global Adoption: Operated by multiple nations, including the U.S., UK, Italy, Japan, and Australia.
- Advanced Avionics: Features a helmet-mounted display system (HMDS) that allows pilots to see critical data directly on their visor.
- The F-35A -- the U.S. Air Force’s latest fifth-generation fighter -- replaces the U.S. Air Force’s aging fleet of
F-16 Fighting Falcons and A-10 Thunderbolt II’s, which have been the primary fighter aircraft since 1974, and bring with it an enhanced capability to survive in the advanced threat environment in which it was designed to operate.
The F-35A is a stealth jet -- its airframe, sensors and system are designed to operate undetected by enemy radar --, and provides enhanced situational awareness and advanced sensor that were designed to gather, fuse and distribute
more information than any fighter. The F-35A can fly more than 1,350 miles at the height of 50,000 feet (15 kilometers) with internal fuel (1,200+ nautical miles), unlimited with aerial refueling, and it can provide the pilot
with unsurpassed situational awareness, positive target identification and precision strike in all weather conditions. When comparing with Eurofighter Typhoon, the Typhoon is a twin-engine, highly maneuverable fighter with superior
speed and altitude capabilities, while the F-35 is a stealth aircraft with advanced sensor fusion and electronic warfare capabilities.
- F/A-18 Super Hornet, A twin-engine fighter designed for aircraft carrier operations, serving both as a fighter and an attack aircraft, is a twin-engine, carrier-capable multirole fighter developed by Boeing. It serves as the
backbone of the U.S. Navy's carrier air wing and is also operated by Australia and Kuwait. The Super Hornet continues to evolve, ensuring its relevance in modern air combat. Its key features include:
- Speed & Performance: Is optimized for carrier operations and multirole missions and can reach speeds of Mach 1.6 - max speed of 1,190 mph (1,915 km/h), with a service ceiling of 50,000 ft (15,240 m).
- Multirole Capability: Performs air superiority, strike missions, reconnaissance, and aerial refueling.
- Block III Upgrades: Includes enhanced networking, reduced radar cross-section, and an advanced cockpit system.
- Combat Proven: Extensively used in conflicts across the Middle East since its introduction in 2001.
- Eurofighter Typhoon, one of the most advanced fighter jets currently in operation, is a multirole fighter used by several European and Middle Eastern nations, featuring cutting-edge avionics, sensors, and weaponry.
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a highly advanced multirole fighter developed by a European consortium including the UK, Germany, Italy, and Spain. It features twin engines, a canard-delta wing design, and superior agility,
making it one of the most capable air superiority fighters in the world. The Typhoon, which is continuously upgraded to maintain its edge in modern air combat, has features:
- Speed & Performance: Can reach speeds of Mach 2.0 and operate at altitudes up to 55,000 feet.
- Advanced Avionics: Equipped with cutting-edge radar and electronic warfare systems.
- Helmet-Mounted Display: Pilots use the Striker HMSS helmet, which allows them to track and engage targets simply by looking at them.
- Combat Proven: Used in multiple air forces worldwide, including the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Saudi Arabia.
- Sukhoi Su-35, one of the most advanced fighter jets currently in operation, is a Russian air superiority fighter with advanced radar capabilities and max speed of 1,500 mph (2,400 km/h), with a service ceiling of 59,000 ft (18,000 m).
The Sukhoi Su-35 is a highly advanced 4.5-generation multirole fighter developed from the Su-27. It features thrust-vectoring engines, giving it exceptional maneuverability, and is equipped with the Irbis-E radar, which provides
long-range target detection. Comparing with Eurofighter Typhoon, the Su-35 boasts thrust-vectoring engines for extreme agility, while the Typhoon has superior avionics and radar systems. Despite its impressive capabilities, some
analysts argue that the Su-35 is overhyped, particularly in comparison to Western fighters with AESA radars and superior sensor fusion. However, it remains a formidable aircraft in air superiority and multirole combat.
- An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and facilities for carrying, arming,
deploying, and recovering aircraft; the length of a typical U.S. aircraft carrier runway is 300 feet while the length of a commercial airline runway run from 8,000 to 13,000 feet.
- The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a compact, multi-role fighter aircraft. It is highly maneuverable and has proven
itself in air-to-air combat and air-to-surface attack, and can locate targets in all weather conditions and detect low flying aircraft in radar ground clutter. In an air-to-surface role with a full load of internal fuel,
the F-16 can withstand up to 9 G's - nine times the force of gravity - that exceeds the capability of other current fighter aircraft, and can fly more than 500 miles (860 kms), deliver its weapons with superior accuracy,
defend itself against enemy aircraft, and return to its starting point; the first F-16 flight was 1974.
