War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

Hornet Mk.III

2024-10-16T11:18:56Z

U138796218: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = British twin-engine fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the premium version
| link = Hornet Mk.I
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=hornet_mk3
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The DH.103 Hornet was a twin engine fighter developed by the de Havilland Company as a successor to the DH.98 Mosquito. The aircraft was introduced into the RAF at the end of World War II with the intention of being used in the Pacific Theatre against the Japanese Empire. It had notably long range, which was an excellent choice for covering large portions of land and sea in the colonies far from Europe. The aircraft was also used in strike missions during the Malayan Emergency, and it served from 1946-1956. The Hornet Mk.III was the most common variant of the Hornet with a total of 132 built.

Introduced in [[Update 1.71 "New E.R.A."]], the Hornet sits at a BR where it can face both jets and very high-performance piston engine fighters. Common threats for the Hornet are the P-51H, the Bf 109 K, and early jets such as the F-80C and F-2H Banshee. The Hornet starts with an air defence fighter spawn. This allows the Hornet to climb to very high altitudes from the beginning of the match and have a good position from which start diving into enemies. The Hornet lacks an airbrake, but also has a hard time gaining speed past 750 km/h, this is very helpful to avoid being pursued by other props, since you can stay in a dive much longer than them. The Hornet also has very good high speed handling and it will pull high G turns at those speeds without any problem. But it is still a very large aircraft and not very manoeuvrable compared to a single engine fighter, so staying fast and high is its best bet.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


For pilots who loved the Mosquito, the Hornet is a dream come true.

As a descendant of the [[Mosquito FB Mk VI]], it maintains many similarities to its older brother, namely an all-wooden construction and the iconic de Havilland tail design. However, the Hornet somehow managed to improve on the already excellent Mosquito platform, increasing speed, manoeuvrability and armament while reducing overall aircraft proportions. From takeoff and into its flight, the Hornet is an overall smooth operator with brutal speed, insane climb rate, and excellent manoeuvrability, especially for a twin-engined fighter. However, it's still a twin-engined fighter which means it can still be outmanoeuvred by most single-engined opponents which it faces, namely Bf 109s and most Italian fighter aircraft.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 5,791 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 716 || 698 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 26.8 || 27.5 || 19.2 || 19.2 || rowspan="2" | 500
|-
! Upgraded
| 833 || 787 || 23.9 || 24.0 || 44.1 || 30.3
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 826  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 370 || 356 || 287 || ~8 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 420 || < 390 || < 450 || > 324
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


* 38 mm Bulletproof glass in front of the pilot
* 12.7 mm Steel plate behind the pilot
* Two 3 mm Steel boxes behind the pilot in the fuselage
* Critical components located at the front of aircraft (fuel, pilot, engine, controls)
* Lots of fuel tanks in the wings

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

Your intended role of the Hornet decides which upgrades you go for first. When going for a ground attacker, focus on the payload modules and cannon upgrades, with survivability modules coming next due to needing to lower the extra weight the payloads add.

When going for any other role, the belts and cannons should come first, followed by the performance upgrades, ultimately leading to Engine Injection and 150 octane fuel, adding a whopping 245 and 288 horsepower respectively.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|Hispano Mk.V (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 4 x 20 mm Hispano Mk.V cannons, chin-mounted (190 rpg = 760 total)

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}


The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
| rowspan="6" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_Hornet_Mk.I.png]]</div>
|-
! [[G.P. Mk.IV (500 lb)|500 lb G.P. Mk.IV]] bombs
| || || 1* || 1* || ||
|-
! [[M.C. Mk.I (1,000 lb)|1,000 lb M.C. Mk.I]] bombs
| || || 1* || 1* || ||
|-
! [[AP Mk I]] rockets
| 2 || 2* || || || 2* || 2
|-
! [[AP Mk II]] rockets
| 2 || 2* || || || 2* || 2
|-
! [[RP-3]] rockets
| 2 || 2* || || || 2* || 2
|-
| colspan="8" | * Bombs on hardpoints 3/4 cannot be equipped in conjunction with rockets on adjacent hardpoints
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* Without load
* 8 x AP Mk I rockets
* 8 x AP Mk II rockets
* 8 x RP-3 rockets
* 2 x 500 lb G.P. Mk.IV bombs (1,000 lb total)
* 2 x 1,000 lb M.C. Mk.I bombs (2,000 lb total)
{{Navigation-End}}

== Usage in battles ==

Being a descendant of the legendary [[Mosquito FB Mk VI|Mosquito]], one should expect a similar playstyle with the Hornet. However, due to the vastly improved performance, the aircraft can perform amicably in most situations it is thrown in.

'''Fighter''': The Hornet does very well in a dogfighting situation for a heavy fighter. It can use its powerful quad [[Hispano Mk.V (20 mm)|Hispano Mk.Vs]] to shred any fighter which falls within its gun sights. The incredible top speed and acceleration/climb rate allow it to gain and maintain energy advantages over most of its competition. From there the Hornet can pick and choose when to attack. Since you cannot fall back on manoeuvrability to shake enemy fighters from your six, playing the Hornet requires good situational awareness and a general understanding of the enemies' top speed, climb rate, and energy, as you must prevent enemy fighters from catching you if you want to stay alive. Never assume you can outmanoeuvre an enemy plane, so always rely on speed and altitude to stay alive. While flying the Hornet can often require periods of extending/increasing your energy advantage before re-engaging, it is important to stay aggressive. Support your teammates whenever you can (clearing enemies from their six, dragging enemies away so they can focus on a single enemy, etc.) or you may soon find yourself alone versus multiple enemy fighters, a situation even the powerful Hornet can struggle in. The Hornet's ability to swoop in, make a high-speed guns pass, then extend away safely vs everything with a propeller can make it a valuable addition to any team. Even if it can't get guns on target, the enemy has to dodge the Hornet and this provides opportunities for more nimble allies to secure easy kills.

However, one should take note that most single-engined fighters (and even some medium bombers) will turn circles around the Hornet, so turn-fighting should be avoided whenever possible. Use the Hornet's high speed, climb rate, and energy retention to stay safe from enemy guns until opportunities to attack present themselves, because the Hornet will not be winning many turnfights. Pretty much any plane with forward-facing guns can cut inside the Hornet's turning radius at most speeds, so never enter 1-circle turnfights. The Hornet can however, win prolonged rate fights vs other poor turners with significantly less engine power (such as Do 335s), as the massive amount of power it generates allows it to maintain speed throughout turns even with the combat/takeoff flaps deployed. This is generally not the best way to fly the hornet, even when the rare opportunity to turnfight presents itself, as a low and slow Hornet is extremely vulnerable to anything that finds it.

High speed and great climb rate coupled with its amazing armament make the Hornet an extremely potent user of the Boom & Zoom fighting doctrine. Always attempt to maintain an energy and altitude advantage versus the enemy aircraft and avoid tunnel vision which means, be aware of the aircraft around you. Tunnel vision prevents you from seeing an enemy aircraft get the drop on you until its too late and either tracer fire is whizzing past or the Hornet's engine is on fire.

'''Ground Attacker:''' When upgraded, the Hornet can load 4 AP or RP-3 rockets and two 1,000 lb bombs. This, combined with the performance of the Hornet and power of the Hispanos allow it to be an amazing ground attacker that can shred any ground target in sight. The AP rockets are your best bet when it comes to ground attack, as they are more accurate than the RP-3s, fly faster, impact harder and penetrate more armour. However, when destroying light targets, the RP-3s are better due to the increased explosive filler.

'''Bomber Hunter''': Due to its amazing performance, powerful armament and air defence fighter spawn point, the Hornet can make for a powerful interceptor when played carefully. Climb to bomber altitudes (4,000 metres and up) and begin prowling for a target. When attacking bombers, the worst angle of attack is from the rear, typically most bombers have their heaviest armament here, not to mention bullet impact is harder (especially from .50 calibre machine guns and 20 mm cannons) as the aircraft is flying towards a speeding bullet, increasing the damage it will do and the likelihood of being hit. Notable examples you can encounter at this rank are the [[B-29A-BN]], [[B-17G-60-VE]], [[PB4Y-2]], [[He 177 A-5]], [[G8N1]] and the premium [[Be-6]]. Remember, the body of the aircraft can soak up a lot of damage, instead dive from above or climb from below and aim for the wings, without engines or a wing, the bomber will fall like a rock. Attacking from oblique angles makes it difficult for the bomber gunners to acquire a target solution and causes them to traverse and fire which spreads out their bullet patterns making it more difficult to hit a speeding target.

=== Manual Engine Control ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
|-
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
! colspan="3" | Radiator
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
|-
! Oil !! Water !! Type
|-
| Controllable || Controllable Auto control available || Not controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Auto control available || Combined || Controllable 2 gears || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent armament, the Hispano Mk.V has a high rate of fire and causes a lot of fragmentation damage
* Extremely quick, can compete with some of the best single-engined fighters
* Has excellent payload options, several varieties of rockets and up to 2,000 lb in bombs
* Good amount of ammo for the cannons
* One of the fastest props at all altitudes
* Fantastic climb rate, especially when spaded, can beat the Do 335s to altitude
* Air defense fighter spawn means the Hornet will spawn higher than all planes except bombers.
* Thin body for a twin-engined fighter
* Experience with the Mosquito transitions between the planes
* Control surfaces remain effective even at redline speeds (which is good because speed is necessary to staying alive)

'''Cons:'''

* Not great at destroying heavy bombers like the He 177, susceptible to engine damage or a knocked out pilot
* Poor roll rate and turn rate
* Poor engine performance at high altitude
* Terrible nose authority due to rudder performance
* Despite the durable construction, the Hornet is made out of wood, meaning you cannot take much damage and remain in the fight
* Fires deal serious damage to the wooden airframe
* Wings are littered with fuel tanks
* Despite the thin body, it is still a large target
* Carrying the max payload has a significant effect on flight performance

== History ==

The de Havilland Hornet first started out as a private venture by the de Havilland company. Having built the extremely successful Mosquito multi-role fighter, the company wants to improve on the design to make a faster and longer ranged heavy fighter. The project was soon developed to meet the Air Ministry specification F.12/43, which called for a fast, long-range fighter that operated in the Far East, in fact, the design was drawn around the Hornet. The first prototype was a more streamlined, smaller Mosquito with more powerful Rolls-Royce Merlin engines. The wings were designed for adaptation for naval uses and could fold. Pilot comfort and stability had a very high priority. According to accounts by test pilots, the Hornet is easily capable of taking on single engine fighters. It entered Squadron service in mid-1946. However, it was rarely used as World War Two was drawing to a close. Instead, the plane saw combat operations during the Malayan Emergency and continued to serve the RAF until 1956.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=hornet_mk3 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|SKeFUWKudoY|'''The Shooting Range #63''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 07:39 discusses the Hornet.}}

== See also ==


* [[Mosquito FB Mk VI]]
* [[Ki-83]]
* [[He 219 A-7]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/4913-development-de-havilland-hornet-deadly-sting-en|[Development] De Havilland Hornet: Deadly Sting!]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/378375-hornet-mkiii/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer deHavilland}}
{{Britain fighters}}

Me 262 C-2b

2024-10-12T07:08:06Z

U138796218: A bit more about pros and cons.

{{About
| about = German jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Me 262 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=me-262c-2b
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==


To combat constant Allied bomber raids, the need for a high-performance interceptor was at an all-time high. Many proposals and designs were made and one of those designs was the Me 262 C-2b, a variant based on the Me 262 A series fitted with rocket boosters. Nicknamed the "Home Defender", it would retain the two normal turbojets with the addition of two rocket boosters, one mounted on top of each engine exhaust. Although the idea was thought of in 1943, it would take two years for the only 262 C-2b prototype to take flight in March 1945. During the test flight, it boasted an incredible climb rate and was able to reach 30,000 feet (9,100 metres) in three minutes. However, the Me 262 C-2b arrived far too late into the war.

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' was introduced in [[Update 1.41]]. Since the C-2b is based on the Me 262 A, it has four MK 108 30 mm cannons mounted in the nose. Unfortunately, the MK 108s are insufficient at jet battle ratings. The velocity requires excessive lead compared to other cannons and the MK 108's lack significant effective range. The 262 C-2b has around six minutes of booster fuel, and it should be mainly used in accelerating to a suitable speed. Once the booster fuel runs out, the C-2b becomes outclassed by many of its opponents. The Me 262 C-2b is a capable plane, however players should expect it to be difficult to use.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 6,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 824 || 797 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 31.6 || 32.5 || 16.5 || 15.6 || rowspan="2" | 628
|-
! Upgraded
| 909 || 865 || 29.3 || 30.3 || 24.0 || 20.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || X || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 498 || 469 || 320 || ~11 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 500 || < 600 || < 680 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="3" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="1" | Empty mass || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel, no booster fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | BMW 003-R || 2
| colspan="1" | 4,775 kg || colspan="2" | 260 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="2" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load, no booster fuel) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 6m fuel || 20m fuel
|-
| 673 kg || colspan="2" | Axial-flow turbojet
| 5,070 kg || 5,653 kg || 8,000 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="3" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (108%, no booster)
|-
! Condition || 100% || 108%
! 6m fuel || 20m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 801 kgf || 910 kgf
| 0.36 || 0.32 || 0.23
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 801 kgf (0 km/h) || 910 kgf (0 km/h)
| 0.35 || 0.32 || 0.23
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | Booster (BMW 109-718 - Liquid-fuel rocket)
! colspan="3" | Aircraft mass
|-
! rowspan="2" | Number || rowspan="2" | Booster weight (each) || rowspan="2" | Fuel weight (each) || rowspan="2" | Burn Time || rowspan="2" | Can be shutdown|| rowspan="2" | Jettisoned after use
! colspan="2" | Mass with full booster fuel (no weapons load)
|-
! 6m fuel || 20m fuel
|-
| 2 || 165 kg || 850 kg || 163s || Yes || No
| 6,770 kg || 7,353 kg
|-
! colspan="2" rowspan="2" | Condition
! colspan="2" rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Maximum booster thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each booster, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="2" rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Combined engine & booster thrust @ 0 m|The total thrust produced by all engines and boosters. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="3" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (108% with booster)
|-
! 6m fuel || 20m fuel
|-
| colspan="2" | ''Stationary'' || colspan="2" | 1,224 kgf || colspan="2" | 4,268 kgf
| 0.63 || 0.58
|-
| colspan="2" | ''Optimal'' || colspan="2" | 1,224 kgf (any speed) || colspan="2" | 4,268 kgf (0kph)
| 0.63 || 0.58
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


* 15 mm Steel - plate behind the pilot seat
* 15 mm Steel - plate headrest
* 15 mm Steel - Cockpit for plate
* 15 mm Steel - Instrument panel plate
* 16 mm Steel - 2 x plates protecting ammunition
* 90 mm Bulletproof glass

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

The biggest issue of the Schwalbe is its bad acceleration across all speeds. Thus "Compressor" and "New Engine" upgrades have the highest priority. The stock belts are decent, but the high explosive content increases with the new ammo, so including belts into the upgrade route is not a bad idea. The same applies to the rockets. Being able to knock out bases or tanks(direct hit) with these warheads, makes the late game much more easy to win if the last enemies are running or hiding. "New cannons" is an interesting upgrade choice as it increases accuracy above 300 m (350 yds), but the MK 108 will still be unable to hit a barn-door at 500 m (600 yds). Cool-down and jamming is nothing the "Sledgehammer" has to deal with, considering the damage potential and low ammo count per gun.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|MK 108 (30 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 4 x 30 mm MK 108 cannons, nose-mounted (2 x 100 rpg top + 2 x 80 rpg bottom = 360 total)

The {{PAGENAME}} is equipped with 4 x [[MK 108 (30 mm)|30 mm MK 108]] autocannon, which represents a consequent damage potential. With a high burst mass rate of 14.52 kg/s (32.01 lbs/s) and the great Minengeschoß (mine-shell) explosive warhead, this weapon will vaporize aircraft, especially bombers. But every coin has a flip side and the "Sledgehammer" is no exception. The 30 mm cannon comes with a very short barrel and small propellant charges, resulting in very poor ballistics: the shells are slow with great drop over distance.

The MK 108 is a very bad anti-fighter weapon particular in a jet to jet combat. Bullet drop and slow velocity result in difficult lead shots in ranges above 300 m (350 yds). In manoeuvre fights, this trait gets even worse: the high speed of jet battles increases the necessary lead for hitting the target, putting far in front of the enemy. Training with this weapon-system on a custom battle against random enemies is heavily advised.

The Sledgehammer cannons have the typical bar ammunition counter of the Luftwaffe in the cockpit. It sits directly beneath the compass (the one with the little plane in the middle). The left white column is for the two top autocannons. The right one is for the bottom two cannons, this bar is also taller than the left one as the ammo count is different for the two pairs.

== Usage in battles ==

Rocket boost should either be saved to compete against post-war jets or be used immediately to propel oneself up to 6,000 m before the hostile forces had the opportunity to gain any energy advantage.

Anti-fighter combat strategies include:

'''Climb''' - Self-explanatory. Rockets are used to boost oneself up to > 7,000 m. Henceforth denying enemy fighters absolute altitude advantage. Of course, this must be followed through to the extreme, as once altitude advantage is gone, so will be the Me 262. Especially high-altitude propeller-driven aircraft will be dangerous foes as jet-engine's power steadily declines over altitude. Whereas turbochargers and superchargers will keep the piston engine's power output steady. Watch out for late piston-engine fighters, even if they're out of their BR range. Apply classic Boom and Zoom tactics to eliminate them.

'''Aggressive climb''' - Useful against pure enemy jet teams. The same principle as merely "Climb", however with the twist of actively engaging towards the hostile airfield to intercept with E-advantage enemy fighters. Air-Domination is established beyond the frontline with the prime directive to hinder enemy aircraft (especially jets) to gain any further altitude. If piston aircraft are present, this may prove to be difficult as these machines will be on or even above the Me 262 C upon contact. Hostile jets though will again not be on a similar energy state, making them on the first two initial passes easy prey. Good energy management is key though.

'''Rush''' - Enemy team energy denial. This strategy can prove deadly but will provide similar aggressive team-mates with a better outset once team vs team combat starts. Start boosters after spawning and use them to reach maximum level flight speed. Reduce engine throttle before losing a wing. Head straight for the enemy and disturb them in their acceleration & climb. The idea is to either seize targets of opportunity (e.g. AFK climbers, unaware targets) or to confuse the foes to give one's allies the better vantage position.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Can use boosters to outrun and outclimb other aircraft
* Excellent energy retention, can hold onto speed earned from boosters for a good while
* Good roll rate
* Devastating offensive armament at close range
* Great plane for arcade battles, as it climbs quickly with the rocket boosters and can land to refuel them
* Decently agile when on a low fuel load.

'''Cons:'''

* Handling feels heavy
* Boom and zoom is a must with this plane, as it struggles to keeps up with all other jets at the battle rating
* Slow compared to other aircraft at the rank
* Horrible climb rate if boosters aren't in use
* Performs significantly worse than the A-1a variant unless boosters are engaged
* Rocket fuel is very heavy, leading to worsened turn rate and climb r
* MK 108 cannons are not well suited for jet-on-jet combat
* No airbrakes to slow down

== History ==


After constant bombing raids by Allied bombers, Germany realized they needed a more capable interceptor that could reach the heights bomber crews operated at in record time. One of the proposals was the Me 262 C. Nicknamed Heimatschützer ("Home Defender"), these variants were intended to be fitted with one or more rockets that would greatly increase the climb rate and reach Allied bombers much faster. The Me 262 C-2b would receive two BMW 109-718 rocket motors mounted on the engines. The fuel pumps would inject both a nitric acid oxidizer and hydrocarbon fuel. This generated around 2,200 lb of thrust and greatly boosted the climb rate. During the Me 262 C-2bs one and only test flight, it managed to achieve 30,000 feet (~9,100 m) in only three minutes. Unfortunately for the C-2b, it was introduced far too late into the war to have any impact.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=me-262c-2b Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|V77eUJjifzM|'''The Me-262 family''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 5:17 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[Me 262 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/320883-messerschmitt-me-262-c-1a-c-2b/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer BFW}}
{{Germany jet aircraft}}

F-20A

2024-08-12T21:12:41Z

U138796218: Stated flight performance was very overstated

{{Specs-Card
|code=f_20a
|store=13237
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

Due to export restrictions by the Department of Defence preventing sales of advanced avionics and aircraft to export customers, many allies who were flying the now out-dated F-5 could not purchase the latest F-16 aircraft to meet the threat of the latest MiG-29s and Su-27s that Soviet allies were receiving. As a result, Northrop Grumman initiated the FX program, to design and build a new 4th light export generation fighter on the basis of the cancelled F-5F Super Tiger. The primary requirements for this new fighter were cheap interoperability with existing F-5 fleets, BVR capability, and modular compatibility with almost every kind of ordnance the US offered for export at the time. The resulting aircraft, the '''F-20 Tigershark''', was essentially an F-5E with a special radar capable of firing the AIM-7 Sparrow missile, and the two small engines of the F-5 family being replaced with a single F-404 engine similar to that of the F/A-18 Hornet. The resulting aircraft was slated to become the export standard for most NATO allies of the time, with Japan, West Germany, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, and various other close allies eyeing the Tigershark for potential purchase. However, under the Reagan Administration, new export laws were passed which lifted most of the technology export bans, and as a result of further political meddling from the US and General Dynamics, the F-20 saw all its sale chances falter and fall through, with almost every country instead buying F-16s or F-15s (or in the case of Germany, simply upgrading their existing F-4F fleet to carry the new AIM-120 AMRAAM).

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' was introduced in [[Update "Alpha Strike"]]. Being essentially an up-engined F-5E with better avionics, it plays exactly as one would expect it. It is one of the better dogfighters of its battle rating, as a result, players looking for buying this aircraft should be expected to know how to properly dogfight, manage their energy, and employ their radar correctly to best the enemy aircraft. The incredible choice of ground ordnance also provides a nice alternative to the [[F-16A|F-16A Block 10]] in mixed battles. All in all, the F-20 is a great premium for researching the ranks of the US tree, and in terms of gameplay acts as a nice in-between for the two F-16s at the same BR in the American tree, having the AIM-7s and BVR capability of the F-16A ADF, while also having the guided ground ordnance of the F-16A Block 10.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The F-20 is a similar experience in terms of flight performance compared to the F-5C, with great energy retention and turn rate above Mach 0.85. However, due to the F404-100, it has plenty of thrust compared to the lacklustre thrust of the F5C.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 11,582 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,149 || 2,121 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 22.5 || 22.7 || 221 || 210 || rowspan="2" | 850
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,244 || 2,200 || 21.0 || 22.0 || 288.5 || 255.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,458  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 1,296 || 473 || 463 || ~12 || ~6
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < ___ || < ___ || < ___ || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | General Electric F404-GE-100 || 1
| colspan="2" | 6,080 kg || colspan="2" | 437 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 28m fuel
|-
| 1,015 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 6,694 kg || 7,539 kg || 8,127 kg || 10,744 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 28m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 5,050 kgf || 7,630 kgf
| 1.14 || 1.01 || 0.94 || 0.70
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,050 kgf (0 km/h) || 8,503 kgf (1,000 km/h)
| 1.27 || 1.13 || 1.05 || 0.78
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The F-20 is a light fighter. As such it has no armour. If it loses its wing or tail, it becomes incredibly difficult to fly. It isn't that durable against common cannons for its BR, however it's possible to survive smaller IR missiles but the plane would no longer be combat capable and should immediately return to the base.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs) !! EEGS
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M39A3 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 2 x 20 mm M39A3 cannons, nose-mounted (280 rpg = 560 total)
* 15 x large calibre countermeasures
* 30 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}


The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="6%" | 1 !! width="6%" | 2 !! width="6%" | 3 !! width="6%" | 4 !! width="6%" | 5 !! width="6%" | 6 !! width="6%" | 7
| rowspan="14" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_F-5E_(China).png]]</div>
|-
! [[GAU-13/A (30 mm)|30 mm GAU-13/A]] cannons (353 rpg)
| || || || 1 || || ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|500 lb LDGP Mk 82]] bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1, 5 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! [[Mk 82 Snakeye (500 lb)|500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye]] bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1, 5 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! [[M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|750 lb M117 cone 45]] bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83]] bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 84 Air (2,000 lb)|2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 Air]] bombs
| || || || 1 || || ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84]] bombs
| || || || 1 || || ||
|-
! [[BLU-1 incendiary]] bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! [[FFAR Mighty Mouse]] rockets
| || 19 || 19 || || 19 || 19 ||
|-
! [[AGM-65B]] missiles
| || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! [[AIM-7F Sparrow]] missiles
| || 1 || || || || 1 ||
|-
! [[AIM-9L Sidewinder]] missiles
| 1 || 2* || || || || 2* || 1
|-
! 150 gal drop tanks
| || || 1* || 1 || 1* || ||
|-
| colspan="9" | * Wing-mounted drop tanks cannot be equipped with Sidewinder missiles in the adjacent hardpoint
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* 3 x 150 gal drop tanks
* 6 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 2 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles
* 5 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (3,750 lb total)
* 9 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (4,500 lb total)
* 9 x 500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye bombs (4,500 lb total)
* 3 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 1 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bomb (2,000 lb total)
* 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 4 x AGM-65B missiles
* 1 x 30 mm GAU-13/A cannon (353 rpg)
* 5 x BLU-1 incendiary bombs
* 1 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 Air bomb (2,000 lb total)
{{Navigation-End}}

== Usage in battles ==


The F-20A can be viewed as both a sidegrade between F-16A and F-16A ADF and a downgrade in US tech tree as it can carry similar armaments to both of them but not to same capacity as either of them. While it can carry almost same payload type as F-16A (excluding GBU-8) it can only carry it in lower numbers which severely limits air-to-ground performance, but unlike F-16A or F-16A ADF it can carry both radar guided missiles and TV-guided AGM to a certain extent.

Best way to take down other planes is to use speed and surprise occupied enemy planes with either the Sparrow (only at altitudes several hundred meters above ground) or Sidewinders but with IR missiles be careful that friendly plane in question isn't the F-14, Su-27 or MiG-29 which have fairly high engine temperature and could result in friendly fire instead.

'''Dogfighting'''

While F-20A has good flight performance and thrust-to-weight ratio that allows the plane to dogfight inexperienced F-16 and F-14 players, trying to fight more experienced players can end fairly badly for F-20A as planes such as the F-14B and all F-16 variants will eventually out-rate the F-20 in a sustained dogfight.

Head-ons are not recommended as the M39A3 is one of the weaker gun in the BR bracket and mounting 30 mm GAU-13/A cannon would only greatly decrease F-20A flight performance to add only 353 30 mm shells.

'''Air-to-air missile gameplay'''

F-20A has very limited gameplay in that aspect as it can carry only 6 AIM-9L or exchange 2 Sidewinders for 1 AIM-7F up to combination of 2 Sidewinders and 2 Sparrows. Sadly the F-20A does not have access to AIM-7M unlike F-16A ADF or F-14B which have far lower reaction time after being detached from the plane.

As the plane can gain energy faster than any plane on same BR, it's advised to surprise enemy with AIM-9L or target higher altitude targets with AIM-7F, while keeping safe distance from possible IR threats and staying at low altitude as the enemy planes usually have stronger radar guided missiles.

As the plane has access only to 45 countermeasures, it may not be preferential to split the amount between flares and chaffs as the radars encountered at this BR are usually pulse-doppler, where chaffs have minimal effect and low-alt flights and notching can work instead. Instead, bring flares as the number of tough IR missiles like R-73, AIM-9M, and similar missiles mean the F-20A need all it can bring to ward off these smart IR missiles.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Incredible overall flight performance with very good thrust-to-weight ratio with great energy retention
* Can stay at supersonic speed without using afterburner
* Combat flaps are capable of withstanding plane top speed
* Very small target compared to all planes it the BR bracket
* Combination of high manoeuvrability and even mediocre missile payload can surprise most enemies resulting in fairly easy shoot-downs.

'''Cons:'''

* Loses 2 hardpoints for AIM-9L for every AIM-7F
* M39A3 cannons deal very low damage
* Overall one of the worst air-to-air armaments when compared to planes on same BR
* Can carry only 45 countermeasures
* While it can maintain very low speed and not stalling, it does not have as good low-speed manoeuvrability as other planes

== History ==

In the 1980s, the U.S. State Department sent out a request for an export fighter. In response, Northrop came up with the F-5G, which would be a vastly improved version of the F-5E. After receiving approval from the State Department, Northrop, without financial help from the government, began work on the F-5G. Up to this point, F-5s had twin J85 engines that produced around 3,000 kilograms of force per engine. These engines would end up being replaced by a single F404 engine that produced far more power at the expense of weighing more. Northrop also heavily modified the wings to increase performance and handling. In addition, the avionics were upgraded, and soon the Air Force ordered a few examples of the F-5G. The F-5G would also receive a new designation to separate it from the F-5 series, the F-20.

Although the F-20 had favorable characteristics, it was overshadowed by the F-16. The Fighting Falcon was simply far superior to the F-20, and the Air Force chose the F-16. This essentially killed the F-20, as there wouldn't be enough demand for it to commence production. Northrop also tried selling the entire F-20 program, but that also failed. Only one surviving F-20 exists and is on display in the California Science Center.

=== [[wt:en/news/8770-shop-development-pre-order-f-20a-tigershark-en|Devblog]] ===
Engineers from Northrop Corporation developed the F-20A Tigershark as a deep modernization of the F-5G fighter with improved flight and characteristics at a low cost. This new aircraft received a new power plant consisting of a single General Electric F404-100 engine, advanced avionics and radar, plus an expanded range of weapons. It made its first flight in 1982, where a total of 3 were built for testing. At the time of its creation, the F-20A was a direct competitor to the F-16 fighter jet, but was inferior to it and did not go into mass production. The only surviving F-20A was transferred to the California Science Center and is currently on display as an exhibit.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f_20a Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[F-5 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/8770-shop-development-pre-order-f-20a-tigershark-en|[Devblog] Pre-order: F-20A Tigershark]]

{{AirManufacturer Northrop}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}
{{USA premium aircraft}}

Mirage 2000C-S5

2024-07-29T23:01:24Z

U138796218: Updated sections about flight performance as it was changed in the newest major update.

{{About
| about = French jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Mirage 2000 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=mirage_2000c_s5
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

A timeless classic, and an icon of delta-wing fighter design, the Mirage 2000C-S5 is the penultimate production variant of the "C" variant of the Mirage 2000. Unlike the earlier production models of the Mirage 2000C, this version comes equipped with an upgraded SNECMA M53-P2 engine, an Eclair chaff-flare dispenser to increase the number of countermeasures available, as well as an improved Thomson-CSF RDI radar that allowed the use of the much improved Matra Super 530D missile. For the time, it was a very important upgrade alongside the [[Mirage 2000C-S4|C-S4]] variant, since it allowed the Mirage 2000 to be at the same level of the latest variants of the MiG-29 and F-16 in terms of technology and weapon systems.

It was introduced in [[Update "Drone Age"]]. The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a very capable air superiority fighter. Compared to its competitors, it has access to a smaller payload in terms of air-to-air missiles and ground ordnance. However it compensates this with excellent flight performance, with very powerful engine in a light airframe. It has very good acceleration and top speeds, while it does have poor energy retention at low speeds due to the delta wing configuration, it pulls very good AOA and is competitive in sustained dogfights, the powerful engine and low speed acceleration also allows the Mirage 2000 C-S5 to regain its speed quickly if necessary. Since it has access to a small amount of air-to-air missiles, it is recommended to stay close to the ground, since the Matra R530Ds are not well-suited for BVR combat when compared to the latest versions of the AIM-7 and the R-27. The Matra Magic 2 has very good close range performance, and a seeker with IRCCM, but it should be used at distances not higher than 3 km due to the limited range.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

Pilots familiar with delta-wing fighter designs will be at home in the Mirage 2000. While you still bleed airspeed rapidly when pulling tight manoeuvres - which you can do quite easily thanks to its large delta wing, and leading-edge slats - speed is much less of a problem thanks to its new engine which provides excellent acceleration. Its combination of decent top-speed, exceptional acceleration, and its stunning nose authority ensures that anyone who finds the Mirage 2000 on their six o'clock is going to find it difficult to shake. Pilots of the Mirage 2000 will have to watch their energy at all times, ensuring they do not waste it all unwisely, leaving them in a vulnerable position.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 12,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,246 || 2,174 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 26.2 || 26.6 || 155.9 || 145.0 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,453 || 2,351 || 23.9 || 25.0 || 237.9 || 195.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || X || X || ✓ || X || ✓* 
|-
|}
<nowiki>*</nowiki>Installing countermeasures blocks the deployment of the chute.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,512 || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || - || - || - || ~13 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 920 || < 750 || < 650 || -
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | SNECMA M53-P2 || 1
| colspan="2" | 7,570 kg || colspan="3" | 268 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 34m fuel
|-
| 1,515 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 8,572 kg || 9,533 kg || 10,515 kg || 10,910 kg || 12,936 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 34m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 6,200 kgf || 9,688 kgf
| 1.13 || 1.02 || 0.92 || 0.89 || 0.75
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 7,083 kgf (1,512 km/h) || 13,406 kgf (1,512 km/h)
| 1.56 || 1.41 || 1.27 || 1.23 || 1.04
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs) !! Lead indicator
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|DEFA 554 (30 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 2 x 30 mm DEFA 554 cannons, belly-mounted (125 rpg = 250 total) + 36 x countermeasures
** 2 x 30 mm DEFA 554 cannons + 90 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}


The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="5%" | 1 !! width="5%" | 2 !! width="5%" | 3 !! width="5%" | 4 !! width="5%" | 5 !! width="5%" | 6 !! width="5%" | 7 !! width="5%" | 8 !! width="5%" | 9
| rowspan="9" width="25%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! [[SAMP Type 25 (250 kg)|250 kg SAMP Type 25]] bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! [[SAMP Type 25 200 (250 kg)|250 kg SAMP Type 25 200]] bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! [[SNEB type 23]] rockets
| 18 || 18 || || || || || || 18 || 18
|-
! [[Matra R550 Magic 1]] missiles
| 1 || || || || || || || || 1
|-
! [[Matra R550 Magic 2]] missiles
| 1 || || || || || || || || 1
|-
! [[Matra Super 530D]] missiles
| || 1 || || || || || || 1 ||
|-
! [[Matra Super 530F]] missiles
| || 1 || || || || || || 1 ||
|-
! 1,300 l drop tanks
| || || || || 1 || || || ||
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* 1 x 1,300 l drop tank
* 2 x Matra R550 Magic 1 missiles
* 2 x Matra R550 Magic 2 missiles
* 72 x SNEB type 23 rockets
* 2 x Matra Super 530F missiles
* 2 x Matra Super 530D missiles
* 7 x 250 kg SAMP Type 25 bombs (1,750 kg total)
* 7 x 250 kg SAMP Type 25 200 bombs (1,750 kg total)
{{Navigation-End}}

== Usage in battles ==

The aircraft's weapons suite paired with its flight performance makes it a dangerous foe to any aircraft opposing it. The aircraft is a formidable foe in BVR engagements and even more so in a dogfight. This versatility offered by its great weapons and flight performance means that it can perform as a support fighter, slinging its Super 530D's from afar and at high altitudes. Thanks to its flight performance, it can also comfortably perform well as a frontline fighter, diving straight in to fire its Super 530D and excellent all-aspect IR R550 Magic 2 missiles. However, pilots of the Mirage 2000 will have to be careful of when they fire their missiles as it carries only 4 missiles in total, which is little compared to a lot of its competition. In addition, missiles such as the AIM-7F Sparrow, carried by some American fighters, possess a higher effective range than the Super 530D missile. Therefore, the Mirage 2000 pilots are advised to stay out of the range in which a longer-range missile can strike the Mirage, while being too far for the Mirage's Super 530D to strike back.

The worst-case scenario for a Mirage 2000 pilot would be to be caught in a low-altitude sustained turn (or rate fight) with an adversary such as the F-14 Tomcat, or the F-16A, which could lead to the Mirage being eventually "out-rated". However, at high speeds the Mirage 2000 compresses slightly and has very good energy retention and is able to keep up a very competitive turn rate for a sustained amount of time. At low speeds, the Mirage 2000 is able to convert airspeed into AOA and stay within the opponent's turning circle and potentially be able to pull in for a gun shot.

When it comes to dogfighting, the Mirage's flight performance enables a skilled pilot to be a formidable adversary to any of its opponents, even to those such as the F-14A Early, and the F-16A. The Mirage's game plan should almost always be to get in, and out as quickly as possible. Taking advantage of the high AoA capability of the Mirage, and utilizing as much airspeed and altitude as possible is necessary to engage and defeat the target as quickly as possible, to give any prospecting enemies minimal time to find and defeat the Mirage while it is slow and vulnerable while busy in a dogfight.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Has access to excellent Matra R550 Magic II and Matra Super 530D missiles
* Very good acceleration
* Great manoeuvrability
* Powerful pulse-Doppler radar
* DEFA cannons deal heavy damage

'''Cons:'''

* Poor energy retention at low speeds
* Low ammo count for the DEFA cannons (only 250 rounds total)
* Carries a maximum of only 4 missiles
* Very limited options for ground attack ordnance

== History ==

'''Origin'''

During the mid-1960s, France and Britain agreed to design a swing-wing aircraft (AFVG project). France later split up from the project due to high costs to develop their own swing-wing aircraft, ultimately becoming the Mirage G8. (West Germany would end up collaborating with Britain to create the Panavia Tornado.) However, the Mirage G8 was rejected for being too costly and unable to dogfight. Dassault focused on what would become the 2000C, a single-engine fighter that would be far less expensive than the Mirage G8 and also meet the requirements of the French Air Force (AdA).

'''Production'''

Due to its similarities with the Mirage III, it only took ~27 months to go from the project beginning to the first flight. The first prototype (Mirage 2000 No. 1) made its first flight on March 10, 1978, which lasted 65 minutes. The prototype was found to be both a high-speed aircraft (Mach 2) and an agile, capable dogfighter at low speeds. After 4 years, the first production Mirage 2000C (C abbreviated for ''chasseur'': "fighter"), flew on the November 20, 1982. The French Air Force soon began to take delivery of the 2000Cs. The first 37 Mirage 2000Cs were the S1, S2, and S3, which included the SNECMA M53-5 engine and Thomson RDM radar. After the 37th Mirage 2000C airframe, they were upgraded to the SNECMA M53-P2 engine and RDI radar (Mirage 2000C-S4 - Mirage 2000C-S5). After No. 93, the Eclair countermeasure pod was replaced with countermeasure dispensers in the Karman fairings.

{| class="wikitable"
!Variant
!Airframe number
|-
|Mirage 2000C-S1
|No. 1 - No. 15
|-
|Mirage 2000C-S2
|No. 16 - No. ???
|-
|Mirage 2000C-S3
|No. ??? - No. 37
|-
|Mirage 2000C-S4
|No. 38 - No. 48
|-
|Mirage 2000C-S4-1
|No. 49 - No. 63
|-
|Mirage 2000C-S4-2
|No. 64 - No. 74
|-
|Mirage 2000C-S5
|No. 75 - No. 124
|}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=mirage_2000c_s5 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|vSDNdUBUvWI|'''The Shooting Range #324''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:26 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|VF8x_0XpqjQ|'''Mirage 2000C-S5 : A Basic Review''' - ''Tims Variety''}}

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7856-development-mirage-2000c-s5-the-new-improved-classic-en|[Devblog] Mirage 2000C-S5: The New & Improved Classic]]
* [[wikipedia:Dassault_Mirage_2000|[Wikipedia] Dassault Mirage 2000]]

{{AirManufacturer Dassault}}
{{France jet aircraft}}

Kfir C.7

2024-07-26T12:35:31Z

U138796218: Missiles no longer slave to radar range finders.

{{About
| about = Israeli jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Mirage 5 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=kfir_c7
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The IAI Kfir entered service in 1975, but it was soon relegated to second line service after being replaced by more modern F-15s and F-16s in very few years. The C.7 variant was the third and most advanced of the Kfir. The aircraft featured larger canards in the front of the wings and carried a stronger version of the J79 engine that could help it take off with a heavier payload. Compared to previous variants it also fitted more hardpoints for missiles or ground ordnance, like bombs or gun pods. Despite being an air superiority fighter, it only scored a single aerial kill, due to being overshadowed by 4th generation fighters, this kill occurred in 1993 during Operation Accountability, after which it was gradually removed from service. However, an export version was sold to Colombia, Ecuador and Sri Lanka. After that, it saw service in the Sri Lankan Civil War (1983-2009) after being introduced in 1996.

Introduced in [[Update "Winged Lions"]], the Kfir's weapons leave something to be desired, reflecting its real-life usage as a basic fighter-bomber. It can carry an impressive payload of bombs and rockets. Its best dogfight missile is the [[Python 3]], which is one of the most agile missiles in-game, it's also extremely quick to accelerate. However, the Kfir C.7 doesn't have access to any SARH missiles, limiting its BVR capability, and also lacks a proper radar (having only a radar rangefinder, linked to its gunsight). It also does not have guided air-to-ground weapons used by the [[Kurnass 2000]]. Thus, the Kfir requires a skilled pilot to take advantage of its excellent performance and IR missiles to win engagements. However, for its BR, it excels in its flight performance, it accelerates very rapidly, faster than MiG-21s and even 4th generation fighters like the F-16C and MiG-29SMT. Its DEFA 30 mm cannons have very good damage output, and are also rather easy to aim; they have a low fire rate, but this also means that their trigger time is higher than other 30 mm cannons.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The Kfir C.7 has an impressive acceleration, even higher than the [[MiG-23MLD]]'s. The plane can also turn quite well, but it is not recommended to turn while in combat as the delta wing configuration will bleed a lot of speed and a slow jet is an easy target. However, you can take the risk to bleed speed in some situations since you regain that speed rather quickly.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 10,668 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,322 || 2,272 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 28.3 || 29.0 || 183.9 || 172.1 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,457 || 2,388 || 26.0 || 27.0 || 268.9 || 224.6
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || X || X || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,460  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || N/A || N/A || ~11 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 920 || < 750 || < 1,460 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | General Electric J79-GE-J1E || 1
| colspan="2" | 7,385 kg || colspan="2" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 27m fuel
|-
| 1,750 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 8,140 kg || 9,187 kg || 9,903 kg || 16,500 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 27m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 5,260 kgf || 8,837 kgf
| 1.09 || 0.96 || 0.89 || 0.54
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,428 kgf (1,460 km/h) || 11,898 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.46 || 1.30 || 1.20 || 0.72
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The Kfir lacks any armour surrounding the pilots, making HE hits (missiles and cannons) able to penetrate and hit the pilot with ease.

Survivability of the Kfir is far greater than any of its contemporaries even though it lacks armour. The Kfir can sustain black fuselage damage, and ripped wings can have more than enough control authority to return back home and repair.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|DEFA 552A (30 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 2 x 30 mm DEFA 552A cannons, belly-mounted (140 rpg = 280 total)
** 2 x 30 mm DEFA 552A cannons + 36 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}


The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="6%" | 1 !! width="6%" | 2 !! width="6%" | 3 !! width="6%" | 4 !! width="6%" | 5 !! width="6%" | 6 !! width="6%" | 7
| rowspan="13" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_Kfir_C.2.png]]</div>
|-
! [[GAU-4 (20 mm)|20 mm GAU-4]] cannons (1,200 rpg)
| || 1 || || || || 1 ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|500 lb LDGP Mk 82]] bombs
| || 2, 3 || 2 || 5 || 2 || 2, 3 ||
|-
! [[SAMP Mk 82 250 Snakeye (500 lb)|500 lb SAMP Mk 82 250 Snakeye]] bombs
| || 3 || 2 || 5 || 2 || 3 ||
|-
! [[M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|750 lb M117 cone 45]] bombs
| || 2, 2 || 2 || || 2 || 2, 2 ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83]] bombs
| || 2 || 2 || || 2 || 2 ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84]] bombs
| || 1 || || || || 1 ||
|-
! [[FFAR Mighty Mouse]] rockets
| || 38 || || || || 38 ||
|-
! [[Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP]] rockets
| || 8 || || || || 8 ||
|-
! [[Shafrir 2]] missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || || 1 || 1
|-
! [[AIM-9D Sidewinder]] missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || || 1 || 1
|-
! [[AIM-9G Sidewinder]] missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || || 1 || 1
|-
! [[Python 3]] missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || || 1 || 1
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 2 x Shafrir 2 missiles
* 4 x Shafrir 2 missiles
* 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x Python 3 missiles
* 13 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (6,500 lb total)
* 15 x 500 lb SAMP Mk 82 250 Snakeye bombs (7,500 lb total)
* 8 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 11 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (9,500 lb total)
* 8 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 2 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 2 x 20 mm GAU-4 cannons (1,200 rpg = 2,400 total)
* 16 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
{{Navigation-End}}

== Usage in battles ==

==== RB ====

The Kfir C.7 is one of the fastest accelerating and best climbing planes in the game, its performance at >1,234 km/h and high altitude is particularly exceptional, on top of being highly manoeuvrable, though the plane will compress when going above Mach 1. This does help the Kfir maintain energy, but once it falls out of that compressed state it will pull, and pull hard. With the speed and acceleration advantage the Kfir offers, it suffers from its own success as the wings will rip at 1,460 km/h which can easily be exceeded with the Kfir if speed isn't being kept in check.

The Kfir suffers from the same issue as other delta wing designs such as the [[J35 (Family)]] and [[MiG-21 (Family)]], and [[Mirage 5 (Family)|Mirage (Family)]] (which it's derived from), in that it bleeds quite a bit of speed while performing manoeuvres, and therefore sustained dogfights are not recommended in the Kfir. It will perform exceptionally well for the first few turns, so attempt to shoot down the target within that window. If unable to dispatch the enemy and the fight is being prolonged, then it's recommended to use the Kfir's exceptional acceleration and top speed to egress from the situation, and perhaps re-enter when the situation is more favourable to the Kfir.

One way of playing the Kfir C.7 is to fly around the center of the map and launch missiles at distracted enemies from behind. This will require you to stay low after takeoff and fly near the edge of the map to avoid being seen or being detected by enemy radar. Once the furball has formed, climb above the enemy, then look for enemies that are slow, distracted, un-aware of their surroundings then launch a Python 3 missile at 4 km or closer. The main challenge to this play style is to find distracted enemy and be unnoticed when launching your missile.

Another way of playing the Kfir C.7 is to accelerate past Mach after takeoff, and then proceed to zoom up to high altitude at roughly 6-8 km where missiles are capable of flying much further, where the Kfir can truly stretch its exceptional speed and performance. Its primary weapon, the [[Python 3]], will have an exceptional range at these altitudes and it is not uncommon to achieve kills at ranges over 5-6 km.

==== SB ====

The Kfir is a phenomenal support fighter.

Due to its lack of radar and low countermeasure count at EC7 you do not want to spear head any fight. Your best way to play the plane is to stay 1-2 grid squares away from the main battle and wait for people call out enemies or for you to spot dog fights.

The Kfir's top speed will grant you the ability to close distances on targets and rescue team mates with ease. While its high alpha capabilities and strong airframe will allow you to slot into enemies tail's if needed.

The Kfir will begin to wing rip at 750 knots IAS. This is displayed on the left of your HUD allowing you to easily manage your speed without excessive head movement or taking your eyes off your target.

The [[Python 3]] locking is at the bottom of your HUD, this can be difficult to learn, but once you do, it is not a big issue.

==== The Python 3 ====
The Kfir C.7 is one of the few aircraft with access to the very powerful [[Python 3]] missiles, it has an all aspect seeker, long range, high rate of acceleration, good flare resistance and 40Gs of overload, and can be used at both long and short range. However due to the very high rate of acceleration, it may not be able to make sharp turns at very close range (>1 km). It is close to impossible to evade a [[Python 3]] without the use of flares, so firing at distracted enemies are very likely to result in a kill.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great flight characteristics
* Amazing control authority at medium and high speeds.
* Above average acceleration below Mach 1, and one of the fastest acceleration in the game above Mach 1
* Extremely fast, especially at high altitudes
* Has extremely powerful, long range Python 3 missiles with exceptional manoeuvrability
* Ballistic computer for guns, bombs, and rockets
* 10 km rangefinding radar can be helpful for locating targets in Simulator battles

'''Cons:'''

* Limited gun ranging radar which does not track or lock enemies
* Nose of the aircraft can feel unstable at low speeds.
* Delta wing configuration bleeds airspeed quickly while in a high G turn
* Only 36 countermeasures, which can be quickly used up, especially if split 50/50 between chaff and flares
* Missiles are pointed down, requiring you to pull alpha or be above the target to get a lock
* Rangefinder radar only
* Although the Pythons and the AIM-9G have radar slaving, which target is locked by the radar cannot be controlled
* No radar-guided armament

== History ==


In the 1960s, French and Israeli engineers worked together to develop the [[Mirage 5F|Dassault Mirage 5]], successor to the [[Shahak|Mirage III]], tailored specifically to the requirements of the Israeli Air Force (IAF). Israel funded a large part of the project by purchasing a total of 50 aircraft in advance of their production. The deal eventually fell through when France enacted an arms embargo on Israel following its preemptive strike at the start of the 1967 Six-Day War - an action that the French had explicitly warned Israel not to take. Though Israel was eventually reimbursed for its payments, the Mirage 5 was never supplied.

To circumvent the embargo, Israel collaborated with the Dassault Aviation company to smuggle blueprints and materials out of France to construct their own copy of the Mirage 5 - the [[Nesher|IAI Nesher]]. One of the most successful air superiority fighters of all time, the Nesher scored a staggering 111:3 kill ratio during the Yom Kippur War of 1973. This not only proved the merits of the Mirage 5's design, but also proved that Israel was now capable of manufacturing warplanes locally. This fact was of utmost importance to the Israelis: up until that point they had been completely dependent on the French to supply their aircraft, and were now left orphaned due to the embargo.

Thanks to a gradual warming of relations with the United States, the IAF could begin arming itself with [[A-4H (Israel)|A-4H]] and [[Kurnass|F-4E Phantom II]] jets, which served mostly as ground attackers; but neither could replace the Nesher as an air superiority fighter. With the looming threat of more advanced Soviet fighters entering service in the Arab air forces, Israel was keenly aware that the Nesher could not remain the top dog for long. Israel's response to this threat was to begin development of an advanced fighter jet based on the Mirage 5 design - one that could be manufactured from scratch in Israel.

A major factor in the design of the new plane was its engine. Israel had already acquired a license to produce the powerful General Electric J79 turbojet - the engine used in the F-4E. Thus, it was decided that the new Mirage 5 variant would be built entirely around this engine. This required several major changes to the airframe, primarily a redesign of the fuselage and enlargement of the air intakes (even adding a small cooling intake in the tail). As per their usual doctrine, the Israelis also installed a completely new advanced avionics package into the cockpit, altering it significantly. Another, more noticeable feature was the addition of two small canards on either side of the intakes.

The resulting aircraft, the ''IAI Kfir'' ("Lion Cub"), entered service in 1975. However, its primacy in the IAF was supplanted almost immediately by the arrival of the first F-15s in late 1976, and later by the [[Netz|F-16s]]. The Kfir was therefore relegated to a fighter-bomber role during the 1982 Lebanon War.

The Kfir C.7, being the third and most advanced variant of the Kfir in IAF service, was designed to fit the aircraft's new role "underneath" the F-15 and F-16. It was built more robustly, and carried a stronger version of the J79 engine that could help it take off with a heavier payload. It had additional hardpoints for carrying extra munitions, and much larger canards than the original design. All Kfir C.7s were in fact upgraded Kfir C.2s, rather than brand new planes.

Despite being originally designed as an air superiority jet, the Kfir only scored a single aerial kill throughout its service in the IAF. Its last action in the IAF occurred during the 1993 Operation Accountability, after which it was gradually removed from service. An export version of the plane, however, was sold to Colombia, Ecuador and Sri Lanka, and still serves in their air forces in 2021, with constant upgrades. The plane took part in combat once again during the (1983-2009) Sri Lankan Civil War from 1996 after introducing the Kfir to their Air Force.

=== [[wt:en/news/7466-development-kfir-c-7-the-sharp-clawed-lion-cub-en|Devblog]] ===
Immediately after the Six-Day-War, France imposed an arms export embargo on Israel, acutely highlighting the nation's dependence on foreign suppliers of military equipment. Despite the embargo, Israel managed to obtain documentation for the Mirage 5J version, which was developed specifically for the Israeli Air Force before the ban. These aircraft were produced commercially under the name IAI Nesher. But due to the end of supplies from France, Israel turned to the U.S. for assistance, procuring a number of new F-4 Phantom II and A-4 Skyhawk aircraft for its air force. However, when the air force compared the Nesher with the new F-4 Phantom, it realized that the Mirage was falling behind in several aspects. Therefore, plans to outfit Neshers with licence-built Phantom II engines - the General Electric J79 - were drawn up and soon afterward realized with the Kfir (Hebrew for "Lion Cub").

