Aviation
Fighter Jets Series (F- Series)
Below, you can view and compare between the different fighter jets in the F-series. The pictures below are from piabay.
F-14 Tomcat
The American F-14 Tomcat is a twin engine, multirole fighter jet (made by Grumman Corp) with variable-sweep wings allowing it to reach speeds up to Mach 2.2, twice the speed of sound. It entered service in 1974 and is now retired from the US Navy.
Multiple variants of this fighter jet were made, upgrading its hardware and software each time. It allowed for faster speeds (from improved engines), better missile protection (from the new software), and so much more.
Did you know that: 1) the F-14 was the largest and heaviest US fighter to takeoff from an aircraft carrier; 2) its fuselage alone can provide 40-60% of the lift for the plane; 3) it was the only plane to launch 6 of the AIMG-54 Phoenix missile (1,000 pounds)!
F-15C Eagle and
F-15E Strike Eagle
The American F-15C Eagle (bottom image) and F-15E Strike Eagle (top image) are two double engine fighter jets with varients in their roles and capabilities still in service in the USAF (made by McDonnell Douglas).
The C variant is the original model being an air superiority fighter that entered service in 1976. The E variant, created from the C model, was created for high speed and long-range missions, making it an multirole fighter whichentered service in 1989.
Did you know that: 1) the F-15 can fly at Mach 2.5 (1,900 mph) with nearly 60,000 pounds of thrust, making it the fastest climber in 1975; 2) it can be used to launch and even destroy satellites!
F-16 Fighting Falcon
The USAF made F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single engine fighter with flight speed going up to Mach 1.6. First built as an air superiority fighter, it was later transformed into a multirole fighter by General Dynamics and entered service in 1978. It is currently in service in 25 nations, including the United States.
Did you know that: 1) the F-16 was called to intercept hijacked planes on 9/11; 2) the US has developed an unmanned F-16!
F/A-18 Hornet
The F-18 Hornet is a multirole, twin-engine aircraft with full capabilities as a fighter and attack aircraft (as mentioned in its name). Manufactured by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) and Northrop Grumman, this fighter entered service in 1983 and has a top speed of Mach 1.8.
Did you know that: 1) the F-18 can act as airborne tanker giving it the ability to refuel planes in the air; 2) it can be loaded with the following destructive weapons: M61A1/A2; AIM 9 Sidewinder, AIM-9X, AIM 7 Sparrow, AIM-120 AMRAAM, Harpoon, Harm, SLAM, SLAM-ER, Maverick missiles; Joint Stand-Off Weapon; Joint Direct Attack Munition; Data Link Pod; Paveway Laser Guided Bomb!
F-22 Raptor
The F-22 Raptor is a dual engine, stealth, air superiority fighter made by Lockheed Martin from the USAF ATF (air tactical fighter) program. First in service on December 15th, 2005, its a highly capable fighter skilled in ground attack, electronic warfare, and signal intelligence with its program cost landing at nearly 80 billion dollors (in 2011).
Did you know that: 1) the F-22 cannot and hos not been exported to other countries; 2) its first combat mission wasn't until 2014 (9 years after it entered service), mostly due to its high cost of $67,000 per hours; 3) its kill ratio is 108 to 0, winning every single battle!
F-35 Lightning II
The F-35 Lightning II is a single engine, stealth, multirole fighter made by Lockheed Martin with three different variants: F-35 A, B, and C. The three were entered into service on different dates ranging from 2015 for the B variant to 2019 for the C variant.
The A variant, used for CTOL, is optimized for a conventional runway and is mostly used by the USAF. The B variant (used by the marine corps) is meant for STOVL, meaning it can operate vertical takeoff and landing with the health of a lift fan, roll nozzles, and a swivel duct. The C variant, a CV, is used on aircraft carriers and is the newest of the three being used by the navy.
Did you know that: 1) the F-35 is the first STOVL aircraft that can exceed the speed of sound with a max speed of Mach 1.6; 2) it has an AI helmet allowing pilots to "look through" the plane and see important information from their helmet; 3) its the first stealth aircraft to be sold outside the US; 4) it has a total of about 300,000 different parts!