- Balloon carriers, which is a ship equipped with a balloon, usually tied to the ship by a rope or cable, were the first ships to deploy manned aircraft,
used during the 19th and early 20th century, mainly for observation purposes. Balloons launched from ships led to the formal development of balloon carriers, or balloon tenders, during World War I, by the navies in Great Britain,
France, Germany, Italy, Russia, and Sweden.
- An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing
airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and facilities for
carrying, arming, deploying, and recovering aircraft. As of January 2018, there are 41 active aircraft carriers in the world operated
by thirteen navies. The United States Navy has 11 large nuclear-powered fleet carriers (known as
supercarriers), carrying up to around 80 fighter jets each; China, France, India and Russia each operate a single medium-size carrier,
with capacity from 30 to 50 fighter jets. Italy operates two light fleet carriers and Spain operates one. Japan has 4 Helicopter carriers,
France has 3, Australia and Egypt, each has 2 , and South Korea, Thailand and the United Kingdom, each has 1.
- The B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic, jet-powered
strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing,
which has continued to provide support and upgrades. Introduced in the 1950s the B-52 bomber went through 6 major redesigns during the 5 year design period. The airplane is capable of carrying up to 70,000 pounds (32,000 kg) of weapons,
and has a typical combat range of more than 8,800 miles (14,080 km) without aerial refueling. The B-52's official name Stratofortress is rarely used; informally, the bomber has become commonly referred to as the BUFF
(Big Ugly Fat Fucker/Fella). Starting with the first flight on April 15, 1952, the B-52 completed sixty years of continuous service with its original operator in 2015. After being upgraded between 2013 and 2015, the B-52 bombers
are expected to serve until 2050s. There have been 744 B-52s built, but as of June 2019 there are only 58 are in active service, 18 in reserve, and approximately 12 more aircraft in long term storage.
- The Boeing 747 is a large wide-body airliner and
cargo aircraft manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes
in the United States. A Boeing 747 is a
quadjet airliner made up of six million parts, including engines each weighs around 9,500 pounds (4,300 kg), initially powered by JT9D turbofans, then
GE CF6 and Rolls-Royce RB211 for the original variants. This wide-body aircraft has
a 37.5° wing sweep, allowing a Mach 0.85 (490 kn; 900 km/h) cruise speed,
and its heavy weight is supported by four main landing gear legs with four-wheel bogies each. On September 30, 1968, the first Boeing 747 was rolled out of
the custom-built Everett Plant, the largest building by volume. With a ten-abreast economy seating, a Boeing 747 typically accommodates
366 passengers in three travel classes. The first flight took place on February 9, 1969 and the airliner/aircraft was certified in December of that year.
The first Boeing 747 entered service with Pan Am on January 22, 1970, was the first plane dubbed a "Jumbo Jet". By June 2019, 1,554
Boeing 747 aircrafts had been built; and as of January 2017, 60 of them have been
lost in accidents in which a total of 3,722 people died.
- The C919, China's first domestically designed and built large airliner made by
the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac), the 168-seat C919 is roughly the same size as Airbus's A320 and Boeing's 737-800, took off
May 5, 2017 from Shanghai Pudong International Airport into hazy skies with a five-person crew aboard. The jet landed one hour and 19 minutes later after a seemingly uneventful first trial.
- The Antonov 225 Mriya (AN-225) is
the biggest commercially used freighter in the world. Powered by six turbofan engines, it is the biggest heavier-than-air aircraft in terms of length (85.3m) and wingspan (88m) in operational service.
The aircraft built over 30 years ago can carry up to 250 tons of cargo.
- The world's new planes in 2017:
- The Queen Elizabeth (QE) Class Aircraft Carriers, scheduled entering service in 2020, will be the largest surface
warships ever constructed for the UK and represent a step change in joint capability. The ships will be 65,000 tonnes at full displacement - over three times the size of the Invincible Class aircraft carriers;
length: 280m - 90m longer than the existing aircraft carrier; width: 70m - twice the width of the existing aircraft carrier; and range; 8,000 to 10,000 nautical miles.
- There are five major manufacturers of civil transport aircraft. Boeing, Airbus, Ilyushin and
Tupolev concentrate on wide-body and narrow-body jet
airliners, while Bombardier, Embraer and Sukhoi concentrate on
regional airliners
- During WWII, there were 276,000 aircraft manufactured in the US; 43,000 planes were lost overseas, including 23,000 in combat
and 14,000 lost in the continental U.S.
- On August 6, 1945 the B-29 "Enola Gay" piloted by Colonel Paul Tibbets lifted off
the runway at Tinian Island and flew into Hiroshima, Japan to drop the world's first atomic bomb.
- In 1978, the Air Force awarded a full-scale development contract for the F-117A Stealth
Fighter to Lockheed Corporation's Advanced Development Projects (the famous Skunk Works); thirty one months later, on 18 June 1981, the F-117A made its
first flight.