Entering serial production in 1975 and subsequently being commissioned into service with the 101st, 113th and 109th squadrons of the Israeli Air Force, the Kfir first saw combat action in November 1977. While the aircraft performed well and was also well-liked by its pilots, the modification did increase the weight of the aircraft, negatively impacting some of its flight characteristics. Israeli engineers solved the issue by outfitting the Kfir with fixed canards on the forward section of the fuselage.

The Kfir C.7 is a later modification of the aircraft, resulting from continuous efforts of Israeli engineers to further develop the Kfir. The new version featured numerous improvements, including a more powerful afterburner, increased payload and weapon selection as well as new avionics and cockpit arrangement. The Kfir C.7 entered service in 1983 and would remain in active service until the early 1990s before being officially decommissioned by the Israeli Air Force. Subsequently, some units were sold on the export market to Columbia and Sri Lanka where they saw active combat during the Sri Lankan Civil War.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=kfir_c7 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|ERLptF1Nsps|'''The Shooting Range #286''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:36 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[Mirage 5 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7466-development-kfir-c-7-the-sharp-clawed-lion-cub-en|[Devblog] Kfir C.7: The Sharp-Clawed Lion Cub]]

{{Manufacturer IAI}}
{{Israel jet aircraft}}

J-7E

2024-07-26T12:33:06Z

U138796218: A subtle update on mostly flight performance.

{{About
| about = Chinese jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other MiG-21 versions
| link = MiG-21 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=j_7e
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|cockpit=Cockpit_j_7e.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The J-7E (Chinese: 歼-7E型歼击机; unified NATO codename: Fishcan) is a heavily-modified model of the MiG-21 series and one of the current support fighters of the PLAAF. The design of a double-delta J-7 was demanded not only by foreign customers, but also by the PLAAF themselves, where the jet would be the replacement of the bulk of J-6s in PLAAF service by late 1980s, as well as a way to earn foreign exchanges to fund the Project No.10 (J-10). Although being quite obsolete in today's standards, the jet is still rather cheap to operate and equipped with relatively advanced IR AAMs to deliver sudden strikes on foes, as well as a makeshift "lead-in" trainer for pilots before they operate newer jets.

Introduced in [[Update "Red Skies"]], the J-7E offers a very different way to upgrade a [[MiG-21 (Family)|Fishbed]] from the Soviet approach - not only does it have a more powerful engine and additional fuel, it also comes with the iconic double-delta wing with slats, making it a formidable competitor in terms of overall manoeuvrability and especially at lower speeds, which no Soviet Fishbed can ever offer. With its newer PL-5B missile and large countermeasure capacity, the J-7E can prove its abilities over its competitors and use its amazing manoeuvrability to dominate close-quarters engagements in the hands of a good pilot even facing more competent foes.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The J-7E's airframe looks similar to the [[J-7II]] aside from the double delta wings, having a small nose and a thin fuselage spine like the early [[MiG-21F-13]] the J-7II was developed from. This contrasts with the Soviet MiG-21s, where from the [[MiG-21PFM]] onward, the noses and fuselage spines were enlarged to house search radars and hold additional fuel, respectively. To compensate for the increased weight and aerodynamic penalties, Soviet designers installed increasingly powerful engines. Even though the J-7E's new WP-13F (reverse engineered R-13-300 with some newer technologies) engine lags behind the [[MiG-21SMT]] and [[MiG-21bis]]'s engines in terms of maximum thrust, the J-7E actually weighs less than the [[MiG-21MF (Germany)|MiG-21MF]] and can make the most of its engine power. The acceleration and climb are not on the level of the legendary MiG-21bis but still competitive for a top rank fighter.

Thanks to the new engine and the slat-equipped double-delta wings, the J-7E has one of the most impressive manoeuvrability among its battle rating. The turn time is a whopping 29 seconds even when stock in RB, leaving most its competitors (other than F-5 family) behind by at least 3 seconds. Low-speed manoeuvrability and high-speed energy retention are greatly improved, addressing long-standing issues with the Fishbed family and presenting a pleasant surprise to new pilots. It is possible to make sustained high-G turns at above 1,000 km/h IAS without losing much airspeed at all and maintain good nose authority during spiral climbs or dogfights at near-stall speeds. The slats still work at 900 km/h, which helps with gun snapshots or missile leading at high speeds. The wing loading is lower than most contemporaries other than the [[J35D]] and [[Mirage IIIC]], which feature full tailless delta wings. The J-7E is very solid in close combat and can easily win against Mirages and F-5s while dancing around heavier aircraft like [[F-4 Phantom II (Family)|Phantoms]].

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 12,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,313 || 2,284 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 24.5 || 25.0 || 153.3 || 144.7 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,458 || 2,387 || 23.5 || 24.0 || 209.1 || 180.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || - || 665 || 450 || ~11 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 650 || < 600 || < 790 || -
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Shenyang Liming WP-13F || 1
| colspan="2" | 5,712 kg || colspan="2" | 310 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 27m fuel
|-
| 1,200 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 6,306 kg || 7,176 kg || 7,692 kg || 9,500 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 27m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 4,100 kgf || 6,666 kgf
| 1.06 || 0.93 || 0.87 || 0.70
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 4,100 kgf (0 km/h) || 7,132 kgf (1,200 km/h)
| 1.13 || 0.99 || 0.93 || 0.75
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


The J-7E comes with a 10 mm plate behind pilot's head and a 16 mm plate behind the ejection seat. While it doesn't prove to be much of a concern of cannons, it does help to stop some smaller-calibre gunfire. There is also a 60 mm windshield that is durable enough to take some shots than all the remaining part of the aircraft. The armour still doesn't count for much considering that top-tier aircraft primarily rely on missiles and tend to have very powerful guns, so avoid being hit.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|Type 30-1 (30 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 1 x 30 mm Type 30-1 cannon, belly-mounted (60 rpg)
* 72 x countermeasures

Because the addition of a new fuel tank to the lower left side of the aircraft and compensation for the weight of newer missiles, unlike its predecessor, the J-7E has only a single Type 30-1 cannon on the starboard side. It does have good ballistics and firepower (a few hits will rip apart most aircraft), but for pilots without good aiming skills the stingy 60-round ammo capacity will be very painful. Experienced pilots may prefer it over the 23 mm cannon used by most Soviet Fishbeds due to its accuracy and stopping power. In SB, the J-7E comes with a HUD and the ranging radar is linked to it, making it somewhat useful to track down enemies and gun them down with a bit more precision. However, pilots do need to compensate the offset of the starboard gun and aim a bit towards the left when shooting at closer ranges.

Belt selection is largely up to personal taste but the "Armoured Targets" belt is generally the most consistent, often dealing hefty kinetic damage to enemy aircraft. The APHE rounds have decent penetration but it is not advised to use the gun against ground targets in mixed battles; they can be effective against thinly armoured targets, but the limited ammunition should be reserved for aircraft and going on gun runs is very dangerous against top-tier SPAA vehicles.

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}


The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="9%" | 1 !! width="9%" | 2 !! width="9%" | 3 !! width="9%" | 4 !! width="9%" | 5
| rowspan="11" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! [[250-3 (250 kg)|250 kg 250-3]] bombs
| 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1
|-
! [[250-4 (250 kg)|250 kg 250-4]] bombs
| 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1
|-
! [[500-3 (500 kg)|500 kg 500-3]] bombs
| || 1 || || 1 ||
|-
! [[500-4 (500 kg)|500 kg 500-4]] bombs
| || 1 || || 1 ||
|-
! [[Type 90-1]] rockets
| 7 || 7 || || 7 || 7
|-
! [[Type 130-2]] rockets
| 4 || 4 || || 4 || 4
|-
! [[PL-2]] missiles
| 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1
|-
! [[PL-5B]] missiles
| 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1
|-
! 490 l drop tanks
| 1 || || || || 1
|-
! 720 l drop tanks
| || || 1 || ||
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* 1 x 720 l drop tank + 2 x 490 l drop tanks
* 1 x 720 l drop tank + 2 x PL-5B missiles
* 4 x PL-2 missiles
* 4 x PL-5B missiles
* 16 x Type 130-2 rockets
* 28 x Type 90-1 rockets
* 4 x 250 kg 250-3 bombs (1,000 kg total)
* 4 x 250 kg 250-4 bombs (1,000 kg total)
* 2 x 500 kg 500-3 bombs (1,000 kg total)
* 2 x 500 kg 500-4 bombs (1,000 kg total)
{{Navigation-End}}

The J-7E has a lot of ordnance options to choose from. The PL-5B is the first competitive missile available to any PLAAF fighter in War Thunder and is a strong selling point of the J-7E compared to its predecessors. It has a 30 G overload, a wide acquisition radius, and strong acceleration, making it one of the most effective rear-aspect missiles in War Thunder. The absence of launch limiter on the PL-5B means that you can fire as soon as the target is within the acquisition radius. The J-7E lacks any radar-guided or all-aspect missiles and cannot surprise targets in head-on engagements.

The J-7E's ordnance improvements are not limited to air-to-air combat. For ground attack, it has access to 250 kg and 500 kg bombs like the J-7II, but it now uses much improved Type 90-1 and Type 130-2 rockets as seen on the [[Q-5A]] instead of the weak 57 mm HF-5 rockets. The 90 mm Type 90-1 rockets are equivalents of the US FFAR rockets and nothing special. The 130 mm Type 130-2 rockets have HE warheads and direct impacts will easily dispatch light tanks and SPAAs. Against top-tier MBTs, accurate hits to the turret and hull roof armour will work the best, as side impacts can be inconsistent. The J-7E's ballistic computer makes it much easier to aim the rockets accurately.

The J-7E can also carry 250 kg and 500 kg bombs. The ballistic computer's CCIP and CCRP functionality allows them to be used to good effect in mixed battles in the absence of enemy air defense.

== Usage in battles ==


The J-7E is something like a hybrid between a MiG-21 and an F-5 in terms of flight performance and role. It obviously is an evolution of the Fishbed and enjoys many of the MiG-21's strengths in top speed, acceleration, and climb. At the same time, the new design corrects many of the MiG-21's vices and it ends up being a very nimble dogfighter that can turn well and maintain its energy like an F-5. This gives it flexibility in terms of how to approach combat. At the beginning of a match, the J-7E can sideclimb and make its way to medium or high altitude, then cruise into battle at supersonic speeds. Distracted targets at similar altitudes are prime missile targets. When it is time to join the furballs below, the J-7E can swoop in on vulnerable targets and put its agility to use.

Gunning straight into battle at lower altitudes from the start of a match, which is customary for Fishbeds, is also an option. Start to "patrol" for anyone who is possibly in their tunnel vision (where a person has only a little FOV due to his speed), then go ahead and assault them with your powerful PL-5B AAMs. They can make short work of the enemies with their 30G overload and excellent acceleration. If you only have PL-2s, which are barely better than no missiles, or even worse, only the cannon left, be very cautious on when should you fire a burst or launch the missiles. If you wasted the chance, pilots could meet their demise pretty quick if your team is on the disadvantage. And it should be reminded that unless really necessary or it is one-on-one dual with your enemy, in most cases do not dogfight for very long times to avoid presenting a slow and easy target for outside enemies to pick off. But if you have to, bleed the opponent's energy as much as you could: your higher thrust-to-weight ratio and double-delta shine here, assisting in getting on the enemy's six and staying there.

The new PL-5B introduced to the PLAAF arsenal can on paper pull 30G upon its targets, which makes it extremely efficient when dueling with enemies who are not paying enough attention. But all this come at a price: you only have the starboard Type 30-1 cannon as the last ditch weapon, and thus you have only 60 rounds just like the original [[MiG-21F-13]]. Players who have experience with the [[J-6A]] and [[J-7II]] should have a good idea of the cannon's ballistics, but the off-center placement may take some getting used to. In this case, pilots should pick enemies who have recently manoeuvred, then go straight upon them and aim a bit to the left to compensate the gun's placement; a burst from 30 mm can tear down anything that flies with some precision.

Countermeasures and a radar warning receiver allow the J-7E to have good defensive capabilities, but the aircraft only has a ranging radar instead of a proper search radar. This means that the RWR is the primary source of information on enemy positions besides the in-game spotting mechanic. Remember that some aircraft like the [[F-5C]] do not have a radar at all and those that do can still turn their radar search off to preserve stealth. The J-7E does not have any radar guided missiles and the primitive radar is not relevant during active combat.

=== Enemies worth noting ===

* [[F-5E|F-5]] series: F-5s are always a tough enemy to deal with due to its smaller size and above average manoeuvrability, making him the arch-enemy of J-7E. But thanks to your overall higher thrust-to-weight ratio and double-delta, you will easily win the dogfight, given that pilot skill is similar. The best solution to handle F-5s are your PL-5Bs, if they are careless enough, they will not have the chance to fly back to the airfield since they have already been shattered by the explosive mass of the missile. If missile is not an option, keep as fast as you could and leave the airspace for another attack run; only hitting him when the tides of battle really allows you to do so.

* [[Mirage IIIE|Mirage III]] series: they have the infamous [[Matra R550 Magic 1|Magic R.550]] and [[Matra R530]] at their disposal and these missiles can send anything that flies back to the hangar with ease. Their high angle of attack also worth mentioning since they can still sacrifice some more speed in the short run and hit you with the cannons. In this case, keep your speed, try to bleed their energy and avoid their Magics with flares, without them, the J-7E with its higher acceleration and energy retention can duel the Mirage III with relative ease.

* [[J35D]]: The Draken has incredibly low wing loading, a good thrust-to-weight ratio, and powerful RB24J missiles that are functionally identical to AIM-9Js. Its missiles are not quite as potent as the Magics used by the Mirages, but the plane can pull off some very impressive manoeuvres, so be cautious when dogfighting with a Draken for the first few turns and be prepared to drop flares if necessary. The Draken's design is a double edged sword however, because the entire aircraft being a lifting body means that it acts like an enormous airbrake during hard turns, losing immense speed. The tailed double-delta configuration of the J-7E is more balanced and its superior energy retention will give a careful pilot the upper hand in an extended engagement. The J35D also lacks flares, is a large target, and has an even more awkward gun placement than the J-7E, so it's not particularly threatening when its speed is gone.

* [[F-4 Phantom II (Family)|F-4 Phantoms]]: Other than the [[F-4C]]: All top-tier Phantoms are large, bulky planes that will suffer heavily in a dogfight with the J-7E, but they are fast and may be able to outrun the J-7E and other Fishbeds at low altitude courtesy of their higher rip speeds (less so for the FGR/FG if they are carrying gun pods). Careful Phantom pilots will maintain their energy and repeatedly sling missiles at the J-7E while avoiding dogfights, and they also carry plenty of flares to avoid return fire from PL-5Bs. The British Phantoms boast pulse-doppler radars that can guide Skyflashes against ground clutter while staying at high altitude. The J-7E has a radar warning receiver and an impressive supply of countermeasures for a light fighter, so long range Sparrow shots can be detected and evaded, but such launches are still annoying to deal with and can wear down the J-7E. Coordinate with teammates, trash their Sparrow shots to force them to switch to short-range IR missiles, and bait them into close quarters engagements where the J-7E excels. The German [[F-4F]] lacks radar-guided missiles despite being otherwise modern, so it is less of a threat.

* [[JA37C|JA37C Viggen]]: Another very iconic jet from Sweden and it is among the most advanced and manoeuvrable jets; the first mass-produced jet that ever comes with a canard. With one of the highest climb rate thanks to its aerodynamic design and powerful engine, as well as an advanced radar with look-down capabilities, this jet among with Phantoms are tough targets to engage. So a good way to avoid quick demise from their Skyflash missiles is to stay as low as you could, where its radar couldn't detect with ease, and try to take a detour behind the enemy lines where they will be concentrated on your teammates, then strike them when they are unaware of it. If that is not the case and you have gone into a dogfight with it, do not head-on as you are a piece of cake to Skyflash. Keep also your speed and manoeuvres in check, bite on its tail as much as you can, since there's a risk for the J-7E to overshoot and get shot by the Viggen's 30 mm cannons.

* [[MiG-23 (Family)]]: The family of late Warsaw Pact variable-swept wing aircraft in-game, the Floggers, have a higher thrust than J-7E does and it does come with better avionics and head-on capable R-60M missiles (MiG-23M and MiG-27M) which can make short work of careless players. The R-24T on the MiG-23MLD are also worth mentioning as they have quite a long radius, are IRST-guided and won't trigger your RWR. But the good news is that in many cases, if the enemy player didn't pay enough attention to tailing J-7E, they are still easy preys to your missiles or sometimes your 30 mm cannons, with such a large airframe, hits can be achieved with ease; but do note that some experienced players will manually control the swept angle of the wings and keep in dogfight for quite a while.

* [[F-16 (Family)]] All F-16s are extremely powerful opponents and your perfect counter, having a strong PD radar and AIM-7Ms being able to destroy you easily even from long ranges without a proper care, and the AIM-9L with a high burning time and G tolerance for an IR missile
** To defeat the AIM-7M, try to estimate his position by the missile's trails and your RWR, and go on a defensive with the proper use of chaff and notching the enemy's radar to make the radar lose track and so will the missile.
** In short to medium ranges, the AIM-9L would be used, but can be easily fooled by flares, with the low heat emission of the J-7E helping as well. However, the AIM-9L can reach long ranges, and so your situational awareness has to be redoubled if an F-16 is near to make sure they don't catch you unaware.
** In dogfight scenarios, it can be very tricky to win against one decent pilot, at low speeds the F-16 is simply better and will win the dogfight, even if they make a mistake, it'll still not be an easy fight to win. Your only chance is to take out the F-16 either early on in the dogfight, or to deploy flaps and attempt to convert your speed into as much turn rate as possible in hopes of being able to hit a shot.
** The F-16 has a radar leading computer for its M61 Vulcan cannon. As the Vulcan is already well known for a high accuracy, muzzle velocity, fire rate and damage, the leading computer turns the canon into a deadly point-and-click weapon. Try to fly more unpredictably to make it hard for the enemy to get a good aim, as well as avoid being radar-locked for the leading computer to get an aiming solution.
** The {{PAGENAME}} also has a radar gunsight, giving it the ability to lock the missile automatically at the enemy even in short ranges, and thanks to the extreme acceleration, G-tolerance and wide seeker of the PL-5B, it's possible to catch people by surprise even less than 1 km and with their reaction time being almost null.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* New engines with higher thrust and overall acceleration thanks to the lighter weight than Soviet MiG-21s
* Unique double-delta wings that gives impressive manoeuvrability and energy retention at its tier
* Multifunctional HUD and full ballistic computer functionality
* Comes with extremely advanced RWR and 72 countermeasures
* PL-5B missiles can make very short work of your enemies with their 30G overload and long boost time
* Good selection of ground attack weaponry, including powerful 130 mm rockets and 500 kg bombs

'''Cons:'''

* Single gun on starboard with only 60 rounds, very challenging to aim
* Lacks a fire-control radar and radar-guided weaponry
* No all-aspect IR missiles
* Missile capacity of 4 is below average
* Engine can be prone to overheat with extended use

== History ==

The CAC J-7 Fishbed (alternatively called a Fishcan to differentiate from the [[MiG-21 (Family)|Soviet built ones]]) has entered PLAAF service since late 1960s, but due to the political turmoil and lack of documents due to Sino-Soviet split, it was not until the mid-1970s until the [[J-7II]] had a steady pace of manufacture. The 4th major revision of this airframe, J-7IV, aka J-7E, can be traced back to the 1980s.

In the early 1980s, Mainland China had better relationships with European countries who seek to open up their military equipment market; thus during these days the older J-7II received a overhaul upgrade coded J-7B (or F-7M in foreign market) with British electronic equipment provided by GEC Marconi; while at the same time Chinese got their hands on a few [[MiG-21MF (Germany)|MiG-21MF]] from Egypt for upgrading the PLAAF fleet with a faster and radar-equipped aircraft, which later became the J-7C/D. They however failed to meet PLAAF's requirements on low speed dogfight doctrine and only a mere 54 aircraft were manufactured, though they were impressed by the R-13-300 engines on them and thus it became the Shenyang Liming WP-13 engine.

Although all these must be supported with a higher military budget (which wasn't available in the 1980s due to the economic reform) and during the late 1980s, most of the budget went to the later J-10 "Firebird"; while there were the mass of the older Shenyang [[J-6A|J-6]] fleet that needed replacement and PLAAF was in dire need for a fighter that came with ground-attacking capabilities (even the Shenyang J-8II was among the modified aircraft), so the CAC (Chengdu Aircraft Corp.) decided to made an upgrade on J-7 based on the opinion from foreign users, especially in terms of manoeuvrability .

Thus, the J-7IV (that later became the J-7E) program started in 1987 and by May 1991, it made its first flight and 2 years later it came into PLAAF commission.

The main improvement was the manoeuvrability, with the new WP-13 engine and the iconic double-delta designed by Northwestern Polytechnical University (西北工业大学 in Xi'an, Shaanxi) with a slat that can be lowered to 25° (and in fact the first PRC fighter with slats) that really helped its manoeuvrability - in a PLAAF's exercise in 1993, it was concluded that it was 43% better than older J-7II, as well as longer range with additional fuel tanks at the cost of giving up the port side cannon due to decreasing usage of cannons. Other improvements included additional pair of pylon, domestic avionics with a HUD, as well as some of the cockpit gauges were digital.

These 260 J-7Es built from 1994 to 2001 became the gap filler for PLAAF in the struggling days during the heat of 2nd Taiwan Strait Crisis; in 2006, based on the later F-7PG that came with an Italian radar (later domestic radar); the ultimate Fishbed of Mainland China- the J-7G came into service, with HMDs and latest avionics. Both serving as a supplementary jets to frontline airfields and cheaper solution to fill the gap until newer J-10C and J-11 series replace them.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=j_7e Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|uPiZbwP0IUA|'''My Definite Favourite - J-7E Red Skies''' - ''DEFYN''|yQfhODlSmJo|'''The Shooting Range #257''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:27 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|cSY9Dymym9A|'''The Most Underrated Plane Of Patch 2.7: J-7E''' - ''Spit_flyer''}}

== See also ==


;[[MiG-21 (Family)|Related development]]

* [[J-7II]]
* [[J-7D]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/526070-chengdu-j-7e/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Chengdu}}
{{China jet aircraft}}

Mirage 2000-5F

2024-07-16T22:41:11Z

U138796218: Update on weapon systems.

{{About
| about = French jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Mirage 2000 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=mirage_2000_5f
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''', an advanced variant of the Mirage 2000 series, represents a pinnacle of French aviation technology. Developed by Dassault Aviation, this fighter jet first took its maiden flight in 1991, marking a significant milestone in the country's aerial capabilities. Equipped with state-of-the-art avionics and weapon systems, the Mirage 2000-5F played a pivotal role in various historical conflicts. Notably, during the Kosovo War in 1999, these aircraft showcased their precision and versatility by carrying out crucial ground attack and air-to-air missions. Armed with a range of sophisticated weapons, including Magic 2 air-to-air missiles and laser-guided bombs, the Mirage 2000-5F demonstrated its adaptability and effectiveness in both aerial combat and ground support roles. Over the years, this fighter jet has solidified its reputation as a cornerstone of the French Air Force's fleet, embodying a harmonious blend of cutting-edge technology and combat-proven performance.

It was introduced in [[Update "La Royale"]]. The Mirage 2000-5F showcases impressive air-to-air combat capabilities, notably highlighted by its utilization of the Matra Magic 2 missile system. Armed with the Matra Magic 2, an advanced short-range infrared-guided missile, the aircraft excels in engaging close-range airborne targets. The Matra Magic 2 missile's infrared seeker technology enables it to home in on heat sources emitted by enemy aircraft, ensuring accurate target tracking and engagement even in challenging scenarios.

Complementing its missile armament, the Mirage 2000-5F's radar, the Thales RDY (Radar Doppler Multi-target), plays a pivotal role in target detection and tracking. This radar system facilitates rapid target acquisition, enhancing the aircraft's effectiveness in engaging multiple adversaries simultaneously. The Mirage 2000-5F's agility is another critical aspect of its air-to-air prowess, allowing pilots to outmanoeuvre opponents and gain advantageous positions during dogfighting encounters.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 12,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,246 || 2,174 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 26.2 || 26.6 || 155.7 || 144.8 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,453 || 2,351 || 23.9 || 25.0 || 238.1 || 195.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || X || X || ✓ || X || ✓* 
|-
|}
<nowiki>*</nowiki>Installing countermeasures blocks the deployment of the chute.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,512  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || - || - || - || ~13 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 920 || < 750 || < 650 || -
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | SNECMA M53-P2 || 1
| colspan="2" | 7,550 kg || colspan="3" | 267 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 34m fuel
|-
| 1,515 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 8,552 kg || 9,513 kg || 10,494 kg || 10,889 kg || 14,105 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 34m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 6,200 kgf || 9,688 kgf
| 1.13 || 1.02 || 0.92 || 0.89 || 0.69
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 7,083 kgf (1,512 km/h) || 13,406 kgf (1,512 km/h)
| 1.57 || 1.41 || 1.28 || 1.23 || 0.95
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The Mirage 2000-5F exhibits commendable survivability through a combination of advanced features that enhance its chances of evading threats and successfully completing tasks. One key aspect is its electronic warfare suite, which includes radar warning receivers, chaff and flare dispensers as jamming capabilities. These systems collectively enable the aircraft to detect, identify, and counter incoming threats such as radar-guided missiles and hostile radars. Additionally, the Mirage 2000-5F's advanced avionics and sensors, including the Thales RDY radar and DAMOCLES targeting pod, contribute to its situational awareness, allowing pilots to monitor and respond to potential threats effectively. The aircraft's agility and high-speed capabilities provide pilots with the means to maneuver out of danger swiftly. In terms of design, the Mirage 2000-5F's aerodynamic structure is optimized to reduce its radar cross-section, minimizing its vulnerability to enemy radar systems. This feature, coupled with its electronic warfare systems, helps enhance its overall survivability in contested environments. The Mirage 2000-5F also boasts an impeccably designed and advanced cockpit that significantly enhances its combat capabilities. The cockpit's streamlined layout not only enhances pilot comfort and ergonomics but also contributes to reduced clutter, allowing pilots to focus on mission-critical tasks with heightened efficiency. The cockpit's intuitive arrangement of displays and instruments empowers pilots to swiftly access crucial information and swiftly make informed decisions during high-stress situations. Furthermore, the cockpit's advanced Heads-Up Display (HUD) system projects essential flight data directly onto the pilot's line of sight, eliminating the need for frequent glances down at instruments. This enhances the pilot's ability to maintain spatial awareness and engage targets without diverting their attention from the external environment.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs) !! Lead indicator
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|DEFA 554 (30 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 2 x 30 mm DEFA 554 cannons, belly-mounted (125 rpg = 250 total) + 16 x Large caliber countermeasures
** 2 x 30 mm DEFA 554 cannons + 40 x large caliber counter measures + 24x countermeasures + 48x chaff countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}


The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="5%" | 1 !! width="5%" | 2 !! width="5%" | 3 !! width="5%" | 4 !! width="5%" | 5 !! width="5%" | 6 !! width="5%" | 7 !! width="5%" | 8 !! width="5%" | 9
| rowspan="20" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_Mirage_2000C-S5.png]]</div>
|-
! [[DEFA 554 (30 mm)|30 mm DEFA 554]] cannons (300 rpg)
| || || || || 2† || || || ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|500 lb LDGP Mk 82]] bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! [[SAMP Mk 82 250 Snakeye (500 lb)|500 lb SAMP Mk 82 250 Snakeye]] bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! [[SAMP Type 25 (250 kg)|250 kg SAMP Type 25]] bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! [[SAMP Type 25 200 (250 kg)|250 kg SAMP Type 25 200]] bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! [[BGL-1000 (970 kg)|970 kg BGL-1000]] bombs
| || || || || 1* || || || ||
|-
! [[GBU-12 Paveway II (277 kg)|277 kg GBU-12 Paveway II]] bombs
| || 1* || || || 2* || 1* || || 1* ||
|-
! [[GBU-16 Paveway II (1,092 lb)|1,092 lb GBU-16 Paveway II]] bombs
| || || || || 1* || || || ||
|-
! [[GBU-24 Paveway III (2,000 lb)|2,000 lb GBU-24 Paveway III]] bombs
| || || || || 1* || || || ||
|-
! [[PGM 500 (404 kg)|404 kg PGM 500]] bombs
| || 1* || || || 1*† || 1*† || || 1* ||
|-
! [[PGM 2000 (1,060 kg)|1,060 kg PGM 2000]] bombs
| || || || || 1*† || || || ||
|-
! [[SNEB type 23]] rockets
| 18 || 18 || || || || || || 18 || 18
|-
! [[AS-30L Nord]] missiles
| || 1* || || || || || || 1* ||
|-
! [[Matra R550 Magic 2]] missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || || || || 1 || 1
|-
! [[Matra Super 530D]] missiles
| || 1 || || || || || || 1 ||
|-
! [[Matra Super 530F]] missiles
| || 1 || || || || || || 1 ||
|-
! [[MICA-EM]] missiles
| 1 || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || || 1
|-
! DAMOCLES targeting pod
| || || || 1 || || || || ||
|-
! 1,300 l drop tanks
| || || || || 1† || || || ||
|-
| colspan="10" | * PGM guided bombs cannot be equipped in conjunction with other guided air-to-ground ordnance † PGM 500 bombs on hardpoint 6 cannot be carried in conjunction with marked ordnance on hardpoint 5
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* 1 x 1,300 l drop tank
* 2 x 30 mm DEFA 554 cannon (600 rpg)
* 2 x Matra R550 Magic 2 missiles
* 4 x Matra R550 Magic 2 missiles
* 2 x Matra Super 530F missiles
* 2 x Matra Super 530D missiles
* 6 x MICA-EM missiles
* 10 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (5,000 lb total)
* 10 x 500 lb SAMP Mk 82 250 Snakeye bombs (5,000 lb total)
* 9 x 250 kg SAMP Type 25 bombs (2,250 kg total)
* 9 x 250 kg SAMP Type 25 200 bombs (2,250 kg total)
* 72 x SNEB type 23 rockets
* 1 x DAMOCLES targeting pod + 5 x 277 kg GBU-12 Paveway II bombs (1,385 kg total)
* 1 x DAMOCLES targeting pod + 1 x 1,092 lb GBU-16 Paveway II bomb (1,092 lb total)
* 1 x DAMOCLES targeting pod + 1 x 2,000 lb GBU-24 Paveway III bomb (2,000 lb total)
* 1 x DAMOCLES targeting pod + 1 x 970 kg BGL-1000 bomb (970 kg total)
* 1 x DAMOCLES targeting pod + 2 x AS-30L Nord missiles
* 3 x 404 kg PGM 500 bombs (1,212 kg total)
* 1 x 1,060 kg PGM 2000 bomb (1,060 kg total)
{{Navigation-End}}

== Usage in battles ==

In air-to-air combat scenarios, the Mirage 2000-5F's strengths lie in its exceptional agility and advanced avionics. Employing the Matra Magic 2 short-range infrared-guided missiles, the aircraft can excel in dogfights and engage opponents in close-range encounters. Its advanced radar systems provide pilots with crucial situational awareness, granting them a significant advantage in these high-stakes aerial engagements. The Mirage 2000-5F also carries the powerful Thales RDY radar. This, paired with its MICA-EM ARH missiles makes the Mirage 2000-5F very dangerous at close to medium ranges, however, the MICA-EM lack the range to be able to compete with other missiles such as the AIM-120 at longer ranges.

When transitioning to air-to-ground missions, the Mirage 2000-5F demonstrates remarkable versatility. Armed with an array of guided weaponry such as the BGL-1000, PGM-500, PGM-2000, GBU-16, and GBU-12, the aircraft becomes a precise and lethal platform for striking ground targets with pinpoint accuracy. The integration of the DAMOCLES targeting pod significantly enhances the aircraft's ability to deliver laser-guided ordnance, including the AS-30L missile. This pod provides sophisticated targeting capabilities, allowing pilots to designate and guide laser-guided bombs and the AS-30L missile with exceptional precision. The Mirage 2000-5F truly shines when combining its air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities. This synergy is evident in scenarios where the aircraft engages in both roles within a single mission. For instance, in a close air support mission, the aircraft can effectively neutralize enemy ground threats with laser-guided bombs like the GBU-12 or GBU-16, or launch AS-30L missiles at high-value targets, while still retaining the capability to defend itself against potential aerial threats using its Matra Magic 2 missiles and advanced radar systems. This dual-purpose adaptability underscores the Mirage 2000-5F's value as a truly multirole fighter. The Mirage 2000-5F also possesses significant anti-shipping capabilities, bolstered by the use of the PGM-2000, a potent weapon in its arsenal. With its advanced guidance and armour-penetrating capability of up to 111mm, the PGM-2000 is a formidable threat against heavily armoured ships, including aircraft carriers. In War Thunder, aircraft carriers hold strategic importance as power projection platforms in Enduring Confrontation missions. The Mirage 2000-5F's ability to engage and potentially sink these carriers with precision strikes using the PGM-2000 underscores its role, disrupting enemy naval capabilities and potentially reducing the possibility of a mobile spawn point. This multirole versatility reinforces the Mirage 2000-5F's adaptability across various scenarios, making it a crucial asset in shaping battle dynamics.

In summary, the Mirage 2000-5F is a versatile and potent asset that can excel in air-to-air combat, air-to-ground strikes, and combined missions. Its use of guided weaponry, including the BGL-1000, PGM-500, PGM-2000, GBU-16, GBU-12, and AS-30L missile, coupled with the DAMOCLES targeting pod, empowers the aircraft with precise targeting and engagement capabilities. This multirole prowess, combined with its agility and advanced avionics, makes the Mirage 2000-5F a formidable platform capable of adapting to a wide range of operational requirements.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Upgraded radar (RDY radar) with excellent capabilities
* Good ground capability with access to long range AGM
* Good acceleration
* Great manoeuvrability
* DEFA 554 deal heavy damage
* Powerful targeting pod (Damocles) with a 3rd gen thermal imagery and a strong magnifier
* Access to Magic 2 and MICA-EM missiles stock
* Able to carry up to 8 missiles
* Access to the highly dangerous MICA-EM and Magic 2 missiles
* Excellent energy retention at high speeds

'''Cons:'''

* Poor energy retention at lower speeds
* Magic 2 has limited range
* MICA-EM has less range than most other ARH missiles
* DEFA 554 has slow muzzle velocity (820 m/s)

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=mirage_2000_5f Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|YpAvtM4iUWo|'''The Shooting Range #390''' - ''Arsenal'' section at 07:08 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|1_Ikp4Zbjp8|'''The Shooting Range #362''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:25 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[Mirage 2000 (Family)]]

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer Dassault}}
{{France jet aircraft}}

JAS39C (Great Britain)

2024-07-14T12:54:18Z

U138796218: Re-wording of many sentences to be more professional. Added section about enemies' worth noting.

{{About
| about = Fighter aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = SAAB 39 Gripen (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=saab_jas39c_south_africa
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

During the early 1980s, the South African Air Force (SAAF) was looking for a replacement for its aging Cheetah fleet, which was a locally upgraded version of the French [[Mirage III (Family)|Mirage III]]. The Cheetahs were subject to an arms embargo due to the apartheid regime, which limited their availability and effectiveness. In 1999, after a long and controversial procurement process, South Africa signed a contract with Saab for 26 Gripens (17 JAS39C and 9 JAS39D), becoming the first export customer of the type. The delivery of the South African Gripens started in 2008 and was completed in 2012. Since then, the South African Gripens have been involved in several operations, both at home and abroad. In 2010, they secured the airspace during the FIFA World Cup hosted by South Africa. In 2013, they provided air support for South African peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and also participated in the funeral of Nelson Mandela, the former president and anti-apartheid leader. However, the South African Gripens have faced some challenges in their service, such as budget constraints, maintenance issues, and political controversies. Due to the high cost of operating the jets, the SAAF has limited their flying hours and reduced their operational readiness. The SAAF has also struggled to maintain the jets' spare parts and technical support, which have been affected by the corruption allegations against Saab. Furthermore, the Gripen deal has been criticized by some sectors of society as unnecessary and wasteful, especially in light of the country's social and economic problems. These issues became more evident when South Africa had to ground its fleet of Gripens in September 2021 due to budget cuts and maintenance problems, which led to concerns about the country's air defense capabilities.

The {{Specs|name}} was introduced in [[Update "Air Superiority"]]. As the first South African jet in the tree, it proves worthy of its place due to its exceptional flight performance and loadout capabilities. It has a high-performance engine and a high thrust-to-weight ratio, which gives it excellent acceleration and climb rate, as well as superb agility and energy retention. It can also carry a variety of weapons for all kinds of situations, including guided bombs, AGM-65 Mavericks, active radar homing R-Darter and IR AIM-9M missiles. It's downsides are few, but noticeable: it's mainly a dogfighter and taking too much weight will nullify its strengths, and its radar, while practically inescapable, has poor accuracy.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

{{Notice|Flight performance of this plane has been changed several times since its release, however most sections remain valid after these changes.}}

The Gripen is really simple to fly, as it has nearly all mechanics on automatic controls. Use of airbrakes is manual and is recommended when the plane is diving down, especially if pilot is about to pass out, otherwise the plane might lock up and crash into ground like a meteor.

With only light anti-air weaponry, the plane easily accelerates to 1100 km/h even without afterburner, with afterburner it is possible to reach 1500 km/h (nearing self-destruct speed) and further in a level flight.

Currently, the JAS39 family remains as the best dogfighter in game (However this is closely followed by the [[F-16A]] Block 10 and to a lesser extent, the Block 15 and 20 variants), and this mostly shows in three situations:

*It has an extreme turn rate even with afterburner on, allowing to do a 180 degree turn on a whim when completely researched. This, however, can make the pilot pass out, despite having a delta wing, the Gripen still has good energy retention at almost all speed ranges.
*It's possible to destabilize the plane and fall into a flat spin, however the chances of this are minimal.
*Even when damage is taken, the plane remains agile and continues to hold its own in a dogfight.

Taking heavy bombs will severely hamper its flight performance. Consider using ATGMs instead, unless absolutely necessary.

Enemies worth noting:

* [[F-16C]] - The F-16C carries the highly dangerous [[AIM-120A|AIM-120]] missiles which out range the R-Darter by a large amount. However at close ranges the difference becomes much less noticeable. In a dogfight the F-16C is simply no match for the Gripen (Assuming similar pilot skill).
* [[F-16AM (France)]] - The F-16AM has all the advantages of the previously mentioned F-16C, however the F-16AM has superior flight performance compared to the F-16C and is close to the Gripen in a close range dogfight, though the Gripen still has the advantage.
* [[Su-27 (Family)|Su-27]] (All variants) - The Su-27 family have the ability to carry up to 10 missiles and is a very dangerous opponent at longer ranges, at close ranges its HMD+[[R-73]] combination continues to be a major threat but due to the Gripen's large number of countermeasures, this is less of a issue, though still dangerous. The Su-27's flight performance in a dogfight is much inferior to the Gripen as long as the Gripen is able to evade the Su-27 in the first/second turn where the Su-27 is able to pull very high AOA and launch its [[R-73]] missiles.
* [[F-15C MSIP II]] - The F-15C is able to carry a loadout of 4x [[AIM-120A|AIM-120]] + 4x [[AIM-9M Sidewinder|AIM-9M]] missiles, making it very deadly in both long range and close range engagements
* [[Mirage 2000-5F]] - The Mirage 2000-5F carries the [[Matra R550 Magic 2]] missiles as well as the [[MICA-EM]] missiles, both of which are extremely dangerous in a close range combat, any close range engagement with the Mirage 2000-5F should be approached with extreme caution. While the Gripen remains noticeably superior in terms of flight performance, the Mirage 2000-5F will be able to keep on with the Gripen until low speeds where the difference in flight performance gets larger.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 11,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,169 || 2,134 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 24.1 || 24.1 || 213.2 || 202.8 || rowspan="2" | 500
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,327 || 2,240 || 23.9 || 24.0 || 279.5 || 245.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || X || X || ✓ || X || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,543  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || - || - || - || ~12 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 519 || < 700 || < 1,543 || -
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Svenska Flygmotor RM12 || 1
| colspan="2" | 6,865 kg || colspan="3" | 307 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 32m fuel
|-
| 1,054 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 7,567 kg || 8,308 kg || 9,032 kg || 9,205 kg || 13,906 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 32m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 5,100 kgf || 7,528 kgf
| 0.99 || 0.91 || 0.83 || 0.82 || 0.54
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,100 kgf (0 km/h) || 10,918 kgf (1,250 km/h)
| 1.44 || 1.31 || 1.21 || 1.19 || 0.79
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The Gripen itself is rather fragile, but unlike most early delta wings British players might be familiar with it has a lot of redundant controls and even the canards on the front alone can keep the plane alive for a minute. Loss of flaps on the back can seriously hamper the ability to turn, but the plane will try to adapt. Losing half the wing will likely cause the plane to spin and crash, but pilot can fight it.
[[File:Unkillable gripen counterattacks.jpg|thumb|right|As long as Gripen still has at least one working flap and the kanards, it can demonstrate truly horrific feats of defiance]]
Taking heavy hit to the cockpit or the engine is generally fatal, but in case of engine fire the plane can still use remaining energy to fight or attempt to put out the fire via use of the EFS.

One of the most important parts of this plane defences are the countermeasure pods - this plane by default has 80 large countermeasures and in its anti-air loadout it can have a large number of small countermeasures under its wings (up to 640). Even when firing countermeasures every 0.5 seconds (which is already enough to confuse AIM-9M and some ARH missiles) without any care in the world, the plane is unlikely to run out of countermeasures before every player on enemy team was already destroyed.

On top of high amount of countermeasures, the plane has a rather low engine temperature when the afterburner is offline, which makes it slightly easier to lose the IR missiles with the use of flares.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs) !! Lead indicator
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|Akan m/85 (27 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 1 x 27 mm Akan m/85 cannon, belly-mounted (120 rpg)
* 92 x large calibre countermeasures

The cannon is similar to 27 mm Mauser used on the [[Tornado F.3]] with barely enough ammunition to destroy 4 planes, but it has significantly better ammunition. Belts have PELE-T shells mixed in, which are basically a better APHE (twice the explosive mass and explode backwards after destroying hit module) and anti-air belt has 2 HEF shells. Overall, the ammunition is extremely good at setting planes on fire, even if not always inherently lethal.

Radar gun assist is a bit weak due to the strong but unfocused radar - while it is next to impossible to shake it off (and very difficult to chaff), it will most of the time only work at 1.2 km and will fail to actually provide a correct aim prediction. With a gun convergence of 600 m, pilot must aim slightly ahead of the enemy plane to actually score a hit from the side.

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}


The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="5%" | 1 !! width="5%" | 2 !! width="5%" | 3 !! width="5%" | 4 !! width="5%" | 5 !! width="5%" | 6 !! width="5%" | 7 !! width="5%" | 8
| rowspan="17" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_JAS39A.png]]</div>
|-
! [[GBU-12 Paveway II (277 kg)|277 kg GBU-12 Paveway II]] bombs
| || 1† || 1† || || || 1† || 1† ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|500 lb LDGP Mk 82]] bombs
| || 2 || 2 || || || 2 || 2 ||
|-
! [[Mk 82 Snakeye (500 lb)|500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye]] bombs
| || 2 || 2 || || || 2 || 2 ||
|-
! [[GBU-10 Paveway II (957 kg)|957 kg GBU-10 Paveway II]] bombs
| || || 1† || || || 1† || ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83]] bombs
| || 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! [[GBU-16 Paveway II (1,092 lb)|1,092 lb GBU-16 Paveway II]] bombs
| || 1† || 1† || || || 1† || 1† ||
|-
! [[GBU-24 Paveway III (2,000 lb)|2,000 lb GBU-24 Paveway III]] bombs
| || || 1† || || || 1† || ||
|-
! [[AGM-65B]] missiles
| || 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! [[AGM-65G]] missiles
| || 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! [[AIM-9L Sidewinder]] missiles
| 1 || 1* || 1* || || || 1* || 1* || 1
|-
! [[AIM-9M Sidewinder]] missiles
| 1 || 1* || 1* || || || 1* || 1* || 1
|-
! [[R-Darter]] missiles
| || 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! Countermeasures
| || 160* || 160* || || || 160* || 160* ||
|-
! LITENING II targeting pod
| || || || 1† || || || ||
|-
! 1,100 l drop tanks
| || || 1 || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
| colspan="9" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,250 kg
|-
| colspan="10" | * Countermeasures can be equipped with AIM-9L/-9M missiles on the same hardpoint † LITENING II pod must be equipped when equipping guided bombs
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* 3 x 1,100 l drop tanks
* 2 x AIM-9M Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles + 640 x countermeasures
* 6 x AIM-9M Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x AIM-9M Sidewinder missiles + 640 x countermeasures
* 4 x R-Darter missiles
* 4 x R-Darter missiles + 640 x countermeasures
* 640 x countermeasures
* 8 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 8 x 500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 4 x AGM-65B missiles
* 4 x AGM-65G missiles
* 4 x 277 kg GBU-12 Paveway II bombs (1,108 kg total)
* 4 x 1,092 lb GBU-16 Paveway II bombs (4,368 lb total)
* 2 x 2,000 lb GBU-24 Paveway III bombs (4,000 lb total)
{{Navigation-End}}

The Gripen has a lot of ammunition types, but you need to make a choice of what exactly are you going to do in your current battle. Two outer points (wingtips) are used for AIM-9L/M, while middle hardpoints can either carry anti-air missiles with countermeasure pods, or anti-ground weapons like bombs or ATGM. On the fuselage, an optional LITENING II or a fuel tank can be equipped.

In anti-air section, AIM-9M and R-Darter are the most interesting options. Both missiles can be used with TWS and HMD radar mode, which makes them very versatile and quite hard to detect.

AIM-9M is a smokeless IR missile that shuts off its seeker when it sees flares and tries to intercept the plane on its last known course instead of just flying wherever it wants to like the 9L, which makes it incredibly difficult to evade without consistent flare spam (and not many planes have near-infinite flares like with the British ones).

R-Darter is an ARH missile, meaning it has radar built into it and will attack planes on its own after establishing a lock. The missile is best described as Skyflash SuperTemp on steroids, as it doesn't even require sustained lock-on to fire (TWS soft lock is enough), is extremely agile and will relentlessly pursue and obliterate anything even off-screen within its optimal range, starting from 1.5 km and ending with about 13 km. The missile lock-on range is about 16 km, but it will do its best to trace chosen target until then by using IOG instead of self-destructing, though when launched at a target from very far away, it will try to loft (fly in space to then fall down) and will naively spend all of its energy on actively turning enemies, so using R-Darter at a long range is not recommended (unless fired from space to begin with). The missile will use DL (data link) to correct itself and report it's own progress, basically being also linked to the plane's radar the whole time, which makes it visible on the radar display and lets it to take notes every time TWS (or even a direct lock-on) paints the chosen target.

In anti-ground section, AGM-65G are the most interesting addition to already known ammunition (same as on Harrier GR.7). It's essentially a giant SAP shell, filled with so much explosives that it might as well be HE. Since it's IR guided, it is fire-and-forget type of launch and can be used at night. One of it's major downsides is that it could in theory be intercepted by APS or blocked off by smoke screens, unlike a regular or laser bomb.

== Usage in battles ==

The {{PAGENAME}} is the crown jewel of the British Aviation tech tree, sitting at one whole Battle Rating above any and all other planes. It is the most versatile fighter, ground striker, dogfighter and interceptor out of the British tree, and one of the most capable planes in game, thanks to its amazing manoeuvrability, low speed flight characteristics and suite of ordnance. While it can use a combination of IR missiles, radar missiles, guided bombs and AGMs, it does not feature more than 4 fully customizable hardpoints, along with the 2x AIM-9Ms from the wingtips. this means that you can have one radar missile, one IR missile with Countermeasures pod, one guided bomb and one AGM, ontop of fuel and a LITENING II targetting pod. The ability to take such custom loadouts makes this plane very versatile and suitable for a large number of roles in Air-to-Air combat and Air-to-Ground combat.

;Air Realistic battles:

This plane should carry 6 missiles. Two wingtip AIM-9L/M which should always be carried. On the remaining 4 hardpoints, the {{PAGENAME}} can take any combination of AIM-9L/M, AIM-9L/M on Countermeasure pods (which is obviously preferred over the AIM-9L/M with no countermeasure pods), or the same with R-Darter Radar missiles instead. The best combination and missile balance is decided by the user, though R-Darter is more inherently lethal and versatile, at a cost of being mildly vulnerable to chaff.

The Gripen is a very fuel efficient plane. You can fly it extra light at minimum fuel (9 minutes) along with the fuel pod if you do not plan to afterburn all the way to the middle of the map. This fuel loadout ensures you are the lightest possible, while giving you enough fighting time. You can always drop the fuel tank to become insanely nimble, however you should not drop below 2 minutes of fuel. You can get back to base with around 1 minute if you climb, keep your speed and start from high speed from the middle of the map, however 2 minutes insures you can also defend yourself in case anyone chases you. You can take any combination of fuel + fuel pod, however you should not have more than 30 minutes of total fuel. Flight performance suffers with more than 25 minutes of total fuel.

It should be noted that the Gripen, as a very small fighter with an efficient engine is a very cold target compared to dual-engine fighters that can fight against it, giving enemies a very hard time locking IR missiles on it, and making it very easy to defend against IR missiles.

The Gripen can be used in multiple ways:

* Furball Fighter - Taking a full load of missiles and countermeasures. Periodic flares can be used this way along with the relatively cold engine of the Gripen, making you almost invulnerable to IR missiles. This however means than you want to be as light as possible, so taking minimum fuel and dropping the fuel pod as you enter the fight is very crucial. You should then target enemies that are not spamming flares with AIM-9M and crash anything too agressive with R-Darters. If the AIM-9M has at least 2-3 seconds of flight without seeing one flare, it is pretty much guaranteed to hit. If a lot of people are trying to set up for a head-on, you can literally destroy half of the enemy party with R-Darters before they can even get an angle on you, as R-darter can intercept targets that arent even on your screen. You can even fire at their backs as they begin their loops, but you will have to use HMD and may accidentally crash into ground if not paying attention, so take care
* Interceptor - This involves taking R-Darter missiles and trying to pick off targets by firing at them via TWS or by sneaking on them from low ground and firing into their face from 10 km away. It is very effective because R-Darter has stupidly high manoeuvrability while it has a booster, and multiple planes can be blasted in one volley since they are ARH and do not require babysitting after initial lock like the Skyflashes. Since R-Darter lofts (goes up to fall down) really hard and doesn't turn much after the booster is gone, it is not very good for long range fights (planes with AIM-120A will win by default unless you double tap them after they change flight direction and keep draining the missile energy by going left and right), but you can fire it at targets that are 20 km away and going along the ground or behind a mountain while you are also on at the same elevation without exposing yourself overly much (it will go up, lock on and then fall on them from about 30 degree angle). It also can conserve energy when chasing someone from behind by looming above them, so if enemy pilot gets distracted for 10 seconds it will fall on their face. Sometimes, when fired from about 25 km, the R-Darters will just find and kill their targets on their own, but keeping the TWS or lock on a plane will reduce possibility of chaff and aerobatics working on it.

The Gripen is one of the best suited planes in Air Realistic due to its low heat signature, low fuel consumption, HMD, and strong IR missiles, However this does not mean it is not as good in:

;Ground Realistic Battles:

The Gripen has access to a good variety of guided munitions. You can chose between using GBU-12s, GBU-16s and GBU-24s (only on the inner-most pylons) and AGM-65B/Gs which can all be guided with the LITENING II targetting pod. One of the best targetting pods in war thunder, with good thermal sight resolution. This gives the Gripen the ability to take out any ground target effectively, and still be able to engage enemy Air due to its wingtip AIM-9M missiles, which effectiveness is much greater in ground battles due to the AIM-9M's smokeless motors, meaning it is effectively invisible as it approaches the target so the enemy may not be able to pop countermeasures soon enough to wave it off.

When using this plane in GRB, taking one to two AGMs is a good idea, in order to take out enemy SPAA as quickly as possible. AGMs are preferred over GBUs due to their fire and forget nature, and higher speed.

Taking out enemy SPAAs such as the Pantsir-S1 is the first thing you should do when you spawn in. The AGMs should be fired from a maximum of 8 km, and if possible 6 km. If more than 5-10 seconds pass and you have not fired an AGM at an enemy SPAA, you should instantly dive while turning the other way. After going outside of the enemy SPAA range (18 km max) you should sideclimb and get to a comfortable altitude. Try to take out the the enemy SPAA again with the AGMs. do note that they have higher range if fired from higher altitude.

After dealing with SPAA, You can start dropping GBUs or use AGM-65G, but you need to keep in mind that another SPAA can spawn in at any moment and lock you in the IRST mode, so you should always look at the ground, and always fly defensively if possible, putting objects or terrain between you and the enemy ground spawns, keeping your speed up or not flying into straight lines for too long.

;Simulator Battles:

The Gripen is a very strong plane to use in simulator battles. It gets access to a lot of countermeasures, smokeless missiles, making them quite invisible even if enemies look at you when you fire in the right conditions. You get access to a good HUD that gives good information, the HMD which is amazing in SIM, a targetting pod on its own hardpoint, which is good for spotting, and a pretty good radar, with good search sectors, range and modes. TWS should be used rather than PD.

The only downside is that the Gripen has a black line running in the middle of the glass canopy, effectively cutting your visibility when in a dogfight, and the fact that it only has access to 6 missiles.

It is one of the best SIM planes due to its very stable canard design, smokeless motors and HMD. Flight performance is a bonus.

The British variant of the Gripen is identical to the Swedish Gripen, other than name and camouflages, and is one of the best planes in War Thunder due to its insanely good flight performance, good ordnance variety, strong air-to-air IR missiles and large amount of countermeasures on top of other smaller strengths. It is a plane that has very high potential and can win any situation. This is not a plane that will limit the one who is piloting it.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very capable AIM-9M missiles, which include a seeker shutoff IRCCM and smokeless motor
* An extremely agile R-Darter ARH missile will absolutely destroy any target at short to medium range
* Can attack with missiles at almost any angle it wants to, as it has access to HMD and the missiles don't really require a lock-on most of the time
* Extremely nimble and capable plane, which can pull off one-of-a-kind manoeuvres
* Can be extremely difficult to kill
** lots of countermeasures, more than most players will ever need
** Able to turn, aim and fire even on the brink of death
** High performance and low temperature engine makes it hard to lock the plane and enough thrust to keep fighting at the same time
* High variety of ordnance including GBUs, AGMs, countermeasure pods and a good targeting pod
* A decent range radar that is nearly impossible to chaff
* Has special ammunition for its gun, mildly better than the other 27 mm

'''Cons:'''

* Can only carry a maximum of 6 missiles, anti-ground ammunition removes a missile and a countermeasure pod
* Flying it without care can cause blackout
* Flight performance suffers greatly if damaged or carrying heavy bombs
* Missiles are not particularly good at long range
* Not impossible to run out of fuel, but taking too much fuel makes the plane less agile (can be solved by bringing fuel tanks, but that requires more keybinds)

== History ==

In the late 1990s, South Africa found a need to replace its aging fleet of Mirage and Cheetah fighter jets. Looking to modernize their fleet for not only national defense, but for a better standing for their defense modernization and strategic autonomy in the global stage, South Africa sought options in the market under the Advanced Light Fighter Aircraft (ALFA) program. The decision was made and announced in November 1998 that the Swedish-made Gripen has been chosen to fulfill the program's need, with 28 Gripens to be purchased at a price of 1.5 billion USD in 1999 (this would be changed to 26 Gripens in 2005). Alongside the purchase deal was South Africa's involvement with Saab's Industrial Participation programme, which enabled South Africa's local industries to help produce and maintain Gripen parts, such as Denel Aviation producing the rear fuselage sections of the Gripen.

South Africa received their first Gripen in 2006. The aircraft, a two-seater Gripen-D, was sent to the Test Flight Development Centre in the Southern Cape for full testing and integration of South African avionics and weapons for the country. Once fully tested and handed over to the South African Air Force (SAAF) in 2008, deliveries of Gripens directly to the South African Air Force began in the same year. By 2011, 17 Gripen-Cs and 9 Gripen-Ds have been delivered to the SAAF and equipped the 2 Squadron, located at AFB Makhado in the Limpopo province.

Although the Gripens have not yet been involved with any heavy fighting in South Africa, they have been integral to maintaining the country's air superiority. Gripens were deployed during several high-profile events in South Africa, such as during the 2010 FIFA World Cup to maintain airspace security and protection and in 2013 to escort Nelson Mandela's remains to his funeral processions and maintain no-fly zones during the funeral.

However, financial constraints have cast a shadow over the fleet's operational sustainability, leading to a notable incident in September 2021 when the Gripens were grounded due to lack of funding and maintenance and support contracts not being renewed in time. This would be resolved by September 2022, enabling the Gripens to fly again, though concerns remain on the pilot readiness after a year of grounding.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=saab_jas39c_south_africa Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|YpAvtM4iUWo|'''The Shooting Range #390''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:25 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer Saab}}
{{Britain jet aircraft}}

F4U-7

2024-07-13T07:53:06Z

U138796218: Pros/cons, also now that the rocket pods are ejected after empty means you no longer have the extra weight after firing, hence turn performance is no longer affected.

{{About
| about = French naval fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F4U (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f4u-7
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|cockpit=cockpit_f4u-7.jpg
}}

== Description ==

Intended for the French Aéronavale, the '''{{Specs|name}}''' was developed to fulfill France's urgent need for a carrier aircraft. America responded to the call with the F4U-7, an F4U-4 airframe with the ground attack capability of the [[AU-1]], a ground attack-focused Corsair. The F4U-7s were some of the last Corsairs to be produced in its long production run of 13 years. France began receiving the new Corsairs in 1953 and retired them 11 years later in 1964. During its service, the F4U-7 saw combat in many places like Algeria and Vietnam. Much like in WW2, F4U-7s flew sortie after sortie with minimal losses.

Introduced in [[Update 1.79 "Project X"]], the F4U-7 is one of 5 Corsairs in-game armed with the dangerous 20 mm cannons. Like every other Corsair, it's extremely fast at an astounding 885 km/h (553 mph) but does weigh more than the F4U-4/4B due to its provisions to carry a variety of ordnance. It is a strong plane when it comes to both air-to-air roles and ground attack roles but it also has the highest BR for a cannon-armed Corsair.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 9,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 675 || 651 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 21.2 || 22.0 || 13.5 || 13.5 || rowspan="2" | 200
|-
! Upgraded
| 754 || 711 || 19.1 || 20.0 || 25.7 || 18.5
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 885  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 388 || 299 || 252 || ~11 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 450 || < 220 || < 410 || > 450
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


* 38 mm Bulletproof glass in cockpit front.
* 3 mm Steel plates in front of the cockpit, top of the fuselage.
* 8 mm Steel plate behind the pilot.
* 12.7 mm Steel plate on the headrest.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M3 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 4 x 20 mm M3 cannons, wing-mounted (246 rpg = 984 total)

The four cannons are arranged in bundles of two mounted in each wing. Each is armed with the same amount of ammunition, which means that all guns will fire together until empty.

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}


The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="3%" | 1 !! width="3%" | 2 !! width="3%" | 3 !! width="3%" | 4 !! width="3%" | 5 !! width="3%" | 6 !! width="3%" | 7 !! width="3%" | 8 !! width="3%" | 9 !! width="3%" | 10 !! width="3%" | 11 !! width="3%" | 12 !! width="3%" | 13
| rowspan="10" width="35%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! [[No.1 (100 kg)|100 kg No.1]] bombs
| 1 || 1*† || 1 || 1*† || 1 || || || || 1 || 1*† || 1 || 1*† || 1
|-
! [[AN-M57 (250 lb)|250 lb AN-M57]] bombs
| 1 || 1*† || 1 || 1*† || 1 || || || || 1 || 1*† || 1 || 1*† || 1
|-
! [[AN-M64A1 (500 lb)|500 lb AN-M64A1]] bombs
| || || 1† || || 1† || || || || 1† || || 1† || ||
|-
! [[AN-M65A1 (1,000 lb)|1,000 lb AN-M65A1]] bombs
| || || || || || 1 || 1 || 1 || || || || ||
|-
! [[HVAR]] rockets
| 1 || 1* || 1 || 1* || 1 || || || || 1 || 1* || 1 || 1* || 1
|-
! [[SNEB type 23]] rockets
| 19* || || 19* || || 19* || || || || 19* || || 19* || || 19*
|-
! [[T10 140]] rockets
| 1 || 1* || 1 || 1* || 1 || || || || 1 || 1* || 1 || 1* || 1
|-
! [[T10 151]] rockets
| 1 || 1* || 1 || 1* || 1 || || || || 1 || 1* || 1 || 1* || 1
|-
| colspan="14" | Maximum permissible loadout weight: 2,720 kg
|-
| colspan="15" | * SNEBs on hardpoints 3, 5, 9, 11 cannot be equipped in conjunction with marked ordnance in adjacent hardpoints † Bombs on hardpoints 3, 5, 9, 11 cannot be equipped in conjunction with marked bombs in adjacent hardpoints
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* Without load
* 10 x HVAR rockets
* 10 x T10 140 rockets
* 10 x T10 151 rockets
* 114 x SNEB type 23 rockets
* 10 x 100 kg No.1 bombs (1,000 kg total)
* 10 x 250 lb AN-M57 bombs (2,500 lb total)
* 4 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (2,000 lb total)
* 3 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs (3,000 lb total)
{{Navigation-End}}

== Usage in battles ==


* Play it as a pure fighter, no payload, with the powerful 4 x 20 mm AN/M3 guns there is no need to spray the enemy aircraft with ammunition, just one hit will severely damage the enemy fighter to include a potential loss of control systems, fire or multiple leaks, if you're facing attackers or heavy bombers (especially the [[He 177 A-5]]), you must keep your distance because the F4U-7 is a fragile aircraft, engage them from far or attack them par surprise. Use this aircraft as a boom and zoomer.
* Play it as an attacker, use the famous 114 x SNEB rocket payload. This payload is the best for the Enduring Confrontation. There is enough firepower to eliminate all the enemies on the battlefield with careful aim. And a convoy is just a piece of cake. For the tanks, send six rockets, two for howitzer and two to four rockets for a pillbox. When you run out of rockets, you have two choices:
*# Return to the airfield to reload
*# Use it as a fighter.
* Fly the aircraft as a fighter/bomber, take the payload with the 3 x 1,000 lbs bombs and attack the bases. Once you're out of bombs, you can dogfight other planes.

=== Manual Engine Control ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
|-
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
! colspan="3" | Radiator
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
|-
! Oil !! Water !! Type
|-
| Not controllable || Controllable Auto control available || Controllable Auto control available || Controllable Auto control available || Separate || Controllable 3 gears || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent armament when fully upgraded, high ammo count
* 114 x SNEB rockets are devastating against both ground and air targets
* Powerful AN/M3 Canons
* Very powerful engine when at low and medium altitudes

'''Cons:'''

* Painful to play when stock
* Limited WEP (11 minutes)
* Fragile tail section
* Extremely inaccurate guns when stock
* Performs poorly with added weight from suspended armaments

== History ==

The French Navy (Aéronavale) desperately needed a carrier-born aircraft for their newly acquired carriers from the U.S. and Britain. The U.S. decided to help France by making the F4U-7. The F4U-7 was essentially the AU-1 Corsair and F4U-4 Corsair mixed together. It combined the engine from the F4U-4 and airframe, but it also had the payload capacity of the AU-1 Corsair. This allowed it to be powerful against fighters but also effective against ground targets. The U.S. actually bought the F4U-7s first, then through MAP (Military Assistance Program), France received them.

In 1956, due to the inaccuracy of free-fall bombs and unguided rockets, France experimented with the F4U-7 in its ability to carry [[SS-11]] guided missiles. France couldn't afford sortie after sortie with a shortage of pilots, so the only way to combat that was to make weapons more accurate. Use of the SS.11 on the F4U-7 required intense training as there would be 2 sticks, one to fly the plane and one to guide the missile to its target. This required the pilot to have "2 brains" as you would have to fly while watching the ATGM. France found it to be a success, so they decided to select a squadron to start the process on, but however, they decided to not pursue it. France couldn't take 15 Corsairs at a time to be fitted with ATGMs due to their small fleet of only around 115 F4U-7s. However, the idea did live on with the MD.311 Flamant.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f4u-7 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|LW_BVvR7CIg|'''The Shooting Range #122''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 03:50 discusses the fate of the F4U Corsair after WW2.|VHJN6ZWOmnY|'''The bane of tanks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 4:11 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5502-development-f4u-7-the-corsair-under-a-french-tricolore-en|[Devblog] F4U-7: The Corsair under a French Tricolore]]
* [https://wwiiafterwwii.wordpress.com/2017/04/14/guided-missiles-on-corsairs/ <nowiki>[wwiiafterwwii.wordpress.com]</nowiki> Guided missiles on Corsairs]

{{AirManufacturer Vought}}
{{France fighters}}

Mirage 2000-5F

2024-06-23T10:53:19Z

U138796218: Update on the plane's weapon systems

{{About
| about = French jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Mirage 2000 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=mirage_2000_5f
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''', an advanced variant of the Mirage 2000 series, represents a pinnacle of French aviation technology. Developed by Dassault Aviation, this fighter jet first took its maiden flight in 1991, marking a significant milestone in the country's aerial capabilities. Equipped with state-of-the-art avionics and weapon systems, the Mirage 2000-5F played a pivotal role in various historical conflicts. Notably, during the Kosovo War in 1999, these aircraft showcased their precision and versatility by carrying out crucial ground attack and air-to-air missions. Armed with a range of sophisticated weapons, including Magic 2 air-to-air missiles and laser-guided bombs, the Mirage 2000-5F demonstrated its adaptability and effectiveness in both aerial combat and ground support roles. Over the years, this fighter jet has solidified its reputation as a cornerstone of the French Air Force's fleet, embodying a harmonious blend of cutting-edge technology and combat-proven performance.

It was introduced in [[Update "La Royale"]]. The Mirage 2000-5F showcases impressive air-to-air combat capabilities, notably highlighted by its utilization of the [[MICA-EM]] and the Matra Magic 2 missile system. Armed with the Matra Magic 2. The aircraft excels in engaging close and medium range airborne targets. The Matra Magic 2 missile's infrared seeker technology enables it to home in on heat sources emitted by enemy aircraft, ensuring accurate target tracking and engagement even in challenging scenario, while the MICA-EM employs an active radar homing radar seeker.

Complementing its missile armament, the Mirage 2000-5F's radar, the Thales RDY (Radar Doppler Multi-target), plays a pivotal role in target detection and tracking. This radar system facilitates rapid target acquisition, enhancing the aircraft's effectiveness in engaging multiple adversaries simultaneously. The Mirage 2000-5F's agility is another critical aspect of its air-to-air prowess, allowing pilots to outmanoeuvre opponents and gain advantageous positions during dogfighting encounters.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 12,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,246 || 2,174 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 26.2 || 26.6 || 155.7 || 144.8 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,453 || 2,351 || 23.9 || 25.0 || 238.1 || 195.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || X || X || ✓ || X || ✓* 
|-
|}
<nowiki>*</nowiki>Installing countermeasures blocks the deployment of the chute.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,512  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || - || - || - || ~13 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 920 || < 750 || < 650 || -
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | SNECMA M53-P2 || 1
| colspan="2" | 7,550 kg || colspan="3" | 267 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 34m fuel
|-
| 1,515 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 8,552 kg || 9,513 kg || 10,494 kg || 10,889 kg || 14,105 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 34m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 6,200 kgf || 9,688 kgf
| 1.13 || 1.02 || 0.92 || 0.89 || 0.69
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 7,083 kgf (1,512 km/h) || 13,406 kgf (1,512 km/h)
| 1.57 || 1.41 || 1.28 || 1.23 || 0.95
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The Mirage 2000-5F exhibits commendable survivability through a combination of advanced features that enhance its chances of evading threats and successfully completing tasks. One key aspect is its electronic warfare suite, which includes radar warning receivers, chaff and flare dispensers as jamming capabilities. These systems collectively enable the aircraft to detect, identify, and counter incoming threats such as radar-guided missiles and hostile radars. Additionally, the Mirage 2000-5F's advanced avionics and sensors, including the Thales RDY radar and DAMOCLES targeting pod, contribute to its situational awareness, allowing pilots to monitor and respond to potential threats effectively. The aircraft's agility and high-speed capabilities provide pilots with the means to maneuver out of danger swiftly. In terms of design, the Mirage 2000-5F's aerodynamic structure is optimized to reduce its radar cross-section, minimizing its vulnerability to enemy radar systems. This feature, coupled with its electronic warfare systems, helps enhance its overall survivability in contested environments. The Mirage 2000-5F also boasts an impeccably designed and advanced cockpit that significantly enhances its combat capabilities. The cockpit's streamlined layout not only enhances pilot comfort and ergonomics but also contributes to reduced clutter, allowing pilots to focus on mission-critical tasks with heightened efficiency. The cockpit's intuitive arrangement of displays and instruments empowers pilots to swiftly access crucial information and swiftly make informed decisions during high-stress situations. Furthermore, the cockpit's advanced Heads-Up Display (HUD) system projects essential flight data directly onto the pilot's line of sight, eliminating the need for frequent glances down at instruments. This enhances the pilot's ability to maintain spatial awareness and engage targets without diverting their attention from the external environment.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs) !! Lead indicator
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|DEFA 554 (30 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 2 x 30 mm DEFA 554 cannons, belly-mounted (125 rpg = 250 total) + 16 x large caliber countermeasures
** 2 x 30 mm DEFA 554 cannons + 40 x large caliber countermeasures + 24 x countermeasures + 48x chaff countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}


The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="5%" | 1 !! width="5%" | 2 !! width="5%" | 3 !! width="5%" | 4 !! width="5%" | 5 !! width="5%" | 6 !! width="5%" | 7 !! width="5%" | 8 !! width="5%" | 9
| rowspan="20" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_Mirage_2000C-S5.png]]</div>
|-
! [[DEFA 554 (30 mm)|30 mm DEFA 554]] cannons (300 rpg)
| || || || || 2† || || || ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|500 lb LDGP Mk 82]] bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! [[SAMP Mk 82 250 Snakeye (500 lb)|500 lb SAMP Mk 82 250 Snakeye]] bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! [[SAMP Type 25 (250 kg)|250 kg SAMP Type 25]] bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! [[SAMP Type 25 200 (250 kg)|250 kg SAMP Type 25 200]] bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! [[BGL-1000 (970 kg)|970 kg BGL-1000]] bombs
| || || || || 1* || || || ||
|-
! [[GBU-12 Paveway II (277 kg)|277 kg GBU-12 Paveway II]] bombs
| || 1* || || || 2* || 1* || || 1* ||
|-
! [[GBU-16 Paveway II (1,092 lb)|1,092 lb GBU-16 Paveway II]] bombs
| || || || || 1* || || || ||
|-
! [[GBU-24 Paveway III (2,000 lb)|2,000 lb GBU-24 Paveway III]] bombs
| || || || || 1* || || || ||
|-
! [[PGM 500 (404 kg)|404 kg PGM 500]] bombs
| || 1* || || || 1*† || 1*† || || 1* ||
|-
! [[PGM 2000 (1,060 kg)|1,060 kg PGM 2000]] bombs
| || || || || 1*† || || || ||
|-
! [[SNEB type 23]] rockets
| 18 || 18 || || || || || || 18 || 18
|-
! [[AS-30L Nord]] missiles
| || 1* || || || || || || 1* ||
|-
! [[Matra R550 Magic 2]] missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || || || || 1 || 1
|-
! [[Matra Super 530D]] missiles
| || 1 || || || || || || 1 ||
|-
! [[Matra Super 530F]] missiles
| || 1 || || || || || || 1 ||
|-
! [[MICA-EM]] missiles
| 1 || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || || 1
|-
! DAMOCLES targeting pod
| || || || 1 || || || || ||
|-
! 1,300 l drop tanks
| || || || || 1† || || || ||
|-
| colspan="10" | * PGM guided bombs cannot be equipped in conjunction with other guided air-to-ground ordnance † PGM 500 bombs on hardpoint 6 cannot be carried in conjunction with marked ordnance on hardpoint 5
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* 1 x 1,300 l drop tank
* 2 x 30 mm DEFA 554 cannon (600 rpg)
* 2 x Matra R550 Magic 2 missiles
* 4 x Matra R550 Magic 2 missiles
* 2 x Matra Super 530F missiles
* 2 x Matra Super 530D missiles
* 6 x MICA-EM missiles
* 10 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (5,000 lb total)
* 10 x 500 lb SAMP Mk 82 250 Snakeye bombs (5,000 lb total)
* 9 x 250 kg SAMP Type 25 bombs (2,250 kg total)
* 9 x 250 kg SAMP Type 25 200 bombs (2,250 kg total)
* 72 x SNEB type 23 rockets
* 1 x DAMOCLES targeting pod + 5 x 277 kg GBU-12 Paveway II bombs (1,385 kg total)
* 1 x DAMOCLES targeting pod + 1 x 1,092 lb GBU-16 Paveway II bomb (1,092 lb total)
* 1 x DAMOCLES targeting pod + 1 x 2,000 lb GBU-24 Paveway III bomb (2,000 lb total)
* 1 x DAMOCLES targeting pod + 1 x 970 kg BGL-1000 bomb (970 kg total)
* 1 x DAMOCLES targeting pod + 2 x AS-30L Nord missiles
* 3 x 404 kg PGM 500 bombs (1,212 kg total)
* 1 x 1,060 kg PGM 2000 bomb (1,060 kg total)
{{Navigation-End}}

== Usage in battles ==

In air-to-air combat scenarios, the Mirage 2000-5F's strengths lie in its exceptional agility and advanced avionics. Employing the Matra Magic 2 short-range infrared-guided missiles and benefiting from the Thales RDY radar, the aircraft can excel in dogfights and engage opponents in close-range encounters. Its advanced radar systems provide pilots with crucial situational awareness, granting them a significant advantage in these high-stakes aerial engagements. The MICA-EM ARH Missiles are extremely dangerous at close and medium ranges, at medium ranges these missiles can be fired with TWS and on-board radar will activate at 16km and is able to track the target without command from the launch aircraft. These missiles can also be used in a dogfight thanks to the HMD radar.

When transitioning to air-to-ground missions, the Mirage 2000-5F demonstrates remarkable versatility. Armed with an array of guided weaponry such as the BGL-1000, PGM-500, PGM-2000, GBU-16, and GBU-12, the aircraft becomes a precise and lethal platform for striking ground targets with pinpoint accuracy. The integration of the DAMOCLES targeting pod significantly enhances the aircraft's ability to deliver laser-guided ordnance, including the AS-30L missile. This pod provides sophisticated targeting capabilities, allowing pilots to designate and guide laser-guided bombs and the AS-30L missile with exceptional precision. The Mirage 2000-5F truly shines when combining its air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities. This synergy is evident in scenarios where the aircraft engages in both roles within a single mission. For instance, in a close air support mission, the aircraft can effectively neutralize enemy ground threats with laser-guided bombs like the GBU-12 or GBU-16, or launch AS-30L missiles at high-value targets, while still retaining the capability to defend itself against potential aerial threats using its Matra Magic 2 missiles and advanced radar systems. This dual-purpose adaptability underscores the Mirage 2000-5F's value as a truly multirole fighter. The Mirage 2000-5F also possesses significant anti-shipping capabilities, bolstered by the use of the PGM-2000, a potent weapon in its arsenal. With its advanced guidance and armour-penetrating capability of up to 111mm, the PGM-2000 is a formidable threat against heavily armoured ships, including aircraft carriers. In War Thunder, aircraft carriers hold strategic importance as power projection platforms in Enduring Confrontation missions. The Mirage 2000-5F's ability to engage and potentially sink these carriers with precision strikes using the PGM-2000 underscores its role, disrupting enemy naval capabilities and potentially reducing the possibility of a mobile spawn point. This multirole versatility reinforces the Mirage 2000-5F's adaptability across various scenarios, making it a crucial asset in shaping battle dynamics.

In summary, the Mirage 2000-5F is a versatile and potent asset that can excel in air-to-air combat, air-to-ground strikes, and combined missions. Its use of guided weaponry, including the BGL-1000, PGM-500, PGM-2000, GBU-16, GBU-12, and AS-30L missile, coupled with the DAMOCLES targeting pod, empowers the aircraft with precise targeting and engagement capabilities. This multirole prowess, combined with its agility and advanced avionics, makes the Mirage 2000-5F a formidable platform capable of adapting to a wide range of operational requirements.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Upgraded radar (RDY radar) with excellent capabilities
* Good ground capability with access to long range AGM
* Good acceleration
* Great manoeuvrability
* DEFA 554 deal heavy damage
* Powerful targeting pod (Damocles) with a 3rd gen thermal imagery and a strong magnifier
* Access to Magic 2 missiles stock
* Able to carry 8 highly capable missiles
* Access to the MICA-EM missiles

'''Cons:'''

* Poor energy retention
* Magic 2 has limited range
* DEFA 554 has slow muzzle velocity (820 m/s)

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=mirage_2000_5f Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|YpAvtM4iUWo|'''The Shooting Range #390''' - ''Arsenal'' section at 07:08 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|1_Ikp4Zbjp8|'''The Shooting Range #362''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:25 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[Mirage 2000 (Family)]]

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer Dassault}}
{{France jet aircraft}}

J-11

2024-02-07T08:43:14Z

U138796218: Flight performance is not identical to the Su-27, the airframe is 570kg heavier than the Su-27 as stated in the wiki page for the two aircrafts.

{{Specs-Card
|code=j_11
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (歼-11型歼击机; NATO Codename: Flanker-B), aka '''Su-27SK''' by Sukhoi or '''苏-27''' in PLAAF manuals, is one of the main composition of modern PLAAF's interceptor fleet since the early 1990s as the overseas solution to upgrade the outdated-PLAAF. By 1989, soon after the improving of Sino-Soviet relationships and the nationwide riots during the economic reform, the only viable solution to upgrade PLAAF was from USSR due to the subsequence embargo imposed by NATO countries; a group of military staffs of PLAAF soon departed for USSR to import the latest interceptors of USSR. Initially, the VVS promoted the [[MiG-29]] to Chinese generals during their visit to Kubinka Airbase, but the generals soon spotted the state-of-the-art interceptor - [[Su-27|Su-27S]] - in the airbase and later crash of the Fulcrum during demonstration flight made PLAAF go for the Flanker. After series of meetings and an interesting behind-the-scene story, the deal was set to purchase the 38th and 39th batches of Su-27S at around USD $1 Billion for 24 jets (18 Su-27SK and 6 UBK twin-seater) and 22 jets respectively. After the fall of Soviet Union, PLAAF saw the possibilities to purchase the production license of Su-27SK in 1993. After threats for no further jets would be ordered from KnAAPO and a long negotiation with the now-Russia Federation, 200 Su-27SK would be assembled by SAC within 15 years since 1996; the licensed Su-27SK, now called J-11A would increase domestic production rate through the 5 batches. The design of Flanker alongside with its blueprints and punched tapes were further refined by Chinese engineers with the help of CAD, revising the redundancies on the original design and eventually set the foundation for J-11B (Flanker-L) and future Flanker derivatives.

Introduced in [[Update "Air Superiority"]] as part of the upgrade, J-11 shares close to identical performance to its Soviet counterpart (570kg heavier.) Thanks to its well refined aerodynamic design, power engines, loads of A-A weaponries and sufficiently powerful radar/IRST, J-11 leads PLAAF into the current apex of air battles. While its sheer size and inferior electronics can be a problem in different occasions, J-11 will not disappoint players with its iconic features.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

In short words: the overall flight performance is close to identical to Soviet's Su-27. Thanks to the well-refined airframe which took almost a decade to design, Su-27 series is famous for its great manoeuvrability even at its huge size, to put it in perspective: Su-27/J-11 is almost 4 m longer than MiG-29 series at 21 m, while it is at very similar length to PLAAF's own J-8II series, the large, trapezium wing still makes it the overall largest PLAAF interceptor up to present day (including the domestic refined J-11B and later variants). In first glance, players might consider such a huge jet doesn't have as much manoeuvrability as MiG-29 series; when they eventually have the chance to fight J-11, they will soon know that it will be a hassle to handle, thanks to the FBW systems, airframe designs and two powerful AL-31F engine that gives almost average T/W ratio at 1.0, most earlier jets from lower BR will have major problem handling J-11. When players expect to see an stall-out Flanker, what they might see is that: their own jet will be the first one to stall out before the Flanker eventually stalls out, sometimes even performing the iconic Pugachev's Cobra - where the jet can achieve up to 110° AoA at such speed while pulling the control stick and level out at the same altitude, therefore players might want to think twice before engaging J-11.

But just like what the introduction mentioned, the problem is also its sheer size. Considering for its 21x14 m size, it is also easy to land shots or missiles upon J-11 if players make an error during aerial dogfights; any damaged part of the airframe will significantly increase drag of Flanker and thus higher risk of being shot down. Be sure to utilize its manoeuvrability in solo fights, not gang fights with very little reaction time and room for errors - one wrong move can be its demise. As for the Pugachev's Cobra, it is more of aerobatics than a tactic to reverse the battle, it is never a good idea to show the largest possible surface area to enemy guns.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at _,___ m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| ___ || ___ || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | ___
|-
! Upgraded
| ___ || ___ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,540  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || - || 652 || 600 || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 680 || < 750 || < 700 || -
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Saturn AL-31F || 2
| colspan="2" | 16,990 kg || colspan="3" | 426 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 13m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 44m fuel
|-
| 1,520 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 19,810 kg || 21,184 kg || 23,281 kg || 26,390 kg || 34,489 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 13m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 44m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 7,450 kgf || 12,028 kgf
| 1.21 || 1.14 || 1.03 || 0.91 || 0.70
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 7,450 kgf (0 km/h) || 15,640 kgf (1,540 km/h)
| 1.58 || 1.48 || 1.34 || 1.19 || 0.91
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

By 1980s, to further reduce the weight, most interceptors were not equipped with extra armor plates for both the pilot and critical components; this is no exception for the Flanker series, thus the pilot can face fatal hits from both autocannons or missile shrapnel.

Meanwhile, all the 5 fuel tanks onboard are self-sealed, meaning that with the help of researchable fire extinguishers, the J-11 can save itself from fatal structural failure in case of a fire.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs) !! Lead indicator
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|GSh-30-1 (30 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 1 x 30 mm GSh-30-1 cannon, wing root-mounted (150 rpg)
* 96 x large calibre countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}


The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="5%" | 1 !! width="5%" | 2 !! width="5%" | 3 !! width="5%" | 4 !! width="5%" | 5 !! width="5%" | 6 !! width="5%" | 7 !! width="5%" | 8 !! width="5%" | 9 !! width="5%" | 10
| rowspan="19" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_Su-27.png]]</div>
|-
! [[OFAB-100 (100 kg)|100 kg OFAB-100]] bombs
| || 1 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 1 ||
|-
! [[FAB-250M-62 (250 kg)|250 kg FAB-250M-62]] bombs
| || || 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[OFAB-250-270 (250 kg)|250 kg OFAB-250-270]] bombs
| || 1 || 1, 2, 6 || 1, 5 || 1, 4 || 1, 2 || 1, 5 || 1, 2, 6 || 1 ||
|-
! [[OFAB-250Sh (250 kg)|250 kg OFAB-250Sh]] bombs
| || || 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[FAB-500M-62 (500 kg)|500 kg FAB-500M-62]] bombs
| || || 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[FAB-500Sh (500 kg)|500 kg FAB-500Sh]] bombs
| || || 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[ZB-500 incendiary]] bombs
| || || 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[S-8KO]] rockets
| || || 20, 40 || || || || || 20, 40 || ||
|-
! [[S-13OF]] rockets
| || || 5, 10 || || || || || 5, 10 || ||
|-
! [[S-25O]] rockets
| || || 1, 2 || || || || || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[S-25OF]] rockets
| || || 1, 2 || || || || || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[S-25OFM]] rockets
| || || 1, 2 || || || || || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[R-27ER1]] missiles
| || || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[R-27ET1]] missiles
| || || 1 || || || || || 1 || ||
|-
! [[R-27R1]] missiles
| || || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[R-27T1]] missiles
| || || 1 || || || || || 1 || ||
|-
! [[R-73E]] missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || || || || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
| colspan="11" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,500 kg
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* Without load
* 2 x R-73E missiles
* 6 x R-73E missiles
* 2 x R-27T1 missiles
* 6 x R-27R1 missiles
* 2 x R-27ET1 missiles
* 6 x R-27ER1 missiles
* 80 x S-8KO rockets
* 20 x S-13OF rockets
* 4 x S-25O rockets
* 38 x 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs (3,800 kg total)
* 30 x 250 kg OFAB-250-270 bombs (7,500 kg total)
* 8 x 250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 8 x 250 kg OFAB-250Sh bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 8 x 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs (4,000 kg total)
* 8 x 500 kg FAB-500Sh bombs (4,000 kg total)
* 8 x ZB-500 incendiary bombs
{{Navigation-End}}

The J-11's arsenal is entirely Soviet, which presents interesting new opportunities for pilots used to Chinese top-tier aircraft. It is oriented as an air superiority fighter, lacking any guided air-to-ground munitions, but it has some tricks up its sleeve when the airspace is more permissive to CAS.

Two families of air-to-air missiles are available, the R-73 and the R-27. The R-73E is a functionally identical export version of the R-73 short-range, IR-guided missile seen on later Soviet aircraft like the [[MiG-29SMT]] and the [[Su-25T]]. It has a great 40 G overload, a thrust vectoring system that helps it maintain sustained hard turns, and ECCM to help resist flares. Compared to the domestic [[PL-8]], it's generally an all-round improvement aside from the lower top speed. R-73s can be mounted on any of the six wing hardpoints.

The R-27 comes in radar-guided (R-27R1 standard, R-27ER1 extended-range) and IR-guided (R-27T1 standard, R-27ET1 extended-range) flavors and are the J-11's main armament for medium and long range combat. The "1" suffix denotes export variants, but again they happen to perform identically. The R-27ER1 is the J-11's best weapon for BVR combat, as its extreme speed and long range allow it to win jousts against targets with slower missiles. The R-27ET1 is a great option for distant sneak attacks as it does not give any RWR warning to its target. R-27s can be mounted on any of the four fuselage pylons and also the inboard wing pylons, but the catch is that the IR-guided -T1 and -ET1 can only be mounted on the inboard wing pylons, and are thus limited to at most 2.

Three types of unguided rockets are available, all carried as double racks on the inboard wing pylons. The S-8KO HEAT rocket comes in large pods and is significantly better than its domestic Chinese equivalent (Type 90-1) with greater penetration, flight speed, and capacity. However at the J-11's battle rating, such weapons are rather questionable for jet fighters as they have issues harming MBTs from the front and have a limited effective range. The S-13OF can be considered a heavier and more powerful cousin to the Type 130-2 HE rocket with a bonus of one extra rocket per pod; it can destroy light targets through splash damage at fair distances and direct hits can still crack open MBTs with some luck. The S-25O heavy bunker-buster previously featured on the [[Su-25]] is a unique tool lacking any equivalent in the domestic Chinese arsenal; it carries only one shot per pod and packs more explosive content than a 100 kg bomb. It may seem like a crude weapon for an elegant air-superiority fighter, but in typical Soviet ground attack fashion the S-25O can blow anything on the ground to smithereens through brute force.

The J-11 is also an impressive bomb truck, ironically outclassing or matching the [[JH-7A]] fighter-bomber. Iron bombs are available in sizes of 100, 250, and 500 kg. Incendiary and high-drag bombs are available in the 500 kg size.

== Usage in battles ==

Although PLAAF deemed Su-27SK, aka J-11 as the main composition of PLAAF in 1990s and early 2000s, they did have plans to introduce the more advanced domestic avionics to replace the OEM equipment. As for J-11, although it has flawed avionics with inferior RWR and unreliable radar, the sheer payload and maneuverability can make it a great alternative to [[F-16A MLU (China)|ROCAF's F-16A]] in air battles while retaining sufficient but less advanced means for ground attack operations.

; Air Battle - The Far East Flanker

The concept of Flanker series are solely for air-interception missions; just looking to the overall payload of J-11, it still leave the trace of Soviet air-defense doctrine of intercepting enemy bombers with SARH missiles. But before players can unleash missile hell against enemy jets, R-27T1 and R-73E will be the only options for the J-11 at early stages; while R-73E is known for their maneuverability even at close distance and sufficient tracking radius against enemy targets, players will need to get used to a major rule of top-tier battles: always aim for those who didn't launch flares to interfere with the missile seeker. In most cases, jets within the 4 km radius of J-11 can be potential prey of R-73E as they are likely be concentrated on taking out friendly jets; thanks to the HMD on J-11 and great overload of R-73E, players can employ some of the most impressive maneuvers to make sure the missile is within the firing range. In most cases, unless enemy jets launched flares in very short interval, they will become easy prey for the missile. As for the R-27 series, both the E and R series with IR/radar seeker are the the best friends of J-11 thanks to their impressive thrust and overload at long distance; as long as the missile can keep on the track with enemy targets, both high and low-altitude targets will become an easy prey for players while earning more experiences for other usages.

But when players have the need to gun down enemy jets in dogfights, while the powerplants and design of J-11 can make sure it can sustain long enough dogfight before it took out enemies or the arrival of friendly jets, as mentioned in previous paragraph, it is better leave the J-11 as an interceptor to take out any high-altitude targets who also planned to take out the friendly targets with SARH or ARH missiles (i.e. F-14B), thus players have to keep a keen eye on any radar signals on the SPO-15LM RWR or from its N001E radar. Make sure to pick the best possible target to dealt with as this can also help friendlies to secure the victory of battle, as well as evading enemy tracking radar as much as possible which gives them as little reaction time as possible - it is always better to take out enemy targets before they even have the chance to fire upon friendly targets, which can in turn affect the morality of enemy team as well.

; Ground Battle - The Long-time Tradition

Among the Chinese community, there were a saying that ''"Anything in PLAAF must come with ground-attack capabilities using unguided rockets"''. This is in fact true for J-11 in this case as there are many images from PLAAF showing Su-27SK or future J-11B series carrying Russian/domestic rocket pods for ground attacks. The Flanker family is known for their interception capabilities but the rather abundant payload is also a good platform for ground-attack operations albeit lacking any precision munitions; pylons on J-11 is totally identical to Su-27S with multiple payload point, when players think a Flanker is nowhere an attacker, it does in fact have even more bombs in quantity to Chinese domestic JH-7A (30 250 kg bombs vs 22 250kg bombs) in case players want to cause extensive damage to enemy armored column. Players can also go for even more bombs with 100 kg bombs or better kill radius with 500 kg bombs, depending on the playstyle and the composition of enemy vehicles, it is always a good idea to carry varieties of bombs for heavy targets while leaving the rocket pods (twin pods) to handle light vehicles; for example, the FAB-500 series is a good idea to take out heavy targets in stationary or armored columns, while leaving B-8 or B-13 rocket pods against light vehicles or SPAAs. But as a thumb of rule of Flanker family in-game: always plan for your assault when entering the battlefield as enemy SPAAs or fighters would want to hunt down enemy jets as well. Thanks to the CCIP and CCRP onboard, J-11 can employ both high-altitude or low-altitude approach against enemy targets, either by bombing a certain area filled with enemy vehicles or evading SPAAs before unleashing hell against enemy players. If the skies are full of enemy jets which SPAA systems could not handle, it will also be a good time to utilize the great missiles on J-11 ranging from R-73E up to the devastating R-27ER1; it is always a good idea to pick careless players that are too concentrated on ground-attacks.

=== Pros and cons ===
'''Pros:'''

* Impressive maneuverability
** Powerful AL-31F engine for maximum thrust and acceleration
** FBW control with great maneuverability even at low speeds
* Up to 10 missiles at once with flexibility for both long and short range combats
* IRST for concealed detection of enemies
* Large fuel tanks without the need for drop tanks
* Devastating 30 mm autocannon to tear down enemy targets
* Large pool of air-to-ground ordnance with up to bombs or rocket pods

'''Cons:'''

* Huge target
* Inferior electronics especially the RWR and radar
* Relative low ammo pool for the autocannon
* Lacks precision weapons for safer ground attacks appoaches

== History ==

==== The Komsomolets from Far East ====
The [[Su-27]] (NATO: Flanker) series were one of the top secrets of the Soviet Union since its introduction in 1985 with the PVO (Su-27P interceptor), which was deemed not-for-sale during the early days of its service as the USSR promotes their [[MiG-29_(Family)|MiG-29 series]] to their allies and potential customers. By May 1989, Mikhail Gobachev made his historical visit to Mainland China amid Chinese's nationwide protests for reform; however, the protests soon escalated to riots and resulted with the sanctions from NATO countries for any further military projects. Yevgeny Shaposhnikov, the last Minister of Defense in future, saw the possibilities to sell fighter jets to Mainland China. After the halt of [[J-8B|J-8II]] Project 8-2 and the commence of Project 8-3, PLAAF has dire need for new interceptors to fill in the gap as ROCAF would soon acquire [[Mirage_2000-5F|Mirage 2000-5]] and [[F-16A_MLU_(China)|F-16A Block 20]]; a team of general staff led by Liu Huaqing (刘华清) went to USSR in May 1990 and for the purchase of Soviet fighter jets as the Project 90-6 (906工程). During the talks, Chinese knew the existence of PVO and VVS' Flankers and changed their mind as soon as the general staffs saw the Flanker in Kubinka Airbase; soon after the crash of a [[MiG-29]] during demonstration flight later in September, Flanker became the obvious choice for PLAAF general staffs.

''There was a very interesting story behind the negotiations: according to the memories from Lin Hu (林虎), the vice-commander of PLAAF at the time, to defeat the "Ustinov's Rule", named after Dmitriy Feodorovich Ustinov (ex-Minister of Defense of USSR) where Soviet general staffs would use vodka as a way to negotiate for military aids/sales, PLAAF general staff found an officer who is "immune to alcohol" and eventually "took down" all Soviet general staffs in Beijing, earning a discounted price for the Flankers.''

Soon after the negotiations, USSR general staffs said there were possibilities to export Flankers to Mainland China; before the collapse of the Red Giant, Soviet Union agreed for the sales of 18 Su-27SK and 6 of its twin-seater variant, Su-27UBK at US $1 billion as the 38th batch of Su-27 produced by KnAAPO (Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Plant); these jets were all delivered in November 1992. Soon after the introduction of Flankers in PLAAF service, PLAAF went for the production license of Su-27S and threatened the Russians with no further orders after the 39th batch (22 jets); this later led to a long negotiation since August 1993 and eventually set the deal in December 1996, where 200 Su-27SK would be produced by SAC within 15 years. SAC would receive the CKD kits of Su-27SK from KnAAPO to be assembled locally, while future jets would be SKD kits with progressive rate on domestic parts; the Project 11 (11号工程) lead by Li Ming (李明; chief engineer of J-8II) soon received the documents in 1995 for the preparation of domestic assembly, the engineer team translated the documents for a year. With the manufacture equipment and SKD kits delivered to Shenyang in Spring of 1998, SAC assembled a complete jet with the help of Russian engineers and the first domestic assembled Su-27SK, now J-11A "Blue 49" with batch number 0001, soared into the skies on 1st September, 1998, marking one of the page of cooperation between Mainland China and Russia 4 decades after the split.

The J-11A series would be produced for another 4 batches (01xx to 04xx) before SAC finalized and digitalized the Flanker for domestic improvements, which would later known as the J-11B (Flanker-L) since 2006; while some J-11A received domestic and Belarusian upgrades for upgraded FCS and avionics. The Su-27SK and J-11A have been decommissioned by 2020s, likely been replaced by Chinese Flankers; while the Su-27UBK are still in service in small quantities as lead-in trainers for units operating Flankers.

== Media ==

''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer Shenyang}}
{{China jet aircraft}}

Su-27

2024-01-28T08:05:11Z

U138796218: km/h instead of km/s

{{Specs-Card
|code=su_27
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

Shortly after the Vietnam War, both the United States and the Soviet Union got to work on a new generation of fighter aircraft that favoured manoeuvrability and dogfight performance over top speed, after seeing how badly "missile truck" designs like the [[F-4 Phantom II (Family)|F-4 Phantom II]] performed against more nimble aircraft that were as much as 20 years older. In 1969, the Soviet Union received details through spies on the USAF's F-X program and the aircraft it was leading to, the [[F-15A|F-15 Eagle]]. As a result, the Soviets also decided to adopt a "Heavy support" doctrine with their new generation of fighters, with a smaller amount of a larger, more powerful aircraft supporting a larger amount of smaller, cheaper "frontline" aircraft just as the US was going to do with the F-15 and [[F-16 (Family)|F-16]] respectively. The design of the heavy fighter was handed to OKB Sukhoi, which quickly produced the T-10 prototype. The T-10 had many shortcomings, and after a lot of work with {{Annotation|TsAGI|Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute of Moscow}} to iron out the issues, the Su-27 would take to the skies for the first time in 1977. Development would continue further, and the first true "production models" would only enter service in 1985, beginning a fruitful life in Soviet service, and later in Chinese, Ethiopian, Vietnamese, Eritrean, Indonesian, Ukrainian, Kazakh, Uzbek, and Russian service with many aircraft of the type still seeing combat today.

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (NATO reporting name: ''Flanker'') was introduced in [[Update "Air Superiority"]] as the top-end heavy fighter for the USSR tree, capping off the Sukhoi line and beginning its transition from high speed fighter-bombers to the venerable Flanker family. The Su-27 is a jack of all trades yet a master of almost none, and that playstyle is its strongest suite. The Flanker carries a very generous amount of air to air missiles (ten), including up to six heat-seeking missiles with HMD targeting, and four of the infamous R-27ER coupled with the strong N001 Mech radar. The Flanker's lethal missile selection allows it to dispatch distracted many enemies at safe distances, and when push comes to shove, the Flanker's inherently unstable airframe and fly-by-wire control systems allows it to perform high angle-of-attack manoeuvres and partial post-stall manoeuvres at lower speeds, including the famed Cobra manoeuvres. All in all, the Su-27 should be played as a jack of all trades, and fits best into a very aggressive playable due to its lethal missiles, great avionics and sensors, and nimble flight performance. One must, however, be aware of various enemies you can encounter in the Flanker, such as all the aircraft that carry IRCCM missiles due to the Flanker's large heat signature as a result of the two massive AL-31 engines, but also be careful of dogfighting aircraft from the F-15 Eagle family, as the Eagle's superior TWR and high-speed handling as a result of the stable airframe will give F-15 players an advantage in some scenarios.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at _,___ m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| ___ || ___ || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | ___
|-
! Upgraded
| ___ || ___ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,540  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || - || 652 || 600 || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 680 || < 750 || < 700 || -
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Saturn AL-31F || 2
| colspan="2" | 16,420 kg || colspan="3" | 417 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 13m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 44m fuel
|-
| 1,520 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 19,240 kg || 20,614 kg || 22,711 kg || 25,820 kg || 33,798 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 13m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 44m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 7,219 kgf || 11,656 kgf
| 1.21 || 1.13 || 1.03 || 0.90 || 0.69
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 7,219 kgf (0 km/h) || 15,640 kgf (1,540 km/h)
| 1.63 || 1.52 || 1.38 || 1.21 || 0.92
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs) !! Lead indicator
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|GSh-30-1 (30 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 1 x 30 mm GSh-30-1 cannon, wing root-mounted (150 rpg)
* 96 x large calibre countermeasures

The Su-27 uses the same 30 mm autocannon as the MiG-29 with the same limited ammunition count of 150 rounds. Although it is not as forgiving as the American M61 Vulcan and demands precision, it has no spool up time and will deal heavy damage to any aircraft it hits. Something to note is that the Su-27's cannon is mounted on the right side of the fuselage, whereas the MiG-29's mount is on the left.

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}


The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="5%" | 1 !! width="5%" | 2 !! width="5%" | 3 !! width="5%" | 4 !! width="5%" | 5 !! width="5%" | 6 !! width="5%" | 7 !! width="5%" | 8 !! width="5%" | 9 !! width="5%" | 10
| rowspan="19" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! [[OFAB-100 (100 kg)|100 kg OFAB-100]] bombs
| || 1 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 1 ||
|-
! [[FAB-250M-62 (250 kg)|250 kg FAB-250M-62]] bombs
| || || 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[OFAB-250-270 (250 kg)|250 kg OFAB-250-270]] bombs
| || 1 || 1, 2, 6 || 1, 5 || 1, 4 || 1, 2 || 1, 5 || 1, 2, 6 || 1 ||
|-
! [[OFAB-250Sh (250 kg)|250 kg OFAB-250Sh]] bombs
| || || 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[FAB-500M-62 (500 kg)|500 kg FAB-500M-62]] bombs
| || || 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[FAB-500Sh (500 kg)|500 kg FAB-500Sh]] bombs
| || || 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[ZB-500 incendiary]] bombs
| || || 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[S-8KO]] rockets
| || || 20, 40 || || || || || 20, 40 || ||
|-
! [[S-13OF]] rockets
| || || 5, 10 || || || || || 5, 10 || ||
|-
! [[S-25O]] rockets
| || || 1, 2 || || || || || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[S-25OF]] rockets
| || || 1, 2 || || || || || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[S-25OFM]] rockets
| || || 1, 2 || || || || || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[R-27ER]] missiles
| || || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[R-27ET]] missiles
| || || 1 || || || || || 1 || ||
|-
! [[R-27R]] missiles
| || || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[R-27T]] missiles
| || || 1 || || || || || 1 || ||
|-
! [[R-73]] missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || || || || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
| colspan="11" | Maximum permissible loadout weight: 8,040 kg Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,500 kg
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* Without load
* 2 x R-73 missiles
* 6 x R-73 missiles
* 2 x R-27T missiles
* 6 x R-27R missiles
* 2 x R-27ET missiles
* 6 x R-27ER missiles
* 80 x S-8KO rockets
* 20 x S-13OF rockets
* 4 x S-25O rockets
* 38 x 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs (3,800 kg total)
* 8 x 250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 30 x 250 kg OFAB-250-270 bombs (7,500 kg total)
* 8 x 250 kg OFAB-250Sh bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 8 x 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs (4,000 kg total)
* 8 x 500 kg FAB-500Sh bombs (4,000 kg total)
* 8 x ZB-500 incendiary bombs
{{Navigation-End}}

The Su-27 has a fairly wide arsenal. The air-to-air armaments are generally similar to the [[MiG-29SMT]], with highly agile R-73 IR missiles for short-range combat and various marks of R-27 missiles for medium to long range engagements. However it has a large advantage in capacity over the MiG-29; a full air superiority loadout consists of four R-73s and up to six R-27s, which makes it an excellent missile truck for BVR jousting.

The extended-range R-27ER and R-27ET are the most capable members of the R-27 family and should be used once unlocked. The R-27ET (and its less advanced R-27T) can only be mounted on the inboard wing pylons for a maximum capacity of two, but this is sufficient for a couple of long-range sneak attacks to round out the Su-27's engagement capabilities. The inboard pylons can also mount R-73s instead for pilots who want to bring as many dogfight missiles as possible.

The Su-27 is limited to only unguided bombs and rockets for ground attack, so unlike the MiG-29SMT it cannot use TV-guided missile or bombs for standoff engagements. One notable feature is that it can carry up to four S-25O heavy bunker-buster rockets made famous by the [[Su-25]], which can be a fun surprise for combined battles when enemy SAMs are suppressed or confused. All rockets are mounted in double racks on the inboard pylons, leaving the other pylons available for R-73s, R-27s, or bombs in a multirole loadout.

== Usage in battles ==


The Su-27 is a fairly all-rounded aircraft, capable of of performing both air superiority and close air support duties, with the aircraft excelling at the former due to its ability to carry a massive arsenal of close to medium range air-to-air missiles like the potent and reliable R-73 and the manoeuvrable and high speed R-27ER, whilst for more personal and intimate encounters the Su-27 sports a potent wing root 30 mm GSh-30-1 with EEGS integrated. The aircraft also has HMD (Helmet Mounted Display) integrated, allowing the pilot to designate radar lock-on selected target within the HMD's cubical arc which possesses a massive gimbal room. One thing to note is that IR Missile lock is integrated into the HMD, allowing the HMD to lock your R-73s onto your enemies without the need to point your nose to lock, this gave the Su-27 a massive advantage in dogfights especially against opponents that lacked the same technology.