- The X-51 Waverider can reach at a flight speed of Mach 6.0 (4,567 mph), the
F/A-18 has a top speed of Mach 1.8 (1,370 mph), and the maximum flight speed of Boeing 787
is 647 mph (Mach 0.85).
- The Dreamliner is the world's first commercial plane made mostly of lighter-weight composite materials. The plane cuts fuel consumption by 20 percent and
lowers operating costs by 30 percent. The first Dreamliner version, the 787-8, carries between 210 and 250 passengers. Boeing plans to deliver the 787-9,
which is longer and carries between 250 and 290 passengers, by early 2014. Boeing is currently studying a possible 787-10, which would be bigger than the 787-9.
- In 2011, the cost to build a
F-117 stealth fighter is $120 million, $156 million for a
F-35 stealth fighter, $339 million for a
F-22 stealth fighter, and $2.4 billion for a
B-2 stealth bomber.
- The Airbus A380 is the world's
largest passenger plane.
- The world's highest and fastest flying airplane is the North American X-15, which was designed in 1954 and first flown in 1959. The plane reached a peak
altitude of 354,200 feet (64 miles, 108 km) at a speed of 4,534 mph (7,295 kph).
- The first nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean, from Newfoundland, Canada, to Ireland, was made by two British aviators, Capt. John W. Alcock
(1892-1919) and Lt. Arthur W. Brown (1886-1948), on June 14, 1919
- The first man, who flew solo across the Atlantic Ocean, from New York (US) to Paris (France), was Charles A. Lindbergh (1902-1974).
- The first woman, who flew solo across the Atlantic Ocean, from Newfoundland, Canada, to Ireland, was Amelia Earhart (1897-1937).
- The first person who flew solo around the world in a balloon is Steve Fossett.
He departed western Austria on 6/18/2002 and returned on 7/4/200, exactly 13 days, 23 hours, 16 minutes, and 13 seconds later.
- Delta Air Lines is the world's largest airline in terms of
passenger traffic and fleet size. It carried 161,049,000 passengers domestically and internationally to and from 357 airports around the world in 2009.
- American Airlines retired
its entire A300 fleet. The last A300 trip occurred August 24, 2009 with the aircraft flying from Miami to New York's JFK International Airport.
- In 2009 the US domestic carriers: Aloha, ATA, Skybus, Eos, Silverjet, Maxjet, and Zoom were out of business. Midwest, Mesa Air, and Sun Country are on death watch. The airlines that aren't bankrupt have shrunk themselves and tried
to raise fares.
- Southwest Airlines has been the most profitable of airline companies since 1973.
United Airlines,
Continental Airlines (twice),
US Airways (twice),
Delta Air Lines, and
Northwest Airlines have all declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and were survived.
- The most expensive airline tickets in the world was sold to an Australian man for over US $100,000 by Singapore Airlines in 2007.
- As of August 20, 2009, Boeing built 1,418 Boeing 747 aircrafts. The cost for a 747-100 one is $24 million (1967); 747-200:
$39 million (1976); 747-300: $83 million (1982); 747-400: $228–260 million (2007); and 747-8: $285.5-300 million (2007).
- The black box carried on an airplane is actually painted bright orange to make it more visible in an aircraft's wreckage. It is a tough stainless
metal-and-plastic case containing two recorders, and is installed in the rear of the aircraft. The black box records information about airspeed, direction, altitude, accelerations, engine thrust, rudder, and spoiler positions
from sensors that are located around the aircraft.
- Flight attendants must not have any tattoos visible when a uniform is worn.
These requirements are designed to give the airlines a positive presentation.
- Most flight attendants are women, who were selected not only for their knowledge but also for their characteristics. A 1936
New York Times article described the requirements "The girls who qualify for hostesses must be petite; weight 100 to 118 pounds; height 5 feet to
5 feet 4 inches; age 20 to 26 years ... with perfect health". In 1966 New York Times classified ad for stewardesses "A high school graduate, single (widows and divorcees with no children considered),
20 years of age (girls 19 1/2 may apply for future consideration). 5'2" but no more than 5'9", weight 105 to 135 in proportion to height and have at least 20/40 vision without glasses."
- Flight attendants are members of an aircrew employed by airlines primarily to ensure
the safety and comfort of passengers aboard commercial flights. The world's first flight attendant
(Heinrich Kubis) was hired in 1912.
- British aviators John Alcock and Arthur Brown
made the first non-stop transatlantic flight in June 1919. They flew a modified First World War
Vickers Vimy bomber from St. John's,
Newfoundland, to Clifden,
Connemara, County Galway, Ireland.
- Near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, Orville and Wilbur Wright make the first successful flight in history of a self-propelled,
heavier-than-air aircraft. Orville piloted the gasoline-powered, propeller-driven biplane, which stayed aloft for 12 seconds and covered 120 feet on its inaugural flight.
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