For ground support duties, the aircraft offers a decently diverse payload options, ranging from conventional and retarded bombs to unguided missiles which featured CCIP support. One glaring issue however is the lack of computer guided munition due to the aircraft inherent nature of being an air-superiority fighter.

In Air Realistic Battles, the Su-27 is a smooth operator, with excellent roll rate and turn speed. At the start of the battle, it's recommended for the player to load the aircraft with 4 x R-73s and 6 x R-27ERs. After taking off, push for afterburner until you reached ~1,200 km/h IAS and maintain it until contact is made. It's highly advised to stay on deck and follow the terrain to induce radar cluttering whilst en route to the combat zone, this will come in extremely handy when the opposition is field F-14A/Bs which could pop off AIM-54A/Cs Active Radar Homing (ARH) missiles which could independently track target without the need for the Tomcat's radar constantly feeding information back.

After making visual contact with the enemy at any altitude beyond the range of 5 km+, you could attempt to acquire lock using your Radar or HMD mode and pop off a few of your R-27ER to shed some weight, note that the R-27ERs possessed IOG and DL features, the former allowed the missile to continue tracking with the last given parameters whilst the latter enables the missile to reacquire its target after lock is regained, this allowed for some tricky plays like popping off the missile at the enemy, this will encourage them to deploy Countermeasures (CMs) expecting lock to be lost or disrupted, however with the addition of DL, lock could be reacquired and the missile will resume its tracking unlike its contemporary like the AIM-7M. This potentially allow the player to catch the prey off guard thinking that they've already gotten off the R-27ER's hook. At near tree top level, it's highly advised that the player use R-73s instead despite the Su-27's ability to reliably lock targets even at low altitude, it is in no way reliable enough to guide the R-27ERs lest you're flying at an even lower altitude than your enemy. If the fight devolves into an dogfights, the Su-27 have some tricks up its sleeves, that being the Su-27's ability to pull extremely high AOA for a very short amount of time when in the correct speed range (500-700 IAS), this ability should be used with the HMD and R-73 missiles, however you will find yourself out of energy and mostly defenseless if the R-73 failed to hit its target, at very low speeds (~400 km/h) the Su-27 will lose the rate fight against most of its enemies (This includes F-16s, F15s, Jas-39s, Mirage 4000 and more) Due to these reasons above it is best to keep the airspeed above 500 km/h IAS and only pull the maximum amount of AOA to launch a R-73 or to pull in for a gun kill. (another thing to note is that at speeds above 1,200 km/h IAS, the vertical control surfaces will stiffen up). However if you find yourself at speeds higher than 700 km/h IAS, then the Su-27 has yet another toy that is yet to be unveiled, which is the addition of a massive airbrake, specifically designed to enable the aircraft to perform a tight turn even at high speed, regardless the use of this airbrake should be done in moderation as it bleeds the aircraft speed at an astronomical rate which could be a double-edged sword or a lifesaver depending on the scenario it's used in, This allows the Su-27 to turn the table of the fight ever so slightly in its favour if used correctly, allowing the aircraft to enter its manoeuvrable speed threshold which could help you get your HMD acquisition of the R-73 on the assailant or just pepper them with your potent 30 mm with the help of EEGS (Note: the R-73's IRCCM uses Gatewidth Tracking which is extremely flare resistant the closer the missile gets to its target due to the IR tracking scope narrowing post-launch, this means it's highly recommended for the pilot to launch the missile preferably from or below 1 km for best effect).

'''Notable Opponents:'''

* [[F-16 (Family)|F-16A/Cs]] - F-16s carry an advantage over the Flanker in manoeuvrability, with greater energy retention and rate fighting abilities. What makes the Fighting Falcon dangerous, however, is the AIM-9M. The 9M carries an IRCCM (Infrared Counter-Countermeasure) system. The seeker head on the Sidewinder will shut off when it detects flares, follow the aircraft's expected trajectory, and then reacquire lock once flares are passed. The only way to defeat these potent missiles is to constantly flare, cut throttle, and change direction. When the aircraft is not where the missile expects it to be after the pilot moves out of the expected path, the 9M will lock onto the recently deployed flares. Spamming large groups of flares sporadically does not work, as the missile will simply reacquire lock once flaring ceases. The best defense against powerful IRCCM missiles is to avoid them in the first place. By catching enemies off guard from their flanks and behinds, any pilot will find success, no matter the plane.
* [[F-14 (Family)|F-14A/Bs]] - F-14s are capable of launching AIM-54A/Cs as aforementioned, which could be extremely infuriating to deal with. The only real counter to this is by flying flat on deck, however even the slightest mistake could resulted in you getting locked on by the AIM-54s if you don't fly close enough to the ground, however the Tomcat's combat prowess starts to diminish at closer ranges.
* [[F-15 (Family)|F-15A/Js]] - F-15s are perhaps one of the Su-27s greatest adversary. Better manoeuvrability, the F-15s could pull off many tight turn just like the the Su-27 combined with its use of AIM-9Ms, the Eagle could easy pick off the Flanker in close range engagements so caution is advise when engaging.
* [[JAS39A]]/[[JAS39C|Cs]] - Engagement against the Gripen is quite tricky for the Flanker, the aircraft possess superior manoeuvrability than the Flanker and Eagle in most cases, combined the the Gripen's used of licensed built AIM-9Ms under the Swedish designation of RB-74(M)s, direct close in confrontation is ill-advised as most fight wouldn't end well for the Flanker.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent acceleration and engine power
* Great airframe allowing for very tight turns at speeds between ~500-700 km/h IAS
* Massive assortment of air-to-air weaponry, capable of carrying a maximum of 10 missiles, including six potent R-27ER SARH missiles
* GSh-30-1 is hard-hitting and capable of incapacitating most foes with a single well landed burst
* HMD is integrated with IR tracking support allowing R-73s to be launch from unprecedented angles

'''Cons:'''

* Massive airframe compared to most contemporaries which makes for an easy target
* Control surfaces stiffens at speeds higher than 1,200 km/h
* Flares are deployed singularly one by one
* Has a tendency to snap its wing at high speed whilst rolling excessively

== History ==

Development of the Su-27 began at the Sukhoi Design Bureau in early 1971. In 1977, the first prototype was built for testing. Due to a change in the concept of future aircraft, the team of aircraft manufacturers had to design an essentially new aircraft, only partially using the developments of the original project. The new prototype was ready by the end of 1980, and its flight tests began in the spring of 1981. The first Su-27s began to enter service with the armed forces in 1984, even though tests of a number of systems had not yet been completed. Today, Su-27 fighters of various modifications are in service with Russia, China, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and other countries.

- From ''[[wt:en/news/8652-development-su-27-feisty-flanker-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/all/?q=%23su27 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|NlHdl2JAjfU|'''The Shooting Range #385''' - ''Special'' section at 06:35 discusses Pugachev's Cobra.|NlHdl2JAjfU|'''The Shooting Range #385''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:26 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/8652-development-su-27-feisty-flanker-en|[Development] Su-27: Feisty Flanker!]]

{{AirManufacturer Sukhoi}}
{{USSR jet aircraft}}

Su-27

2024-01-27T22:51:57Z

U138796218: Correction of the overstated turning ability of the flanker

{{Specs-Card
|code=su_27
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

Shortly after the Vietnam War, both the United States and the Soviet Union got to work on a new generation of fighter aircraft that favoured manoeuvrability and dogfight performance over top speed, after seeing how badly "missile truck" designs like the [[F-4 Phantom II (Family)|F-4 Phantom II]] performed against more nimble aircraft that were as much as 20 years older. In 1969, the Soviet Union received details through spies on the USAF's F-X program and the aircraft it was leading to, the [[F-15A|F-15 Eagle]]. As a result, the Soviets also decided to adopt a "Heavy support" doctrine with their new generation of fighters, with a smaller amount of a larger, more powerful aircraft supporting a larger amount of smaller, cheaper "frontline" aircraft just as the US was going to do with the F-15 and [[F-16 (Family)|F-16]] respectively. The design of the heavy fighter was handed to OKB Sukhoi, which quickly produced the T-10 prototype. The T-10 had many shortcomings, and after a lot of work with {{Annotation|TsAGI|Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute of Moscow}} to iron out the issues, the Su-27 would take to the skies for the first time in 1977. Development would continue further, and the first true "production models" would only enter service in 1985, beginning a fruitful life in Soviet service, and later in Chinese, Ethiopian, Vietnamese, Eritrean, Indonesian, Ukrainian, Kazakh, Uzbek, and Russian service with many aircraft of the type still seeing combat today.

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (NATO reporting name: ''Flanker'') was introduced in [[Update "Air Superiority"]] as the top-end heavy fighter for the USSR tree, capping off the Sukhoi line and beginning its transition from high speed fighter-bombers to the venerable Flanker family. The Su-27 is a jack of all trades yet a master of almost none, and that playstyle is its strongest suite. The Flanker carries a very generous amount of air to air missiles (ten), including up to six heat-seeking missiles with HMD targeting, and four of the infamous R-27ER coupled with the strong N001 Mech radar. The Flanker's lethal missile selection allows it to dispatch distracted many enemies at safe distances, and when push comes to shove, the Flanker's inherently unstable airframe and fly-by-wire control systems allows it to perform high angle-of-attack manoeuvres and partial post-stall manoeuvres at lower speeds, including the famed Cobra manoeuvres. All in all, the Su-27 should be played as a jack of all trades, and fits best into a very aggressive playable due to its lethal missiles, great avionics and sensors, and nimble flight performance. One must, however, be aware of various enemies you can encounter in the Flanker, such as all the aircraft that carry IRCCM missiles due to the Flanker's large heat signature as a result of the two massive AL-31 engines, but also be careful of dogfighting aircraft from the F-15 Eagle family, as the Eagle's superior TWR and high-speed handling as a result of the stable airframe will give F-15 players an advantage in some scenarios.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at _,___ m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| ___ || ___ || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | ___
|-
! Upgraded
| ___ || ___ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,540  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || - || 652 || 600 || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 680 || < 750 || < 700 || -
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Saturn AL-31F || 2
| colspan="2" | 16,420 kg || colspan="3" | 417 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 13m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 44m fuel
|-
| 1,520 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 19,240 kg || 20,614 kg || 22,711 kg || 25,820 kg || 33,798 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 13m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 44m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 7,219 kgf || 11,656 kgf
| 1.21 || 1.13 || 1.03 || 0.90 || 0.69
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 7,219 kgf (0 km/h) || 15,640 kgf (1,540 km/h)
| 1.63 || 1.52 || 1.38 || 1.21 || 0.92
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs) !! Lead indicator
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|GSh-30-1 (30 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 1 x 30 mm GSh-30-1 cannon, wing root-mounted (150 rpg)
* 96 x large calibre countermeasures

The Su-27 uses the same 30 mm autocannon as the MiG-29 with the same limited ammunition count of 150 rounds. Although it is not as forgiving as the American M61 Vulcan and demands precision, it has no spool up time and will deal heavy damage to any aircraft it hits. Something to note is that the Su-27's cannon is mounted on the right side of the fuselage, whereas the MiG-29's mount is on the left.

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}


The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="5%" | 1 !! width="5%" | 2 !! width="5%" | 3 !! width="5%" | 4 !! width="5%" | 5 !! width="5%" | 6 !! width="5%" | 7 !! width="5%" | 8 !! width="5%" | 9 !! width="5%" | 10
| rowspan="19" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! [[OFAB-100 (100 kg)|100 kg OFAB-100]] bombs
| || 1 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 1 ||
|-
! [[FAB-250M-62 (250 kg)|250 kg FAB-250M-62]] bombs
| || || 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[OFAB-250-270 (250 kg)|250 kg OFAB-250-270]] bombs
| || 1 || 1, 2, 6 || 1, 5 || 1, 4 || 1, 2 || 1, 5 || 1, 2, 6 || 1 ||
|-
! [[OFAB-250Sh (250 kg)|250 kg OFAB-250Sh]] bombs
| || || 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[FAB-500M-62 (500 kg)|500 kg FAB-500M-62]] bombs
| || || 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[FAB-500Sh (500 kg)|500 kg FAB-500Sh]] bombs
| || || 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[ZB-500 incendiary]] bombs
| || || 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[S-8KO]] rockets
| || || 20, 40 || || || || || 20, 40 || ||
|-
! [[S-13OF]] rockets
| || || 5, 10 || || || || || 5, 10 || ||
|-
! [[S-25O]] rockets
| || || 1, 2 || || || || || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[S-25OF]] rockets
| || || 1, 2 || || || || || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[S-25OFM]] rockets
| || || 1, 2 || || || || || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[R-27ER]] missiles
| || || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[R-27ET]] missiles
| || || 1 || || || || || 1 || ||
|-
! [[R-27R]] missiles
| || || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[R-27T]] missiles
| || || 1 || || || || || 1 || ||
|-
! [[R-73]] missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || || || || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
| colspan="11" | Maximum permissible loadout weight: 8,040 kg Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,500 kg
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* Without load
* 2 x R-73 missiles
* 6 x R-73 missiles
* 2 x R-27T missiles
* 6 x R-27R missiles
* 2 x R-27ET missiles
* 6 x R-27ER missiles
* 80 x S-8KO rockets
* 20 x S-13OF rockets
* 4 x S-25O rockets
* 38 x 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs (3,800 kg total)
* 8 x 250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 30 x 250 kg OFAB-250-270 bombs (7,500 kg total)
* 8 x 250 kg OFAB-250Sh bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 8 x 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs (4,000 kg total)
* 8 x 500 kg FAB-500Sh bombs (4,000 kg total)
* 8 x ZB-500 incendiary bombs
{{Navigation-End}}

The Su-27 has a fairly wide arsenal. The air-to-air armaments are generally similar to the [[MiG-29SMT]], with highly agile R-73 IR missiles for short-range combat and various marks of R-27 missiles for medium to long range engagements. However it has a large advantage in capacity over the MiG-29; a full air superiority loadout consists of four R-73s and up to six R-27s, which makes it an excellent missile truck for BVR jousting.

The extended-range R-27ER and R-27ET are the most capable members of the R-27 family and should be used once unlocked. The R-27ET (and its less advanced R-27T) can only be mounted on the inboard wing pylons for a maximum capacity of two, but this is sufficient for a couple of long-range sneak attacks to round out the Su-27's engagement capabilities. The inboard pylons can also mount R-73s instead for pilots who want to bring as many dogfight missiles as possible.

The Su-27 is limited to only unguided bombs and rockets for ground attack, so unlike the MiG-29SMT it cannot use TV-guided missile or bombs for standoff engagements. One notable feature is that it can carry up to four S-25O heavy bunker-buster rockets made famous by the [[Su-25]], which can be a fun surprise for combined battles when enemy SAMs are suppressed or confused. All rockets are mounted in double racks on the inboard pylons, leaving the other pylons available for R-73s, R-27s, or bombs in a multirole loadout.

== Usage in battles ==


The Su-27 is a fairly all-rounded aircraft, capable of of performing both air superiority and close air support duties, with the aircraft excelling at the former due to its ability to carry a massive arsenal of close to medium range air-to-air missiles like the potent and reliable R-73 and the manoeuvrable and high speed R-27ER, whilst for more personal and intimate encounters the Su-27 sports a potent wing root 30 mm GSh-30-1 with EEGS integrated. The aircraft also has HMD (Helmet Mounted Display) integrated, allowing the pilot to designate radar lock-on selected target within the HMD's cubical arc which possesses a massive gimbal room. One thing to note is that IR Missile lock is integrated into the HMD, allowing the HMD to lock your R-73s onto your enemies without the need to point your nose to lock, this gave the Su-27 a massive advantage in dogfights especially against opponents that lacked the same technology.

For ground support duties, the aircraft offers a decently diverse payload options, ranging from conventional and retarded bombs to unguided missiles which featured CCIP support. One glaring issue however is the lack of computer guided munition due to the aircraft inherent nature of being an air-superiority fighter.

In Air Realistic Battles, the Su-27 is a smooth operator, with excellent roll rate and turn speed. At the start of the battle, it's recommended for the player to load the aircraft with 4 x R-73s and 6 x R-27ERs. After taking off, push for afterburner until you reached ~1,200 km/h IAS and maintain it until contact is made. It's highly advised to stay on deck and follow the terrain to induce radar cluttering whilst en route to the combat zone, this will come in extremely handy when the opposition is field F-14A/Bs which could pop off AIM-54A/Cs Active Radar Homing (ARH) missiles which could independently track target without the need for the Tomcat's radar constantly feeding information back.

After making visual contact with the enemy at any altitude beyond the range of 5 km+, you could attempt to acquire lock using your Radar or HMD mode and pop off a few of your R-27ER to shed some weight, note that the R-27ERs possessed IOG and DL features, the former allowed the missile to continue tracking with the last given parameters whilst the latter enables the missile to reacquire its target after lock is regained, this allowed for some tricky plays like popping off the missile at the enemy, this will encourage them to deploy Countermeasures (CMs) expecting lock to be lost or disrupted, however with the addition of DL, lock could be reacquired and the missile will resume its tracking unlike its contemporary like the AIM-7M. This potentially allow the player to catch the prey off guard thinking that they've already gotten off the R-27ER's hook. At near tree top level, it's highly advised that the player use R-73s instead despite the Su-27's ability to reliably lock targets even at low altitude, it is in no way reliable enough to guide the R-27ERs lest you're flying at an even lower altitude than your enemy. If the fight devolves into an dogfights, the Su-27 have some tricks up its sleeves, that being the Su-27's ability to pull extremely high AOA for a very short amount of time when in the correct speed range (500-700 IAS), this ability should be used with the HMD and R-73 missiles, however you will find yourself out of energy and mostly defenseless if the R-73 failed to hit its target, at very low speeds (~400 km/h) the Su-27 will lose the rate fight against most of its enemies (This includes F-16s, F15s, Jas-39s, Mirage 4000 and more) Due to these reasons above it is best to keep the airspeed above 500km/s IAS and only pull the maximum amount of AOA to launch a R-73 or to pull in for a gun kill. (another thing to note is that at speeds above 1,200 km/h IAS, the vertical control surfaces will stiffen up). However if you find yourself at speeds higher than 700 km/h IAS, then the Su-27 has yet another toy that is yet to be unveiled, which is the addition of a massive airbrake, specifically designed to enable the aircraft to perform a tight turn even at high speed, regardless the use of this airbrake should be done in moderation as it bleeds the aircraft speed at an astronomical rate which could be a double-edged sword or a lifesaver depending on the scenario it's used in, This allows the Su-27 to turn the table of the fight ever so slightly in its favour IF used correctly, allowing the aircraft to enter its manoeuvrable speed threshold which could help you get your HMD acquisition of the R-73 on the assailant or just pepper them with your potent 30 mm with the help of EEGS (Note: the R-73's IRCCM uses Gatewidth Tracking which is extremely flare resistant the closer the missile gets to its target due to the IR tracking scope narrowing post-launch, this means it's highly recommended for the pilot to launch the missile preferably from or below 1 km for best effect).

'''Notable Opponents:'''

* [[F-16 (Family)|F-16A/Cs]] - F-16s carry a advantage over the Flanker in manoeuvrability, with greater energy retention and rate fighting abilities. What makes the Fighting Falcon dangerous, however, is the AIM-9M. The 9M carries an IRCCM (Infrared Counter-Countermeasure) system. The seeker head on the Sidewinder will shut off when it detects flares, follow the aircraft's expected trajectory, and then reacquire lock once flares are passed. The only way to defeat these potent missiles is to constantly flare, cut throttle, and change direction. When the aircraft is not where the missile expects it to be after the pilot moves out of the expected path, the 9M will lock onto the recently deployed flares. Spamming large groups of flares sporadically does not work, as the missile will simply reacquire lock once flaring ceases. The best defense against powerful IRCCM missiles is to avoid them in the first place. By catching enemies off guard from their flanks and behinds, any pilot will find success, no matter the plane.
* [[F-14 (Family)|F-14A/Bs]] - F-14s are capable of launching AIM-54A/Cs as aforementioned, which could be extremely infuriating to deal with. The only real counter to this is by flying flat on deck, however even the slightest mistake could resulted in you getting locked on by the AIM-54s if you don't fly close enough to the ground, however the Tomcat's combat prowess starts to diminish at closer ranges.
* [[F-15 (Family)|F-15A/Js]] - F-15s are perhaps one of the Su-27s greatest adversary. Better manoeuvrability, the F-15s could pull off many tight turn just like the the Su-27 combined with its use of AIM-9Ms, the Eagle could easy pick off the Flanker in close range engagements so caution is advise when engaging.
* [[JAS39A]]/[[JAS39C|Cs]] - Engagement against the Gripen is quite tricky for the Flanker, the aircraft possess superior manoeuvrability than the Flanker and Eagle in most cases, combined the the Gripen's used of licensed built AIM-9Ms under the Swedish designation of RB-74(M)s, direct close in confrontation is ill-advised as most fight wouldn't end well for the Flanker.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent acceleration and engine power
* Great airframe allowing for very tight turns at speeds between ~500-700 km/h IAS
* Massive assortment of air-to-air weaponry, capable of carrying a maximum of 10 missiles, including six potent R-27ER SARH missiles
* GSh-30-1 is hard-hitting and capable of incapacitating most foes with a single well landed burst
* HMD is integrated with IR tracking support allowing R-73s to be launch from unprecedented angles

'''Cons:'''

* Massive airframe compared to most contemporaries which makes for an easy target
* Control surfaces stiffens at speeds higher than 1,200 km/h
* Flares are deployed singularly one by one
* Has a tendency to snap its wing at high speed whilst rolling excessively

== History ==

Development of the Su-27 began at the Sukhoi Design Bureau in early 1971. In 1977, the first prototype was built for testing. Due to a change in the concept of future aircraft, the team of aircraft manufacturers had to design an essentially new aircraft, only partially using the developments of the original project. The new prototype was ready by the end of 1980, and its flight tests began in the spring of 1981. The first Su-27s began to enter service with the armed forces in 1984, even though tests of a number of systems had not yet been completed. Today, Su-27 fighters of various modifications are in service with Russia, China, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and other countries.

- From ''[[wt:en/news/8652-development-su-27-feisty-flanker-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/all/?q=%23su27 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|NlHdl2JAjfU|'''The Shooting Range #385''' - ''Special'' section at 06:35 discusses Pugachev's Cobra.|NlHdl2JAjfU|'''The Shooting Range #385''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:26 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/8652-development-su-27-feisty-flanker-en|[Development] Su-27: Feisty Flanker!]]

{{AirManufacturer Sukhoi}}
{{USSR jet aircraft}}

Netz

2023-11-08T08:52:40Z

U138796218: Updated information around G limit

{{About
| about = jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-16 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f_16a_block_10_iaf
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_F-16A Netz (Israel).jpg|ArtImage_F-16A Netz (Israel).jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a supersonic, 4th generation fighter aircraft, produced by General Dynamics. The F-16 was produced for the USAF as a part of the Lightweight Fighter Program, and notably the early blocks such as the Block 10 did not carry the [[AIM-7 Sparrow (Family)|AIM-7 Sparrow]]; this is carried over to the Netz in Israeli service. Israel is notably the second largest user of the F-16 after the USAF, and also achieved the first air to air kills with it.

It was introduced in [[Update "Apex Predators"]]. Compared to the [[F-16A ADF|Block 15]] and [[F-16A MLU (China)|Block 20]], the Netz is lighter and is able to pull an extra 1-2 Gs, making it one of the best dogfighters in the game. Compared to the [[F-16A|Block 10]] in the US tree it has a massive advantage, as it possesses the extremely potent [[Python 3]], one of if not the most potent heat-seeking missiles in-game. In exchange it loses the [[GBU-8 (2,000 lb)|GBU-8 "Hobo"]] for ground support. This leaves it as one of the best dogfighters in high tier battles, with reasonable multirole capability for CAS as well.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The F-16A Netz is very strong in a dogfight due to its excellent TWR and energy retention, its highly manoeuvrable and can easily reach its top speed even when climbing.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 10,973 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,103 || 2,037 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 20.0 || 20.2 || 262.9 || 250.8 || rowspan="2" | 850
|-
! Upgraded
| ___ || 2,156 || __._ || 19.5 || __._ || 305.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,555  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 470 || 463 ||~10
| ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < ___ || < ___ || < ___ || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 || 1
| colspan="2" | 7,690 kg || colspan="2" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with internal fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 29m fuel
|-
| 1,470 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 8,662 kg || 9,913 kg || 10,930 kg || 16,849 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 29m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 6,490 kgf || 8,985 kgf
| 1.04 || 0.90 || 0.82 || 0.53
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 7,434 kgf (1,555 km/h) || 15,225 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.76 || 1.53 || 1.39 || 0.90
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The F-16A Netz is not very armoured, so enemy aircraft can easily tear into your jet with some good timed shots. Its advised that you try to avoid being shot in the first place. The F-16A Netz has access to flares however so in the event of an enemy missile coming your way you'll be able to defend yourself, if not you can be lucky and survive some hits if the missile doesn't damage any vital components that are critical for your flight.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs) !! Lead indicator
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, wing root-mounted (512 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon + 60 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}


The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="5%" | 1 !! width="5%" | 2 !! width="5%" | 3 !! width="5%" | 4 !! width="5%" | 5 !! width="5%" | 6 !! width="5%" | 7 !! width="5%" | 8 !! width="5%" | 9
| rowspan="12" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_F-16A.png]]</div>
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|500 lb LDGP Mk 82]] bombs
| || || 3 || 3, 6 || 1 || 3, 6 || 3 || ||
|-
! [[Mk 82 Snakeye (500 lb)|500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye]] bombs
| || || 3 || 3, 6 || 1 || 3, 6 || 3 || ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84]] bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[BLU-27/B incendiary]] bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[FFAR Mighty Mouse]] rockets
| || || 57 || || || || 57 || ||
|-
! [[AGM-65B]] missiles
| || || 1, 3 || || || || 1, 3 || ||
|-
! [[AIM-9P Sidewinder]] missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || || || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! [[AIM-9L Sidewinder]] missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || || || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! [[Python 3]] missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || || || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! 300 gal drop tanks
| || || || || 1 || || || ||
|-
| colspan="10" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 2,000 kg
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* 1 x 300 gal drop tank
* 2 x AIM-9P Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x AIM-9P Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x Python 3 missiles
* 19 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (9,500 lb total)
* 19 x 500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye bombs (9,500 lb total)
* 4 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 4 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
* 114 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 6 x AGM-65B missiles
{{Navigation-End}}

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===
'''Pros:'''

* High power-to-weight ratio gives it an incredible acceleration
* Highly manoeuvrable at lower speeds
* 20 mm Vulcan cannon has high velocity and rate of fire
* Able to carry a drop tank to extend flight time
* Has access to a wide range to air-to-ground loadouts
* Access to 6 x AIM-9L Sidewinder or 6 x Python 3 missiles
* Python 3 missiles are very potent IR-guided missiles
* Bubble canopy with excellent unobstructed 360° visibility gives great situational awareness in simulator mode

'''Cons:'''

* Consumes fuel quickly
* No radar-guided AAMs

== History ==

By the end of the 1970s, Israel had established itself as the dominant air force in the Levant, having achieved technological superiority over the Soviet-equipped Syrian army - the only adjacent threat remaining after the signing of the peace deal with Egypt. This was mainly thanks to the purchase of F-15s into the Israeli Air Force (IAF) in 1976, which provided both a defensive and offensive umbrella that could not be challenged effectively by the Syrians. Nevertheless, the IAF still had two critical issues with the F-15: its prohibitive cost, and its relative unsuitability for low-altitude bombing, interdiction, and dogfighting. As the pressure mounted to replace the ageing [[Kurnass|F-4E Phantom II]], [[Nesher]] and [[Kfir C.7]], the IAF finally decided to purchase General Dynamics's new F-16 multi-role jet.

Israel received its first four F-16s on July 2nd, 1980 - a mix of F-16A and F-16B fighters (single-seat and two-seat, respectively) - with a total of 75 arriving by the end of 1981. These planes, mostly F-16As from production Block 10, were originally sold to Iran's Shah regime, a US ally since the 1950s; however in 1979 the Islamic Revolution deposed the Shah, marking a significant change in the balance of power in the region and solidifying Israel's status as one of the only remaining trustworthy US allies in the Middle East. Since the planes could no longer be delivered to Iran, they were instead sold to Israel.

The IAF named the model "Netz" (Hawk), making no distinction between the F-16A and B. Due to its amazing capabilities as a low-altitude fighter-bomber, the Netz effectively replaced all other IAF combat jets except for the F-15. By the late 1980s, the F-15 and F-16 together comprised nearly the entirety of the IAF's active combat jet force.

On April 28th, 1981, less than a year after its introduction into the IAF, Netz #126 codenamed "Magen" (Shield) made the world's first aerial kill by an F-16 when it shot down a Syrian Mi-8 over the Bekaa Valley in Syria. Only a few months after that, on June 7th, 1981, eight Netz F-16A/Bs comprised the attacking element in Operation Opera - the Israeli surprise attack on the Osirak nuclear facility near Baghdad, Iraq - in which the reactor was completely destroyed. All attacking fighters returned to base unharmed. The fact that Israel had concealed its preparations from the United States caused President Reagan to withhold the transfer of the final two dozen F-16s to Israel, but this decision was rescinded after only a short while.

One year later, on June 6th, 1982, Israel began "Operation Peace for the Galilee", later known as the First Lebanon War. A few days into the war, on June 9th through June 11th, Israel conducted "Operation Mole Cricket 19", a massive SEAD campaign that obliterated the entire Syrian air defense network along the Syrian border with Lebanon. Dozens of Netz F-16s participated in this attack as interceptors, fighting alongside F-15s to shoot down any Syrian jets scrambled against the wild weasels. By the end of the second day of this operation, Israel's Netz F-16s alone had shot down a total of 44 Syrian [[MiG-21 (Family)|MiG-21]]s, [[MiG-23 (Family)|MiG-23]]s and [[Su-17/22 (Family)|Su-22s]] - more than half the total number of enemy jets shot down during the battle - while suffering no losses in the process. This massive, one-sided air battle has become known as the "Bekaa Valley Turkey Shoot".

One Netz in particular - Netz #107 codenamed "Sufa" (Storm) - distinguished itself in world history by becoming the jet with the highest number of aerial kills to this day. This F-16A was the second to bomb the Osirak reactor in 1981, and later shot down a total of 6 enemy aircraft (plus one "kill assist"), most of them during the Bekaa Valley Turkey Shoot. Four of these kills were scored by Col. Eytan Stibbe during a single sortie on June 11th - the only F-16 pilot in the world to ever achieve this feat. Stibbe later became Israel's second-ever astronaut - the first Israeli to visit the International Space Station. Today, Netz #107 is on display at the Israeli Air Force Museum. Israel's advanced F-16I model line is named Sufa in honour of this plane.

Israel did at one point attempt to produce its own 4th-generation multi-role fighter to replace the F-16: the IAI Lavi. However pressure from the United States forced the project to be scuttled before production could begin. In compensation for torpedoing the project, the US agreed to provide Israel with 75 F-16C/Ds (codenamed "Barak" in Israel), which were delivered in 1987. Nevertheless, F-16A/Bs remained in IAF service for many years afterwards. In 1994, the United States compensated Israel for staying out of the First Iraq War by supplying it with another 50 surplus F-16A/Bs, most of them from the US National Guard and Air Force Reserves. Most F-16A/Bs in the IAF were eventually upgraded to F-16C/D standards. All Netz F-16A/Bs were retired from IAF service by around 2015.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f_16a_block_10_iaf Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[F-16 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/558198-general-dynamics-f-16a-netz/
* https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104505/f-16-fighting-falcon/

{{AirManufacturer General Dynamics}}
{{Israel jet aircraft}}

F-16A ADF

2023-11-08T08:51:27Z

U138796218: Updated old information related to FBW limit which has been removed

{{About
| about = American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-16 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f_16a_block_15_adf
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

After the USAF Air Defense Command was dissolved, the Air National Guard (ANG) took up the task of defending American airspace in the mid-1980s. The F-16, which was introduced only several years prior, was selected, and 270 F-16A/B airframes were converted to the ADF (Air Defense Fighter) standard. The first production variants of the F-16 lacked the ability to utilize the AIM-7 Sparrow, so the ADF included that feature. It also featured the AN/APX-109 IFF system and a spotlight for illumination during nighttime operations. Conversions were conducted at Ogden Air Logistics Center and carried on for 3 years. After the threat of Soviet bombers was over, many of the F-16 ADFs were either reconverted back into F-16A/Bs, placed into storage, or sold off to other countries.

Introduced in [[Update "Apex Predators"]], the '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a very powerful fighter thanks to its radar missile capability, dogfighting abilities, and overall performance. Firstly, the F-16A ADF is able to carry the [[AIM-7M Sparrow]], which is useful for medium to long-range engagements. The ADF can also equip all-aspect [[AIM-9L Sidewinder]]s, which have a decently long range for an infrared missile. Since the ADF was simply a conversion of the regular [[F-16A]] variant, it features the same engine and mostly the same airframe. However, the extra weight added by the various electronics and systems does increase the weight by around 280 kg (617 lb). Also, since the ADF was intended for interception, it lacks suspended armament and is mainly relegated to air duties. Nonetheless, the F-16A ADF is still overall an excellent aircraft.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The F-16 ADF has a very poor manoeuvrability at higher speeds (above around 850 km/h) due to its angle of attack (AOA) limiter. Staying at these higher speeds is ideal for general air combat, but greatly limits your manoeuvring and dogfighting abilities. At these high speeds, poor nose-pointing ability makes it troublesome to lock Sidewinders, get an ACM radar lock, or aim the gun. Only by going below these speeds (thus getting slow) does any semblance of dogfighting ability whatsoever begin to be gained. The F-16's acceleration can be "too good": its poor high speed manoeuvrability combined with its excellent acceleration and energy retention means heavy down-throttling, air braking and energy management are practically required to drop below these speeds to be able to dogfight.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 10,973 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,093 || 2,063 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 20.3 || 20.6 || 252.7 || 240.2 || rowspan="2" | 850
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,198 || 2,146 || 19.3 || 19.8 || 340.8 || 295.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,555  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 470 || 463 || ~10 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 680 || < 750 || < 700 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 || 1
| colspan="2" | 7,970 kg || colspan="2" | 402 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with internal fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 29m fuel
|-
| 1,470 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 8,942 kg || 10,193 kg || 11,210 kg || 12,914 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 29m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 6,490 kgf || 8,985 kgf
| 1.01 || 0.88 || 0.80 || 0.70
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 7,434 kgf (1,555 km/h) || 15,225 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.71 || 1.49 || 1.36 || 1.18
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs) !! Lead indicator
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, wing root-mounted (512 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon + 60 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|AIM-7M Sparrow|AIM-9L Sidewinder}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* 1 x 300 gal drop tank
* 2 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 2 x AIM-7M Sparrow missiles

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="6%" | 1 !! width="6%" | 2 !! width="6%" | 3 !! width="6%" | 4 !! width="6%" | 5 !! width="6%" | 6 !! width="6%" | 7
| rowspan="4" width="25%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! AIM-7M Sparrow missiles
| || || 1 || || 1 || ||
|-
! AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! 300 gal drop tanks
| || || || 1 || || ||
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The F-16A ADF can be a powerful fighter with multiple playstyles, rushing straight into battle or hanging high and utilizing the [[AIM-7M Sparrow]]s. Players that plan to stay low and accelerate straight into action will be satisfied with the F-16's low-altitude performance and radar. Players that want to keep high and sling AIM-7Ms at targets will be more than pleased with the F-16's strong climb rate, range of the AIM-7M, and radar. A mixed countermeasure loadout (1 flare, 1 chaff) is recommended because it allows 30 countermeasure drops against radar or IR missiles. In order to be prepared for matches that may extend longer than usual, select the 20-minute fuel option in conjunction with the 300-gallon drop tank. The F-16 consumes a lot of fuel on afterburner, so it's essential to use it wisely unless the max fuel amount is selected.

The AIM-7Ms must be used wisely since only 2 Sparrows can be carried simultaneously. For long-range, high-altitude fights, seek out targets closing in fast. Do not fire at targets already about to notch or beginning to notch. AIM-7Ms are excellent for these types of engagements due to their range and manoeuvrability. As for low-altitude engagements, look for targets closing in fast and at around 500 metres altitude or above. Do not fire at targets that are flying very close to the ground because the radar will track underneath the intended target, and the missile will miss. As for [[AIM-9L Sidewinder]]s, players can be more generous with them since the ADF can carry up to 6 AIM-9Ls. If a player finds themselves above the fight, it will be effortless to fire off missiles at distracted enemies and score kills quickly. AIM-9Ls are very strong from the rear aspect and require hard defending from the opponent to evade successfully.

The F-16 is very strong in a dogfight due to its excellent TWR and energy retention and is one of the best dogfighters in game.

'''Countering the [[MiG-29]]'''

The MiG-29 is a very versatile and capable fighter and will be one of the most common enemies you will face. However, like many planes, it's possible to counter it. It's one of the fastest jets on the deck (~1,550 km/h, 963 mph) and has access to a helmet-mounted sight, which allows the player to lock the missile in the direction of the pilot's view rather than just along the nose of the aircraft. This allows for off-bore missile launches which can be a threat. It's important to be on the lookout all the time for any missile launches, whether it be an [[R-60M]] or an [[R-27T]].

In a dogfight, the F-16 will easily outperform a MiG-29 due to its superior low-speed handling. It should be noted that the F-16 can be a bit "floppy" at low speeds , and if not corrected, can lead to being shot down.
[[File:MiG-29 vs F-16A ADF performance (WT version 2.23.1.17).png|thumb|460x460px|F-16A ADF has excellent hidden sustain turn performance only available to those using sim controls due to the artificial G-limiter (which is actually just aggressive control stiffness/"compressibility") of the aircraft.]]
The MiG-29 at high altitude can be dangerous if the opponent utilizes [[R-27ER]]s. The R-27ER has superb range, acceleration, and manoeuvrability. To counter this, stay on the lookout for MiG-29s and R-27ERs and be prepared to go into a notch position and drop chaff. The R-27ER burns for 9 seconds which allows it to be spotted for a long time before the motor burns out. The F-16 will not be able to fight BVR against a MiG-29 unless it gets the jump/fires the missile far in advance. The R-27ER is a much quicker missile than the AIM-7M, and the R-27ER will reach its intended target much faster than the AIM-7M, even if launched at the same time.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent acceleration and climb rate, the former of which helps the F-16 recover from the lower speeds that it can dogfight at
* Excellent energy retention
* Excellent manoeuvrability at low to medium speeds
* Decent top speed
* 20 mm Vulcan cannon has high velocity and rate of fire
* Six powerful missiles: up to six all aspect AIM-9Ls and up to two potent SARH AIM-7Ms
* Drop tank available to extend range
* Bubble canopy with excellent unobstructed 360° visibility gives great situational awareness in simulator mode

'''Cons:'''

* Lacks any air-to-ground suspended ordnance whatsoever
* Internal M61 cannon has a small ammo pool
* Very hot engine temperature
* Extremely high fuel consumption on afterburner

== History ==

In the mid-1980s, after the deactivation of the USAF Air Defense Command, the ANG (Air National Guard) was tasked with defending North American airspace from Soviet bombers. To complete this task, 270 F-16A/Bs were to be converted into ADFs (Air Defense Fighters) at Ogden Air Logistics Center in Utah. General Dynamics carried out the first conversions and then sent kits to Ogden to complete the conversion. The ADF conversion included upgrading the AN/APG-66 radar to improve target acquisition of small targets, IFF for distinguishing friendlies and foes (AN/APX-109), and a 150,000-candlepower night spotlight for identification.

The first F-16 ADF was delivered to the Oregon Air National Guard in March 1989. Conversions started from 1989 to 1992, with around 270 airframes converted to ADF F-16s. However, with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, there was no longer a purpose for the F-16 ADF. The Air National Guard F-16s were to be slowly phased out and were either converted back to the original F-16A/B configuration or placed in storage. The North Dakota ANG had the last few F-16 ADFs in service until they were retired in 2007. Since the F-16 ADFs in storage had low flight hours, they were sold to other countries like Jordan (Peace Falcon program) and Thailand (Peace Naresuan IV program.)

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f_16a_block_15_adf Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
File:IFF F-16 ADF.png|4-blade "bird slicer" antenna on the nose of the F-16A ADF (AN/APX-109)
</gallery>

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[F-16 (Family)]]

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer General Dynamics}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

F-16A

2023-11-08T08:49:48Z

U138796218: Updated old information, correct info around how the "Mig-29SMT is only slightly worse than the Mig-29" in a dogfight

{{About
| about = American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-16 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f_16a_block_10
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The first production version of the Fighting Falcon was the F-16A/B variants, with the F-16A being the single-seat version and the F-16B featuring two seats. The F-16 Block 10 retained the F100-PW-200 engine featured in the Block 1 and 5 versions of the F-16. However, the Block 10 was largely unchanged compared to the earlier versions but did involve the colour of the radome changing. Earlier versions had a black radome and in mock dogfights, pilots noticed how easy it was to spot an F-16 due to the colour. The Block 10 radome was changed to gray and the Block 1 and 5 were upgraded to Block 10 standards. Over 150 Block 10s were produced and some were later modified for ground attack.

Introduced in [[Update "Apex Predators"]], the '''{{Specs|name}}''' is an incredibly dangerous dogfighter but lacking in some departments. Firstly, the Block 10 lacks radar missiles which greatly hinders its ability to engage long-range targets. Furthermore, it can only carry six AIM-9Ls which can be relatively easy to flare off. However, they do have range which is a big plus over a big furball. The F-16A Block 10 can also carry a wide variety of suspended armament like GBU-8s or Mavericks. Players will definitely be satisfied with its performance and overall capability even if it has no radar missile.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The F-16A has excellent performance. It excels in low-speed dogfighting and can hold its own at higher speeds. It's also one of the fastest fighters in-game with an astounding 2,156 km/h (1,347.5 mph) top speed. In addition, it also weighs 300 kg (661 lbs), less than the F-16A ADF which is a noticeable difference in dogfights. The F-16 is very weight sensitive so players should be wary of engaging in dogfights with a lot of fuel. Overall, the F-16 is an incredibly dangerous aircraft in dogfights and is no slouch even at higher speeds.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 10,973 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,103 || 2,073 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 20.0 || 20.2 || 261.1 || 248.3 || rowspan="2" | 850
|-
! Upgraded
|2,209 || 2,156 || 19.3 || 19.8 || 350.9 || 305.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,555  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || - || 470 || 463 || ~10 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 680 || < 750 || < 700 || -
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 || 1
| colspan="2" | 7,690 kg || colspan="2" | 392 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with internal fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 29m fuel
|-
| 1,470 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 8,662 kg || 9,913 kg || 10,930 kg || 16,849 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 29m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 6,490 kgf || 8,985 kgf
| 1.04 || 0.90 || 0.82 || 0.53
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 7,434 kgf (1,555 km/h) || 15,225 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.76 || 1.53 || 1.39 || 0.90
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs) !! Lead indicator
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, wing root-mounted (512 rpg)
* 60 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}


The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="5%" | 1 !! width="5%" | 2 !! width="5%" | 3 !! width="5%" | 4 !! width="5%" | 5 !! width="5%" | 6 !! width="5%" | 7 !! width="5%" | 8 !! width="5%" | 9
| rowspan="13" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|500 lb LDGP Mk 82]] bombs
| || || 3 || 3, 6 || 1 || 3, 6 || 3 || ||
|-
! [[Mk 82 Snakeye (500 lb)|500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye]] bombs
| || || 3 || 3, 6 || 1 || 3, 6 || 3 || ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84]] bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 84 Air (2,000 lb)|2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 Air]] bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[GBU-8 (2,000 lb)|2,000 lb GBU-8]] bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[BLU-27/B incendiary]] bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[FFAR Mighty Mouse]] rockets
| || || 57 || || || || 57 || ||
|-
! [[AGM-65B]] missiles
| || || 1, 3 || || || || 1, 3 || ||
|-
! [[AIM-9J Sidewinder]] missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || || || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! [[AIM-9L Sidewinder]] missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || || || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! 300 gal drop tanks
| || || || || 1 || || || ||
|-
| colspan="10" | Maximum permissible loadout weight: 5,420 kg Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 2,000 kg
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* 1 x 300 gal drop tank
* 2 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 19 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (9,500 lb total)
* 19 x 500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye bombs (9,500 lb total)
* 4 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 4 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 Air bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 4 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
* 4 x 2,000 lb GBU-8 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 114 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 6 x AGM-65B missiles
{{Navigation-End}}

== Usage in battles ==

The F-16A can be a powerful fighter with multiple playstyles, one option being to simply rush straight into battle. Players that plan to stay low and accelerate straight into action will be satisfied with the F-16's low-altitude performance and radar. A mixed countermeasure loadout (1 flare, 1 chaff) is recommended because it allows 30 countermeasure drops against radar or IR missiles. In order to be prepared for matches that may extend longer than usual, select the 30-minute fuel option in conjunction with the 300-gallon drop tank, or the full tank of 41 minutes. The F-16 consumes a lot of fuel on afterburner, so it's essential to use it wisely unless the max fuel amount is selected. If low fuel maneuverability is desirable, bringing 20 minutes on smaller maps and 30 minutes on larger maps is viable, but this requires management of fuel (i.e. "halfterburner" or using the scroll wheel to partially engage afterburner).

Players can carry up to 6 AIM-9Ls. If a player finds themselves above the fight, it will be effortless to fire off missiles at distracted enemies and score kills quickly. AIM-9Ls are very strong from the rear aspect and require hard defending from the opponent to evade successfully;

The F-16 is very strong in a dogfight due to its excellent TWR and energy retention. Before entering a dogfight, it's critical to be careful of how many Gs are pulled during turns. If entering a dogfight too quickly, then the pilot can pass out. While ameliorable, this doesn't completely solve the issue, as the F-16 pulls many Gs at most speeds—up to 13 in most cases.

'''Countering the [[MiG-29]]'''

The MiG-29 is a very versatile and capable fighter and will be one of the most common enemies you will face. However, like many planes, it's possible to counter it. It's one of the fastest jets on the deck (~1,550 km/h, 963 mph) and has access to a helmet-mounted sight, which allows the player to lock the missile in the direction of the pilot's view rather than just along the nose of the aircraft. This allows for off-bore missile launches which can be a threat. It's important to be on the lookout all the time for any missile launches, whether it be an [[R-60M]] or an [[R-27T]].

At high speeds the Mig-29 (all variants except SMT) has a slight advantage in terms of maneuverability. However at low speeds, the F-16 can easily gain position on the MiG-29 thanks to its superior low-speed handling. The MiG-29 does bleed speed very quickly however it won't be able to pull as hard at lower speeds and this is where the F-16 shines.

The MiG-29 at high altitude can be dangerous if the opponent utilizes [[R-27ER|R-27ERs]]. The R-27ER has superb range, acceleration, and maneuverability. To counter this, stay on the lookout for MiG-29s and R-27ERs, using both the Mk 1 Eyeballs and RWR, and be prepared to go into a notch position and drop chaff. Another strategy to evade radar missiles is to hug the ground. Radar missiles are susceptible to multipathing which is when radar waves bounce off the ground and display ghost returns. Missiles like the R-27ER have seekers to mitigate this but can still be affected by this phenomenon if the target is low enough. The R-27ER burns for 8 seconds which allows it to be spotted for a long time before the motor burns out.

The [[MiG-29SMT]] is a modernized MiG-29, featuring new munition options such as the [[R-27ET]] and [[R-73]]. This aircraft can still be countered, however, using the reliable Mk 1 eyeballs once more.

The R-27ET is similar to the R-27ER, but it requires an IR lock before firing. The tradeoff for this is that the R-27ET is near undetectable after the rocket motor has burnt out, only making its presence known moments before taking the F-16 out of a fight. Its flare resistance is also quite good, so simply dropping countermeasures from a rear aspect shot of the R-27ET is borderline undodgeable. The missile is relatively easy to flare from the front, and the missile shares rocket motors with the R-27ER, so dropping countermeasures if either R-27ER/ET is noticed is desirable.

The R-73 boasts long motor burn, high maximum g load, and one of the best flare resistances in-game, only beaten by the R-27T/ET, and [[AIM-9M Sidewinder|AIM-9M]] (which is highly conditional). Its flare resistance is also highly supported by its small FOV after launch, 0.5 degrees, making it hard for the missile to see flares in the first place. For example, an F-14 nearly fills out the seeker head within roughly 2km. This results in the missile being nigh impossible to spoof by countermeasures unless they are dropped in large bursts. To top it all off, the R-73 is cueable by the MiG-29's helmet-mounted sight, leading to high off-boresight (HOB) shots. This doesn't make the missile unbeatable, however, as the missile's thrust vectoring prevents the missile from going very fast, and once the rocket motor burns out, the missile bleeds its speed quickly, soon struggling to stay in the air as seen with its dolphining and occasional tumbling out of the sky. The R-73's flare resistance, while still better than its contemporaries such as the AIM-9L and [[Python 3]], is still relatively flareable if the missile is fired from frontal aspect or from further ranges.

The MiG-29SMT itself manoeuvres much worse than the MiG-29 (9-12A) and (9-13), and should be easily beaten by the F-16A in a dogfight. However the R-73 missile can be very dangerous in a dogfight, constant awareness is needed in order for a chance to defeat the R-73 at close ranges by releasing countermeasures.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* High thrust-to-weight ratio gives it an incredible acceleration
* Highly manoeuvrable
* Able to carry a drop tank to extend flight time
* Access to 6 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* Has access to a wide range of air-to-ground loadouts
* Vulcan cannon has excellent rate of fire and damage

'''Cons:'''

* Does not have access to SARH missiles, limiting its BVR performance
* Very sensitive to weight changes
* Can compress at very high speeds
* No drogue chute
* Cannon ammo is limited (5.12 seconds of firing time)

== History ==

Two projects from Northrop and General Dynamics reached the final of the LWF (LightWeight Fighter) competition to create a new light fighter for the US Air Force. In January 1975, the winner of the competition was the YF-16, developed by General Dynamics. Intense testing continued after the launch of the F-16A fighter into series, and was completed only in 1978. The new generation fighter was designed for Mach 2 speeds and was able to perform maneuvers at 9G overloads, which was even higher than the requirements declared in the competition. The F-16A took her full-scale baptism of fire in service with the Israeli Air Force over Lebanon in the early 80s. The jet fighters were also used against ground targets during Operation Desert Storm. Consistently improving, the F-16A fighters are being produced and modernized to this day. In addition to the United States, a number of foreign countries have become operators of the F-16A Fighting Falcon fighters, including Belgium, Israel, Pakistan, Italy, Indonesia and others. Fighters are produced both domestically and under license.

- From ''[[wt:en/news/8003-development-f-16a-american-fighting-falcon-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f_16a_block_10 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|FtFRyd0R3Lg|'''The Shooting Range #334''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:47 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[F-16 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/8003-development-f-16a-american-fighting-falcon-en|[Devblog] F-16A: American Fighting Falcon]]

* https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/544244-f-16a-discussion-thread-specs-performance-weaponry-and-more/
* https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104505/f-16-fighting-falcon/

{{AirManufacturer General Dynamics}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

F-16A MLU (China)

2023-11-08T08:41:48Z

U138796218: Corrected info on FBW 9G limit which has been removed

{{About
| about = jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-16 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f_16a_block_20_mlu
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''', also known as the F-16 Block 20, was the cornerstone of the ROCAF before they were upgraded in the 2020s. The introduction of the F-16 to the ROCAF can be traced back to the late 1990s. After Dassault sold a wing of Mirage 2000-5Ei to the ROCAF to counter the menacing PLAAF with more advanced fighter jets, the US also agreed to supply some F-16s. These jets were approved while the F-16C was the standard variant of the F-16 family so, having to comply with the treaties between Mainland China and US regarding not providing US-equivalent equipment, F-16A/B Block 20s were delivered. As one of the most advanced jets of the era, F-16 Block 20s served as the cornerstone of ROCAF, both in their initial form and after being upgraded to the latest F-16V standards against the ongoing PLAAF patrols.

Introduced in [[Update "Apex Predators"]], the F-16A MLU is a hybrid version between the F-16A Block 15 MLU and the airframe of the F-16C exclusively for the ROCAF; this F-16 provides a long-awaited, reliable multirole fighter featuring a pulse-Doppler AN/APG-66 radar as well as sporting some of the latest AAMs in-game. For players who need both interception and ground-attacking capabilities, the Mavericks and LDGP bombs onboard will also make light work of any ground targets.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

Instead of [[F-16A|Block 10]] or [[F-16A ADF|Block 15 ADF]], in ROCAF's case, their F-16A MLU (Block 20) has major differences in terms of thrust and appearance: to tell a Block 20 and others apart, there are two parts to differentiate- IFF antenna and the tail; while Block 10 has no antenna and ADF has the "bird-slicer" antenna, MLU received AN/APX-113 IFF with a rounded antenna. The tail in this case also received a drogue chute for highway strip operations. Other than that, the MLU performs mostly identically to its counterparts with slightly less military thrust. The F-16s are known to be one of the most manoeuvrable jets with their impressive engine thrust and design features for dogfights. In most cases, jets that are an era behind the F-16 will very likely having a hard time biting onto the tail of F-16, since their relatively light weight does help in dogfights and acceleration. The F-16 is also the first mass-produced fighter to use FBW (Fly-by-wire)

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 10,973 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,093 || 2,063 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 20.3 || 20.6 || 252.7 || 240.3 || rowspan="2" | 850
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,198 || 2,146 || 19.3 || 19.8 || 340.7 || 295.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,555  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 470 || 463 || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 680 || < 750 || < 700 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 || 1
| colspan="2" | 7,990 kg || colspan="2" | 403 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 29m fuel
|-
| 1,470 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 8,962 kg || 10,213 kg || 11,230 kg || 16,048 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 29m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 6,490 kgf || 8,985 kgf
| 1.00 || 0.88 || 0.80 || 0.56
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 7,434 kgf (1,555 km/h) || 15,225 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.70 || 1.49 || 1.36 || 0.95
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

Other than the airframe and alloy skins, the F-16 MLU has no extra protection for pilot or critical equipment. While the jet has equipment like self-sealing fuel tanks and EFS for the engine, if the engine does suffer from a fire, due to only having a single engine, it will still have lesser chance to make it back to the airfield.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs) !! Lead indicator
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, wing root-mounted (512 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon + 90 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}


The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="5%" | 1 !! width="5%" | 2 !! width="5%" | 3 !! width="5%" | 4 !! width="5%" | 5 !! width="5%" | 6 !! width="5%" | 7 !! width="5%" | 8 !! width="5%" | 9
| rowspan="9" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_F-16A.png]]</div>
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|500 lb LDGP Mk 82]] bombs
| || || 3 || 3 || || 3 || 3 || ||
|-
! [[Mk 82 Snakeye (500 lb)|500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye]] bombs
| || || 3 || 3 || || 3 || 3 || ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84]] bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[AGM-65B]] missiles
| || || 1, 3 || || || || 1, 3 || ||
|-
! [[AIM-7M Sparrow]] missiles
| || || 1 || || || || 1 || ||
|-
! [[AIM-9L Sidewinder]] missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || || || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! [[AIM-9P Sidewinder]] missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || || || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! 300 gal drop tanks
| || || || || 1 || || || ||
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* 1 x 300 gal drop tank
* 2 x AIM-9P Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x AIM-9P Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 2 x AIM-7M Sparrow missiles
* 12 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 12 x 500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 4 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 6 x AGM-65B missiles
{{Navigation-End}}

== Usage in battles ==

Thanks to its late introduction in 1998, the F-16A MLU has the strengths from both the baseline A series and ADF, where players could utilize the jet both for intensive air-defense operations and makeshift ground attacker.

'''Air: The Falcon'''

For players who were frustrated from the inferior radar performance of [[J-8B]] or [[J-7E]], the F-16A MLU brings new AN/APG-66 radar to the table. This also marks the introduction of the long awaited PD-capable radar and all-aspect IR AAMs for the Chinese tech tree. The later blocks of F-16A were upgraded with access with radar-guided missiles while the baseline models already has at most 6 IR AAMs for disposal; in terms of air-to-air operations, the jet itself performs exactly like ADFs with very similar engine thrust (albeit slightly lower in military thrust). In terms of AAMs, as mentioned there are at most 6 of them in either full-IR AAM or 4 IR AAMs+ 2 SARH AAMs loadouts. If players want to gain situational awareness to enemy jets, the AN/APG-66 won't disappoint players with its long detection range and being a pulse-Doppler radar, jets even at lower altitude will be visible to the radar. Make sure to check the radar and RWR in regular basis for best efficiency, bringing AIM-7M for high-altitude targets at front aspect is always a good option for extra XP or at least forcing these targets to lower altitude; while full IR AAM loadout can make sure MLU has the chance to take down careless targets given the missile tracks onto the jet itself instead of their flares (both AIM-9P and 9L are susceptible to flares).

While bringing some bombs for extra XP and credit is viable, only make sure to use them when the skies is mostly cleared out; if any enemies come into play, it's better jettison the bomb pylons for good, more bombs or payloads means lesser chance to win a dogfight.

'''Ground: Jack-of-all-trades'''

The introduction of the F-16A MLU means the Chinese tech tree finally has the upper-hand in terms of being a support fighter. While the F-16A has no radar-guided missiles at all and the F-16A ADF trades all its ground-attacking ordnance for better interception capability, the MLU has access to both types of weapons. If players found previous top-tier jets of PLAAF/ROCAF are less capable for either interception or ground attack missions, or if the SPAAs are less than desirable, this will be a great alternative to all these aforementioned flawed vehicles; while there are up to 12 bombs at disposal, for overall safety of the jet itself, options for 6 AGM-65Bs are also available as well where these missiles are still effective on taking out ground vehicles via its TV search camera. Using the custom loadouts can also means it can takes six 500 lbs, six AGM-65Bs for ground-attacking while leaving the 2 pairs of outer-board pylons for IR AAMs; after taking out high-value ground targets from altitude using the aforementioned air-to-ground ordnance, this leaves its capability to also send enemy attackers or rotorcraft straight back to their hanger, 4 x AIM-9L also can make sure careless attackers will have lesser chance to evade the missiles when they are too concentrated on ground-attacking, while the AIM-7M can be used to take out high-altitude targets or force them to quit attacking for their own survival. Do also beware either missiles SPAAs or enemy missiles from aircraft though, leave the battlefield if the tides have turned to get the best of the jet.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Equipped with both SARH missiles and air-to-ground weapons, unlike most counterparts in different nations
* Radar has TWS unlike early F-16 variants
* Impressive payload for interception missions with up to 6 x AAMs
* Impressive manoeuvrability at almost all speeds
* Equipped with a drogue chute for shorter landing distance

'''Cons:'''

* Rather small 20 mm ammunition count
* Engine consumes jet fuels at high rate when afterburning, will run out of fuel relatively quickly without drop tanks
* Lacks IRST sensor for target acquisition
* Not equipped with guided bombs for safer ground attacking approach

== History ==

In the 1980s, plans were made for the ROCAF to buy F-16/79s (equipped with J79 engine and worse radar than the F-16A) and F-20 Tigersharks, but failed due to the improving Sino-US relationship as well as limitations of the 1979 Communique. In the 1990s, after the PLAAF purchased numbers of Su-27SK Flanker-B and the increase in new domestic PLAAF jets, ROCAF considered the expansion of the PLAAF to be a major threat as the ROCAF fleet still consisted of masses of obsolete F-104 and F-5E, as well as very few F-CK-1 Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF; aka Ching-Kuo 經國號) and Mirage 2000-5E/F series. In 1989, after the sale of Mirage 2000s to ROCAF, George HW Bush, who was at the time going for presidency, agreed to the sale of 150 F-16A/B alongside weaponry and maintenance equipment to the ROCAF during his election campaign and the sale was dubbed "Peace Pheasant" (和平鳳凰).

By the time this sale was approved, General Dynamics had already started the production run for the new F-16C/D series. To reduce the overhead for reopening production lines of previous models, ROCAF and GD agreed on a hybrid version - the Block 20 with F-16 Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) electronics, F100-PW-220 engine, and airframe and parts of both A and C variants to be delivered to the ROCAF. The new jet rolled off the line in July 1996, which happened to be the heat of 2nd Taiwan Strait Crisis and they were delivered to ROCAF a year later to the 455th FW at Chiayi Airbase (嘉義水上基地), then 401st FW at Hualien Airbase (花蓮基地) in 2002 for a total of 150 jets delivered (120 F-16A and 30 F-16B variants). The new jets solved the major problem of the replacement of F-104 series and strengthened ROCAF's self-defense capability. While the BVR capability was hindered by the AIM-7M Sparrows delivered alongside with the jet, during the first decade of 21st Century, the US also approved the sales of AIM-120C-5/7, AGM-65G Mavericks, and AGM-84L Harpoons for delivery in 2002 and 2007.

While the combat capability of the new 4th generation jets surpassed PLAAF in early 2000s, as the estimate of the number of 4th gens in the PLAAF had increased significantly by late 2010s, ROCAF also agreed on purchasing upgrades from Lockheed Martin (the current manufacturer of F-16) where they would receive new electronics, radar-absorbing paints, and better ECM capabilities against PLAAF aircraft. These upgrades listed on the 2011 and 2018 military sales would become what's known as the F-16V (Viper; listed as AM and BM respectively in ROCAF; dubbed Project Phoenix Soar 鳳展計劃). After the systems were finalized in the late 2010s in the US, the current fleets of F-16s would fly to Taichung Ching-Chung Kang Airbase (台中清泉崗基地) for upgrades by AIDC (漢翔航空工業), with the first of them upgraded in September 2019 while receiving an additional 66 F-16C Block 70s and AGM-158s from US to "balance" the airpower across the Taiwan Strait.

The upgraded F-16AM/BMs (sometimes dubbed a ''Yellow-Skin Snake 黃皮蛇'' by enthusiasts from the anti-corrosion paint during upgrade) now serve as the cornerstone of the ROCAF and perform intensive CAP missions against the intensified ongoing patrol missions from PLAAF aircraft, alongside with F-CK-1s and Mirages.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f_16a_block_20_mlu Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[F-16 (Family)]]

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer General Dynamics}}
{{China jet aircraft}}

Kfir C.7

2023-06-16T00:08:41Z

U138796218: /* Description */

{{About
| about = Israeli jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Mirage 5 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=kfir_c7
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Israeli jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Winged Lions"]].

The IAI Kfir is a Israeli development of the [[Nesher]], itself a variant of the French [[Mirage 5 (Family)|Mirage 5]]. The delta-winged Mirages are known for their low wing loading and sleek aerodynamics, but their engines tend to be underwhelming. The Kfir rectifies this with an American J79 engine as seen on the [[F-4 Phantom II (Family)|F-4 Phantom]] and [[F-104 (Family)|F-104 Starfighter]], which offers vastly more thrust, and fixed canard foreplanes mounted on the air intakes to compensate for the weight changes. The end result is an aircraft with incredible acceleration and high agility, a dangerous opponent in dogfights.

The Kfir's weapons leave something to be desired, reflecting its real-life usage as a basic fighter-bomber. It can carry an impressive payload of bombs and rockets but lacks radar-guided missiles for BVR combat. Its best dogfight missile is the [[Python 3]], which is currently the most agile missile in game. However the Kfir C.7 doesn't have access to any SARH missiles, limiting its BVR capability. It also does not have guided air-to-ground weapons used by the [[Kurnass 2000]] Thus, the Kfir requires a skilled pilot to take advantage of its excellent performance and IR missiles to win engagements.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The Kfir C.7 has an impressive acceleration, even higher than the [[MiG-23MLD]]'s. The plane can also turn quite well, but it is not recommended to turn while in combat as the delta wing configuration will bleed a lot of speed and a slow jet is an easy target. However, you can take the risk to bleed speed in some situations since you regain that speed rather quickly.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 10,668 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,322 || 2,272 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 28.3 || 29.0 || 183.9 || 172.1 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,457 || 2,388 || 26.0 || 27.0 || 268.9 || 224.6
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || X || X || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,460  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || N/A || N/A || ~11 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 920 || < 750 || < 1,460 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | General Electric J79-GE-J1E || 1
| colspan="2" | 7,385 kg || colspan="2" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 27m fuel
|-
| 1,750 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 8,140 kg || 9,187 kg || 9,903 kg || 16,500 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 27m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 5,260 kgf || 8,837 kgf
| 1.09 || 0.96 || 0.89 || 0.54
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,428 kgf (1,460 km/h) || 11,898 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.46 || 1.30 || 1.20 || 0.72
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The Kfir lacks any armour surrounding the pilots, making HE hits (missiles and cannons) able to penetrate and hit the pilot with ease.

Survivability of the Kfir is far greater than any of its contemporaries even though it lacks armour. The Kfir can sustain black fuselage damage, and ripped wings can have more than enough control authority to return back home and repair.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|DEFA 552A (30 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 2 x 30 mm DEFA 552A cannons, belly-mounted (140 rpg = 280 total)
** 2 x 30 mm DEFA 552A cannons + 36 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)}}
{{main|AIM-9D Sidewinder|AIM-9G Sidewinder|Shafrir 2}}
{{main|FFAR Mighty Mouse|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP|GAU-4 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 2 x Shafrir 2 missiles
* 4 x Shafrir 2 missiles
* 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x Python 3 missile
* 13 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (6,500 lb total)
* 8 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 11 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (9,500 lb total)
* 8 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 2 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 2 x 20 mm GAU-4 cannons (1,200 rpg = 2,400 total)
* 16 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="6%" | 1 !! width="6%" | 2 !! width="6%" | 3 !! width="6%" | 4 !! width="6%" | 5 !! width="6%" | 6 !! width="6%" | 7
| rowspan="13" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_Kfir_C.2.png]]</div>
|-
! 20 mm GAU-4 cannons (1,200 rpg)
| || 1 || || || || 1 ||
|-
! 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs
| || 2, 3 || 2 || 5 || 2 || 2, 3 ||
|-
! 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs
| || 2 || 2 || || 2 || 2 ||
|-
! 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs
| || 2 || 2 || || 2 || 2 ||
|-
! 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs
| || 1 || || || || 1 ||
|-
! FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
| || 38 || || || || 38 ||
|-
! Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
| || 8 || || || || 8 ||
|-
! AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || || 1 || 1
|-
! Shafrir 2 missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || || 1 || 1
|-
!Python 3 missiles
!1
!1
!
!
!
!1
!1
|-
| colspan="8" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,500 kg
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

==== RB ====

:

The Kfir C.7 is one of the fastest accelerating and best climbing planes in the game, its performance at >1,234 km/h and high altitude is particularly exceptional, on top of being highly manoeuvrable, though the plane will compress when going above Mach 1. This does help the Kfir maintain energy, but once it falls out of that compressed state it will pull, and pull hard. With the speed and acceleration advantage the Kfir offers, it suffers from its own success as the wings will rip at 1,460 km/h which can easily be exceeded with the Kfir if speed isn't being kept in check.

The Kfir suffers from the same issue as other delta wing designs such as the [[J35 (Family)]] and [[MiG-21 (Family)]], and [[Mirage 5 (Family)|Mirage (Family)]] (which it's derived from), in that it bleeds quite a bit of speed while performing manoeuvres, and therefore sustained dogfights are not recommended in the Kfir. It will perform exceptionally well for the first few turns, so attempt to shoot down the target within that window. If unable to dispatch the enemy and the fight is being prolonged, then it's recommended to use the Kfir's exceptional acceleration and top speed to egress from the situation, and perhaps re-enter when the situation is more favourable to the Kfir.

One way of playing the Kfir C.7 is to fly around the center of the map and launch missiles at distracted enemies from behind. This will require you to stay low after takeoff and fly near the edge of the map to avoid being seen or being detected by enemy radar. Once the furball has formed, climb above the enemy, then look for enemies that are slow, distracted, un-aware of their surroundings then launch a Python 3 missile at 4 km or closer. The main challenge to this play style is to find distracted enemy and be unnoticed when launching your missile.

Another way of playing the Kfir C.7 is to accelerate past Mach after takeoff, and then proceed to zoom up to high altitude at roughly 6-8 km where missiles are capable of flying much further, where the Kfir can truly stretch its exceptional speed and performance. Its primary weapon, the [[Python 3]], will have an exceptional range at these altitudes and it is not uncommon to achieve kills at ranges over 5-6 km. Be mindful that the radar will slave the seeker head of the [[Python 3]], and can be used to help achieve locks even if the plane is not directly off the nose of the aircraft. However, this play style is not recommended unless down tiered due to SARH and ARH missiles being very common at battle rating 11.3 and higher

==== SB ====

:

The Kfir is a phenomenal support fighter.

Due to its lack of radar and low countermeasure count at EC7 you do not want to spear head any fight. Your best way to play the plane is to stay 1-2 grid squares away from the main battle and wait for people call out enemies or for you to spot dog fights.

The Kfir's top speed will grant you the ability to close distances on targets and rescue team mates with ease. While its high alpha capabilities and strong airframe will allow you to slot into enemies tail's if needed.

The Kfir will begin to wing rip at 750 knots IAS. This is displayed on the left of your HUD allowing you to easily manage your speed without excessive head movement or taking your eyes off your target.

The [[Python 3]] locking is at the bottom of your HUD, this can be difficult to learn, but once you do, it is not a big issue.

==== The Python 3 ====
The Kfir C.7 is one of the few aircrafts with access to the very powerful [[Python 3]] missiles, it has an all aspect seeker, long range, high rate of acceleration, good flare resistance and 40Gs of overload (Highest in game) and can be used at both long and short range. However due to the very high rate of acceleration, it may not be able to make sharp turns at very close range. (>1km) It is close to impossible to evade a [[Python 3]] without the use of flares, so firing at distracted enemies are very likely to result in a kill.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great flight characteristics
* Amazing control authority at any speed
* Above average acceleration below Mach 1, and one of the fastest acceleration in the game above Mach 1
* Extremely fast, especially at high altitudes
* Has long range Python IIIs with exceptional manoeuvrability
* Able to take out 1 base if loaded with bombs
* Ballistic computer for guns, bombs, and rockets
* Extremely powerful Python 3 missiles

'''Cons:'''

* Limited gun ranging radar which does not track or lock enemies
* Delta wing configuration bleeds airspeed quickly while in a high G turn
* 36 x countermeasures can be quickly used up, especially if split 50/50 between chaff and flares
* Missiles are pointed down requiring you to pull alpha or be above the target to get a lock
* No radar or radar-guided armament
*

== History ==


In the 1960s, French and Israeli engineers worked together to develop the [[Mirage 5F|Dassault Mirage 5]], successor to the [[Mirage IIICJ|Mirage III]], tailored specifically to the requirements of the Israeli Air Force (IAF). Israel funded a large part of the project by purchasing a total of 50 aircraft in advance of their production. The deal eventually fell through when France enacted an arms embargo on Israel following its preemptive strike at the start of the 1967 Six-Day War - an action that the French had explicitly warned Israel not to take. Though Israel was eventually reimbursed for its payments, the Mirage 5 was never supplied.

To circumvent the embargo, Israel collaborated with the Dassault Aviation company to smuggle blueprints and materials out of France to construct their own copy of the Mirage 5 - the [[Nesher|IAI Nesher]]. One of the most successful air superiority fighters of all time, the Nesher scored a staggering 111:3 kill ratio during the Yom Kippur War of 1973. This not only proved the merits of the Mirage 5's design, but also proved that Israel was now capable of manufacturing warplanes locally. This fact was of utmost importance to the Israelis: up until that point they had been completely dependent on the French to supply their aircraft, and were now left orphaned due to the embargo.

Thanks to a gradual warming of relations with the United States, the IAF could begin arming itself with [[A-4H (Israel)|A-4H]] and [[F-4E Phantom II (Israel)|F-4E Phantom II]] jets, which served mostly as ground attackers; but neither could replace the Nesher as an air superiority fighter. With the looming threat of more advanced Soviet fighters entering service in the Arab air forces, Israel was keenly aware that the Nesher could not remain the top dog for long. Israel's response to this threat was to begin development of an advanced fighter jet based on the Mirage 5 design - one that could be manufactured ''from scratch'' in Israel.

A major factor in the design of the new plane was its engine. Israel had already acquired a license to produce the powerful General Electric J79 turbojet - the engine used in the F-4E. Thus, it was decided that the new Mirage 5 variant would be built entirely around this engine. This required several major changes to the airframe, primarily a redesign of the fuselage and enlargement of the air intakes (even adding a small cooling intake in the tail). As per their usual doctrine, the Israelis also installed a completely new advanced avionics package into the cockpit, altering it significantly. Another, more noticeable feature was the addition of two small canards on either side of the intakes.

The resulting aircraft, the ''IAI Kfir'' ("Lion Cub"), entered service in 1975. However, its primacy in the IAF was supplanted almost immediately by the arrival of the first F-15s in late 1976, and later by the [[F-16A Netz (Israel)|F-16s]]. The Kfir was therefore relegated to a fighter-bomber role during the 1982 Lebanon War.

The Kfir C.7, being the third and most advanced variant of the Kfir in IAF service, was designed to fit the aircraft's new role "underneath" the F-15 and F-16. It was built more robustly, and carried a stronger version of the J79 engine that could help it take off with a heavier payload. It had additional hardpoints for carrying extra munitions, and much larger canards than the original design. All Kfir C.7s were in fact upgraded Kfir C.2s, rather than brand new planes.

Despite being originally designed as an air superiority jet, the Kfir only scored a single aerial kill throughout its service in the IAF. Its last action in the IAF occurred during the 1993 Operation Accountability, after which it was gradually removed from service. An export version of the plane, however, was sold to Colombia, Ecuador and Sri Lanka, and still serves in their air forces in 2021, with constant upgrades. The plane took part in combat once again during the (1983-2009) Sri Lankan Civil War from 1996 after introducing the Kfir to it's Air Force.

=== [[wt:en/news/7466-development-kfir-c-7-the-sharp-clawed-lion-cub-en|Devblog]] ===
Immediately after the Six-Day-War, France imposed an arms export embargo on Israel, acutely highlighting the nation's dependence on foreign suppliers of military equipment. Despite the embargo, Israel managed to obtain documentation for the Mirage 5J version, which was developed specifically for the Israeli Air Force before the ban. These aircraft were produced commercially under the name IAI Nesher. But due to the end of supplies from France, Israel turned to the U.S. for assistance, procuring a number of new F-4 Phantom II and A-4 Skyhawk aircraft for its air force. However, when the air force compared the Nesher with the new F-4 Phantom, it realized that the Mirage was falling behind in several aspects. Therefore, plans to outfit Neshers with licence-built Phantom II engines - the General Electric J79 - were drawn up and soon afterward realized with the Kfir (Hebrew for "Lion Cub").

Entering serial production in 1975 and subsequently being commissioned into service with the 101st, 113th and 109th squadrons of the Israeli Air Force, the Kfir first saw combat action in November 1977. While the aircraft performed well and was also well-liked by its pilots, the modification did increase the weight of the aircraft, negatively impacting some of its flight characteristics. Israeli engineers solved the issue by outfitting the Kfir with fixed canards on the forward section of the fuselage.

The Kfir C.7 is a later modification of the aircraft, resulting from continuous efforts of Israeli engineers to further develop the Kfir. The new version featured numerous improvements, including a more powerful afterburner, increased payload and weapon selection as well as new avionics and cockpit arrangement. The Kfir C.7 entered service in 1983 and would remain in active service until the early 1990s before being officially decommissioned by the Israeli Air Force. Subsequently, some units were sold on the export market to Columbia and Sri Lanka where they saw active combat during the Sri Lankan Civil War.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=kfir_c7 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|ERLptF1Nsps|'''The Shooting Range #286''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:36 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[Mirage 5 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7466-development-kfir-c-7-the-sharp-clawed-lion-cub-en|[Devblog] Kfir C.7: The Sharp-Clawed Lion Cub]]

{{Manufacturer IAI}}
{{Israel jet aircraft}}

Tornado F.3

2023-06-06T08:19:07Z

U138796218: A 2G turn will not rip the wing under any conditions, while a -2G roll can often rip both wings off

{{About
| about = British jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Tornado (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=tornado_f3
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Sky Guardians"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 11,582 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,280 || 2,269 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 28.4 || 28.6 || 167.3 || 163.4 || rowspan="2" | 800
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,340 || 2,308 || 27.6 || 28.0 || 216.7 || 191.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="60%"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Limits
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
! Min sweep
| 972 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 1,166 || 552 || 440 || ~8 || ~3
|-
! Max sweep
| 1,555 || - || - || - || ~9 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 670 || < 650 || < 700 || -
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="6" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full internal fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Turbo-Union RB199-34R Mk.104 || 2
| colspan="3" | 14,659 kg || colspan="3" | 742 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="5" | Mass with internal fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 16m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 56m fuel
|-
| 968 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 16,186 kg || 16,463 kg || 17,365 kg || 18,718 kg || 19,749 kg || 23,512 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="6" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 16m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 56m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 3,756 kgf || 7,309 kgf
| 0.90 || 0.89 || 0.84 || 0.78 || 0.74 || 0.62
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 4,169 kgf (1,400 km/h) || 8,173 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.01 || 0.99 || 0.94 || 0.87 || 0.83 || 0.70
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The Tornado F.3 does not have any armour plates within the plane, most of the planes central fuselage contains self-sealing fuel tanks. This means the Tornado F.3 is very likely to catch fire if hit by enemy rounds or missiles. An EFS system is available that could potentially save the aircraft in the case of an onboard fire.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs) !! Lead indicator
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|Mauser BK27 (27 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 27 mm Mauser BK27 cannon, chin-mounted (180 rpg)
** 1 x 27 mm Mauser BK27 cannon + 32 x large calibre countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|AIM-9L Sidewinder|Skyflash|Skyflash SuperTEMP}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* 2 x 330 gal drop tanks
* 2 x [[AIM-9L Sidewinder|AIM-9L]] Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x [[AIM-9L Sidewinder|AIM-9L]] Sidewinder missiles + 320 x countermeasures
* 4 x [[Skyflash]] missiles
* 4 x [[Skyflash SuperTEMP]] missiles

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="9.0%" | 1 !! width="9.0%" | 2 !! width="9.0%" | 3 !! width="9.0%" | 4 !! width="9.0%" | 5
| rowspan="6" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
| 1, 2 *|| || || || 1, 2 *
|-
! Skyflash missiles
| || || 4 || ||
|-
! Skyflash SuperTEMP missiles
| || || 4 || ||
|-
! Countermeasures
| 160 * || || || || 160 *
|-
! 330 gal drop tanks
| || 1 || || 1 ||
|-
| colspan="7" | * Countermeasures can be carried with Sidewinder missiles on the same hardpoint
|}

== Usage in battles ==


Like other planes at this BR, the Tornado F.3 is outclassed by higher tier aircraft. This is especially problematic given the Tornado F.3 is heavily dependent on its weaponry and avionics to be competitive.

The Skyflash Super TEMPs are very potent but not on par with the [[AIM-7F Sparrow]]s. They accelerate faster and will outpace the AIM-7F within 4-6 km but refrain from trying to BVR Duel with the rank VIII Phantoms or the F-4J/S. The Skyflash will hang at around the same speed as the AIM-7F at BVR ranges. Due to how long the AIM-7F/M burns it will eventually outpace the Skyflash at longer ranges It goes without saying but The Skyflash is not an effective weapon against the [[R-27ER]] or the [[Matra Super 530D]]. Your prime targets are unsuspecting targets 4-9 km away heading generally towards you.

Avoid entering and staying in the furball as the you will likely have many missiles shot at you, combined with the Tornado's poor maneuverability means almost certain death. Instead lock up head on targets using ACM mode then fire off a Skyflash at your enemy, if they also launch a missile at you, start to notch their radar as fast as you can while releasing flares and chaff, or fly closely to the ground. (Lower than 30 meters) If the enemy starts to notch your radar, switch the radar mode from PD HDN to standard search as it'll be immune to notching, though it will not work if the enemy is close to the ground. (Ground clutter) Another tactic is to lock up the enemy with radar but fire off an AIM-9L instead, many times this will confuse the enemy into not releasing flares as they will believe that you fired a Skyflash instead of a AIM-9L.

Don't dogfight. You have no workable advantages against your opponent unless they are already badly crippled with large sections of their wings/tail missing. If you are chased, get a teammate to cover your back or run back to the airfield. Try and fly in a straight line given your speed bleed in any sort of turn manoeuvre.

The tornado F.3 likes to fly predictable, straight paths and makes very predictable manoeuvres. Any enemy with an ounce of situational awareness will easily be able to keep tabs on you with no effort whatsoever. You can't really make unpredictable manoeuvres and sneak up on people given your overall lack of mobility in any direction other than forward. This makes it hard to employ your AIM-9Ls or your guns, given it is very difficult to stick to an opponent's tail for a good rear aspect shot. Although you will still find the AIM-9L to be a very consistent weapon and a good close to mid range missile.

At this BR, you can outrange pretty much anyone at your own BR with BVR missiles. Your biggest challenge will be F-4J/S with their AIM-7Fs and PDV radars. You have a fair chance of spotting and locking them first given your superior radar. However this doesn't mean you have the advantage as the AIM-7F will out range the Skyflash SuperTEMP. If a missile joust must be started, try to delay the launch of the enemy missile until a close distance (Lower than around 8 km) as in those ranges the Skyflash will out speed the AIM-7F. In the event of an uptier you will almost certainly meet enemy Mig-29s with their R27ER missiles, in this scenario there is simply not much you can do due the R27ER outranging and out speeding the Skyflash.

Never pull negative Gs in the Tornado F.3. As with many top tier planes the negative G performance of the tornado is poor. Unlike the British [[Phantom FGR.2|Phantoms]] your wings are not sturdy enough to sustain negative Gs even for a few seconds, often snapping as soon as you put your nose down. The Tornado is generally an unstable aircraft and prone to flat spinning as soon as the wing falls off, so don't expect to get back to base once you've lost a wing. Rolling can easily make the Tornado snap its wings. When in a turn, refrain from rolling in a -2G+ turn or else there is a good chance you may loose one or both wings. You may not have the controllability to recover and you may go into an uncontrollable spin depending on how violently you were rolling.

==== List of missile and their carriers ====

* [[AIM-7F Sparrow|AIM-7F]]/[[AIM-7M Sparrow|M]], carried by the following aircrafts. [[F-4J Phantom II|F-4J]], [[F-4S Phantom II|F-4S]], [[F-14A Early]], F-16 (All variants except the [[F-16A|USA block 10]] and [[F-16A Netz (Israel)|NETZ]] version) [[F-4EJ Kai Phantom II|F-4EJ Kai]].
* [[R-27ER]]/[[R-27ER1|ER1]], carried by the Mig-29. (Both variants)
* [[Matra Super 530D]], carried by the [[Mirage 2000C-S5]].
* [[Aspide-1A]], carried by the [[F-104S.ASA]] and [[J-8B|J-8B.]]
* [[AIM-54A Phoenix]], carried by the [[F-14A Early]]

==== How to counter these missiles ====

* [[AIM-7F Sparrow|AIM-7F]]/[[AIM-7M Sparrow|M]]. Your Skyflash SuperTEMP will be faster than these missiles when under 6-8 km, above that distance, the AIM-7F/M will be faster.
* [[R-27ER]]/[[R-27ER1|ER1]]. This missile will outperform the Skyflash SuperTEMP in everyway, the only possible way to kill a Mig-29 in the missile joust is to fire first, or notch/evade the incoming R27ER/ER1
* [[Matra Super 530D]]. At close range, the Skyflash SuperTEMP has better acceleration and will eventually out range the Matra Super 530D.
* [[Aspide-1A]]. The carriers of these missiles either has weak flight performance (F-104S.ASA) or a weak radar (J-8B). The Skyflash SuperTEMP will also outrange the Aspide-1A.
* [[AIM-54A Phoenix]]. These missile has a lot of range, however it's very easy to notice the incoming missile and simply notch it.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Has a lot of countermeasures, including large-calibre ones
* Can carry 8 air-to-air missiles at once
** [[Skyflash SuperTEMP]]<nowiki/>s are effective SARH missiles in a BVR role
** Potent all-aspect heat-seeking [[AIM-9L Sidewinder|AIM-9L]] missiles
* Has radar gunsight
* Advanced radar for its BR
** Includes TWS that indicates direction of enemy
** PD has IFF
* Can carry drop tanks to extend range
* Has reverse thrust to reduce landing distance

'''Cons:'''

* Poor turning performance
* Lacklustre acceleration
* Other BVR missiles have a longer range in an uptier
* Very difficult to kinetically dodge SARH missiles due to aforementioned poor turn rate
* Short ACM range
* The 27 mm cannon has a low rate of fire, low ammunition count, and mediocre damage
* Absence of drogue chute requires a long distance to land

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=tornado_f3 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|8q2mDrbxOT8|'''The Shooting Range #350''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:25 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|Kk-ag2B2ZqU|'''Tornado F.3: A Basic Review''' - ''Tims Variety''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[Tornado (Family)]]

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer Panavia}}
{{Britain jet aircraft}}

Tornado F.3

2023-05-13T08:07:09Z

U138796218: History on the tornado and wrote a bit about the plane's protection

{{About
| about = British jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Tornado (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=tornado_f3
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Sky Guardians"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 11,582 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,280 || 2,269 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 28.4 || 28.6 || 167.3 || 163.4 || rowspan="2" | 800
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,340 || 2,308 || 27.6 || 28.0 || 216.7 || 191.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="60%"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Limits
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
! Min sweep
| 972 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 1,166 || 552 || 440 || ~8 || ~3
|-
! Max sweep
| 1,555 || - || - || - || ~9 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 670 || < 650 || < 700 || -
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="6" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full internal fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Turbo-Union RB199-34R Mk.104 || 2
| colspan="3" | 14,659 kg || colspan="3" | 742 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="5" | Mass with internal fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 16m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 56m fuel
|-
| 968 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 16,186 kg || 16,463 kg || 17,365 kg || 18,718 kg || 19,749 kg || 23,512 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="6" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 16m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 56m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 3,756 kgf || 7,309 kgf
| 0.90 || 0.89 || 0.84 || 0.78 || 0.74 || 0.62
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 4,169 kgf (1,400 km/h) || 8,173 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.01 || 0.99 || 0.94 || 0.87 || 0.83 || 0.70
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''The Tornado F.3 does not have any armor plates within the plane, most of the planes central fuselage contains self-sealing fuel tanks. This means the Tornado F.3 is very likely to catch fire if hit by enemy rounds or missiles. An EFS system is available that could potentially save the aircraft in the case of an onboard fire.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs) !! Lead indicator
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|Mauser BK27 (27 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 27 mm Mauser BK27 cannon, chin-mounted (180 rpg)
** 1 x 27 mm Mauser BK27 cannon + 32 x large calibre countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|AIM-9L Sidewinder|Skyflash|Skyflash SuperTEMP}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* 2 x 330 gal drop tanks
* 2 x [[AIM-9L Sidewinder|AIM-9L]] Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x [[AIM-9L Sidewinder|AIM-9L]] Sidewinder missiles + 320 x countermeasures
* 4 x [[Skyflash]] missiles
* 4 x [[Skyflash SuperTEMP]] missiles

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="9.0%" | 1 !! width="9.0%" | 2 !! width="9.0%" | 3 !! width="9.0%" | 4 !! width="9.0%" | 5
| rowspan="6" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
| 1, 2 *|| || || || 1, 2 *
|-
! Skyflash missiles
| || || 4 || ||
|-
! Skyflash SuperTEMP missiles
| || || 4 || ||
|-
! Countermeasures
| 160 * || || || || 160 *
|-
! 330 gal drop tanks
| || 1 || || 1 ||
|-
| colspan="7" | * Countermeasures can be carried with Sidewinder missiles on the same hardpoint
|}

== Usage in battles ==


Like other planes at this BR, the Tornado F.3 is outclassed by higher tier aircraft. This is especially problematic given the Tornado F.3 is heavily dependent on its weaponry and avionics to be competitive.

The Skyflash Super TEMPs are very potent but not on par with the [[AIM-7F Sparrow]]s. They accelerate faster and will outpace the AIM-7F within 4-6 km but refrain from trying to BVR Duel with the rank VIII Phantoms or the F-4J/S. The Skyflash will hang at around the same speed as the AIM-7F at BVR ranges. Due to how long the AIM-7F/M burns it will eventually outpace the Skyflash at longer ranges It goes without saying but The Skyflash is not an effective weapon against the [[R-27ER]] or the [[Matra Super 530D]]. Your prime targets are unsuspecting targets 4-9 km away heading generally towards you.

Avoid entering and staying in the furball as the you will likely have many missiles shot at you, combined with the Tornado's poor maneuverability means almost certain death. Instead lock up head on targets using ACM mode then fire off a Skyflash at your enemy, if they also launch a missile at you, start to notch their radar as fast as you can while releasing flares and chaff, or fly closely to the ground. (Lower than 30 meters) If the enemy starts to notch your radar, switch the radar mode from PD HDN to standard search as it'll be immune to notching, though it will not work if the enemy is close to the ground. (Ground clutter) Another tactic is to lock up the enemy with radar but fire off an AIM-9L instead, many times this will confuse the enemy into not releasing flares as they will believe that you fired a Skyflash instead of a AIM-9L.

Don't dogfight. You have no workable advantages against your opponent unless they are already badly crippled with large sections of their wings/tail missing. If you are chased, get a teammate to cover your back or run back to the airfield. Try and fly in a straight line given your speed bleed in any sort of turn manoeuvre.

The tornado F.3 likes to fly predictable, straight paths and makes very predictable manoeuvres. Any enemy with an ounce of situational awareness will easily be able to keep tabs on you with no effort whatsoever. You can't really make unpredictable manoeuvres and sneak up on people given your overall lack of mobility in any direction other than forward. This makes it hard to employ your AIM-9Ls or your guns, given it is very difficult to stick to an opponent's tail for a good rear aspect shot. Although you will still find the AIM-9L to be a very consistent weapon and a good close to mid range missile.

At this BR, you can outrange pretty much anyone at your own BR with BVR missiles. Your biggest challenge will be F-4J/S with their AIM-7Fs and PDV radars. You have a fair chance of spotting and locking them first given your superior radar. However this doesn't mean you have the advantage as the AIM-7F will out range the Skyflash SuperTEMP. If a missile joust must be started, try to delay the launch of the enemy missile until a close distance (Lower than around 8 km) as in those ranges the Skyflash will out speed the AIM-7F. In the event of an uptier you will almost certainly meet enemy Mig-29s with their R27ER missiles, in this scenario there is simply not much you can do due the R27ER outranging and out speeding the Skyflash.

Never pull negative Gs in the Tornado F.3. As with many top tier planes the negative G performance of the tornado is poor. Unlike the British [[Phantom FGR.2|Phantoms]] your wings are not sturdy enough to sustain negative Gs even for a few seconds, often snapping as soon as you put your nose down. The Tornado is generally an unstable aircraft and prone to flat spinning as soon as the wing falls off, so don't expect to get back to base once you've lost a wing. Rolling can easily make the Tornado snap its wings. When in a turn, refrain from rolling in a -2G+ turn or else there is a good chance you may loose one or both wings. You may not have the controllability to recover and you may go into an uncontrollable spin depending on how violently you were rolling.

==== List of missile and their carriers ====

* [[AIM-7F Sparrow|AIM-7F]]/[[AIM-7M Sparrow|M]], carried by the following aircrafts. [[F-4J Phantom II|F-4J]], [[F-4S Phantom II|F-4S]], [[F-14A Early]], F-16 (All variants except the [[F-16A|USA block 10]] and [[F-16A Netz (Israel)|NETZ]] version) [[F-4EJ Kai Phantom II|F-4EJ Kai]].
* [[R-27ER]]/[[R-27ER1|ER1]], carried by the Mig-29. (Both variants)
* [[Matra Super 530D]], carried by the [[Mirage 2000C-S5]].
* [[Aspide-1A]], carried by the [[F-104S.ASA]] and [[J-8B|J-8B.]]
* [[AIM-54A Phoenix]], carried by the [[F-14A Early]]

==== How to counter these missiles ====

* [[AIM-7F Sparrow|AIM-7F]]/[[AIM-7M Sparrow|M]]. Your Skyflash SuperTEMP will be faster than these missiles when under 6-8 km, above that distance, the AIM-7F/M will be faster.
* [[R-27ER]]/[[R-27ER1|ER1]]. This missile will outperform the Skyflash SuperTEMP in everyway, the only possible way to kill a Mig-29 in the missile joust is to fire first, or notch/evade the incoming R27ER/ER1
* [[Matra Super 530D]]. At close range, the Skyflash SuperTEMP has better acceleration and will eventually out range the Matra Super 530D.
* [[Aspide-1A]]. The carriers of these missiles either has weak flight performance (F-104S.ASA) or a weak radar (J-8B). The Skyflash SuperTEMP will also outrange the Aspide-1A.
* [[AIM-54A Phoenix]]. These missile has a lot of range, however it's very easy to notice the incoming missile and simply notch it.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Has a lot of countermeasures, including large-calibre ones
* Can carry 8 air-to-air missiles at once
** [[Skyflash SuperTEMP]]<nowiki/>s are effective SARH missiles in a BVR role
** Potent all-aspect heat-seeking [[AIM-9L Sidewinder|AIM-9L]] missiles
* Has radar gunsight
* Advanced radar for its BR
** Includes TWS that indicates direction of enemy
** PD has IFF
* Can carry drop tanks to extend range
* Has reverse thrust to reduce landing distance

'''Cons:'''

* Poor turning performance
* Lacklustre acceleration
* Other BVR missiles have a longer range in an uptier
* Very difficult to kinetically dodge SARH missiles due to aforementioned poor turn rate
* Short ACM range
* The 27 mm cannon has a low rate of fire, low ammunition count, and mediocre damage
* Absence of drogue chute requires a long distance to land

== History ==

''The Tornado ADV had its origins in the Royal Air Force's Air Staff Requirement 395, which called for a long-range interceptor to replace both the English Electric Lightning F6 and McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR2. This was primarily driven by the threat posed by the Soviet Union's sizable strategic bomber fleet, particularly the recently introduced supersonic bomber, the Tupolev Tu-22M. Even before the development of the Tornado IDS (interdictor/strike) in 1968, the possibility of a variant dedicated to air defense had been quietly considered. Although several American aircraft were evaluated for meeting this requirement, they were deemed unsuitable.''

''Despite Britain's strong interest in the air defense concept, it was unattractive to the other European partners on the Tornado project, resulting in the UK pursuing its development solely. In 1976, the British Aircraft Corporation was contracted to provide three prototype aircraft. On 9 August 1979, the first prototype was rolled out at Warton and performed its maiden flight on 27 October 1979, piloted by David Eagles. The second and third development aircraft made their first flights on 18 July and 18 November 1980 respectively. The third prototype was mainly used for testing the new Marconi/Ferranti AI.24 Foxhunter airborne interception radar. During flight testing, the Tornado ADV showed its significantly superior supersonic acceleration compared to the Tornado IDS, even while carrying a full weapons loadout.''

''The Tornado ADV differed from the Tornado IDS in several ways, including a greater sweep angle on the wing gloves, deletion of the Krueger flap, deletion of the port cannon, a longer radome for the Foxhunter radar, slightly longer airbrakes, and a fuselage lengthened to 1.36 m, allowing the carriage of four Skyflash semi-active radar homing missiles. This stretch was achieved by adding a plug immediately behind the cockpit, which not only lengthened the fuselage but also reduced drag and made space for an additional fuel tank (Tank '0') carrying 200 imperial gallons (909 L; 240 U.S. gal) of fuel. The artificial feel of the flight controls was lighter on the Tornado ADV than on the IDS. Various other differences were present in the aircraft's avionics, displays, guidance systems, and software packages. The test program was greatly aided by the use of real-time telemetry, which broadcast live data from in-flight aircraft back to technicians on the ground.''

==== Tornado ADV F.3 ====
The Tornado ADV entered quantity production in 1980 and continued until 1993, with the Tornado F3 making its first flight on November 20, 1985. Compared to its predecessor, the Tornado F2, the Tornado F3 had several enhancements, including RB.199 Mk 104 engines optimized for high-altitude use, longer afterburner nozzles, and the ability to carry four Sidewinder missiles instead of two. Another notable improvement was the automatic maneuver device system, which allowed the flight control computer to adjust the level of wing sweep to maintain optimal flight characteristics automatically. This feature was similar to the automatic sweeping wing capability of the American Grumman F-14 Tomcat, which greatly improved maneuverability. The Tornado F3 initially carried short-range Sidewinder and medium-range Skyflash missiles, the latter being a British design derived from the American AIM-7 Sparrow. In 1989, the Tornado F3 was declared operational.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=tornado_f3 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|8q2mDrbxOT8|'''The Shooting Range #350''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:25 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|Kk-ag2B2ZqU|'''Tornado F.3: A Basic Review''' - ''Tims Variety''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[Tornado (Family)]]

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer Panavia}}
{{Britain jet aircraft}}

Tornado F.3

2023-05-12T05:32:33Z

U138796218: Fixed my changes. Source of wing area : https://man.fas.org/dod-101/sys/ac/row/tornado.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panavia_Tornado_ADV 19749kg divided by 26.6=742.44kg/m^2

{{About
| about = British jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Tornado (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=tornado_f3
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Sky Guardians"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 11,582 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,280 || 2,269 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 28.4 || 28.6 || 167.3 || 163.4 || rowspan="2" | 800
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,340 || 2,308 || 27.6 || 28.0 || 216.7 || 191.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="60%"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Limits
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
! Min sweep
| 972 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 1,166 || 552 || 440 || ~8 || ~3
|-
! Max sweep
| 1,555 || - || - || - || ~9 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 670 || < 650 || < 700 || -
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="6" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full internal fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Turbo-Union RB199-34R Mk.104 || 2
| colspan="3" | 14,659 kg || colspan="3" | 742 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="5" | Mass with internal fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 16m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 56m fuel
|-
| 968 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 16,186 kg || 16,463 kg || 17,365 kg || 18,718 kg || 19,749 kg || 23,512 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="6" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 16m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 56m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 3,756 kgf || 7,309 kgf
| 0.90 || 0.89 || 0.84 || 0.78 || 0.74 || 0.62
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 4,169 kgf (1,400 km/h) || 8,173 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.01 || 0.99 || 0.94 || 0.87 || 0.83 || 0.70
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs) !! Lead indicator
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|Mauser BK27 (27 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 27 mm Mauser BK27 cannon, chin-mounted (180 rpg)
** 1 x 27 mm Mauser BK27 cannon + 32 x large calibre countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|AIM-9L Sidewinder|Skyflash|Skyflash SuperTEMP}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* 2 x 330 gal drop tanks
* 2 x [[AIM-9L Sidewinder|AIM-9L]] Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x [[AIM-9L Sidewinder|AIM-9L]] Sidewinder missiles + 320 x countermeasures
* 4 x [[Skyflash]] missiles
* 4 x [[Skyflash SuperTEMP]] missiles

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="9.0%" | 1 !! width="9.0%" | 2 !! width="9.0%" | 3 !! width="9.0%" | 4 !! width="9.0%" | 5
| rowspan="6" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
| 1, 2 *|| || || || 1, 2 *
|-
! Skyflash missiles
| || || 4 || ||
|-
! Skyflash SuperTEMP missiles
| || || 4 || ||
|-
! Countermeasures
| 160 * || || || || 160 *
|-
! 330 gal drop tanks
| || 1 || || 1 ||
|-
| colspan="7" | * Countermeasures can be carried with Sidewinder missiles on the same hardpoint
|}

== Usage in battles ==


Like other planes at this BR, the Tornado F.3 is outclassed by higher tier aircraft. This is especially problematic given the Tornado F.3 is heavily dependent on its weaponry and avionics to be competitive.

The Skyflash Super TEMPs are very potent but not on par with the [[AIM-7F Sparrow]]s. They accelerate faster and will outpace the AIM-7F within 4-6 km but refrain from trying to BVR Duel with the rank VIII Phantoms or the F-4J/S. The Skyflash will hang at around the same speed as the AIM-7F at BVR ranges. Due to how long the AIM-7F/M burns it will eventually outpace the Skyflash at longer ranges It goes without saying but The Skyflash is not an effective weapon against the [[R-27ER]] or the [[Matra Super 530D]]. Your prime targets are unsuspecting targets 4-9 km away heading generally towards you.

Avoid entering and staying in the furball as the you will likely have many missiles shot at you, combined with the Tornado's poor maneuverability means almost certain death. Instead lock up head on targets using ACM mode then fire off a Skyflash at your enemy, if they also launch a missile at you, start to notch their radar as fast as you can while releasing flares and chaff, or fly closely to the ground. (Lower than 30 meters) If the enemy starts to notch your radar, switch the radar mode from PD HDN to standard search as it'll be immune to notching, though it will not work if the enemy is close to the ground. (Ground clutter) Another tactic is to lock up the enemy with radar but fire off an AIM-9L instead, many times this will confuse the enemy into not releasing flares as they will believe that you fired a Skyflash instead of a AIM-9L.

Don't dogfight. You have no workable advantages against your opponent unless they are already badly crippled with large sections of their wings/tail missing. If you are chased, get a teammate to cover your back or run back to the airfield. Try and fly in a straight line given your speed bleed in any sort of turn manoeuvre.

The tornado F.3 likes to fly predictable, straight paths and makes very predictable manoeuvres. Any enemy with an ounce of situational awareness will easily be able to keep tabs on you with no effort whatsoever. You can't really make unpredictable manoeuvres and sneak up on people given your overall lack of mobility in any direction other than forward. This makes it hard to employ your AIM-9Ls or your guns, given it is very difficult to stick to an opponent's tail for a good rear aspect shot. Although you will still find the AIM-9L to be a very consistent weapon and a good close to mid range missile.

At this BR, you can outrange pretty much anyone at your own BR with BVR missiles. Your biggest challenge will be F-4J/S with their AIM-7Fs and PDV radars. You have a fair chance of spotting and locking them first given your superior radar. However this doesn't mean you have the advantage as the AIM-7F will out range the Skyflash SuperTEMP. If a missile joust must be started, try to delay the launch of the enemy missile until a close distance (Lower than around 8 km) as in those ranges the Skyflash will out speed the AIM-7F. In the event of an uptier you will almost certainly meet enemy Mig-29s with their R27ER missiles, in this scenario there is simply not much you can do due the R27ER outranging and out speeding the Skyflash.

Never pull negative Gs in the Tornado F.3. As with many top tier planes the negative G performance of the tornado is poor. Unlike the British [[Phantom FGR.2|Phantoms]] your wings are not sturdy enough to sustain negative Gs even for a few seconds, often snapping as soon as you put your nose down. The Tornado is generally an unstable aircraft and prone to flat spinning as soon as the wing falls off, so don't expect to get back to base once you've lost a wing. Rolling can easily make the Tornado snap its wings. When in a turn, refrain from rolling in a 2G+ turn or else there is a good chance you may loose one or both wings. You may not have the controllability to recover and you may go into an uncontrollable spin depending on how violently you were rolling.

==== List of missile and their carriers ====

* [[AIM-7F Sparrow|AIM-7F]]/[[AIM-7M Sparrow|M]], carried by the following aircrafts. [[F-4J Phantom II|F-4J]], [[F-4S Phantom II|F-4S]], [[F-14A Early]], F-16 (All variants except the [[F-16A|USA block 10]] and [[F-16A Netz (Israel)|NETZ]] version) [[F-4EJ Kai Phantom II|F-4EJ Kai]].
* [[R-27ER]]/[[R-27ER1|ER1]], carried by the Mig-29. (Both variants)
* [[Matra Super 530D]], carried by the [[Mirage 2000C-S5]].
* [[Aspide-1A]], carried by the [[F-104S.ASA]] and [[J-8B|J-8B.]]
* [[AIM-54A Phoenix]], carried by the [[F-14A Early]]

==== How to counter these missiles ====

* [[AIM-7F Sparrow|AIM-7F]]/[[AIM-7M Sparrow|M]]. Your Skyflash SuperTEMP will be faster than these missiles when under 6-8 km, above that distance, the AIM-7F/M will be faster.
* [[R-27ER]]/[[R-27ER1|ER1]]. This missile will outperform the Skyflash SuperTEMP in everyway, the only possible way to kill a Mig-29 in the missile joust is to fire first, or notch/evade the incoming R27ER/ER1
* [[Matra Super 530D]]. At close range, the Skyflash SuperTEMP has better acceleration and will eventually out range the Matra Super 530D.
* [[Aspide-1A]]. The carriers of these missiles either has weak flight performance (F-104S.ASA) or a weak radar (J-8B). The Skyflash SuperTEMP will also outrange the Aspide-1A.
* [[AIM-54A Phoenix]]. These missile has a lot of range, however it's very easy to notice the incoming missile and simply notch it.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Has a lot of countermeasures, including large-calibre ones
* Can carry 8 air-to-air missiles at once
** [[Skyflash SuperTEMP]]<nowiki/>s are effective SARH missiles in a BVR role
** Potent all-aspect heat-seeking [[AIM-9L Sidewinder|AIM-9L]] missiles
* Has radar gunsight
* Advanced radar for its BR
** Includes TWS that indicates direction of enemy
** PD has IFF
* Can carry drop tanks to extend range
* Has reverse thrust to reduce landing distance

'''Cons:'''

* Poor turning performance
* Lacklustre acceleration
* Other BVR missiles have a longer range in an uptier
* Very difficult to kinetically dodge SARH missiles due to aforementioned poor turn rate
* Short ACM range
* The 27 mm cannon has a low rate of fire, low ammunition count, and mediocre damage
* Absence of drogue chute requires a long distance to land

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=tornado_f3 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|8q2mDrbxOT8|'''The Shooting Range #350''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:25 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|Kk-ag2B2ZqU|'''Tornado F.3: A Basic Review''' - ''Tims Variety''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[Tornado (Family)]]

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer Panavia}}
{{Britain jet aircraft}}

Tornado F.3

2023-05-12T00:09:05Z

U138796218: Source of wing area : https://man.fas.org/dod-101/sys/ac/row/tornado.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panavia_Tornado_ADV 19749kg divided by 26.6=742.44kg/m^2

{{About
| about = British jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Tornado (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=tornado_f3
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Sky Guardians"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 11,582 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,280 || 2,269 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 28.4 || 28.6 || 167.3 || 163.4 || rowspan="2" | 800
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,340 || 2,308 || 27.6 || 28.0 || 216.7 || 191.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="60%"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Limits
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
! Min sweep
| 972 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 1,166 || 552 || 440 || ~8 || ~3
|-
! Max sweep
| 1,555 || - || - || - || ~9 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 670 || < 650 || < 700 || -
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="6" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full internal fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Turbo-Union RB199-34R Mk.104 || 2
| colspan="3" | 14,659 kg || colspan="3" | 742 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="5" | Mass with internal fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 16m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 56m fuel
|-
| 968 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 16,186 kg || 16,463 kg || 17,365 kg || 18,718 kg || 19,749 kg || 23,512 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="6" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 16m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 56m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 3,756 kgf || 7,309 kgf
| 0.90 || 0.89 || 0.84 || 0.78 || 0.74 || 0.62
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 4,169 kgf (1,400 km/h) || 8,173 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.01 || 0.99 || 0.94 || 0.87 || 0.83 || 0.70
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs) !! Lead indicator
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|Mauser BK27 (27 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 27 mm Mauser BK27 cannon, chin-mounted (180 rpg)
** 1 x 27 mm Mauser BK27 cannon + 32 x large calibre countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|AIM-9L Sidewinder|Skyflash|Skyflash SuperTEMP}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* 2 x 330 gal drop tanks
* 2 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles + 320 x countermeasures
* 4 x Skyflash missiles
* 4 x Skyflash SuperTEMP missiles

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="9.0%" | 1 !! width="9.0%" | 2 !! width="9.0%" | 3 !! width="9.0%" | 4 !! width="9.0%" | 5
| rowspan="6" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
| 1, 2 *|| || || || 1, 2 *
|-
! Skyflash missiles
| || || 4 || ||
|-
! Skyflash SuperTEMP missiles
| || || 4 || ||
|-
! Countermeasures
| 160 * || || || || 160 *
|-
! 330 gal drop tanks
| || 1 || || 1 ||
|-
| colspan="7" | * Countermeasures can be carried with Sidewinder missiles on the same hardpoint
|}

== Usage in battles ==


Like other planes at this BR, the Tornado F.3 is outclassed by higher tier aircraft. This is especially problematic given the Tornado F.3 is heavily dependent on its weaponry and avionics to be competitive.

The Skyflash Super TEMPs are very potent but not on par with the [[AIM-7F Sparrow]]s. They accelerate faster and will outpace the AIM-7F within 4-6 km but refrain from trying to BVR Duel with the rank VIII Phantoms or the F-4J/S. The Skyflash will hang at around the same speed as the AIM-7F at BVR ranges. Due to how long the AIM-7F/M burns it will eventually outpace the Skyflash at longer ranges It goes without saying but The Skyflash is not an effective weapon against the [[R-27ER]] or the [[Matra Super 530D]]. Your prime targets are unsuspecting targets 4-9 km away heading generally towards you.

Try and avoid "fair" missile jousts considering the atrocious manoeuvrability of the Tornado F.3 makes it near impossible to kinetically dodge SARH missiles. Most of the high-end radar missiles can still guide into you due to CW missiles tracking residual radar returns or just gliding into you since the Tornado F.3 is not manoeuvrable enough to change course quickly to dodge the missile, even if the lock was broken. While most planes can outmanoeuvre a head on SARH missile by manoeuvring (rolling) out of the way, the Tornado cannot. It's even difficult to notch a radar-guided missile within 10 km given the closure speed and nearly orbital turning circle of the tornado. Of course, both are possible in certain circumstances but it isn't a reliable way to survive an competent opponent who has taken their time setting up a good SARH missile. Within 5 km, there isn't much you can do other than spam chaff and hope for the best.

Don't dogfight. You have no workable advantages against your opponent unless they are already badly crippled with large sections of their wings/tail missing. If you are chased, get a teammate to cover your back or run back to the airfield. Try and fly in a straight line given your speed bleed in any sort of turn manoeuvre.

The tornado F.3 likes to fly predictable, straight paths and makes very predictable manoeuvres. Any enemy with an ounce of situational awareness will easily be able to keep tabs on you with no effort whatsoever. You can't really make unpredictable manoeuvres and sneak up on people given your overall lack of mobility in any direction other than forward. This makes it hard to employ your AIM-9Ls or your guns, given it is very difficult to stick to an opponent's tail for a good rear aspect shot. Although you will still find the AIM-9L to be a very consistent weapon and a good close range missile.

At this BR, you can outrange pretty much anyone at your own BR with BVR missiles. Your biggest challenge will be F-4J/S with their AIM-7Fs and PDV radars. You have a fair chance of spotting and locking them first given your superior radar. When BVR fighting with an equal BR opponent, it might be a good idea to deliberately waste a Skyflash with a launch from maximum range just to give the enemy something to think about if they continue to commit to a head on. Once the missile is headed your way there isn't much you can do so the best defense is a good offence in this situation.

Never pull negative Gs in the Tornado F.3. As with many top tier planes the negative G performance of the tornado is poor. Unlike the British [[Phantom FGR.2|Phantoms]] your wings are not sturdy enough to sustain negative Gs even for a few seconds, often snapping as soon as you put your nose down. The Tornado is generally an unstable aircraft and prone to flat spinning as soon as the wing falls off, so don't expect to get back to base once you've lost a wing. Rolling can easily make the Tornado snap its wings. When in a turn, refrain from rolling in a 2G+ turn or else there is a good chance you may loose one or both wings. You may not have the controllability to recover and you may go into an uncontrollable spin depending on how violently you were rolling.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Has a lot of countermeasures, including large-calibre ones
* Can carry 8 air-to-air missiles at once
** Skyflash SuperTEMPs are effective SARH missiles in a BVR role
** Potent all-aspect heat-seeking AIM-9L missiles
* Has radar gunsight
* Advanced radar for its BR
** Includes TWS that indicates direction of enemy
** PD has IFF
* Can carry drop tanks to extend range
* Has reverse thrust to reduce landing distance

'''Cons:'''

* Poor turning performance
* Lacklustre acceleration
* Other BVR missiles have a longer range in an uptier
* Very difficult to kinetically dodge SARH missiles due to aforementioned poor turn rate
* Short ACM range
* The 27 mm cannon has a low rate of fire, low ammunition count, and mediocre damage
* Absence of drogue chute requires a long distance to land

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=tornado_f3 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|8q2mDrbxOT8|'''The Shooting Range #350''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:25 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|Kk-ag2B2ZqU|'''Tornado F.3: A Basic Review''' - ''Tims Variety''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[Tornado (Family)]]

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer Panavia}}
{{Britain jet aircraft}}

Tornado F.3

2023-05-12T00:01:56Z

U138796218: Added more information about missiles and added more links

{{About
| about = British jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Tornado (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=tornado_f3
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Sky Guardians"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 11,582 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,280 || 2,269 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 28.4 || 28.6 || 167.3 || 163.4 || rowspan="2" | 800
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,340 || 2,308 || 27.6 || 28.0 || 216.7 || 191.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="60%"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Limits
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
! Min sweep
| 972 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 1,166 || 552 || 440 || ~8 || ~3
|-
! Max sweep
| 1,555 || - || - || - || ~9 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 670 || < 650 || < 700 || -
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="6" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full internal fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Turbo-Union RB199-34R Mk.104 || 2
| colspan="3" | 14,659 kg || colspan="3" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="5" | Mass with internal fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 16m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 56m fuel
|-
| 968 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 16,186 kg || 16,463 kg || 17,365 kg || 18,718 kg || 19,749 kg || 23,512 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="6" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 16m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 56m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 3,756 kgf || 7,309 kgf
| 0.90 || 0.89 || 0.84 || 0.78 || 0.74 || 0.62
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 4,169 kgf (1,400 km/h) || 8,173 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.01 || 0.99 || 0.94 || 0.87 || 0.83 || 0.70
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs) !! Lead indicator
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|Mauser BK27 (27 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 27 mm Mauser BK27 cannon, chin-mounted (180 rpg)
** 1 x 27 mm Mauser BK27 cannon + 32 x large calibre countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|AIM-9L Sidewinder|Skyflash|Skyflash SuperTEMP}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* 2 x 330 gal drop tanks
* 2 x [[AIM-9L Sidewinder|AIM-9L]] Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x [[AIM-9L Sidewinder|AIM-9L]] Sidewinder missiles + 320 x countermeasures
* 4 x [[Skyflash]] missiles
* 4 x [[Skyflash SuperTEMP]] missiles

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="9.0%" | 1 !! width="9.0%" | 2 !! width="9.0%" | 3 !! width="9.0%" | 4 !! width="9.0%" | 5
| rowspan="6" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
| 1, 2 *|| || || || 1, 2 *
|-
! Skyflash missiles
| || || 4 || ||
|-
! Skyflash SuperTEMP missiles
| || || 4 || ||
|-
! Countermeasures
| 160 * || || || || 160 *
|-
! 330 gal drop tanks
| || 1 || || 1 ||
|-
| colspan="7" | * Countermeasures can be carried with Sidewinder missiles on the same hardpoint
|}

== Usage in battles ==


Like other planes at this BR, the Tornado F.3 is outclassed by higher tier aircraft. This is especially problematic given the Tornado F.3 is heavily dependent on its weaponry and avionics to be competitive.

The Skyflash Super TEMPs are very potent but not on par with the [[AIM-7F Sparrow]]s. They accelerate faster and will outpace the AIM-7F within 4-6 km but refrain from trying to BVR Duel with the rank VIII Phantoms or the F-4J/S. The Skyflash will hang at around the same speed as the AIM-7F at BVR ranges. Due to how long the AIM-7F/M burns it will eventually outpace the Skyflash at longer ranges It goes without saying but The Skyflash is not an effective weapon against the [[R-27ER]] or the [[Matra Super 530D]]. Your prime targets are unsuspecting targets 4-9 km away heading generally towards you.

Avoid entering and staying in the furball as the you will likely have many missiles shot at you, combined with the Tornado's poor maneuverability means almost certain death. Instead lock up head on targets using ACM mode then fire off a Skyflash at your enemy, if they also launch a missile at you, start to notch their radar as fast as you can while releasing flares and chaff, or fly closely to the ground. (Lower than 30 meters) If the enemy starts to notch your radar, switch the radar mode from PD HDN to standard search as it'll be immune to notching, though it will not work if the enemy is close to the ground. (Ground clutter) Another tactic is to lock up the enemy with radar but fire off an AIM-9L instead, many times this will confuse the enemy into not releasing flares as they will believe that you fired a Skyflash instead of a AIM-9L.

Don't dogfight. You have no workable advantages against your opponent unless they are already badly crippled with large sections of their wings/tail missing. If you are chased, get a teammate to cover your back or run back to the airfield. Try and fly in a straight line given your speed bleed in any sort of turn manoeuvre.

The tornado F.3 likes to fly predictable, straight paths and makes very predictable manoeuvres. Any enemy with an ounce of situational awareness will easily be able to keep tabs on you with no effort whatsoever. You can't really make unpredictable manoeuvres and sneak up on people given your overall lack of mobility in any direction other than forward. This makes it hard to employ your AIM-9Ls or your guns, given it is very difficult to stick to an opponent's tail for a good rear aspect shot. Although you will still find the AIM-9L to be a very consistent weapon and a good close to mid range missile.

At this BR, you can outrange pretty much anyone at your own BR with BVR missiles. Your biggest challenge will be F-4J/S with their AIM-7Fs and PDV radars. You have a fair chance of spotting and locking them first given your superior radar. However this doesn't mean you have the advantage as the AIM-7F will out range the Skyflash SuperTEMP. If a missile joust must be started, try to delay the launch of the enemy missile until a close distance (Lower than around 8 km) as in those ranges the Skyflash will out speed the AIM-7F. In the event of an uptier you will almost certainly meet enemy Mig-29s with their R27ER missiles, in this scenario there is simply not much you can do due the R27ER outranging and out speeding the Skyflash.

Never pull negative Gs in the Tornado F.3. As with many top tier planes the negative G performance of the tornado is poor. Unlike the British [[Phantom FGR.2|Phantoms]] your wings are not sturdy enough to sustain negative Gs even for a few seconds, often snapping as soon as you put your nose down. The Tornado is generally an unstable aircraft and prone to flat spinning as soon as the wing falls off, so don't expect to get back to base once you've lost a wing. Rolling can easily make the Tornado snap its wings. When in a turn, refrain from rolling in a 2G+ turn or else there is a good chance you may loose one or both wings. You may not have the controllability to recover and you may go into an uncontrollable spin depending on how violently you were rolling.

==== List of missile and their carriers ====

* [[AIM-7F Sparrow|AIM-7F]]/[[AIM-7M Sparrow|M]], carried by the following aircrafts. [[F-4J Phantom II|F-4J]], [[F-4S Phantom II|F-4S]], [[F-14A Early]], F-16 (All variants except the [[F-16A|USA block 10]] and [[F-16A Netz (Israel)|NETZ]] version) [[F-4EJ Kai Phantom II|F-4EJ Kai]].
* [[R-27ER]]/[[R-27ER1|ER1]], carried by the Mig-29. (Both variants)
* [[Matra Super 530D]], carried by the [[Mirage 2000C-S5]].
* [[Aspide-1A]], carried by the [[F-104S.ASA]] and [[J-8B|J-8B.]]
* [[AIM-54A Phoenix]], carried by the [[F-14A Early]]

==== How to counter these missiles ====

* [[AIM-7F Sparrow|AIM-7F]]/[[AIM-7M Sparrow|M]]. Your Skyflash SuperTEMP will be faster than these missiles when under 6-8 km, above that distance, the AIM-7F/M will be faster.
* [[R-27ER]]/[[R-27ER1|ER1]]. This missile will outperform the Skyflash SuperTEMP in everyway, the only possible way to kill a Mig-29 in the missile joust is to fire first, or notch/evade the incoming R27ER/ER1
* [[Matra Super 530D]]. At close range, the Skyflash SuperTEMP has better acceleration and will eventually out range the Matra Super 530D.
* [[Aspide-1A]]. The carriers of these missiles either has weak flight performance (F-104S.ASA) or a weak radar (J-8B). The Skyflash SuperTEMP will also outrange the Aspide-1A.
* [[AIM-54A Phoenix]]. These missile has a lot of range, however it's very easy to notice the incoming missile and simply notch it.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Has a lot of countermeasures, including large-calibre ones
* Can carry 8 air-to-air missiles at once
** [[Skyflash SuperTEMP]]<nowiki/>s are effective SARH missiles in a BVR role
** Potent all-aspect heat-seeking [[AIM-9L Sidewinder|AIM-9L]] missiles
* Has radar gunsight
* Advanced radar for its BR
** Includes TWS that indicates direction of enemy
** PD has IFF
* Can carry drop tanks to extend range
* Has reverse thrust to reduce landing distance

'''Cons:'''

* Poor turning performance
* Lacklustre acceleration
* Other BVR missiles have a longer range in an uptier
* Very difficult to kinetically dodge SARH missiles due to aforementioned poor turn rate
* Short ACM range
* The 27 mm cannon has a low rate of fire, low ammunition count, and mediocre damage
* Absence of drogue chute requires a long distance to land

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=tornado_f3 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|8q2mDrbxOT8|'''The Shooting Range #350''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:25 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|Kk-ag2B2ZqU|'''Tornado F.3: A Basic Review''' - ''Tims Variety''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[Tornado (Family)]]

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer Panavia}}
{{Britain jet aircraft}}

SRAAM

2023-05-11T01:59:14Z

U138796218: Updated info

[[File:SRAAM Fired.jpg|thumb|x250px|SRAAM fired from a [[Hunter F.6]]]]

== Description ==

[[File:WeaponImage SRAAM.png|thumb|left|420px|The SRAAM missile with fins folded and deployed (scale is approximate)]]
{{Break}}
The '''SRAAM''', or '''Short Range Air-to-Air Missile''' is a British [[Air-to-air_missiles#Infrared_homing_.28heat-seeking.29_missiles|Infrared homing air-to-air missile]], it was introduced in [[Update 1.89 "Imperial Navy"]]. As the name suggests the SRAAM has a short range compared to other missiles, however this is made up for by it being very manoeuvrable and hard to avoid.

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


* {{Specs-Link|hunter_f6}}
* {{Specs-Link|harrier_gr1}}

== General info ==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="2" | Missile characteristics
|-
| '''Mass''' || 70 kg
|-
| '''Guidance''' || IR
|-
| '''Aspect''' || Rear-Aspect
|-
| '''Lock range in rear-aspect''' || 4 km
|-
| '''Launch range''' || 2 km
|-
| '''Maximum speed''' || 2.4 M
|-
| '''Maximum overload''' || 20 G
|-
| '''Missile guidance time''' || 3.7 secs
|-
| '''Explosive mass''' || 4 kg TNTeq
|-
|}

The SRAAM is a highly manoeuvrable infrared homing air-to-air missile. The missile's use of thrust vectoring, and an IR seeker with very wide gimbal limits, means that it can track targets incredibly well compared to other air-to-air missiles. The missile has an uncaged seeker with a very wide gimbal limits, which makes maintaining locks on targets prior to launch much easier. The uncaged seeker also means that once the missile has been locked you can turn the plane and "lead" the missiles, as if you would an aircraft's guns, making them much more likely to hit.

Thrust vectoring also allows the missiles to start manoeuvring immediately after launch, unlike more traditional missiles which need to gain speed before their fins become fully effective; making the SRAAM much better suited for short range combat.

The SRAAMs are carried in launch tubes, mounted in pairs under the wings.

=== Effective damage ===

The SRAAM has a relatively small warhead consisting of 4 kg of TNT with a 5 m proximity fuse. Most of the time this is adequate to outright destroy an enemy aircraft, however depending on the location of the missile when it explodes it is possible the target will only receive a varying amount of damage. While it is not uncommon for the enemy aircraft to eventually crash due to the damage they receive, some can make it back to the airfield or even continue fighting.

=== Comparison with analogues ===

The main standout feature of the SRAAM, which sets it apart from all other infrared homing missiles (carried by fixed-wing aircraft at least) is its astonishingly good manoeuvrability. Though the SRAAM can only pull a maximum overload of 20 G, it is capable of out-manoeuvring more traditionally manoeuvrable missiles such as the [[AIM-9L]] and [[R-60]], owing to its thrust vectoring system. The SRAAM powers up its IR seeker taking 1 second, and can keep its seeker active for 20 seconds.

The drawback of the SRAAM, however, is its short range, it is largely ineffective at ranges greater than 1 km; by comparison, other missiles such as the [[AIM-9E]] can hit targets from well over 2 km in a good situation. The SRAAM also has lower explosive mass than other missiles, at 4 kg of TNT. By comparison, the AIM-9B, D and E have 4.5 kg, the [[R-13M]] has 5.5 kg, and the [[R-3S]] has 11 kg.

== Usage in battles ==

The SRAAM is one of the most forgiving air-to-air missiles in the game because of their superb manoeuvrability; however, there are still things you need. to learn and practice in order to use them to their full potential. The first thing you need to learn when using the SRAAMs is their range; as a general rule, to start with you should not fire the missiles when you are more than 1 km from the target. SRAAMs have a very short range and generally firing them from further away will result in the missile exploding before it reaches the target. If you have a significant speed advantage over your target you can push the firing range up to around 1.2 km, but ultimately you have to learn to tell from experience when you can fire from in excess of 1 km.

Just because you shouldn't fire the missile from outside 1 km does not mean that you shouldn’t try to lock on to targets from outside 1 km. The SRAAM can lock on to targets up to 4 km away; you should be trying to obtain a lock once you are within about 2.5 km of your target; it is also possible to lock on to aircraft when approaching them from almost 90 degrees (directly to their side), under ideal conditions. Once the seeker is active, it will stay active for 20 seconds, giving you plenty of time to close the distance. Once you have a lock the seeker will be able to maintain the lock so long as the target is still somewhere within the outer ring on your screen. Once you have closed the distance to within 1 km if the target is turning (or you are approaching from an angle) then you will want to "lead" the missile, in the same manner, you would lead your guns if you were using them to attack. This will make the missiles much more like to hit, as they will not have to try to do a sharp turn immediately after leaving the tube.

If an enemy gets on your tail then activate the missile seeker and force an overshoot, as they pass you attempt to get a lock on and fire the missile as soon as possible; this will often result in a kill.

=== Counter tactics ===
The old adage "prevention is better than cure" is certainly true when trying to dodge SRAAMs. Once an SRAAM is on its way to you it is going to be very hard to avoid (baring a mistake on the part of the person who fired it), therefore it is always best to take preventative action when facing aircraft armed with SRAAMs. As is always a good practice, the first step to countering SRAAMs is to maintain good situational awareness, if the first time you are aware of an SRAAM is when you get the missile warning at the top of your screen (AB & RB), you are usually as good as dead. To avoid an SRAAM most of the work you do will have to take place before the missile is launched.

To start with you need to keep an eye out for enemy aircraft that can hold the SRAAM; you need to identify any of them lining up for an attack run as soon as possible and take action accordingly. The main drawback of the SRAAM is its short-range, missiles fired much outside of 1 km have a significantly reduced chance of hitting their target, and by the time you get to more than 1.2 km hitting a target is exceedingly rare (unless the attacker has a significant speed advantage over you). With this in mind, your best tactic is to keep your distance from the enemy aircraft, if you are in a supersonic aircraft this should be relatively easy, however for other subsonic aircraft this can be difficult. If simply outrunning your attacker is not possible then your options are limited, but still there.

Like all heat-seeking missiles, the SRAAM will lock onto the sun if its IR seeker passes to close to it. If you see an SRAAM-armed aircraft on your tail then flying towards the sun (not necessarily directly at it but within 10 or so degrees of it) will prevent the enemy obtaining a lock on you; obviously this is often not possible in-game, but can certainly buy you time in some situations.

Another key thing to note is that despite its incredible manoeuvrability the SRAAM is not an all-aspect missile, so can only keep track of you from behind.

* Hunter pilots will often fly in from angles up to 90+ degrees from the side of you and turn into you until they achieve a lock (the SRAAM can lock on to a target from quite extreme angles); once a lock is achieved they will turn hard into you to "lead" the missile before firing it. If you see a Hunter moving in for this manoeuvre your best hope is to turn hard in the same direction they are. The effects of this are twofold, you will direct your engine exhaust (your main source of infrared light) away from the missile reducing its chance of tracking you, and will rapidly close the distance between you and your attacker, often creating a turn too tight for even the SRAAM to pull.
* Harrier GR.1 pilots follow a similar playbook as the Hunters in their attack angles with SRAAM. However, due to their VTOL configuration, the Harrier GR.1 can more easily cause jets on their six o'clock to overshoot during their pursuit. If overshooting the Harrier, quickly make distance and follow evasive manouvres like when dealing a Hunter as the Harrier can quickly orient itself to fire a SRAAM into a fleeing plane's engine exhaust.

If the missile is already on its way to you, and you are not already doing something about it, then you are usually going to end up back in the hangar within the next few seconds; however there are some last-ditch attempts you can try (although don't expect them to work every time, or even most the time). If the missile was fired from around 1 km away then by turning one way, then hard the other once the SRAAM begins to turn you can sometimes throw it off or keep it flying long enough that it exceeds its maximum flight time (3.7 seconds) and explodes. If however the missile was fired from a closer range you will have to just try to dodge it and hope for the best. Usually, the best way to dodge the SRAAM is to pull into a sort of barrel roll, or otherwise carry out a manoeuvre, which involves rolling the aircraft; SRAAMs generally find it much harder to follow you through these manoeuvres than through a simple turn.

If you overshoot a target, carrying SRAAMs then pull hard up immediately; if you carry on straight, or go below the target you are just asking to get an SRAAM fired at you. Likewise, if you pull away to the side then your opponent will find it much easier to turn after you and get a lock than if you pull into the vertical.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Incredibly good manoeuvrability make it extremely hard for enemy aircraft to dodge.
* High overload limit (20G)
* One of the best tracking missiles in the game, rarely loses its target (compared to other missiles
* Has an uncaged seeker with an extremely wide field of view, allowing you to "lead" the missiles very well
* IR seeker powers up quickly and can stay active for a long time
* Faster than some other missiles

'''Cons:'''

* Very short range, missiles fired outside of 1 km are unlikely to hit unless you have a notable speed advantage over your opponent.
* Relatively small explosive mass means hits are not always fatal (at least immediately)
* Flares can easily fool the SRAAM due to its high FOV
* Likely to lose control if fired at low speed due to trust vectoring

== History ==

Following the widespread use of early air-to-air missiles in the Vietnam War, it became apparent that such weapon systems had major limitations. They would frequently lose targets due to their IR seekers having a narrow field of view, or the missile not being manoeuvrable enough to keep on the tail of the target. In 1968, a team of engineers working at Hawker Siddeley Dynamics (the missiles division of Hawker Siddeley) began work on a new short-range air-to-air missile to address these shortcomings; the company funded the project as a private venture under the name "Taildog". The missile was to have an IR seeker with a wide field of view, capable of keeping track of targets under all conditions and would have to be extremely manoeuvrable.

The Taildog missile would be 2 m long and make use of thrust vectoring to give it excellent manoeuvrability. In 1970, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) decided that a new air-to-air missile with better manoeuvrability than the other missiles that were in service at the time was required. Hawker Siddeley Dynamics adapted their Taildog missile design to meet the new requirements and after evaluation, they were awarded the contract in 1972. Work on the programme continued under the name of Short Range Air-to-Air Missile or SRAAM. The SRAAM would be bigger than the Taildog (2.75 m long instead of 2 m) and feature a better thrust vectoring system. Due to budget cuts, the government cancelled the SRAAM program in 1974, instead choosing to pursue the Skyflash missile (a British upgrade to the United States AIM-7 Sparrow missile). The SRAAM program continued however until 1978 as a technology demonstrated.

In 1977, Hawker Siddeley Dynamics merged with the missiles division of British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) to form BAe Dynamics (other companies, including the rest of Hawker Siddeley, merged to form the remainder of British Aerospace (BAe). Starting in 1980 BAe Dynamics used research from the SRAAM programme to help with the development of the Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM), which is still in use to this day.

The SRAAM was 2.75 m long and weighed 70 kg. In-flight the missile was carried in a lunch tube to protect it until it was fired; once fired the missile had a series of small fins which unfolded to air stability (although they were fixed in place once deployed so did not help control the missile). In the life of the programme eight missiles were fired, some of which from Hawker hunter F.6 XG210. There was an incident during testing where immediately after launch the missile turned sharply after launch and almost collided with the Hunter that fired it.

The SRAAM has also been seen on the Trainer 2 seat version of the [[Harrier GR.1]], they were only mounted for exhibition purposes.

== Media ==


;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|kxWhI8VTd14|'''How to use the SRAAMS in Warthunder''' - ''hachersk_Anon'' ([https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/454482-wiki-war-thunder-wiki-short-guides-competition/ Short Guides] Competition Winner)|3Zgt3Ep2ADM|'''The Shooting Range #150''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 05:06 discusses the SRAAM.}}

== See also ==


* [[AIM-9L]] a missile with the joint highest overload in the game (20 G)
* [[AIM-9D]] / [[AIM-9E]] other fixed-wing aircraft-mounted missiles with an uncaged seeker

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6206-development-hunter-f-6-winged-comfort-en|[Devblog] Hunter F.6: Winged Comfort]] (has a section on SRAAM)
* [[wikipedia:SRAAM|[Wikipedia] SRAAM]]

{{Missiles}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

J-7D

2023-05-10T09:21:10Z

U138796218: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = Chinese jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other MiG-21 versions
| link = MiG-21 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=j_7d
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|StoreImage_{{PAGENAME}}_005.jpg}}
|store=11811
}}

== Description ==

The J-7D (Chinese: 歼-7D型歼击机, AKA J-7IIIA 歼-7IIIA; unified NATO codename: Fishcan) was an upgrade of the previous J-7C (J-7III) which was based on Egyptian MiG-21MF with domestic avionics and HUD. After PLAAF got their hands on MiG-21MF from Egypt and the overall slow progress of J-8, there were plans that the reverse-engineered jet would replace J-8II series due to its slow progress as well as dire needs for interceptors against Soviet assaults; although the development for the jet was successful with better performance in some aspects, due to the success of J-8II and its subsystems, as well as introduction of Su-27SL Flanker-B to PLAAF, J-7D only received few orders only to utilize all the prebuilt airframes.

Introduced in [[Update "Apex Predators"]], J-7D was a reverse-engineered version of the MiG-21MF from Egypt for all-weather operations, J-7D offers very similar performance to the late MiG-21 series with better engine and higher fuel capacity. While it lacks missiles for head-on/interception missions and large-calibre rockets like S-24s, the overall combat capabilities can be still ensured by its IR AAMs and variety of Chinese ground-attack weaponries.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

Taking a look at J-7D, other than its default grey-tone camo and the PLAAF roundel onboard, the jet itself looks extremely similar to the late MiG-21 series with R-13F-300 engines. This is indeed true as J-7III series (C and D) were both based on MiG-21MFs exchanged from Egypt; in short, J-7D flies very similarly to the [[MiG-21MF (Germany)|MiG-21MF]] in LSK (East German) service. The later variants of the Fishbed feature higher fuel capacity (the "spine" is filled with fuel tanks) and higher engine thrust, as well as featuring a new RP-22 radar; the J-7D exhibits all of the aforementioned upgrades. The lighter weight and higher thrust of the WP-13F1 engine also ensures a faster speed even against a [[MiG-21bis]] while having slightly better manoeuvrability as well; do remember that the J-7D is still an interceptor after all, so in most cases utilising its speed is more than enough to take out enemies at its tier. But do beware of light fighters or tailless delta-wing jets in one-on-one dogfights, it's better to quit the fight and wait for better chance to take them down in one pass.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 12,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| ___ || ___ || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,488 || 2,419 || 25.4 || 26.0 || 199.3 || 170.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || ___ || ___ || ___ || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < ___ || < ___ || < ___ || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" |Shenyang Liming WP-13FI||1
| colspan="2" | _,___ kg || colspan="2" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel
|-
| 1,200 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (___%/WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || ___%/WEP
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || ___ kgf || ___ kgf
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
| ''Optimal'' || ___ kgf (_ km/h) || ___ kgf (_ km/h)
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

Other than the airframe and aluminium alloy skin, the J-7D has no additional protection; any hits from enemy weapons are very likely to either severely damage the jet or take out the pilot straight away. However, an EFS system and self-sealing tanks are present onboard, giving it some chance to return to the airfield if it survives subsequent assaults from enemies.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|Type 23-3 (23 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 23 mm Type 23-3 cannon, belly-mounted (200 rpg)
** 1 x 23 mm Type 23-3 cannon + 72 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|250-3 (250 kg)|500-3 (500 kg)|Type 90-1|Type 130-2}}
{{main|PL-2|PL-5B|PL-7}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 4 x PL-2 missiles
* 4 x PL-5B missiles
* 4 x PL-7 missiles
* 28 x Type 90-1 rockets
* 16 x Type 130-2 rockets
* 4 x 250 kg 250-3 bombs (1,000 kg total)
* 2 x 500 kg 500-3 bombs (1,000 kg total)
* 2 x 250 kg 250-3 bombs + 14 x Type 90-1 rockets (500 kg total)
* 2 x 250 kg 250-3 bombs + 2 x PL-5B missiles (500 kg total)
* 2 x 500 kg 500-3 bombs + 2 x 250 kg 250-3 bombs (1,500 kg total)
* 2 x 500 kg 500-3 bombs + 14 x Type 90-1 rockets (1,000 kg total)
* 2 x 500 kg 500-3 bombs + 8 x Type 130-2 rockets (1,000 kg total)
* 2 x 500 kg 500-3 bombs + 2 x PL-7 missiles (1,000 kg total)

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="12%" | 1 !! width="12%" | 2 !! width="12%" | 3 !! width="12%" | 4
| rowspan="7" width="25%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_MiG-21bis.png]]</div>
|-
! 250 kg 250-3 bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! 500 kg 500-3 bombs
| || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! Type 90-1 rockets
| 7 || 7 || 7 || 7
|-
! Type 130-2 rockets
| 4 || 4 || 4 || 4
|-
! PL-2 missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! PL-5B missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! PL-7 missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
|}

To say the least, the loadout of the J-7D is very similar to its (technological) successor J-7E, as they share 5 out of the 6 loadouts. The only difference is the missiles it carries: instead of having already obsolete PL-2, it has PL-7 (reverse-engineered R.550 Magic 1 from Pakistan) at your disposal which players of French aircraft are very familiar with. In terms of A2A capabilities, J-7D does lack SARH missiles of any sort (R-3R, for example), but both IR-guided AAMs are among the best of their counterparts. For those who are familiar with the PL-5B's immersive thrust and overload even at distance, they can take down enemies from some distance as a safer approach to confronting masses of jets. Alternatively take PL-7 if players prefer hitting targets within 2.5 km, it might not be as powerful in higher tier where flares are abundant, it can still make short work of careless targets.

If players also decided to take on ground targets, it still has limited but sufficient options like 250/500 kg bombs and rockets of different calibre (90/130 mm). The ballistic computer also helps achieve precision hits depending on the playstyle and overall situation of the battlefield. Bring in bombs in case of columns of tanks within the blast radius, both types of bombs show enemies the importance of "social-distancing". While rockets are better for destroying SPAAs from above (since they don't have radar coverage above; given the skies are clear), for players who get used to the ballistics performance of rockets, it can still knock out even the heaviest MBTs with precision hits from 130 mm HEAT Type 90-1 rockets with overpressure.

== Usage in battles ==

The J-7D is a slightly advanced version of MiG-21MF equivalent with HUD and built-in countermeasures, best used as a support fighter to more advanced jets or to hammer ground targets.

'''Air - Sudden Striker'''

For players who are already used to the MiG-21MF or its Soviet equivalents (SMT or later Bis), a bad news for J-7D is the lack of any head-on capable missiles (neither R-60M nor R-3R, due to the incapability to develop such missile until mid-1980s). Players will also find the radar as a welcome but not effective addition to the jet due to its already obsolete performance at its BR. But to say at least, J-7D performs identically to 2nd generation Fishbeds with slightly better engine output and overall better missile options. It has neither highly-manoeuvrable missiles like the R-60(MK) nor SARH missiles, but this will be compensated by two of the most powerful rear-aspect IR AAMs in game: PL-5B and PL-7 (R550 Magic 1). For players of the J-7E or J-8B, they will still be pleased by the immersive thrust of the missile and the rather high manoeuvrability at longer distance. For those who are used to French jets or A-5C, the PL-7 still retains identical performance to the Magic 1. Depending on the playstyle, players can either take the PL-5B for long-distance sudden strikes on unaware enemies or PL-7 for close distance combats within 2 km: it does have the chance to track onto most enemies at this tier given the flares won't distract the missile. A principle for delta jets like the J-7D is to never get into a dogfight unless in an 1-vs-1 situation. Due to the design of delta wings, the wing area of delta wings will certainly cause severe bleeding on speed after manoeuvres against enemy targets, which is extremely fatal to jets. It might be true that the lesser weight yet more powerful jet engine can compensate the manoeuvrability, but it is still suggested to use the J-7D as a support fighter and strike unaware enemies, and only go into gunfights if it has high likelihood to friendly-fire or if there's only one enemy left.

'''Ground - "Economical" Alternative'''

While the J-7D is known to be an interceptor, if players prefer a more economical jet while having the demand for air-defense capability, the J-7D can also be a capable alternative to the Q-5L or more air-defense-capable J-7E/J-8B. The ground attack loadout for the J-7E is identical to the J-7D's, thus 250/500 kg bombs and 90/130 mm rocket pods are always at the player's disposal. Due to its high tier and limited payload, it is best to utilize the J-7D as a high-altitude "striker" and use its sufficient climb rate to go high and hide from ground radars. Players can also take the time to see if there is any other attacker harassing the team and take them out (make sure to get onto their six for a lock). Since the limited payload hinders the jet's capability to cause severe losses to enemy team, pick the most high-value targets (i.e. those going for capture points or camping at vantage points) and sent them sky high with either bombs or rockets. Alternatively, picking off SPAAs with rockets is also viable but make sure to pull up before the jet hits low altitude (which the jet might not be able to recover from).

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Better engine thrust than most previous J-7/MiG-21 series thanks to the WP-13F1 engine
* Access to search radar
* Relatively better light rocket options than Soviet MiG-21MF/S series
* Devastating PL-5B or PL-7 missiles at its disposal
* Built-in countermeasures with 72 salvos, unlike its Soviet cousins
* Has full ballistic computer for cannon, rockets, and bombs; useful in ground attack

'''Cons:'''

* Engine overheats on most maps if left in WEP
* Poor radar performance with shorter range than common foes like [[F-14A Early|F-14]], [[F-4E Phantom II|F-4E]]
* Lacks all-aspect IR missiles and SARH missiles
* Below average pylon counts for its tier

== History ==

By the time the Type 62 and subsequent J-7I/II series went into commission with the PLAAF in the late 1960s, the PLAAF was already seeking a new fighter for all-weather interception and to replace earlier jets in service. Although the J-8 program was also started around the same time, it was only until 1979 when J-7II was finalized and J-8I was passed for certification. This also called for a back-up for the J-8I series. During the late 1970s economy reform and increasing international arms trade with foreign countries, Chinese engineers visited countries with MiG-21MFs in service and took the design for future use; CATIC also exchanged some Soviet equipment from Egypt including MiG-23SM and MiG-21MF as the reverse-engineer subject for new interceptors.

The new J-7III started its development in March 1979 by CAC and after 5 years of repairing MiG-21MFs while building domestic prototypes, the J-7III took its first flight on 26th April 1984 and subsequent flight tests continued until 1988 when the first batches rolled off the production line. The reverse-engineered jet featured a new engine and a domestic JL-7 radar based from Type 317A radar from the failed Q-5 Yi (强-5乙, perhaps the very last torpedo bomber ever developed), but engine production issues hindered the further production of J-7III (now called J-7C under new designation) with only 17 of them built. Meanwhile, as the J-7III continued to be developed, CAC and GAIC worked on new electronics and countermeasure systems as well as a new WP-13F1 engine for the new jet. The new jet, developed in 1988, featured a new JL-7A radar capable of launching the latest PL-8 missiles, reverse-engineered Marconi Type 956 HUD, as well as Type 930-4 countermeasure system. J-7IIIA (now called J-7D) took its first flight in mid-1991 and joined the PLAAF in 1995.

Due to changes in combat doctrine, introduction of more advanced Su-27SK Flanker-B and J-7E, as well as J-8II series becoming combat-capable in 1990s and the successful development of Project No. 10 (J-10), the J-7D was deemed unnecessary and only 39 of them were built by 1999 as the placeholder for new jets; these jets made it into their first and only appearance in the National Day Parade of 1999, alongside with Flankers and air-refuel-capable J-8D.

The default livery of the J-7D represents No.21002 of the PLAAF, while the pre-order livery represents the test livery of the first J-7IIIA (J-7D) numbered 0151, now repainted into a blue-themed camouflaged and displayed in a square in Dazhou, Sichuan.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=j_7d Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;[[MiG-21 (Family)|Related development]]

* [[J-7II]]
* [[J-7E]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/8015-shop-pre-order-new-rank-vii-premium-jet-fighters-part-2-en|[Shop] Pre-order: new rank VII Premium jet fighters (part 2)]]

{{AirManufacturer Chengdu}}
{{China jet aircraft}}
{{China premium aircraft}}

F-5E

2023-05-10T00:01:42Z

U138796218: /* Usage in battles */

{{About
| about = American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-5 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f-5e
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Red Skies"]].

The F-5 series are known to be small, lightweight, and nimble. The F-5E Tiger II, made famous by its use as a US Navy aggressor aircraft, improves on the earlier [[F-5A]] and [[F-5C]] with more powerful engines and a revised airframe, increasing its top speed, acceleration, and climb rate. It also has access to deadly AIM-9J missiles, similarly to the [[F-5A (China)|ROCAF F-5A]]. In air-to-air combat, the F-5E still suffers from a subpar top speed and limited armament compared to other top-tier Rank VII fighters, but it remains an excellent dogfighter that can cover the weaknesses of heavier US jets like the [[F-4E]] and [[F-4J Phantom II|F-4J]] Phantoms. In the ground attack role, the F-5E packs a deceptively big punch: few would expect such a small fighter to have AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missiles and a 30 mm gunpod, among many other options.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 11,582 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 1,756 || 1,746 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 26.2 || 27.2 || 129.9 || 115.5 || rowspan="2" | 850
|-
! Upgraded
| 1,822 || 1,777 || 25.8 || 26.0 || 171.6 || 149.1
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 1,018 || 470 || 463 || ~11 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 680 || < 750 || < 700 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | General Electric J85-GE-21A || 2
| colspan="2" | 4,825 kg || colspan="3" | 395 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 11m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 38m fuel
|-
| 303 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 5,423 kg || 5,861 kg || 6,379 kg || 6,820 kg || 11,000 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 11m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 38m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 1,480 kgf || 2,220 kgf
| 0.82 || 0.76 || 0.70 || 0.65 || 0.40
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 1,575 kgf (1,458 km/h) || 3,011 kgf (1,458 km/h)
| 1.11 || 1.03 || 0.94 || 0.88 || 0.55
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M39A3 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 2 x 20 mm M39A3 cannons, nose-mounted (280 rpg = 560 total)
** 2 x 20 mm M39A3 cannons + 45 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|BLU-1 incendiary}}
{{main|AGM-65B|AIM-9E Sidewinder|AIM-9J Sidewinder}}
{{main|FFAR Mighty Mouse|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP|GAU-13/A (30 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 2 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 5 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (3,750 lb total)
* 5 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (2,500 lb total)
* 3 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 1 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bomb (2,000 lb total)
* 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 4 x AGM-65B missiles
* 1 x 30 mm GAU-13/A cannon (353 rpg)
* 5 x BLU-1 incendiary bombs

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="6%" | 1 !! width="6%" | 2 !! width="6%" | 3 !! width="6%" | 4 !! width="6%" | 5 !! width="6%" | 6 !! width="6%" | 7
| rowspan="12" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_F-5E_(China).png]]</div>
|-
! 30 mm GAU-13/A cannons (353 rpg)
| || || || 1 || || ||
|-
! 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs
| || || || 1 || || ||
|-
! BLU-1 incendiary bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
| || 19 || 19 || || 19 || 19 ||
|-
! Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
| || 4 || || || || 4 ||
|-
! AGM-65B missiles
| || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || || || || || || 1
|-
! AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || || || || || || 1
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The F-5E is one of the most manoeuvrable, and survivable fighters at its rank. The F-5E is a very prevalent gun fighter due to its conservation of energy and turn radius, but has weaker guns compared to the M61 Vulcan found on other American jets.

Before taking off, consider selecting a lighter fuel load to increase the {{PAGENAME}}'s speed and lower the turn radius, but using the afterburner will eat through the fuel due to its high inefficiency. Another suggestion is to disable the {{PAGENAME}}'s radar as the {{PAGENAME}} has no radar guided missiles, so the radar isn't necessary in combat and may harm the {{PAGENAME}}'s combat performance due to it tripping enemy {{Annotation|RWR|Radar Warning Receiver}}. After taking off, climbing too high will make the {{PAGENAME}} an easy target for enemy missiles, and without any ground to notch with or mask with it can be difficult to dodge a radar-guided missile. Staying below 10,000 feet (~3,000 metres) and going off towards the side of the battle at the start will let the {{PAGENAME}} work from the inside out, maximizing its survivability.

After the battle starts, {{PAGENAME}} pilots will want to abuse its energy conservation and turn radius to pick off threats in one vs. one fights. The {{PAGENAME}}'s primary targets should be MiG-23, F-4J, and other F-5Es as they pose a large threat to the {{PAGENAME}}'s team. In a fight, constantly check behind the {{PAGENAME}} in order to defend against missiles. Maintain a relatively high speed, around 550-700 mph (~880-1,100 km/h) for the best turning. Whenever the {{PAGENAME}}'s plane is low on speed, disengage and try to regain that speed.

If an enemy jet follows the {{PAGENAME}}, be prepared to defend against a missile and reverse a turn, as long as the {{PAGENAME}} has speed and is in close range to an enemy jet, the {{PAGENAME}} will be able to win a dogfight against almost anything. The {{PAGENAME}} has the advantage against most jets in a turn-radius fight except against the MiG-21, Kfir, and JA37 Viggen. These enemy jets have very similar performance, but bleeds speed much easier, so a {{PAGENAME}} pilots can try to force them to lose their speed by maintaining a turn rate fight, where the {{PAGENAME}} will hold the advantage and force them to lose their speed. When using the plane's missiles, the AIM-9J has solid flare resistance, but will be defeated most of the time by an observant enemy. Pilots should only use missiles when an opponent lacks the speed to evade the threat, or against an enemy who is distracted by a friendly. The F-5E is a huge threat in battle, and can survive against lots of enemies at once, but without teammates the F-5E becomes an easy target. If there are teammates in the area, a {{PAGENAME}} pilots can draw enemies into a tunnel vision onto the {{PAGENAME}}, which will allow allies to pick the enemies off with ease if the {{PAGENAME}} baits the enemy into a low speed turn or inside loop.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great manoeuvrability
* Large selection of air-to-ground armaments, including Maverick air-to-ground missiles
* Generous ammunition capacity for guns
* Small target
* Efficient afterburner allows the use of lower fuel reserves, improving performance

'''Cons:'''

* Low top speed
* Can only carry a maximum of two air-to-air missiles
* No ballistic computer

== History ==

In the late 1960s, Northrop realized that by using an improved version of the General Electric J85 engine with more maximum thrust, the flight performance of the N-156 fighter (F-5 Freedom Fighter) could be improved a lot. During the test, the new J85-GE-21 engine was approved that it could produce almost 23% more thrust than the earlier J85-GE-13 engine used by early produced F-5A/B Freedom Fighter, F-5C Skoshi Tiger and T-38 Talon, which was 5,000 pounds maximum thrust in afterburner mode and 3,500 pounds thrust in military mode.
[[File:1200px-Northrop F-5E (Tail No. 11417) 061006-F-1234S-067.jpg|thumb|332x332px|Official roll-out of first USAF F-5E Tiger II]]
As a result, the sixth production F-5B trainer was chosen to be modified with two new J85-GE-21 engines at Edwards AFB during the summer of 1969, and this upgraded Freedom Fighter with J85-GE-21 engines was called F-5-21 at that time. Overall, the new J85-GE-21 engine's weight was 100 lbs less than J85-GE-13 engine, the length of J85-GE-21 engine was 7 inches longer than J85-GE-13 engine, and an additional stage was added to the front of the J85-GE-13's previous eight-stage compressor to provide extra power, though the single rotor structure was retained, apart from that, two auxiliary intake doors were added to the fuselage above the wing trailing edge (one on each side of fuselage) to provide additional air to the engines for added thrust during take-off and low-speed flight. In Autumn of 1969, USAF decided to hold a new competition to select a new international fighter for Allied countries, and Northrop's F-5-21 program was announced the winner of new international fighter on 20th November 1970. Northrop received the contract from USAF for the further development of F-5E fighter on 8th December 1970. In January 1971, USAF changed the new F-5 fighter's designation from F-5-21 to F-5E, and the latter was named Tiger II in memory of the previous Skoshi Tiger Combat Evaluation program in Vietnam.

As for the airborne avionics system, a Central Air Data Computer was introduced on the new F-5E Tiger II, it could convert raw air data inputs into computed output, and transmit the results to other airborne electrical equipment such as Lead Computing Optical Sight System (LCOSS) and Stability Augmenter System. The new AN/ASG-29 LCOSS replaced the analogue fixed optical sight used by F-5A Freedom Fighter and F-5C Skoshi Tiger, which consisted a gyro lead computer (GLC) unit and an optical display unit (ODU), also an AIM-9 Sidewinder missile select switch was provided to select the appropriate missile launch envelope program stored in the GLC, and the ODU contained sight controls, a mirror drive assembly, and a combing glass which reflected the aiming reticle. Late production F-5Es changed the original AN/ASG-29 LCOSS to the new AN/ASG-31 LCOSS. The most important equipment of the F-5E was the new AN/APQ-153 multi-mode, forward-looking, X-band pulse, Search and Fire Control Radar, which could provide air-to-air search, range, and track information for use in Air-to-Air gunnery and missile launch, it formed the F-5E fighter's Fire Control System together with LCOSS unit, also the late production version of F-5E used AN/APQ-159 (V) 3 search and fire control radar instead of the previous AN/APQ-153 radar.

As for the aerodynamic design, in order to increase the manoeuvrability of F-5E, Northrop decided to increase the total area of Leading Edge Extensions (LEX) sections which were 2.75 times as large as that on the F-5A Freedom Fighter, also the wing area was more than 9% greater than that of F-5A Freedom Fighter, this improvement helped to increase lift and CL max (Coefficient of Lift) in high angle attack situations, also it could improve take-off and landing performance of F-5E too. The CL max of F-5E was increased to 1.4 compared with slightly lower than 1.2 for the F-5A Freedom Fighter, and the maximum lift-drag ratio at subsonic cruise speed was 10.

Thanks to the increased maximum power of new engine, the maximum level flight speed of F-5E was increased from Mach 1.4 to Mach 1.6, the maximum climb rate at sea level was also increased to more than 189 m/s, the empty weight was increased from 3,600 kg to 4,300 kg, and the maximum take off weight was increased to 9,800 kg, also the maximum internal fuel capability of F-5E was increased from 3,790 pounds to 4,536 pounds.

On 10th August 1972, the first F-5E completed its first flight at Edwards AFB. By March 1973, six F-5Es comprised the test force. One interesting fact was that during these flight tests at Edwards AFB, at least one F-5E fighter was painted with Imperial Iranian Air Force (IIAF) desert camouflage because at that time Iranian government was still willing to buy American military equipment. The Saudi Arabian Air Force decided to buy several F-5E and F-5F in 1976, which the program was named Peace Hawk IV, as the Saudi Arabian Air Force wanted to add the AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missile firing ability and Radar Warning Receiver equipment on their F-5 fighters, F-5E 71-1418 was chosen to conduct the test flights with AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missiles, also F-5E 75-00462 was chosen to test the new Chaff/Flare dispenser and AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missiles too. Except for Saudi Arabia and Iran, many other third-world countries such as Brazil, Kenya, and Malaysia became the customer of F-5 fighters, and the total number of countries and regions who received F-5Es was 37. Though the Imperial Iranian Air Force (IIAF) was changed to Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) as a result of the coup in 1979, but during the Iran-Iraq war in 1980s, many former Imperial Iranian Air Force pilots who were trained by the US decided to join the battle against Iraq with the name of Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force after they were released by the government, even one time a F-5E of IRIAF successfully shot down a MiG-25 Foxbat interceptor of Iraq Air Force, the total air-to-air kills made by F-5 fighters of IRIAF was 23.

By late November 1986, the F-5E/F production line in California was finally shut down after it completed the last seven aircraft on the contract. Northrop built 2,603 F-5 fighters in total including 1,399 E and F models (793 F-5E and 146 F-5F according to some sources). The first unit of USAF equipped with F-5Es was the 425th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron (TFTS) at Williams AFB, which was responsible for the majority of the training of customer nation air and ground crew, they used F-5Es until June 1989, 1,499 students around the world were graduated from the 425th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron (TFTS). Apart from that, Imperial Iranian Air Force started to receive their F-5Es in 1974, but as the war situation of South Vietnam became worse, American decided to divert 18 F-5Es from the later Iranian order to support the Republic of Vietnam Air Force.

As a result, a total of 55 F-5Es were transported by the USA to South Vietnam before they lost the war on 30th April 1975. Except for battle damage and loss, about 27 F-5E fighters and 60-87 F-5A/B fighters that hadn't escaped to Thailand were captured by the North Vietnamese army after the defeat of South Vietnam. Through Vietnamese government decided to retain a small number of F-5 fighters and used them during the invasion of Cambodia, and they also sent some of the F-5 fighters to the Soviet Union. At first, the Soviet aircraft engineers didn't show much interest in the F-5Es because of the low thrust of the J85 engine, and they still believed that their fighters were much better than Western products. According to the estimation report of F-5E written by the Soviet engineers, they even thought that F-5E's level acceleration performance was only as slow as a piston fighter, also the estimated rate of climb at sea level was only 160 m/s. As a comparison, the true rate of climb of F-5A Freedom Fighter was 189 m/s.

Therefore, they thought that using the latest MiG-23 fighters against F-5E fighters was really bullying, so they decided to let the MiG-21bis fighter, which entered into service in 1972, conduct simulated air combat with a captured F-5E. The final result of that simulated air combat was beyond everyone's expectations: no matter what combat manoeuvre the MiG-21bis fighter did during the test, it couldn't avoid the fate of being shot down by the F-5E! The frustrated Soviet aircraft engineers decided to let their most advanced MiG-23M fighter at that time teach the F-5E fighter a lesson, but the result was almost the same: though the MiG-23M fighter could win in Beyond Visual Range engagements because of its R-23R medium-range semi-active radar-guided missile, however, the F-5E fighter could always maintain at the six o'clock position of MiG-23M fighter through various air combat manoeuvres. At last, the Soviet Union officially claimed that their aircraft was fully capable of competing with the most advanced fighter in the West at the time, but only the Soviet pilots knew that their nightmare would continue until today.

[[File:1200px-Three F-5E agressors from Alconbury 1983.jpg|left|thumb|381x381px|Three USAF aggressor unit F-5Es in formation.]]
Back in 1972, the USAF realised the need for dissimilar aircraft combat training, and they began to use T-38 Talon trainers as an aggressor aircraft at Nellis AFB, Nevada. Although the USAF wanted the more desirable F-5E jets to act as the aggressor's aircraft, the F-5Es produced at the time were prioritized to South Vietnam to save the situation. After the Saigon government finally fell in 1975, many F-5Es including those former Republic of Vietnam Air Force's planes that escaped to Thailand successfully were transported to those aggressor squadrons of the USAF, apart from their homeland, the USAF also established some aggressor squadrons in England and the Philippines to train with other fighter squadrons overseas. As for the US Navy, they also realized the need for dissimilar aircraft combat training, even earlier than the Air Force. The famous Top Gun program was first established in 1969, initially with A-4 Skyhawk, but later it was changed to T-38 Talon and F-5E. In the 1980s, the U.S Navy introduced the F-16N Fighting Falcon and Israel F-21A Kfir as the new aggressor aircraft, therefore, the use of F-5E waned. In 2009, Northrop Grumman delivered the last 44 ex-Swiss Air Force F-5E to the US Navy after modification for use as aggressor aircraft, these 41 single seat fighters and three fighters modified from F-5E and F-5F were renamed F-5N by US Navy (one interesting fact was that in 1965, Northrop also tested a modified F-5A 63-8421 fighter which was equipped with two new J85-GE-15 engine, and this aircraft was initially named F-5N too, the N referred to Northrop), these aircraft were served in VFC-13 and VFC-111 aggressor squadrons in Nevada and Florida.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f-5e Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/526079-f-5e/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
* [https://archive.org/details/T.O.1F5E11984OCR/mode/2up/ Technical Order 1F-5E-1 - Flight Manual for F-5E/F-5F Aircraft]

{{AirManufacturer Northrop}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

Matra Super 530D

2023-05-07T20:32:34Z

U138796218: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = French air-to-air missile '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the other version
| link = Matra Super 530F
}}
== Description ==
''Write an introduction to the article in 2-3 small paragraphs. Briefly tell us about the history of the development and combat using the weaponry and also about its features. Compile a list of air, ground, or naval vehicles that feature this weapon system in the game.''

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


* {{Specs-Link|mirage_2000c_s5}}

== General info ==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="2" | Missile characteristics
|-
| '''Mass''' || 270 kg
|-
| '''Guidance''' || SARH
|-
| '''Signal''' || CW
|-
| '''Lock range''' || 30 km
|-
| '''Launch range''' || 40 km
|-
| '''Maximum speed''' || 5 M
|-
| '''Maximum overload''' || 30 G
|-
| '''Missile guidance time''' || 60 secs
|-
| '''Explosive mass''' || 10.37 kg TNTeq
|-
|}

=== Effective damage ===
''Describe the type of damage produced by this type of missile (high explosive, splash damage, etc)''

=== Comparison with analogues ===
''Give a comparative description of missiles that have firepower equal to this weapon.''

== Usage in battles ==

The Matra Super 530D missile is used for intercepting targets at high altitude or in head-on situations. Due to its great acceleration and speed, coupled by its high G overload, the 530D can be a tough missile to shake off. With the Mirage 2000C being the only carrier of this missile, low-altitude engagements and dogfights are no problem for both the missile and the plane. With the 530D using Continuous Wave signal, the seeker can defeat chaff and still guide to its target, if you are using the radar in regular search mode, though it is not a guarantee that it will always hit a target.

=== Pros and cons ===
'''Pros:'''

* Excellent tracking
* Fast acceleration and speed
* Large warhead, capable of taking down any opponent in one hit
* Uses Continuous Wave signal, unlike its predecessor using Pulse signal
* High G load

'''Cons:'''

* Heavy missile compared to its American and Russian counterpart
* Less range compared later Sparrow variants and the R27ER

== History ==
''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>.''

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==


* [[AIM-7E-2 Sparrow|AIM-7E-2]]
* [[AIM-7F Sparrow|AIM-7F]]
* [[R-24R]]
* [[Skyflash]]
* [[Aspide-1A]]

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Missiles}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

Buccaneer S.2

2023-05-07T03:52:59Z

U138796218: Updated information

{{About
| about = British strike aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the gift version
| link = Buccaneer S.1
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=buccaneer_s2
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|Buccaneer_Takeoff.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British strike aircraft {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Hot Tracks"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

Despite being the heaviest, longest and biggest jet attacker in the game, the Buccaneer has an impressive cruise speed, manoeuvrability and climb rate even when fully loaded. It should be noted that it is nowhere near on being the fastest plane at its battle rating but can become a forceful opponent when being hunted down, especially if the Buccaneer has a speed advantage. Despite having a max speed of 1,084 km/h, the aircraft is able to reach that speed even when fully loaded flying at level flight. It is able to surpass the max speed at level flight up to 1,112 km/h but any sudden turn will tear apart the wings. Overall agility of the Buccaneer is impressive for a plane of its size capable of doing hard turns with relative ease even with payload.

'''When on take-off:'''

The Buccaneer MUST use take-off flaps in order to achieve enough air lift to lift the plane at ~270 km/h and do a safe take-off fully loaded with 16,000 lb of bombs. Not doing so may be cause of running out of airstrip before taking off and crashing into buildings or environment. When taking off from carriers, there is no need to use take-off flaps but it is recommended as it is prompt to lose altitude when leaving the deck.

'''When on landing:'''
[[File:Buccaneer Low Speed Flight.mp4|thumb|300px|right|Demonstrating the Buccaneer's ability to maintain flight at less than 170 km/h.]]
Landings should be done below 400 km/h but depending on the situation, map and place where the Buccaneer will land (aircraft carrier or airfield) this may vary. When landing on a carrier, maintain greater speeds than 360 km/h but less than 400 km/h, this is to ensure a safe pull up if the hook is missed. When landing on airfield, maintain greater speeds than 280 km/h but less than 360 km/h, this is to ensure the plane has enough strip to break and slowdown. Thanks to being a massive plane, the momentum is tremendous, meaning it will require longer distances in order to fully land. Use air-break in order to make a faster slowdown.

The Buccaneer is one of only a few aircraft in the game to have a blown flaps system, meaning that under certain conditions air from the engine's compressor is blown over the flaps / control surfaces. This means that despite the Buccaneer's massive weight it has an extremely low stall speed, and impressive low-speed responsiveness (so long as the blowing system is active). As can be seen in the video on the right, with the blowing system active the buccaneer can maintain (and even gain) altitude at speeds as low as ~170 km/h. The blowing system is activated whenever takeoff or landing flaps are selected and throttle is at greater than 30%. This means that you may wish to consider keeping your throttle above 30% while landing in some situations.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 0 m - sea level)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 1,156 || 1,151 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 32.9 || 34.4 || 71.1 || 64.7 || rowspan="2" | 900
|-
! Upgraded
| 1,177 || 1,166 || 31.5 || 32.0 || 102.9 || 86.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
[[File:Buccaneer S.2.2.jpg|thumb|Buccaneer flying near the ocean]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 518 || 463 || 370 || ~8 || ~5
|-
|}
[[File:Buccaneer S.2.1.jpg|thumb|Buccaneer Ready for taxi on a carrier.]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 585 || < 600 || < 548 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Rolls-Royce Spey 101 || 2
| colspan="2" | 14,206 kg || colspan="3" | 425 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 35m fuel
|-
| 2,361 kg || colspan="2" | Low-bypass turbofan
| 15,854 kg || 17,503 kg || 19,151 kg || 19,975 kg || 25,950 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 35m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 5,020 kgf || N/A
| 0.63 || 0.57 || 0.52 || 0.50 || 0.39
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,120 kgf (1,000 km/h) || N/A
| 0.65 || 0.59 || 0.53 || 0.51 || 0.39
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The Buccaneer is a large target with no armour. The fuel tanks are all mounted in the upper fuselage (above the bomb bay) and although a relatively small target the engines are exposed (mounted not far back from the air intakes). This means that enemy fire will often damage the fuel tanks, the engines, or both. The Buccaneer can fly ok with damage, but is prone to enter a flat spin if one engine is lost during low speed flight (i.e. when landing).

The Buccaneer uses drooping ailerons (the ailerons deflect downwards with the flaps); this increases the lift produced when flaps are deployed. However it means that if you go too fast and rip your flaps off the ailerons are likely to be ripped off as well (as the ailerons also act as flaps), this makes the aircraft very hard to control. If the tail is destroyed, the plane will also lose its elevator as both are connected. The Buccaneer has access to Radar Warning Receiver, meaning the pilot will realize when there is a radar who has a detected the plane (there will be a beeping sound) and a ping will be displayed on display which will activate on the HUD when there is a radar signal and when there is a radar lock there will be a continuous alert sound. This is useful when there is an aircraft with radar guided missiles and ground based radar anti air.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Cross}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|Mk.M2 (540 lb)|H.E. M.C. Mk.II (500 lb)|L.D H.E. M.C. Mk.1 (1,000 lb)|H.E. M.C. Mk.13 (1,000 lb)}}
{{main|AGM-12B Bullpup|AIM-9B Sidewinder|RP|RP-3}}
[[File:Buccaneer S.2.3.jpg|thumb|Buccaneer dropping a series of 500 lb bombs]]
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* 24 x 500 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.II bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 28 x 500 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.II bombs (14,000 lb total)
* 28 x 540 lb Mk.M2 bombs (15,120 lb total)
* 12 x 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs + 8 x 1,000 lb L.D H.E. M.C. Mk.1 bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
* 16 x RP-3 rockets
* 144 x RP rockets
* 4 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 104 x large calibre countermeasures

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="9%" | 1 !! width="9%" | 2 !! width="9%" | 3 !! width="9%" | 4 !! width="9%" | 5
| rowspan="11" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 500 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.II bombs
| 6 || 6 || 4 || 6 || 6
|-
! 540 lb Mk.M2 bombs
| 6 || 6 || 4 || 6 || 6
|-
! 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs
| 2, 3 || 2, 3 || 4 || 2, 3 || 2, 3
|-
! 1,000 lb L.D H.E. M.C. Mk.1 bombs
| 2, 3 || 2, 3 || || 2, 3 || 2, 3
|-
! RP rockets
| 36 || 36 || || 36 || 36
|-
! RP-3 rockets
| 4 || 4 || || 4 || 4
|-
! AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
| 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || || || || 1
|-
! Large calibre countermeasures
| 52 || || || || 52
|-
| colspan="6" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,500 kg
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Buccaneer is a fully air-to-ground plane with very limited defensive capabilities against aircraft. It should never be used to attack enemy aircraft despite having the AIM-9B. These missiles are meant to be used in defence if there is a chance to get behind the enemy who is engaging the aircraft or against helicopters in combined battles. Using the Buccaneer as a fighter will quickly lead to death.
[[File:Buccaneer Formation Attack.png|thumb|350px|Buccaneer Formation Dive Bombing]]
The role of the Buccaneer is pretty straight forward when it comes to air battles: base bombing or ground/naval units bombing. It is recommended to utilize the different bomb payloads combined with flares or with the AIM-9B if the pilot wants. It is not recommended to take Bullpup AGMs as bombs are more useful in the air battles environment, including in Enduring Confrontation Simulator battles. Rockets are not recommended to be taken as they are inaccurate and useless even with ballistics computer against lightly armoured vehicles. Bullpups can be an sort of effective guided weapon when engaging enemy vessels. They are not recommended to be used against destroyers, cruisers, or battleships in any sort of match. Instead, use them for pinpoint hits on enemy carriers. A well-placed Bullpup is enough to make a carrier sink, it won't be as fast as with bombs but it will use a considerably less amount of ordnance.

The Buccaneer has a wide variety of bomb payloads for all types of players, for those who want to be fast and engage bases or ground targets as quickly as possible and for those who want to carry out as much destruction as possible. The absurd amount of bomb payloads will fit all types of players and their needs. The only drawback is that the plane is not able to carry AIM-9B and flares at the same time. Flares also take up the two outer-most pylons of the plane. The recommended payload for a fair trade in speed, firepower and defensive capabilities is the "104 x Flares + 10 x 1,000 lb G.P. Mk.I bombs" payload. More than enough bombs to take 2 bases in maps where there are only 3 bases and airfield or 1 of the 4 respawning bases like on Ruhr which take double the payload. Only 3 x 1,000 lb G.P. Mk.I bombs are needed per base when there are 3 bases. When in Ruhr or similar maps, bases take the whole 10 bombs (in reality it takes ~8.5 bombs but due to the drop sequence, it is recommended to drop all 10 as you are unable to drop 9 bombs). If the player wants to play a more aggressive full bomb payload, then the "16 x 1,000 lb G.P. Mk.I bombs" payload should be carried. More than enough bombs to destroy the 3 bases in a 3 base map and still have enough payload for the airfield or a base and a half in maps like Ruhr. In enduring confrontation maps, any payload is recommended as EC is more forgiving payload wise as multiple strikes can be done to a base or an airfield.

=== The use of AIM-9B in the Buccaneer ===
The AIM-9B are far from being the best anti-air missiles in the game due to their speed and G-limit. They are not to be used against turning targets nor to chase supersonic targets, the use of AIM-9B is really limited but can be the main offensive line against an unaware enemy plane, specially since at that battle rating almost no aircraft has access to Missile Alert Warning. This makes the AIM-9B a reliable anti-air weapon and relatively long distances considering there is no other AA ordnance. This is specially reliable in Enduring Confrontation/Simulator battles as in other type of gamemodes, knowing the presence of the launcher and when the missile has been fired by eye contact is the main reason why AIM-9B are so easily evaded and countered. If the Buccaneer is to be used as a heavy missile fighter, this is the recommended attack flight path:

* The method of engagement is a fairly standard low-risk hit-and-run pass. Approach the enemy, shoot, and break off. There's nothing too special about it, and it relies more on the speed to get into the target area, fire a single missile or a salvo if needed, and then get out of the danger zone as soon as possible lest you become the target of unwanted attention. It requires little in the way of skill and little in the way of performance upgrades, as the Buccaneer already has considerable engine power. However, it does not allow for sustained time on target and gives you only a small window of opportunity to make the shot.

'''''Reliable targets for the AIM-9B:'''''

* All sorts of enemy AI attackers and bombers can be easily killed with a missile as they do not dump flares or do evasive manoeuvres like players
* Helicopters (both AI and player controlled) as long as they are not the most modern attack choppers (Ka-50/52, AH-64, EC-665 HAD/HAP/UHT, etc)

=== Flight paths and engagement paths ===
[[File:Buccaneer IRCM.png|left|thumb|350px|Buccaneer use of flares while doing a combat turn]]
There are multiple rules which should be followed when flying the Buccaneer in order to prevent and counter a wide variety of threats. The first and pretty straight forward rule is '''stay out of Line of Sight (LOS)'''. This is one of the most basic rules for any aircraft in the game, but specially due to the size of the Buccaneer, it is crucial as it is easier to spot a Buccaneer at distances than an F-84. The Buccaneer is far from being the easiest plane to conceal, but due to its camouflage, it can become invisible to eye sight if whoever is the threat falls in the trap. Do not rely on the camouflage to conceal you most of the time, it depends or the LOS azimuth, distance and enemy pilot's awareness. The blue colour is reliable on both sea and land environments although it is not recommended to rely on it in Realistic or Arcade battles as, once the aircraft is detected, a marker will appear on the Buccaneer revealing the position. Depending on the situation and gamemode, there are multiple environmental hiding places which can make the Buccaneer have a safe flight to target zone, this will be divided into Optical Hiding and Technological Hiding. Both of them are to be complimented by each other, the pilot must not focus on just one or the other. Both have to be done at the same time in order to achieve the best survivability in game.

'''Optical Hiding:'''

The name is pretty straight forward, hiding from eye sight. This is one of the easiest to hide from in most places and gamemodes, even better if it is a Simulator battle. This hiding spots could be doing a "grass-cutting" flight path (flying as close to the ground as possible), flying behind any sort of of environmental obstructions (mountains, inside canyons, inside river banks, etc) or a really high altitude flight. This can become a double edge sword but can make the Buccaneer have a high survivability against enemy planes, not only because the flight ceiling is the highest one in the game (15 km) but also because no aircraft is able to catch it up (at that altitude, the Buccaneer keeps a speed of ~700 km/h). This is to be used only if required in extreme cases, it is not recommended to be used in a normal basis.

'''Technological Hiding:'''
[[File:Buccaneer bomber sight 100m.png|thumb|237x237px|Buccaneer bomb sight at 100 m]]
By this term, we are talking about hiding yourself against all sorts of airborne and ground based detection systems, being radar or Infrared Search and Track (IRST). Hiding against them can be tricky depending on the purpose of the aircraft. In this case, hiding from airborne radar is the easiest as cluttering is enough to cause detection issues (refer to [[Airborne radars]] for further explanation of airborne radars and the following explained terms). If the pilot is facing aircraft with airborne radars, the best way to counter is flying low or behind environmental obstructions. Flying high can be a double edge sword depending on the distance, altitude, radar scan pattern and azimuth. Flying extremely high can make the aircraft invisible to enemy radars, both ground based and airborne (ground based get a max range of 15 km detection range at most), depending on the other players, but doing a low flight path ensures key points which are vulnerabilities. Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) will be the main line of defence against all types of radars, any radio wave detected will be displayed on the HUD and the pilot will know if a change in the flight path must be made.

The story changes when there are IRST systems on the battle (only ground based at the game in the [[Stormer HVM]]), they do not trigger RWR on search nor track, making this one of the most menacing threat to the Buccaneer as there are no ways to know if there is a missile lock at you.
[[File:Buccaneer bomb sight at 1000m.png|thumb|238x238px|Buccaneer bomb sight at 1,000 m]]
'''Use of bomb sights and ballistic computer:'''

As the rest of the bombers, the bomb sights are the main aiming tool for delivering ordnance in Air Realistic battles and Simulator, and the [[Ballistic Computer]] in Ground Realistic battles. Depending on the speed of the aircraft, flight attitude and flight altitude, the bomb sight may look different (refer to pictures). Being a jet bomber makes the use of bomber sight at low altitudes trickier compared to prop bombers, mainly for the fact of speed (the greater the speed, the more horizontal parabola will the bombs get). Bomb sights are recommended to be used in altitudes greater than 500 m (see the difference of azimuth between the pictures) and ballistic computer reticle in altitudes less than 500 m. Both have their pros and cons, but the bomb sights are more Simulator-based and while the ballistic computer can be used for everything else, even bombing in Air Realistic battles. Due to being a bomber, the bomb reticle on the ground will never disappear (different from the rest of aircraft with bomb targeting ballistic computers in which the plane must be aiming to the ground at a certain angle to make the reticle display).
[[File:Buccaneer low altitude bombing run.png|left|thumb|330x330px|Low altitude bombing run]]
'''Attack runs with the Buccaneer:'''

The Buccaneer is the fastest and heaviest long range bomber in game (at low flying it can reach speeds of Mach .95 with the 16,000 lb payload) and thus, it is perfect to be used as a "Lightning Strike" bomber thanks to the speed and ballistic computer. Lighting Strikes refer to doing a grass-cutting flight at the fastest speed as possible and dropping bombs on targets as close to the ground as possible in order to ensure accuracy but still maintain high speeds. This is primarily the best engagement path when engaging ground targets (GRB preferably as in Simulator is harder due to the restricted cabin/bomb sight views but not impossible) as you counter enemy's radar, situational awareness and reaction time. By the time the enemy SPAA will engage the Buccaneer will be long gone from the combat zone due to the high speeds. When using Bullpups, engagement paths should be different. The Buccaneer must have a clear LOS not only because trees will be able to detonate the air-to-ground missile but also because they are manually guided.

=== Missile Evasion and Defensive Manoeuvres ===
This can be the most tricky and complicated part of the Buccaneer as the pilot must know their enemy, the way such plane is meant to be flown, the suspended armament it can carry and the flight performance of such plane. One of the most common threat faced in all environments are air-to-air missiles from any nation. From AIM-9Gs to R-60s, the Buccaneer is able to face them and counter them utilizing diverse methods but not all of them will apply to all missiles. The Buccaneer has no problems in doing evasive manoeuvres and "break, bank and jink" against enemy missiles. However, the best counter to this is not letting the enemy launch missiles at all. Keep your tail pointed '''away''' from enemy radars and the front of enemies. Do not stay still for prolonged periods of time without checking behind you for tell-tale white streaks or the missile markers.
[[File:Buccaneer combat turn.png|thumb|Buccaneer flare dump and break evasive manoeuvre]]
'''When facing AIM-9s:'''

Early AIM-9 variants such as the AIM-9B can easily be evaded by making a turn, later variants such the AIM-9G is extremely hard to evade without the use of flares. Draining the missile of its energy is also possible but only when the launch distance is >3-3.5 km depending on speed

'''When facing AIM-7s, R-3Ss and Matra 530:'''

There is not much to say about radar-guided missiles besides their threatening speed and the uselessness of flares against them as they are radar locked. In order to counter this, the pilot can create radar cluttering by flying close to the ground in order to nullify the missile tracking and "break" (doing a hard turn only when the missile is closer than 2.5 km can also evade the missile). These sorts of missiles will be the easiest to spot as RWR will give a significant alert when there is a radar lock.

'''When facing R-60s:'''

R-60s are a different story as they are the opposite of AIM-7s and AIM-9s. They have an effective range of 2 km, making them useless for long range combat but are able to pull 30G, meaning R-60s have to be countered the other way around. R-60s should not be tried to out-turn but to outrun with the use of flares. Correction to gun strafe the Buccaneer.

'''When facing SRAAMs:'''

This event is highly unlike to happen due to the SRAAM being a British missile while the Buccaneer is a British aircraft, but in case this happens, the aircraft must do a similar procedure as with the R-60s but with much more carefulness and responsiveness. The SRAAM is a vectoring thrust missile, meaning the missile can start turning without the need of much speed as the vectoring thrust changes the direction of the thrust, making it much more agile. It can be easily countered with speed (effective range is less than 1.2 km) and with the use of flares.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Massive bomb load of up to 16,000 lb with various payload options and combinations
* Reasonably good flight performance
* Very low stall/landing speed thanks to blown flaps
* Can land on aircraft carriers
* Has countermeasures and RWR
* Can carry two [[AIM-9B Sidewinder]] missiles for limited air defence roles
* Has a [[Ballistic Computer|ballistics computer]] with CCIP for bombs and rockets, as well as CCRP. The CCIP works in level flight, unlike on most other aircraft.
* Has a [[HUD#Buccaneer HUD|Head-Up Display]] in the cockpit which provides flight information and weapon aiming functionality.

'''Cons:'''

* No guns; the only effective way to fight enemy aircraft are the two [[AIM-9B]] missiles
* Big target; often will be targeted by enemy aircraft
* Flares are carried in pods suspended from the outboard pylons; must sacrifice ordnance to carry them
* If flaps rips off the ailerons will be ripped off as well, making the aircraft very hard to control
* Heavily loaded wings can rip in turns if not careful

== History ==


The Blackburn Buccaneer was a response to the threatening expansion the Soviet Navy was having at the time. This expansion was the main menace to ships in the Atlantic, especially merchant ships. Thus, the British MoD opted to utilize their already existing naval weaponry and not make a new fleet to counter this expansion. In 1952, the preliminary requirements were set out: a carrier based two-seat jet with maximum speed of 550 knots and combat range of 400 nautical miles, able to carry 8,000 lb of both conventional weaponry and special weaponry such as the Red Beard free-fall nuclear bomb and the Green Cheese anti-ship missile. First responses were made in 1953 and the first prototyping of the Buccaneer was made. It was codenamed BNA (Blackburn Naval Aircraft) or BANA (Blackburn Advanced Naval Aircraft) which lead to the nickname "Banana jet". The first flight of the prototype was made in 1958. This turned into a successful aircraft and was produced under the name of Buccaneer S.1 and served with the FAA in 1963. It was powered by a pair of de Havilland Gyron Junior turbojets. Despite the success of the aircraft, the thrust generated by these engines was lacklustre and failed to achieve the required lift in order to carry the aircraft with full armament and fuel load. This could be resolved by taking the required amount of fuel needed to rendezvous with an aerial refuelling aircraft. While being a solution, it was inefficient as the low thrust generated by both engines while depending on lift blow marked a serious danger.

As a long-term solution, the engines were replaced to Rolls-Royce Spey turbofan engine which could generate 40% more thrust that the previous engines. This new version was named Buccaneer S.2. Blackburn, which was bought later by Hawker Siddeley, ordered production of the S.2 in 1962. The already built Buccaneer S.1s were retrofitted to S.2 standards by the end of 1966.

The Royal Navy was not the only one which asked for Blackburn Buccaneer. The RAF was looking for a replacement for the B-57 Canberra bombers. After the cancellation of the acquisition of the General Dynamics F-111K, the RAF stood in crisis. It was therefore that the RAF decided in 1968 to adopt the Blackburn Buccaneer S.2 as a replacement for the B-57 Canberra bomber. 46 units were built and delivered to the RAF for service. These specific units were renamed to Buccaneer S.2B. These had the RAF type communitcations and avionics equipment as well as their weaponry including the Martel air-to-surface missile and a bulged bomb bay which could hold an extra fuel tank. Some of these units were capable of firing the anti-ship version of the Martel. These units were renamed to Buccaneer S.2D and the remaining were renamed to S.2C, a major upgrade for the Buccaneer which included enhanced Electronic Warfare systems and AIM-9 Sidewinder capabilities. In 1979, some Buccaneers were fitted with the AN/AVQ-23 Pave Spike laser designator pod for the Paveway II laser guided bombs.

In October 1962, 16 aircraft were ordered for the South African Air force named as Buccaneer S.50, these were retrofitted Buccaneer S.2 with Bristol Siddeley BS.605 rocket engines to provide additional take-off thrust. South African Air Force was also the only export operator of the Buccaneer. They acquired the Buccaneers in the Simontown Agreement. South Africa purchased 20 more Buccaneers but the British Government blocked the proposition. The South African Buccaneers were used in a maritime strike role using the French AS-30 Anti Ship missiles. In March 1971, A few Buccaneers launched 12 AS-30s at the stricken tanker Wafra but luckily for the ship and unluckily for the South African pilots, the missiles failed to sink the Wafra. The AS-30s were also capable of ground attack roles and were very effective. The Buccaneers were used extensively in the South African Border War often flying over Angola and Namibia bombing and attacking guerrilla forces and their camps. The Buccaneers would also provide Close Air Support for the ground troops . During the Battle for Cassinga, Buccaneers were used to destroy armoured vehicles of the SWAPO and covering the retreat of the South African troops. At the Buccaneer's retirement in 1991, only 5 Buccaneers remained in SAAF service after either crashing or being cannibalised for spare parts

===[[wt:en/news/6975-development-blackburn-buccaneer-s-2-banana-jet-en|Devblog]]===
In the early days of the Cold War, the Soviet construction program of the new Sverdlov-class cruisers caused the British military a great deal of concern. Believing the Sverdlovs would pose a similar threat as the German 'pocket battleships' in the previous war, the Admiralty decided to counter this issue not by building new ships of their own, but developing a new strike aircraft instead.

After issuing a set of requirements for a new jet-powered attack aircraft with nuclear strike capabilities, the Admiralty chose Blackburn's design as the winner of the competition in 1955. A few years later, in 1958, the first prototype of the Blackburn Buccaneer undertook its maiden flight.

The first production version of the Buccaneer, the S.1, entered service with the FAA in the early 1960's. However, the Buccaneer's early service career was plagued with issues relating to its underpowered and unreliable turbojet engines. Therefore, Blackburn almost immediately began working on an improved variant by the time the problems became apparent. Outfitting the aircraft with much more powerful and economical turbofan engines, Blackburn introduced the Buccaneer S.2 in the mid '60's, with the first aircraft joining the ranks of the FAA in March 1965.

However, after the British fleet carriers began being decommissioned in the late 1970's as part of a foreign policy agenda change, the Buccaneer S.2's were also being phased out of active service along with them. The roughly 80 produced Buccaneer S.2's largely participated in exercises and training missions under FAA service, but saw more extensive use with the RAF, after being retired by the Navy.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=buccaneer_s2 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
{{Skin-gallery
|market|ugcitem_1001023|XW544 Fulda.png|Buccaneer S.2 XW544
|live|993918|XX894 Normandy.png|Blackburn Buccaneer S.2 XX894 - TBAG, Cotswold Airport
|live|986242|XX894 Sinai.png|Blackburn Buccaneer S.2 XX894 - RAF Operation Granby, 1991
}}

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" caption="Buccaneer S.2 Devblog Images" heights="200">
File:Buccaneer S.2 WTWallpaper 001.jpg|
File:Buccaneer S.2 WTWallpaper 002.jpg|
File:Buccaneer S.2 WTWallpaper 003.jpg|
File:Buccaneer S.2 WTWallpaper 004.jpg|
File:Buccaneer S.2 WTWallpaper 005.jpg|
File:Buccaneer S.2 WTWallpaper 006.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|TY-M41AUM48|'''The Shooting Range #237''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


* [[B-57A]]
* [[Canberra B Mk 2]]
* [[S.O.4050 Vautour IIB]]
* [[Vautour IIA IDF/AF]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6975-development-blackburn-buccaneer-s-2-banana-jet-en|[Devblog] Blackburn Buccaneer S.2: Banana Jet]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/510283-buccaneer-s2/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Blackburn}}
{{Britain jet aircraft}}

Mirage IIIC

2023-05-05T08:51:54Z

U138796218: /* Usage in battles */

{{About
| about = French jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Mirage III (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=mirage_3c
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|cockpit=cockpit_mirage_3c.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} French jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Starfighters"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The Mirage IIIC has one of the best joystick handling characteristics of any aircraft in War Thunder, with the capability to perform a Kulbit, which is essentially a backflip in forward flight. Unlike the [[J35D|J35]] "Draken" it retains superb handling characteristics in a deep stall, allowing rapid-reaction vector-thrust-like manoeuvrability albeit the yaw control being commanded by the inverse roll control axis. It also does not suddenly transition from lack of elevator authority to excessive pitch-up authority like the [[J35D|J35]] but joystick pilots will still need to monitor their airspeed so sudden manoeuvring does not result in an Over-G wing stress or an unwanted cobra. The Mirage III also as a result of its low stall speed (100 knots, 185 km/h) is capable of tight turns only beaten by the [[J35D|J35]] however it has superb manoeuvring energy retention whilst on joystick, with the capacity to bleed speed at will, resulting in what is potentially, an irreversible supersonic fighter in the hands of a veteran pilot.

New pilots may find assistance utilising the Stability Augmentation System (SAS) mode set to dampening to prevent unwanted stalls. Additionally, setting pitch-axis multiplier down to less than 0.95 will also aid with unwanted Over-G wing stress situations.

It should be noted that the Mirage IIIE has differing flight characteristics to the Mirage IIIC, in that the IIIE flight model has heavier moment of inertia, resulting in sluggish control input.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 12,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,084 || 2,042 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 29.6 || 30.2 || 108.9 || 96.9 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,240 || 2,160 || 26.5 || 28.0 || 173.4 || 140.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || X || X || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || N/A || N/A || ~12 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 920 || < 750 || < 650 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel, no booster)
|-
| colspan="2" | SNECMA Atar 9B || 1
| colspan="2" | 6,340 kg || colspan="2" | 258 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load, no booster) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 28m fuel
|-
| 1,450 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 6,900 kg || 7,673 kg || 8,206 kg || 10,950 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP, no booster)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 28m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 4,230 kgf || 6,090 kgf
| 0.88 || 0.79 || 0.74 || 0.56
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,118 kgf (1,200 - 1,400 km/h) || 8,253 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.20 || 1.08 || 1.01 || 0.75
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The Mirage IIIC has no armour and is very susceptible to damage. Hits that do not outright destroy the aircraft will severely hamper manoeuvrability and performance. A damaged engine will require immediate landing, since the aircraft loses a lot of energy while turning, the loss of power will be very noticeable. Wing or tail/rudder damage will result in flatspins if the aircraft is taken to low speeds or if too many G's are pulled.

Overall, if damaged, a pilot should seek to land as soon as possible while attempting to make as few manoeuvres as possible.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|SAMP Type 25 (250 kg)|SAMP Type 21 (400 kg)|SNEB type 23|AS-30 Nord|DEFA 552A (30 mm)}}
{{main|AIM-9B Sidewinder|Matra R511|Matra R530|Matra R530E|Matra R550 Magic 1}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* 1 x 30 mm DEFA 552A cannon (250 rpg)

* 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
* 2 x Matra R550 Magic 1 missiles
* 1 x Matra R530 missile
* 1 x Matra R511 missile
* 1 x Matra R530E missile
* 2 x 250 kg SAMP Type 25 bombs (500 kg total)
* 2 x 400 kg SAMP Type 21 bombs (800 kg total)
* 14 x FZ49 rockets
* 36 x SNEB type 23 rockets
* 1 x AS-30 Nord missile

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="6%" | 1 !! width="6%" | 2 !! width="6%" | 3 !! width="6%" | 4 !! width="6%" | 5 !! width="6%" | 6 !! width="6%" | 7
| rowspan="14" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_Mirage_IIIE.png]]</div>
|-
! 30 mm DEFA 552A cannons (125 rpg)
| || || || || 2 || ||
|-
! 250 kg SAMP Type 25 bombs
| || || || 2 || || ||
|-
! 400 kg SAMP Type 21 bombs
| || || || 2 || || ||
|-
! FZ49 rockets
| 7 || || || || || || 7
|-
! SNEB type 23 rockets
| || 18 || || || || 18 ||
|-
! AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || || || || || || 1
|-
! AS-30 Nord missiles
| || || || 1 || || ||
|-
! Matra R511 missiles
| || || || 1 || || ||
|-
! Matra R530 missiles
| || || || 1 || || ||
|-
! Matra R530E missiles
| || || || 1 || || ||
|-
! Matra R550 Magic 1 missiles
| 1 || || || || || || 1
|-
! SEPR 841 rocket booster
| || || 1* || || || ||
|-
! SEPR 841 tank
| || || || || 1* || ||
|-
| colspan="10" | * The SEPR 841 oxidiser tank must be carried when equipping the SEPR 841 rocket booster
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Mirage IIIC is a multirole strike fighter which can be used in a wide variety of roles from air-to-air and a really limited role in air-to-ground.

'''When in air battles:'''

The Mirage IIIC is one of the most feared planes in the sky, not only because of its speed but because of its powerful air-to-air missiles. However, the Mirage lacks "ACM" (Air Combat Manoeuvring) bore-sight lock capability, and thus it must "search" then "acquire lock" before being able to slave a missile to its radar, which can be exceedingly frustrating to use for joystick pilots, where the uncaged seeker of the Matra Magic missile will often lose lock without radar slaving assistance.

The Mirage has a wide range of AAMs featuring both IR seeker and radar-guided missiles: the AIM-9B, Matra R550 Magic 1, Matra R530E and the Matra R530. Each of the missiles has its pros and cons which will be explained. It should be noted that the Mirage '''should not be used as a bomber in Air Realistic battles''' due to its mediocre bomb payload.

''AIM-9B:''

This is one of the most universal and basic IR AAM which is available in many nations. Although they are one of the easiest missiles to evade, their speed and range make them deadly against unaware or low-energy enemies.

''Matra R550 Magic 1:''

This is an IR AAM unique to France which is hard to evade without the use of flares due to its high speed, G-limit and firing range. They are similar to the [[SRAAM]] missiles in terms of use due to its G-limit. The main difference is that the R550 does not have a thrust vectoring system, meaning it has to gain speed when launched in order to make turns which differs from SRAAM which can turn while gaining speed in super short distances (less than 1 km but greater than 200 m) due to the vectoring thrust.

''Matra R530E:''

This IR AAM has a tremendous explosive power, speed, and firing range. Despite not being the most agile AAM in the game, they are the best IR long range AAM. This comes with a cost, the Mirage only has access to 1 carried on the belly pylon. This missile should only be used when chasing enemy planes in a run, not while turning.

''Matra R530:''

Exactly the same as the R530E but with radar guidance and without a maximum lock-on range in rear aspect, meaning it can be fired at any target locked by the radar no matter the aspect (rear, front, side, etc). The main downsides of this missile are the same as the R530E but this time it loses its "stealth" factor as many planes carry Radar Warning Receivers (RWR). MAW, IRCM and flares will not affect the performance of the missile as the only way to evade a radar lock-on missile is to escape from the radar range and azimuth or by causing interference using the ground (refer to [[Airborne radars#Clutter]]).

Take the required payload upon discretion.

'''When in ground battles:'''

The Mirage has a decent payload when in GRB. Although limited, the Mirage can do competitive CAS runs with the SNEB rocket pods, bombs, and Nord AGMs. With the help of the ballistic computer, the Mirage is capable of enhancing the accuracy of this armament in addition to its 30 mm gun pods. It should be noted that the amount of ordnance is really small (only 36 x SNEB rockets, 2 x 400 kg bombs, 2 x 250 kg bombs, or 1 x AS-30 Nord AGM) but can be deadly in a good pilot's hands.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great air-to-air missiles
** Magic missiles have very good maneuverability
** Long range Matra R530E missile allows you to catch pilots by surprise
* Very manoeuvrable
* Vast array of suspended armament

'''Cons:'''

* Bleeds energy quickly at high angles of attack
* Below average acceleration
* No countermeasures of any kind (no flares or RWR)

== History ==

=== Post-war French aviation ===
After the Second World War, the French aviation industry was still in ruins. While research had continued during the war, the destruction of factories and breakup of research teams had caused French designs to lag behind. The first design built by France after the Second World War was the famous VB.10 fighter, which completed its first flight mission in 1947, though the original design work was started in 1940 and interrupted by the German invasion. Even though the French designers were eager to get back to designing aircraft for their nation, the government still couldn't provide enough money and resources to help them achieve their objective, so the French Air Force was still equipped with American F-84 Thunderjets and British Vampires at the beginning of the Cold War. The SNCASE company also chose to buy the production license for the de Havilland Vampire fighter, naming it "Mistral".

Those early American and British designs helped the French designers learn about jet fighters, and soon thereafter they were able to launch a series of successful works such as the SO.4050 Vautour, MD.452 Mystère II, MD.454 Mystère IVA, and Super Mystère B.2 in the 1950s. However, soon afterwards the American F-100 Super Sabre and Soviet MiG-19 fighter entered into service in 1954 and 1955, leaving the French Air Force with only subsonic designs. Even the latest Super Mystère B.2 could only break the speed of sound in a dive, and so the French Air Force bought North American F-100D fighters as a stopgap measure.

However, the French designers wouldn't be beaten a second time. Marcel Ferdinand Bloch, designer of the famous MB.152 piston fighter, had been captured by Germans during the Second World War because of his Jewish identity, but was saved by the US Third Army in 1945. After that, Bloch changed his last name to Char D'Assault to honour his brother's Resistance service under the same name. In 1947, the Dassault company received their first order from French Air Force to build three prototype planes, and the first of them successfully flew in 1949. The duration of the entire development work was only 18 months, with the new fighter being named MD.450 Ouragan. The aircraft was introduced into service in 1952.

Their second product, MD.452 Mystère II, was based on their previous fighter design and used a swept wing to improve the flight performance. The MD.454 Mystère IVA was one of the most famous products made by Dassault company during the 1950s. The aircraft was used by the Israel Air Force during the Suez Canal War in 1956 and successfully combated Egyptian MiG-15 fighters.

=== The tale of "Mirage" ===
In response to the challenge of the Soviet Union's new Mach 2 MiG-21 which would enter into service in 1960, Dassault designed the MD.550 Mystère-Delta program, which was usually misunderstood by the public as a design born on the basis of the Super Mystère B.2 fighter. In fact, it was born based on an improved version of the Mystère IV fighter, and there was no direct relationship between it and the Super Mystère B.2. Initially competing with Dassault's MD.550 project were the Nord 1500 Griffon, SE-212 Durandal, and SO.9050 Trident II projects, but the Mystère-Delta stood out and soon received an order from the French Air Force for two prototypes.

In 1956, after the first design changes, the Mystère-Delta prototype was renamed the Mirage I. The aircraft only had one air-to-air missile as its primary weapon, and only achieved Mach 1.6 during the flight test, even after it utilised the built-in rocket motor. To achieve the goal of reaching Mach 2 speed in level flight, Dassault changed the main design again, including a change in fixed air intake design to a variable air intake design and the introduction of the area rule design. The Mirage I design was eventually abandoned, and the Mirage II fighter was designed to use Turboméca Gabizo afterburning turbojets along with a pair of the SEPR rocket motors, but it was cancelled and never built.

The final design which entered into service in 1961 was called the Mirage III, and the first truly mass production version was called Mirage IIIC with the A version only used for research propose, and the B being built as a training version. The basic weapon used on the Mirage IIIC fighter was the DEFA 552 30 mm canno, two of which were mounted on the aircraft and could carry 250 rounds in total. Dassault also introduced the Matra R.530 radar or infrared-guided medium-range air-to-air missile to the aircraft, which had a maximum firing range of 18 km and maximum manoeuvring overload of 12G. The Mirage IIIC fighter also carried two AIM-9B Sidewinder infrared-guided short-range air-to-air missile for WVR combat in the 1960s. In 1975, the famous Matra R.550 Magic 1 infrared-guided short-range air-to-air missile with a maximum manoeuvring overload of 35G entered into service, with both the Mirage III fighter and Mirage F.1 fighters being upgraded with the capability to launch the missile.

For the ground attack role, the Mirage IIIC fighter can use unguided bombs and SNEB 68 mm rockets, with the Nord AS.20 and AS.30 radio-guided air-to-ground missiles also being good choices for the pilot. However, only one of the Nord missiles can be equipped at a time under the fuselage.

As for the avionics, the Mirage IIIC was initially equipped with a Cyrano I bis search and fire-control radar, later it was upgraded to Cyrano IIA radar with improved performance. After entering into service in 1961, the Cyrano radar suffered many technical problems which led to the fact that the first 25 Mirage IIICs didn't receive the system when they entered into service. The Cyrano I bis and Cyrano IIA radar only have air-to-air capacity, air-to-ground capability like the ground-mapping mode was added into the Cyrano IIB radar which was installed into Australian Mirage IIIO fighter and later versions. The Mirage IIIC fighter was also one of the first Western military aircraft design to utilise a heads-up display from the beginning in the form of the CSF95. The Mirage IIIC was also one of the first European designs which equipped the Crouzet 20 Central Air Data Computer. with the BAC Lightning only receiving its own Central Air Data Computer from the F.2A version.

The power plant of the Mirage IIIC fighter is the SNECMA Atar 9B turbojet engine. The pilot can choose to equip the SEPR 841 auxiliary rocket motor to improve the flight performance at high altitude, though this removes the two DEFA cannons.

=== [[wt:en/news/6728-development-mirage-iiic-an-illusive-figure-en|Devblog]] ===
In 1952, the French government issued a specification for a lightweight, all-weather jet fighter capable of reaching supersonic speeds. Three French aircraft manufacturers responded to the call, designing new aircraft to meet the given specifications. Among them was Dassault Aviation which came up with the MD.550 Delta - a single engine delta wing design with a large vertical stabilizer and provisions for an additional propulsion system in the form of a rocket engine.

The MD.550 Delta prototype first took to the skies in June 1954. After having its flight data evaluated, the design underwent some changes and received the official name Mirage I. Subsequent test flights of the redesigned prototype showed improvements in flight performance, but Dassault quickly came to the conclusion that the aircraft was too small and light to meet the required ordnance-carrying capabilities and as such the prototype was eventually scrapped.

However, Dassault didn't want to give up on the design. Instead, the company continued developing the aircraft, quickly coming up with an enlarged and more powerful version called Mirage II. With the advent of more powerful versions of the SNECMA Atar engines in the late 1950s, the Mirage II concept was abandoned before it even left the drawing board and Dassault immediately began working on an even larger version of the aircraft around the new engines. The result of this undertaking was the creation of the Mirage III.

By this time, the aircraft had also caught the attention of the French Air Force, which motivated Dassault to proceed with further development. In November 1956, the Mirage III first took to the skies, and after a number of subsequent test flights, an order for 10 pre-production machines, designated Mirage IIIA, was issued by the French Air Force.

Following positive experiences with the pre-production machines, the military placed a further order for 95 machines of the first production version, designated Mirage IIIC. This version of the Mirage first flew in October 1960 and entered official service in 1961, remaining in service with French units until the late 1980s.

Apart from French service, the Mirage IIIC also saw extensive use with the Israeli Air Force during the Six Day War as well as the Yom Kippur War of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Some of the Israeli Mirages were later on sold to Argentina, which in turn used its Mirages in the Falklands War of the 1980s.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=mirage_3c Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

'''Images'''<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:Mirage IIIC WTWallpaper 01.jpg|
File:Mirage IIIC WTWallpaper 02.jpg|
File:Mirage IIIC WTWallpaper 03.jpg|
File:Mirage IIIC WTWallpaper 04.jpg|
File:Mirage IIIC WTWallpaper 05.jpg|
File:Mirage IIIC WTWallpaper 06.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|QAA4S31Hbhw|'''The Shooting Range #202''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 04:40 discusses the Mirage III.|rpp-GqXiaKg|'''The Shooting Range #214''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:27 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Other delta-wing jet fighters

* [[Javelin F.(A.W.) Mk.9]]
* [[J35D]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6728-development-mirage-iiic-an-illusive-figure-en|[Devblog] Mirage IIIC: An Illusive Figure]]
* [https://www.dassault-aviation.com/en/passion/aircraft/military-dassault-aircraft/mirage-iii/ <nowiki>[Dassault Aviation]</nowiki> Mirage III]

{{AirManufacturer Dassault}}
{{France jet aircraft}}

AN/AWG-9

2023-05-05T02:00:26Z

U138796218: History and updated info about HDN modes

== Description ==


The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is an American full-digital [[Airborne radars|multi-mode radar]] with TWS, BVR and ACM capabilities.

=== Vehicles equipped with this radar ===


* {{Specs-Link|f_14a_early}}

== General info / usage ==


The {{PAGENAME}} is a target detection and tracking radar (multi-mode). It is a phased array radar. The radar has a theoretical maximum detection range of 150 km. It has four search modes: Track-While-Scan HDN, Pulse Doppler HDN Search, Search and Pulse Doppler Velocity HDN Search.
Track-While-Scan HDN is a special variant of the Pulse Doppler Search mode, with the ability to track an enemy while scanning the battlefield.

The radar can lock on to and track a target out to a maximum range of 185 km.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Search Characteristics
|-
! Mode
! Maximum Detection Range
! Base Detection Range
! Minimum Detection Range
! Range Settings
! Can detect ground targets
! Has IFF
|-
| SRC, SRC PD HDN, TWS HDN || 150,000 m || 110,000 m || 500 m || 10 km, 19 km, 37 km, 93 km, 185 km, 370 km || X || ✓
|-
| SRC PDV HDN || 150,000 m || 110,000 m || 500 m || -1476 km/h - 7380 km/h || X || X
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Search Modes
|-
! Search Mode
! Scan type
! Bars
! Bar height
! Azimuth Scan Angle
! Elevation Scan Angle
! Period
|-
| SRC Wide || One-way raster scan || 4 || 1.6° || ±65° || ±3.2° || 1.6 s
|-
| SRC default || One-way raster scan || 4 || 1.6° || ±40° || ±3.2° || 1 s
|-
| SRC narrow || One-way raster scan || 2 || 1.8° || ±10° || ±1.8° || 0.25 s
|-
| TWS narrow || One-way raster scan || 4 || 1.6° || ±20° || ±3.2° || 0.5 s
|-
| TWS medium || One-way raster scan || 2 || 1.8° || ±40° || ±1.8° || 0.5 s
|-
| ACM center || Cone || N/A || N/A || ±5° || ±5° || 0.5 s
|-
| ACM vertical high || two-way raster scan || 3 || 1.7° || ±2.55° || +15°, +55° || 0.5 s
|-
| ACM vertical || two-way raster scan || 3 || 1.7° || ±2.55° || -15°, +25° || 0.5 s
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="6" | Tracking Characteristics
|-
! Mode
! Maximum Tracking Range
! Minimum Tracking Range
! Azimuth Tracking Angle
! Elevation Tracking Angle
! Can track ground targets
|-
| SRC || 185,000 m || 200 m || ±65° || -75° +55° || X
|-
| PD HDN || 185,000 m || 200 m || ±60° || ±60° || X
|-
|}

=== Comparison with analogues ===
''Give a comparative description of similar or related radars.''

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great range
* Can track targets
* Track While Scan Mode
* ACM Mode
* Fast scanning speed
* Pulse Doppler radar
* Has IFF

'''Cons:'''

* Doesn't have All aspect look down ability

*

== History ==


The AN/AWG-9 radar is a long-range, all-weather radar system developed in the 1960s for the F-14 Tomcat fighter jet. It was developed by Hughes Aircraft and Westinghouse Electric as part of a joint project for the United States Navy.

The AN/AWG-9 radar system was designed to be a powerful radar that could track multiple targets at long ranges. It utilized a pulse-doppler radar system that allowed it to detect and track targets at long distances, even in adverse weather conditions. The system was also equipped with a look-down/shoot-down capability, which enabled it to detect low-flying targets, such as enemy aircraft or cruise missiles, against the clutter of the ground.

The AN/AWG-9 radar was capable of tracking up to 24 targets simultaneously and engaging up to six of them with its AIM-54 Phoenix missiles. The missile had an operational range of up to 100 miles and would first be guided by the radar system close to the target, then the onboard radar would start to track the enemy target.

During the Gulf War, the AN/AWG-9 radar played a critical role in the F-14's combat performance. The F-14 Tomcat was the only aircraft in the US military that was equipped with the AN/AWG-9 radar, and it was used to engage Iraqi aircraft at long ranges. The radar's long-range capabilities and the Phoenix missile's accuracy and range gave the F-14 a significant advantage over its opponents.

The AN/AWG-9 radar remained in service until the retirement of the F-14 from the US Navy in 2006. It also served with the Iranian Air Force, which acquired F-14s in the 1970s. The AN/AWG-9 was used in air-to-air combat during the Iran-Iraq War, where it proved to be a formidable weapon system.

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==


* [[Airborne radars]]

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''
*[https://man.fas.org/dod-101/navy/docs/fun/part06.htm Track-While-Scan Concepts]

[[Category:Aircraft radars]]

Phantom FG.1

2023-05-04T10:13:34Z

U138796218: Update of outdated information about the radar

{{About
| about = British jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-4 Phantom II (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f-4k
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''', otherwise known as the '''F-4K''', is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Starfighters"]]. Like the other British Spey Phantom, the [[Phantom FGR.2]], this Phantom comes with AIM-9Ds, stock RHAW, and two turbofan engines that differentiate it from other [[F-4 Phantom II (Family)|Phantoms]] in the game. This Phantom is the naval variant of the British Phantom FGR.2, and as such has several adaptations for use on the smaller flight decks of British Carriers, including a longer nose wheel, slotted elevators like on the [[F-4E]], larger leading-edge flaps, a tougher undercarriage, Spey 203s with a quicker Afterburner activation time, and a slew of other upgrades that are not modeled in War Thunder, such as a folding nose radome, drooping ailerons to aid in lift, the FG.1 is fitted with the AN/APG-59 pulse doppler radar, also found in the FGR.2 and the American F-4J. The FG.1 takes off a good deal faster than the FGR.2 thanks to the more rapid gain of afterburner thrust, higher angle of attack possible due to the extended nose wheel, and the larger flaps.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 10,667 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,190 || 2,160 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 26.5 || 26.7 || 176.2 || 165.5 || rowspan="2" | 850
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,355 || 2,268 || 25.5 || 26.0 || 246.6 || 210.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 584 || 463 || ~11 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 810 || < 750 || < 700 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Rolls-Royce Spey 203 || 2
| colspan="2" | 13,705 kg || colspan="3" | 397 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 33m fuel
|-
| 1,860 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 15,457 kg || 17,177 kg || 18,913 kg || 19,545 kg || 25,400 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 33m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 5,110 kgf || 9,014 kgf
| 1.17 || 1.05 || 0.95 || 0.92 || 0.71
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,110 kgf (0 km/h) || 10,311 kgf (1,200 km/h)
| 1.33 || 1.20 || 1.09 || 1.06 || 0.81
|-
|}
The radiator can be manually controlled for increased time with afterburner without the engines overheating.

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


The Phantom FG.1 has no armour protection, the fuel tanks are self-sealing. The crew members are located towards the front of the fuselage, and all the important modules (engines, fuel tanks) are located in the rear of the fuselage. There are also fuel tanks in the wings. These factors make the pilots well protected from the rear, but vulnerable to the front, whereas all important modules are extremely vulnerable from the rear.

* No armour protection
* Self-sealing fuel tanks

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

Flares should be one of your top priorities, as well as the 1000 LB bomb upgrade. These give you a fighting chance against your missile-armed opponents, and the bombs provide a relatively reliable source of RP {{rp}} as you work towards better equipping the aircraft for dogfights later down the line. Missiles should be researched as soon as possible as the FG.1 heavily relies on its missiles to take down enemies. Compressor and Engine provide the single largest addition to performance, far more than any of the other upgrades, and should be prioritised. The Airframe and Cover are not priorities, but New Boosters help immensely with taking on trickier opponents. The Offensive 20 mm and New 20 mm cannon upgrades are not priorities, as a close range dogfight is rare at this BR, meaning the gun is not as important.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}


The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** Without offensive armament
** 90 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
[[File:FG.1.jpg|thumb|Phantom FG.1 pushing into the sound barrier while carrying a 1,000 lb bomb payload]]
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|Mk.M2 (540 lb)|H.E. M.C. Mk.13 (1,000 lb)|SNEB type 23|GAU-4 (20 mm)}}
{{main|AIM-7E Sparrow|AIM-9D Sidewinder|AIM-9G Sidewinder|Skyflash}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* 1 x 20 mm GAU-4 cannon (1,200 rpg)
* 2 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles
* 4 x Skyflash missiles
* 234 x SNEB type 23 rockets
* 11 x 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs (11,000 lb total)
* 13 x 540 lb Mk.M2 bombs (7,020 lb total)

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" width="100%" style="text-align:center"
|-
! !! width="4%" | 1 !! width="4%" | 2 !! width="4%" | 3 !! width="4%" | 4 !! width="4%" | 5 !! width="4%" | 6 !! width="4%" | 7 !! width="4%" | 8 !! width="4%" | 9 !! width="4%" | 10 !! width="4%" | 11
| rowspan="9" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 20 mm GAU-4 cannons (1200 rpg)
| || || || || || 1 || || || || ||
|-
! 540 lb Mk.M2 bombs
| 2 || 3 || || || || 3 || || || || 3 || 2
|-
! 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs
| 2 || 2 || || || || 3 || || || || 2 || 2
|-
! SNEB type 23 rockets
| 36 || 54 || || || || 54 || || || || 54 || 36
|-
! AIM-7E Sparrow missiles
| || || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || || ||
|-
! AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
| || || 1, 2 || || || || || || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
| || || 2 || || || || || || 2 || ||
|-
! Skyflash missiles
| || || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || || ||
|-
| colspan="12" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,500 kg
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==
[[File:PHANTOM FG 1 COOL.png|thumb|A Phantom FG.1 of 111 Squadron, or "Treble One", patrolling over the North Atlantic.]]

[[File:PHANTOM FG 1 COOL 5.png|thumb|533x533px|An [[F-4M|F-4M/FGR.2]] (front) and F-4K/FG.1 (back), both in the post-1983 RAF Medium Sea Grey camouflage scheme, flying above a Norwegian Fjord. While outwardly similar, the two Spey Phantoms perform slightly differently.]]
The F-4K/Phantom FG.1 is the ultimate energy fighter. Its advantages over other aircraft are sheer power, roll rate, and its ability to climb to high altitudes. It has good speed and thrust-to-weight ratio at lower altitudes. The twin Rolls-Royce Spey 203 engines produce just over 9,000 kgf thrust when you are stationary- that is to say, on the runway- and over 10,000 kgf when you're travelling at near-supersonic speeds.

Side-climb high- around 8,000-9,000 m will do- and attack those beneath you. The Phantom's fantastic climb rate, as well as the FG.1's faster acceleration to maximum speed than any other F-4, including the FGR.2, gives it an excellent climb advantage over any and all opposition up to around 5,000 m (16,500 ft), and with side-climbing can easily manage to get to 10,000 m (33,000 ft) before anybody else can, save for F-4Es. It must be noted however that the Phantom's high-altitude controllability is not very good, and the aircraft flies like a brick above 7,500 m (24,000 ft).

The Phantom also has an RWR that can also differentiate between simple radar pings and a radar lock, which is invaluable in deciding whether one needs to start evasive manoeuvres to try break the lock or whether it is simply a sign of a distant enemy contact. The RWR is particularly useful when "notching" against an enemy Pulse Doppler radar. Use the UI to bring the radar lock warning line to the side of your aircraft (90 degree off the nose/tail). This will place the Phantom in zero relative velocity to the enemy and the ground clutter thus rendering you "invisible" to their radar.

The Ferranti AN/AWG-11 Radar can scan up to 370 km away in a 120 degree arc, but generally you should be using the PDV search mode rather than standard search. The radar also has an Air Combat Mode, or ACM mode, that shortens the radar search to an 11-by-11 degree search pattern with a maximum range of 9.25 km if using standard search, when using PDV search the ACM range is greatly extended. In ACM mode, it will lock on the first target that it manages to detect and will not stop tracking nor switch to another target until the lock is lost, which can be a useful tool for detecting and tracking targets that are not visible due to clouds, distance, or other such factors.

The AIM-9D/Gs do excellently when launched from 1-4 km away. They are superior to the AIM-9E, with 18 Gs of maximum overload as opposed to 10 Gs, but they are still inferior to the [[R-60|R-60/AA-8 Aphid]] (30G) and the [[AIM-9J Sidewinder|AIM-9J]] (20G). However, it is of note that the AIM-9D/G's seeker head is able to lock on and maintain a lock at much longer distances than either missile. It is possible to kill aircraft from 5-6 km away given the right conditions and a bit of luck.

Any British Phantom should not be taken close to the beginning furball. All mentioned facts combined give the image of a long-range missile-hauler with a licence to kill from long range given by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II herself. This is indeed the case. British Phantoms perform admirably in a support role in a furball, killing tailsitting MiGs, Mirages and Phantoms, as well as taking out enemy aircraft who go high to try to attack aircraft with an energy advantage, and enemy aircraft extending away from the furball to make another pass. [[File:Phantom FG1 SC1.png|thumb|Phantom FG.1 over El Alamein]]

This, however, does not mean that the Phantom FG.1 cannot handle itself in a dogfight. The FG.1 is more than capable of engaging aircraft up close, with a powerful M61 Vulcan. You can easily kill aircraft in a head-on, but that doesn't mean that you should commit and stay there! Always break off if you see enemy tracer, or at the very least when the enemy aircraft is 1 km away, lest you would like your own example of the World's Best Distributor of MiG Parts spread all over the sky. When using the Vulcan, one has two options on how to engage, one of which is more risky than the other, and depends on your aircraft being spaded.

* The first method of engagement is a fairly standard low-risk hit-and-run pass. Approach the enemy, shoot, and break off. There's nothing too special about it, and it relies more on the Phantom's blinding speed to get into the target area, the Vulcan's overwhelming Burst Mass to put at least a few rounds on the target, and then get out of the danger zone as soon as possible lest you become the target of unwanted attention. It requires little in the way of skill and little in the way of performance upgrades, as the FG.1 already has considerable engine power. However, it does not allow for sustained time on target and gives you only a small window of opportunity to make the shot.[[File:PHANTOM FG 1 COOL 2.png|thumb|Phantom FG.1 above the North Atlantic.]]
* The second method of engagement is much more risky, more rewarding, and requires a fair amount of pilot skill and a fully upgraded plane. In addition, this method is specific to British Phantoms, if not the FG.1 in general, as the FG.1 is the only Phantom which has this type of afterburner performance. Pilots are not recommended to try this in the [[F-4C]], [[F-4E]] or [[F-4EJ]]. Conversely, this tactic works very effectively against turning non-Spey phantoms. This method should not be used above 5,000 m under any circumstances. This method works best while in cloud and with an ACM lock on the enemy. The Phantom has its best roll performance at 700-950 km/h (380-515 kts) and can use its takeoff flaps below 700 km/h without risking them ripping off. You can use the airbrakes to slow the aircraft to the required speed, and then by tapping the flaps from raised to takeoff position, you can turn a little tighter than usual, and then use your outstanding afterburner performance to rapidly regain speed. You can out-accelerate any phantom in-game below 5,000 m, and even from a slower start you can rapidly close the gap. This manoeuvre can also be attempted at an angle to the horizontal, although speed can become a much greater concern (both flap rip speed and stall speeds). While this tactic may at first seem illogical- speed, after all, is the lifeblood of jet battles- the fast afterburner acceleration of the Spey Phantom can often ensure that you do not end up stalling. This tactic is, however, highly situational and requires a fair bit of situational awareness and pilot skill to pull off. Phantom neophytes shouldn't attempt this until they have at least spaded it and grown comfortable with it.

[[File:PHANTOM FG 1 COOL 6.png|thumb|A Phantom FG.1 breaking away to the left while an [[Phantom FGR.2|FGR.2]] presses onwards.|left]]

===Dodging Missiles: Do's and Don'ts===
The Phantom FG.1 is slightly more manoeuvrable than the FGR.2 due to aerodynamic modifications to allow it to perform better at speeds. This means it has a slightly easier time dodging missiles. However, the easiest to avoid missiles is to simply, turn off the afterburner, flare, and turn. This will defeat any IR AAM in game if done right. If the enemy missile was launched at close range, you may need to release multiple flares and turn harder. Another way to evade missiles is to break into the missile.[[File:Missile Inboard annotated.png|thumb|350px|Breaking into a missile.]]

==== Breaking into a missile ====
This situation assumes that you are in a Phantom FG.1, and have been locked on and launched at by an enemy aircraft from around 1.5-2.4 km with a missile.

# A missile is launched from the left of the Phantom, which is turning to the left. The Phantom pilot sees this, and switches off the afterburner in order to reduce heat signature.
# The missile is closing rapidly and is around 1 km away. The Phantom turns inwards towards the missile to increase the amount of Gs which the missile must pull, while popping flares in an attempt to decoy off the missile.
# The missile cannot pull the necessary Gs, and it misses. The Phantom escapes.

If dodging SAMs at low altitude during Ground Battles matches, try to put terrain features such as trees, buildings and cliffs between you and the missile to force the radar to break a lock, and break towards the missile in order to increase the G-force it needs to pull. While you can do this to some extent in Air RB, there aren't often many terrain features to begin with, and missiles are usually IRMs, which means that they don't require the launcher to continuously maintain line-of-sight with the target they launched at. Another method to dodge missiles is a barrel roll while popping flares, This method can sometimes be more effective than simply turning while releasing flares, however a large amount of speed will be lost, leaving the Phantom open to enemy attacks after the missile has been evaded.

==== Dodging SARH missiles ====
SARH missiles such as the AIM-7F and R-27ER are very common at this battle rating. The Phantom FG.1 is fitted with a RWR to alert the player of any incoming radar-guided threats. If the enemy missile is launched from distance (6+ km), the best thing to do it to notch the enemy radar and release chaff. Keep notching the enemy radar until the incoming missile misses.

If the incoming missile is too close to start notching, start by flying to the left or right, when the missile has gotten closer, sharply turn the other way while doing an aileron roll. This can consistently evade enemy missiles but loses a large amount of speed.

If the incoming missile is launched at a very close range (~2 km) simply do a elevator + aileron roll and the missile will almost always be evaded.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great top speed, one of the fastest aircraft in the game
* Decent instantaneous manoeuvrability for a plane of its size
* Excellent engine performance at low altitude
* Excellent rate of climb
* Excellent energy retention
* Adequate selection of secondary ordnance
* Powerful M61 Vulcan with sufficient ammo can wreak havoc against enemy aircraft
* Access to pulse-Doppler radar and 4 Skyflash missiles, making it a capable high-altitude fighter
* Access to AIM-9Gs, great when engaging at about 3 km

'''Cons:'''

* As with most jets, tends to bleed off energy in sustained turns- less so than the other top tiers but still significant enough to be worth mentioning
* Disappointing sustained turning performance
* Large target for cannons
* Limited payload options compared to American Phantoms
* Engines lose their edge at higher altitudes compared to US turbojets
* Control authority suffers drastically above ~8,000 m
* Possibility of ripping its wings in turns above 1,000 km/h
* The gunpod produces a noticeable amount of drag

== History ==


===Background===
From the late 1950s onwards the British Government began looking to replace a number of its early second-generation jet aircraft. The RAF was looking to replace the [[Canberra_(Family)|English Electric Canberra]] in the long-range interdictor role, and the [[Hunter_(Family)|Hawker Hunter]] in the close air support role; meanwhile the Royal Navy was looking to replace their de Havilland Sea Vixens in the fleet air defence role<ref name="WikipediaPhantomUK">Wikipedia: McDonnell Douglas Phantom in UK service</ref>. Two aircraft programs were started to produce suitable replacements; the BAC TSR-2 was to be a highly advanced strike and reconnaissance aircraft to replace the Canberra. Meanwhile the Hunter and the Sea Vixen would be replaced by different versions of the P.1154; a Mach 2 capable VTOL aircraft developed from the P.1127 (the predecessor of famous Harrier Jump Jet). The Navy were not entirely happy with the idea of the navalised P.1154, believing that it did not suit their needs; and in 1964 they dropped out of the programme, deciding to purchase the F-4 Phantom from America instead. In the same year a new government was elected and in 1965 cancelled both the TSR-2 and P.1154 programmes on cost grounds, leaving the RAF without its much needed Canberra and Hunter replacements. The Government announced a plan to purchase the F-111K from America to replace the TSR-2 program (the F-111K would also eventually be cancelled on grounds of cost), while the Hunter would be replaced by F-4 Phantoms from America<ref name="BurkePhantom">Burke 2016</ref>.

===Development===
Both the Royal Navy and RAF were now set to purchase the F-4 Phantom. The RAF could have operated standard F-4 Phantoms (and to some extent would have preferred to)<ref name="BurkePhantom" />, however the aircraft was going to need modifications in order to be able to operate off of the UK's aircraft carriers, which were smaller than the ones Phantoms usually operated from. In a bid to help the British aviation industry (which had been hurt by a number of cancelled programmes), and make the aircraft suitable for use by the Royal Navy it was agreed that all UK Phantoms would be significantly modified, by British companies, from their US counterparts. The most notable change would be the replacement of the American J79 turbojet engines with larger and more powerful Rolls-Royce Spey turbofans; a modified rear fuselage to accommodate the new engines would also be built by BAC, and the aircraft's radar system would be built under license by Ferranti<ref name="WikipediaPhantomUK" />.

It was decided that the UK Phantoms would be based off of the F-4J, which was then the primary version in service with the US Navy at the time<ref name="WikipediaPhantomUK" />. As the RAF and Royal Navy had differing requirements it was decided that two variants of the UK Phantom would be designed: the first variant, for the Royal Navy, would be designated F-4K or Phantom FG.1; while the RAF variant would be developed from the navy variant and be designated F-4M or Phantom FGR.2. Work began on modifying the F-4J to meet the Royal Navy's needs; the nose radome had to be made to hinge 180 degreed, to allow the Phantom fit on the smaller deck elevators of British carriers, and a telescopic nose gear was installed to allow the aircraft to sit pitched nose-up on the flight deck (by up to 11°), reducing take-off distance<ref name="WikipediaPhantomUK" />. The new engines were installed at a slight downwards angle to further increase take-off performance and the rear fuselage to be redesigned to both accommodate the new engines and cope with the increased heat they produced; the air intakes also had to be made larger, and additional intake doors added in the fuselage to provide the Speys with the airflow they required<ref name="BurkePhantom" />. Many other small changes were also made to UK Phantoms. The first F-4K prototype flew on 27 June 1966, with the First F-4M prototype flying on 17 February 1967.

===Service===
The first F-4Ks were delivered in April 1968 and were designated Phantom FG.1, early the following year they began test flights from HMS Eagle and the USS Saratoga. During the testing the intense heat produced by the downward-angled Spey engines, while the afterburner was engaged, caused the flight deck plating of the USS Saratoga to buckle<ref name="BurkePhantom" />. On-board HMS Eagle heavy-duty steel plating had to be welded to the flight deck; and be cooled using water from the ship's fire hoses between flights, in order to stop it from melting<ref name="SearlesPhantom">Searles n.d.</ref>. When the HMS Ark Royal was upgraded to operate Phantoms it had to have water-cooled blast deflectors and decking installed to prevent the Phantom's engines from damaging the flight deck <ref name="BurkePhantom" />. HMS Ark Royal had finished its refit in 1970, by which point the refit of HMS Eagle had been cancelled, along with plans to build two additional aircraft carriers. With the Navy now only having one carrier capable of operating Phantoms it was decided to reduce the Navy's Phantom fleet down to 28 aircraft, with the other 20 FG.1s being transferred to the RAF. The remaining Royal Navy Phantoms would serve on the HMS Ark Royal (R09) until her retirement.

The first F-4Ms entered RAF service in May 1969, filling the role of tactical strike aircraft; they were given the designation Phantom FGR.2 (with FGR standing for Fighter/Ground attack/Reconnaissance). The RAF's Phantom FGR.2 was overall very similar to the Navy's FG.1 variant, but had a number of changes; they used a slightly different version of Spey engines (the FG.1 had faster afterburner engagement to aid with aborted landings on aircraft carriers), and naval features like the telescopic nose gear, slotted tail, and cockpit-controlled wing folding were dropped. The FGR.2 also had different avionics, the radar was slightly different and additional functionality such as an inertial navigation / attack system was added, as well as modification needed to allow the FGR.2 to use a gun pod and reconnaissance pod, among other changes<ref name="GledhillPhantom">Gledhill 2017</ref>. Both the FGR.2 and FG.1 would later be modified with squared off tails, holding a radar warning receiver.

The Phantom FG.1s were withdrawn from Royal Navy service in 1978, with the decommissioning of HMS Ark Royal, and were transferred to the RAF to serve in air defence roles. The Phantom FG.1 was not originally equipped to carry a gun pod while in Royal Navy service, following their transfer to RAF service they were modified in order to carry the SUU-23/A 20 mm gun pod (the same one used by the RAF Phantom FGR.2s). The Phantoms were replaced in Navy service by the Harrier Jump Jet, which was able to operate from the Navy's new Invincible-class aircraft carriers (which were smaller than the HMS Ark Royal).

Following the Falklands War in 1982 the UK deployed a Squadron of FGR.2s to defend the Falkland Islands from any future attack; however this left a gap in the Air defence of the UK Mainland. It was decided to purchase 15 more F-4Js from America to fill this gap. The F4-Js were upgraded to F-4S standard and entered service with the RAF on 19 October 1984 under the designation Phantom F.3 or F-4J(UK)<ref name="BurkePhantom" />. The Phantom remained the UK's primary Air defence aircraft until it was gradually replaced by the Panavia Tornado; the last FG.1s retired on 30 January 1990, the last F.3s retired on 31 January 1991, and the FGR.2 left RAF service on 1 November 1992. The FGR.2 was due to retire earlier however just before retirement it was called back into service to defend RAF Akrotiri, on Cyprus, during the First Gulf War<ref name="BurkePhantom" />.

A total of 48 Phantom FG.1s, 118 Phantom FGR.2s and 15 Phantom F.3s were built<ref name="WikipediaPhantomUK" />.

===Further development plans===
Prior to the Phantom's retirement from RAF service there had been a plan to retrofit them with an upgraded version of the Spey engine. A program was started to design the new engines; they would have various improvements, the most notable of which being new turbine blades, reportedly manufactured from a single metal crystal<ref name="ThrustSSC">SSC Programme Ltd 1997</ref>. These blades would increase the operating life of the engines under normal conditions, but also give the option of operating the engines at higher temperatures, and thus higher thrust (although this would come at the expense of reduced engine life). These engines were known as Spey 205s and had a maximum thrust of 25,000 lb (11,340 kgf)<ref name="ThrustSSC" />, compared to 20,515 lb (9,305 kgf) for the regular Spey engines; although it is unclear if they would be used at this thrust rating while in service. With the Phantom retired the Spey 205 programme was cancelled, and no engines were produced under the Spey 205 name; however 12 Spey 202 engines had been upgraded to Spey 205 standard for testing (and are now generally referred to as Spey 205s, or Spey 202 hybrids)<ref name="BourneSSC">Bourne 1997</ref>. It is known that after the programme was cancelled two of the Spey 205 prototypes, along with two standard Spey 202s were obtained by the ThrustSSC programme (the world's fastest car)<ref name="ThrustSSC" />, although reports vary on whether the car was fitted with Spey 202s or 205s when it completed its record-breaking run.

===Comparison with American Phantoms===
The Rolls-Royce Spey engines gave British Phantoms notably different performance to their American counterparts. At low altitude British Phantoms accelerated faster than standard F-4Js and had a higher top speed; it was estimated that they had a 30% shorter take-off distance and a 20% faster climb to altitude<ref name="WikipediaPhantomUK" />. The Spey turbofan engines were also more fuel efficient than the J-79 turbojets, giving British Phantoms a 10 - 15 % increase in range compared to American aircraft<ref name="GledhillPhantom" />. The main drawback of the British design was that the reshaped fuselage produced more drag than the original design, meaning that at high altitude British Phantoms were slower and performed worse than their American counterparts (British Phantoms topped out at about Mach 1.9 at altitude, while American Phantoms could reach Mach 2.1)<ref name="BurkePhantom" />.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f-4k Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|YTV8OmfpR0Y|'''Phantom FG Mk1 Review So Far''' - ''TWM12''}}

== See also ==


;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-21 (Family)|MiG-21]]
* SAAB [[J35D]] ''Draken''
* Dassault [[Mirage IIIC]]

== External links ==


* [[Wikipedia:McDonnell_Douglas_Phantom_in_UK_service|[Wikipedia] McDonnell Douglas Phantom in UK service]]
* [https://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/phantom/history.php <nowiki>[Thunder and Lightnings]</nowiki> McDonnell-Douglas/BAC F-4K/M Phantom II]

===Citations===
<references />

===Bibliography===

* Bourne, Nigel. (1997). Development of the Rolls-Royce Military Spey Mk202 Engine. Retrieved from [http://www.thrustssc.com/ ThrustSSC]
* Burke, Damien. (2016). McDonnell-Douglas/BAC F-4K/M Phantom II. Retrieved from [https://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/phantom/history.php Thunder and Lightnings]
* Gledhill, David. (2017). Phantom in the Cold War: RAF Wildenrath 1977 - 1992. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Aviation.
* Searles, Dick. (n.d.). HMS Eagle Deck Trials 1969. Retrieved from [https://www.phantomf4k.org/video-library/hms-eagle-deck-trials-1969 Phantom F4K - Fleet Air Arm Royal Navy]
* SSC Programme Ltd. (1997). The Story of the Rolls-Royce Spey. Retrieved from [http://thrustssc.com/ ThrustSSC]
* Wikipedia. (n.d.). McDonnell Douglas Phantom in UK service. Retrieved from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonnell_Douglas_Phantom_in_UK_service Wikipedia]

{{AirManufacturer McDonnell}}
{{Britain jet aircraft}}

Phantom FG.1

2023-05-03T21:50:42Z

U138796218: /* Armaments */

{{About
| about = British jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-4 Phantom II (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f-4k
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''', otherwise known as the '''F-4K''', is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Starfighters"]]. Like the other British Spey Phantom, the [[Phantom FGR.2]], this Phantom comes with AIM-9Ds, stock RHAW, and two turbofan engines that differentiate it from other [[F-4 Phantom II (Family)|Phantoms]] in the game. This Phantom is the naval variant of the British Phantom FGR.2, and as such has several adaptations for use on the smaller flight decks of British Carriers, including a longer nose wheel, slotted elevators like on the [[F-4E]], larger leading-edge flaps, a tougher undercarriage, Spey 203s with a quicker Afterburner activation time, and a slew of other upgrades that are not modeled in War Thunder, such as a folding nose radome, drooping ailerons to aid in lift, and a different radar to the FGR.2 (AN/AWG-11 as opposed to the AN/AWG-12 in the FGR, and the AN/AWG-10 in the base F-4J model). The FG.1 takes off a good deal faster than the FGR.2 thanks to the more rapid gain of afterburner thrust, higher angle of attack possible due to the extended nose wheel, and the larger flaps.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 10,667 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,190 || 2,160 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 26.5 || 26.7 || 176.2 || 165.5 || rowspan="2" | 850
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,355 || 2,268 || 25.5 || 26.0 || 246.6 || 210.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 584 || 463 || ~11 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 810 || < 750 || < 700 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Rolls-Royce Spey 203 || 2
| colspan="2" | 13,705 kg || colspan="3" | 397 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 33m fuel
|-
| 1,860 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 15,457 kg || 17,177 kg || 18,913 kg || 19,545 kg || 25,400 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 33m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 5,110 kgf || 9,014 kgf
| 1.17 || 1.05 || 0.95 || 0.92 || 0.71
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,110 kgf (0 km/h) || 10,311 kgf (1,200 km/h)
| 1.33 || 1.20 || 1.09 || 1.06 || 0.81
|-
|}
The radiator can be manually controlled for increased time with afterburner without the engines overheating.

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


The Phantom FG.1 has no armour protection, the fuel tanks are self-sealing. The crew members are located towards the front of the fuselage, and all the important modules (engines, fuel tanks) are located in the rear of the fuselage. There are also fuel tanks in the wings. These factors make the pilots well protected from the rear, but vulnerable to the front, whereas all important modules are extremely vulnerable from the rear.

* No armour protection
* Self-sealing fuel tanks

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

Flares should be your top prioritie, as well as the 1000 LB bomb upgrade. These give you a fighting chance against your missile-armed opponents, and the bombs provide a relatively reliable source of RP {{rp}} as you work towards better equipping the aircraft for dogfights later down the line. Missiles should be researched as soon as possible as the FG.1 heavily relies on its missiles to take down enemies. Compressor and Engine provide the single largest addition to performance, far more than any of the other upgrades, and should be prioritised. The Airframe and Cover are not priorities, but New Boosters help immensely with taking on trickier opponents. The Offensive 20 mm and New 20 mm cannon upgrades are not priorities, as a close range dogfight is rare at this BR thus meaning the gun is not as important.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}


The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** Without offensive armament
** 90 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
[[File:FG.1.jpg|thumb|Phantom FG.1 pushing into the sound barrier while carrying a 1,000 lb bomb payload]]
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|Mk.M2 (540 lb)|H.E. M.C. Mk.13 (1,000 lb)|SNEB type 23|GAU-4 (20 mm)}}
{{main|AIM-7E Sparrow|AIM-9D Sidewinder|AIM-9G Sidewinder|Skyflash}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* 1 x 20 mm GAU-4 cannon (1,200 rpg)
* 2 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles
* 4 x Skyflash missiles
* 234 x SNEB type 23 rockets
* 11 x 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs (11,000 lb total)
* 13 x 540 lb Mk.M2 bombs (7,020 lb total)

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" width="100%" style="text-align:center"
|-
! !! width="4%" | 1 !! width="4%" | 2 !! width="4%" | 3 !! width="4%" | 4 !! width="4%" | 5 !! width="4%" | 6 !! width="4%" | 7 !! width="4%" | 8 !! width="4%" | 9 !! width="4%" | 10 !! width="4%" | 11
| rowspan="9" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 20 mm GAU-4 cannons (1200 rpg)
| || || || || || 1 || || || || ||
|-
! 540 lb Mk.M2 bombs
| 2 || 3 || || || || 3 || || || || 3 || 2
|-
! 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs
| 2 || 2 || || || || 3 || || || || 2 || 2
|-
! SNEB type 23 rockets
| 36 || 54 || || || || 54 || || || || 54 || 36
|-
! AIM-7E Sparrow missiles
| || || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || || ||
|-
! AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
| || || 1, 2 || || || || || || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
| || || 2 || || || || || || 2 || ||
|-
! Skyflash missiles
| || || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || || ||
|-
| colspan="12" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,500 kg
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==
[[File:PHANTOM FG 1 COOL.png|thumb|A Phantom FG.1 of 111 Squadron, or "Treble One", patrolling over the North Atlantic.]]

[[File:PHANTOM FG 1 COOL 5.png|thumb|533x533px|An [[F-4M|F-4M/FGR.2]] (front) and F-4K/FG.1 (back), both in the post-1983 RAF Medium Sea Grey camouflage scheme, flying above a Norwegian Fjord. While outwardly similar, the two Spey Phantoms perform slightly differently.]]
The F-4K/Phantom FG.1 is the ultimate energy fighter- its advantages over other aircraft are sheer power, roll rate, its ability to climb to high altitudes ,it has good speed and thrust to wright ratio at lower altitudes. The twin Rolls-Royce Spey 203 engines produce just over 9,000 kgf thrust when you are stationary- that is to say, on the runway- and over 10,000 kgf when you're travelling at near-supersonic speeds.

Side-climb high- around 8,000-9,000 m will do- and attack those beneath you. The Phantom's fantastic climb rate, as well as the FG.1's faster acceleration to maximum speed than any other F-4, including the FGR.2, gives it an excellent climb advantage over any and all opposition up to around 5,000 m (16,500 ft), and with side-climbing can easily manage to get to 10,000 m (33,000 ft) before anybody else can, save for F-4Es. It must be noted however that the Phantom's high-altitude controllability is not very good, and the aircraft flies like a brick above 7,500 m (24,000 ft).

The Phantom also has an RWR that can also differentiate between simple radar pings and a radar lock, which is invaluable in deciding whether one needs to start evasive manoeuvres to try break the lock or whether it is simply a sign of a distant enemy contact. The RWR is particularly useful when "notching" against an enemy Pulse Doppler radar. Use the UI to bring the radar lock warning line to the side of your aircraft (90 degree off the nose/tail). This will place the Phantom in zero relative velocity to the enemy and the ground clutter thus rendering you "invisible" to their radar.

The Ferranti AN/AWG-11 Radar can scan up to 370 km away in a 120 degree arc, but generally you should be using the PDV search mode rather than standard search. The radar also has an Air Combat Mode, or ACM mode, that shortens the radar search to an 11-by-11 degree search pattern with a maximum range of 9.25 km if using standard search, when using PDV search the ACM range is greatly extended. In ACM mode, it will lock on the first target that it manages to detect and will not stop tracking nor switch to another target until the lock is lost, which can be a useful tool for detecting and tracking targets that are not visible due to clouds, distance, or other such factors.

The AIM-9D/Gs do excellently when launched from 1-4 km away. They are superior to the AIM-9E, with 18 Gs of maximum overload as opposed to 10 Gs, but they are still inferior to the [[R-60|R-60/AA-8 Aphid]] (30G) and the [[AIM-9J Sidewinder|AIM-9J]] (20G). However, it is of note that the AIM-9D/G's seeker head is able to lock on and maintain a lock at much longer distances than either missile. It is possible to kill aircraft from 5-6 km away given the right conditions and a bit of luck.

Any British Phantom should not be taken close to the beginning furball. All mentioned facts combined give the image of a long-range missile-hauler with a licence to kill from long range given by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II herself. This is indeed the case. British Phantoms perform admirably in a support role in a furball, killing tailsitting MiGs, Mirages and Phantoms, as well as taking out enemy aircraft who go high to try to attack aircraft with an energy advantage, and enemy aircraft extending away from the furball to make another pass. [[File:Phantom FG1 SC1.png|thumb|Phantom FG.1 over El Alamein]]

This, however, does not mean that the Phantom FG.1 cannot handle itself in a dogfight. The FG.1 is more than capable of engaging aircraft up close, with a powerful M61 Vulcan. You can easily kill aircraft in a head-on, but that doesn't mean that you should commit and stay there! Always break off if you see enemy tracer, or at the very least when the enemy aircraft is 1 km away, lest you would like your own example of the World's Best Distributor of MiG Parts spread all over the sky. When using the Vulcan, one has two options on how to engage, one of which is more risky than the other, and depends on your aircraft being spaded.

* The first method of engagement is a fairly standard low-risk hit-and-run pass. Approach the enemy, shoot, and break off. There's nothing too special about it, and it relies more on the Phantom's blinding speed to get into the target area, the Vulcan's overwhelming Burst Mass to put at least a few rounds on the target, and then get out of the danger zone as soon as possible lest you become the target of unwanted attention. It requires little in the way of skill and little in the way of performance upgrades, as the FG.1 already has considerable engine power. However, it does not allow for sustained time on target and gives you only a small window of opportunity to make the shot.[[File:PHANTOM FG 1 COOL 2.png|thumb|Phantom FG.1 above the North Atlantic.]]
* The second method of engagement is much more risky, more rewarding, and requires a fair amount of pilot skill and a fully upgraded plane. In addition, this method is specific to British Phantoms, if not the FG.1 in general, as the FG.1 is the only Phantom which has this type of afterburner performance. Pilots are not recommended to try this in the [[F-4C]], [[F-4E]] or [[F-4EJ]]. Conversely, this tactic works very effectively against turning non-Spey phantoms. This method should not be used above 5,000 m under any circumstances. This method works best while in cloud and with an ACM lock on the enemy. The Phantom has its best roll performance at 700-950 km/h (380-515 kts) and can use its takeoff flaps below 700 km/h without risking them ripping off. You can use the airbrakes to slow the aircraft to the required speed, and then by tapping the flaps from raised to takeoff position, you can turn a little tighter than usual, and then use your outstanding afterburner performance to rapidly regain speed. You can out-accelerate any phantom in-game below 5,000 m, and even from a slower start you can rapidly close the gap. This manoeuvre can also be attempted at an angle to the horizontal, although speed can become a much greater concern (both flap rip speed and stall speeds). While this tactic may at first seem illogical- speed, after all, is the lifeblood of jet battles- the fast afterburner acceleration of the Spey Phantom can often ensure that you do not end up stalling. This tactic is, however, highly situational and requires a fair bit of situational awareness and pilot skill to pull off. Phantom neophytes shouldn't attempt this until they have at least spaded it and grown comfortable with it.

[[File:PHANTOM FG 1 COOL 6.png|thumb|A Phantom FG.1 breaking away to the left while an [[Phantom FGR.2|FGR.2]] presses onwards.|left]]

===Dodging Missiles: The Do's and Don'ts===
The Phantom FG.1 is slightly more maneuverable than the FGR.2 due to aerodynamic modifications to allow it to perform better at speeds. This means it has a slightly easier time dodging missiles. However, the easiest to avoid missiles is to simply, turn off the afterburner, flare, and turn. This will defeat any IR AAM in game if done right. If the enemy missile was launched at close range, you may need to release multiple flares and turn harder. Another way to evade missiles is to break into the missile.[[File:Missile Inboard annotated.png|thumb|350px|Breaking into a missile.]]

==== Breaking into a missile ====
This situation assumes that you are in a Phantom FG.1, and have been locked on and launched at by an enemy aircraft from around 1.5-2.4 km with a missile.

# A missile is launched from the left of the Phantom, which is turning to the left. The Phantom pilot sees this, and switches off the afterburner in order to reduce heat signature.
# The missile is closing rapidly and is around 1 km away. The Phantom turns inwards towards the missile to increase the amount of Gs which the missile must pull, while popping flares in an attempt to decoy off the missile. (This maneuver will not work unless countermeasure is used)
# The missile cannot pull the necessary Gs, and it misses. The Phantom escapes.

If dodging SAMs at low altitude during Ground Battles matches, try to put terrain features such as trees, buildings and cliffs between you and the missile to force the radar to break a lock, and break towards the missile in order to increase the G-force it needs to pull. While you can do this to some extent in Air RB, there aren't often many terrain features to begin with, and missiles are usually IRMs, which means that they don't require the launcher to continuously maintain line-of-sight with the target they launched at. Another method to dodge missiles is a barrel roll while popping flares, This method can sometimes be more effective than simply turning while releasing flares, however a large amount of speed will be lost, leaving the Phantom open to enemy attacks after the missile has been evaded.

==== Dodging SARH missiles ====
SARH missiles such as the AIM-7F and R-27ER is very common at this battle rating. The Phantom FG.1 is fitted with a RWR to alert the player of any incoming radar guided threats. If the enemy missile is launched from distance (6+ km). The best thing to do it to notch the enemy radar and release chaff. Keep notching the enemy radar until the incoming missile misses.

If the incoming missile is too close to start notching, start by flying to the left or right, when the missile has gotten closer, sharply turn the other way while doing an aileron roll. This can consistently evade enemy missiles but loses a large amount of speed.

If the incoming missile is launched at a very close range (~2 km) simply do a elevator + aileron roll and the missile will almost always be evaded.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great top speed, one of the fastest aircraft in the game
* Decent instantaneous manoeuvrability for a plane of its size
* Excellent engine performance at low altitude
* Excellent rate of climb
* Excellent energy retention
* Adequate selection of secondary ordnance
* Powerful M61 Vulcan with sufficient ammo can wreak havoc against enemy aircraft
* Access to pulse doppler radar and 4 Skyflash missiles, making it a capable high-altitude fighter
* Access to AIM-9Gs, great when engaging at about 3 km.

'''Cons:'''

* As with most jets, tends to bleed off energy in sustained turns- less so than the other top tiers but still significant enough to be worth mentioning
* Disappointing sustained turning performance
* Large target for cannons
* Limited payload options compared to American Phantoms
* Engines lose their edge at higher altitudes compared to US turbojets
* Control authority suffers drastically above ~8,000 m
* Possibility of ripping its wings in turns above 1,000 km/h
* The gunpod produces a noticeable amount of drag

== History ==


===Background===
From the late 1950s onwards the British Government began looking to replace a number of its early second-generation jet aircraft. The RAF was looking to replace the [[Canberra_(Family)|English Electric Canberra]] in the long-range interdictor role, and the [[Hunter_(Family)|Hawker Hunter]] in the close air support role; meanwhile the Royal Navy was looking to replace their de Havilland Sea Vixens in the fleet air defence role<ref name="WikipediaPhantomUK">Wikipedia: McDonnell Douglas Phantom in UK service</ref>. Two aircraft programs were started to produce suitable replacements; the BAC TSR-2 was to be a highly advanced strike and reconnaissance aircraft to replace the Canberra. Meanwhile the Hunter and the Sea Vixen would be replaced by different versions of the P.1154; a Mach 2 capable VTOL aircraft developed from the P.1127 (the predecessor of famous Harrier Jump Jet). The Navy were not entirely happy with the idea of the navalised P.1154, believing that it did not suit their needs; and in 1964 they dropped out of the programme, deciding to purchase the F-4 Phantom from America instead. In the same year a new government was elected and in 1965 cancelled both the TSR-2 and P.1154 programmes on cost grounds, leaving the RAF without its much needed Canberra and Hunter replacements. The Government announced a plan to purchase the F-111K from America to replace the TSR-2 program (the F-111K would also eventually be cancelled on grounds of cost), while the Hunter would be replaced by F-4 Phantoms from America<ref name="BurkePhantom">Burke 2016</ref>.

===Development===
Both the Royal Navy and RAF were now set to purchase the F-4 Phantom. The RAF could have operated standard F-4 Phantoms (and to some extent would have preferred to)<ref name="BurkePhantom" />, however the aircraft was going to need modifications in order to be able to operate off of the UK's aircraft carriers, which were smaller than the ones Phantoms usually operated from. In a bid to help the British aviation industry (which had been hurt by a number of cancelled programmes), and make the aircraft suitable for use by the Royal Navy it was agreed that all UK Phantoms would be significantly modified, by British companies, from their US counterparts. The most notable change would be the replacement of the American J79 turbojet engines with larger and more powerful Rolls-Royce Spey turbofans; a modified rear fuselage to accommodate the new engines would also be built by BAC, and the aircraft's radar system would be built under license by Ferranti<ref name="WikipediaPhantomUK" />.

It was decided that the UK Phantoms would be based off of the F-4J, which was then the primary version in service with the US Navy at the time<ref name="WikipediaPhantomUK" />. As the RAF and Royal Navy had differing requirements it was decided that two variants of the UK Phantom would be designed: the first variant, for the Royal Navy, would be designated F-4K or Phantom FG.1; while the RAF variant would be developed from the navy variant and be designated F-4M or Phantom FGR.2. Work began on modifying the F-4J to meet the Royal Navy's needs; the nose radome had to be made to hinge 180 degreed, to allow the Phantom fit on the smaller deck elevators of British carriers, and a telescopic nose gear was installed to allow the aircraft to sit pitched nose-up on the flight deck (by up to 11°), reducing take-off distance<ref name="WikipediaPhantomUK" />. The new engines were installed at a slight downwards angle to further increase take-off performance and the rear fuselage to be redesigned to both accommodate the new engines and cope with the increased heat they produced; the air intakes also had to be made larger, and additional intake doors added in the fuselage to provide the Speys with the airflow they required<ref name="BurkePhantom" />. Many other small changes were also made to UK Phantoms. The first F-4K prototype flew on 27 June 1966, with the First F-4M prototype flying on 17 February 1967.

===Service===
The first F-4Ks were delivered in April 1968 and were designated Phantom FG.1, early the following year they began test flights from HMS Eagle and the USS Saratoga. During the testing the intense heat produced by the downward-angled Spey engines, while the afterburner was engaged, caused the flight deck plating of the USS Saratoga to buckle<ref name="BurkePhantom" />. On-board HMS Eagle heavy-duty steel plating had to be welded to the flight deck; and be cooled using water from the ship's fire hoses between flights, in order to stop it from melting<ref name="SearlesPhantom">Searles n.d.</ref>. When the HMS Ark Royal was upgraded to operate Phantoms it had to have water-cooled blast deflectors and decking installed to prevent the Phantom's engines from damaging the flight deck <ref name="BurkePhantom" />. HMS Ark Royal had finished its refit in 1970, by which point the refit of HMS Eagle had been cancelled, along with plans to build two additional aircraft carriers. With the Navy now only having one carrier capable of operating Phantoms it was decided to reduce the Navy's Phantom fleet down to 28 aircraft, with the other 20 FG.1s being transferred to the RAF. The remaining Royal Navy Phantoms would serve on the HMS Ark Royal (R09) until her retirement.

The first F-4Ms entered RAF service in May 1969, filling the role of tactical strike aircraft; they were given the designation Phantom FGR.2 (with FGR standing for Fighter/Ground attack/Reconnaissance). The RAF's Phantom FGR.2 was overall very similar to the Navy's FG.1 variant, but had a number of changes; they used a slightly different version of Spey engines (the FG.1 had faster afterburner engagement to aid with aborted landings on aircraft carriers), and naval features like the telescopic nose gear, slotted tail, and cockpit-controlled wing folding were dropped. The FGR.2 also had different avionics, the radar was slightly different and additional functionality such as an inertial navigation / attack system was added, as well as modification needed to allow the FGR.2 to use a gun pod and reconnaissance pod, among other changes<ref name="GledhillPhantom">Gledhill 2017</ref>. Both the FGR.2 and FG.1 would later be modified with squared off tails, holding a radar warning receiver.

The Phantom FG.1s were withdrawn from Royal Navy service in 1978, with the decommissioning of HMS Ark Royal, and were transferred to the RAF to serve in air defence roles. The Phantom FG.1 was not originally equipped to carry a gun pod while in Royal Navy service, following their transfer to RAF service they were modified in order to carry the SUU-23/A 20 mm gun pod (the same one used by the RAF Phantom FGR.2s). The Phantoms were replaced in Navy service by the Harrier Jump Jet, which was able to operate from the Navy's new Invincible-class aircraft carriers (which were smaller than the HMS Ark Royal).

Following the Falklands War in 1982 the UK deployed a Squadron of FGR.2s to defend the Falkland Islands from any future attack; however this left a gap in the Air defence of the UK Mainland. It was decided to purchase 15 more F-4Js from America to fill this gap. The F4-Js were upgraded to F-4S standard and entered service with the RAF on 19 October 1984 under the designation Phantom F.3 or F-4J(UK)<ref name="BurkePhantom" />. The Phantom remained the UK's primary Air defence aircraft until it was gradually replaced by the Panavia Tornado; the last FG.1s retired on 30 January 1990, the last F.3s retired on 31 January 1991, and the FGR.2 left RAF service on 1 November 1992. The FGR.2 was due to retire earlier however just before retirement it was called back into service to defend RAF Akrotiri, on Cyprus, during the First Gulf War<ref name="BurkePhantom" />.

A total of 48 Phantom FG.1s, 118 Phantom FGR.2s and 15 Phantom F.3s were built<ref name="WikipediaPhantomUK" />.

===Further development plans===
Prior to the Phantom's retirement from RAF service there had been a plan to retrofit them with an upgraded version of the Spey engine. A program was started to design the new engines; they would have various improvements, the most notable of which being new turbine blades, reportedly manufactured from a single metal crystal<ref name="ThrustSSC">SSC Programme Ltd 1997</ref>. These blades would increase the operating life of the engines under normal conditions, but also give the option of operating the engines at higher temperatures, and thus higher thrust (although this would come at the expense of reduced engine life). These engines were known as Spey 205s and had a maximum thrust of 25,000 lb (11,340 kgf)<ref name="ThrustSSC" />, compared to 20,515 lb (9,305 kgf) for the regular Spey engines; although it is unclear if they would be used at this thrust rating while in service. With the Phantom retired the Spey 205 programme was cancelled, and no engines were produced under the Spey 205 name; however 12 Spey 202 engines had been upgraded to Spey 205 standard for testing (and are now generally referred to as Spey 205s, or Spey 202 hybrids)<ref name="BourneSSC">Bourne 1997</ref>. It is known that after the programme was cancelled two of the Spey 205 prototypes, along with two standard Spey 202s were obtained by the ThrustSSC programme (the world's fastest car)<ref name="ThrustSSC" />, although reports vary on whether the car was fitted with Spey 202s or 205s when it completed its record-breaking run.

===Comparison with American Phantoms===
The Rolls-Royce Spey engines gave British Phantoms notably different performance to their American counterparts. At low altitude British Phantoms accelerated faster than standard F-4Js and had a higher top speed; it was estimated that they had a 30% shorter take-off distance and a 20% faster climb to altitude<ref name="WikipediaPhantomUK" />. The Spey turbofan engines were also more fuel efficient than the J-79 turbojets, giving British Phantoms a 10 - 15 % increase in range compared to American aircraft<ref name="GledhillPhantom" />. The main drawback of the British design was that the reshaped fuselage produced more drag than the original design, meaning that at high altitude British Phantoms were slower and performed worse than their American counterparts (British Phantoms topped out at about Mach 1.9 at altitude, while American Phantoms could reach Mach 2.1)<ref name="BurkePhantom" />.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f-4k Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|YTV8OmfpR0Y|'''Phantom FG Mk1 Review So Far''' - ''TWM12''}}

== See also ==


;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-21 (Family)|MiG-21]]
* SAAB [[J35D]] ''Draken''
* Dassault [[Mirage IIIC]]

== External links ==


* [[Wikipedia:McDonnell_Douglas_Phantom_in_UK_service|[Wikipedia] McDonnell Douglas Phantom in UK service]]
* [https://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/phantom/history.php <nowiki>[Thunder and Lightnings]</nowiki> McDonnell-Douglas/BAC F-4K/M Phantom II]

===Citations===
<references />

===Bibliography===

* Bourne, Nigel. (1997). Development of the Rolls-Royce Military Spey Mk202 Engine. Retrieved from [http://www.thrustssc.com/ ThrustSSC]
* Burke, Damien. (2016). McDonnell-Douglas/BAC F-4K/M Phantom II. Retrieved from [https://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/phantom/history.php Thunder and Lightnings]
* Gledhill, David. (2017). Phantom in the Cold War: RAF Wildenrath 1977 - 1992. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Aviation.
* Searles, Dick. (n.d.). HMS Eagle Deck Trials 1969. Retrieved from [https://www.phantomf4k.org/video-library/hms-eagle-deck-trials-1969 Phantom F4K - Fleet Air Arm Royal Navy]
* SSC Programme Ltd. (1997). The Story of the Rolls-Royce Spey. Retrieved from [http://thrustssc.com/ ThrustSSC]
* Wikipedia. (n.d.). McDonnell Douglas Phantom in UK service. Retrieved from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonnell_Douglas_Phantom_in_UK_service Wikipedia]

{{AirManufacturer McDonnell}}
{{Britain jet aircraft}}

Tornado F.3

2023-05-02T23:43:37Z

U138796218: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = British jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Tornado (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=tornado_f3
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Sky Guardians"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 11,582 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,280 || 2,269 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 28.4 || 28.6 || 167.3 || 163.4 || rowspan="2" | 800
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,340 || 2,308 || 27.6 || 28.0 || 216.7 || 191.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="60%"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Limits
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
! Min sweep
| 972 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 1,166 || 552 || 440 || ~8 || ~3
|-
! Max sweep
| 1,555 || - || - || - || ~9 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 670 || < 650 || < 700 || -
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="6" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full internal fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Turbo-Union RB199-34R Mk.104 || 2
| colspan="3" | 14,659 kg || colspan="3" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="5" | Mass with internal fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 16m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 56m fuel
|-
| 968 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 16,186 kg || 16,463 kg || 17,365 kg || 18,718 kg || 19,749 kg || 23,512 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="6" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 16m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 56m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 3,756 kgf || 7,309 kgf
| 0.90 || 0.89 || 0.84 || 0.78 || 0.74 || 0.62
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 4,169 kgf (1,400 km/h) || 8,173 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.01 || 0.99 || 0.94 || 0.87 || 0.83 || 0.70
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs) !! Lead indicator
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|Mauser BK27 (27 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 27 mm Mauser BK27 cannon, chin-mounted (180 rpg)
** 1 x 27 mm Mauser BK27 cannon + 32 x large calibre countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|AIM-9L Sidewinder|Skyflash|Skyflash SuperTEMP}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* 2 x 330 gal drop tanks
* 2 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles + 320 x countermeasures
* 4 x Skyflash missiles
* 4 x Skyflash SuperTEMP missiles

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="9.0%" | 1 !! width="9.0%" | 2 !! width="9.0%" | 3 !! width="9.0%" | 4 !! width="9.0%" | 5
| rowspan="6" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
| 1, 2 *|| || || || 1, 2 *
|-
! Skyflash missiles
| || || 4 || ||
|-
! Skyflash SuperTEMP missiles
| || || 4 || ||
|-
! Countermeasures
| 160 * || || || || 160 *
|-
! 330 gal drop tanks
| || 1 || || 1 ||
|-
| colspan="7" | * Countermeasures can be carried with Sidewinder missiles on the same hardpoint
|}

== Usage in battles ==


Like other planes at this BR, the Tornado F.3 is outclassed by higher tier aircraft. This is especially problematic given the Tornado F.3 is heavily dependent on its weaponry and avionics to be competitive.

The Skyflash Super TEMPs are very potent but not on par with the [[AIM-7F Sparrow]]s. They accelerate faster and will outpace the AIM-7F within 4-6 km but refrain from trying to BVR Duel with the rank VIII Phantoms or the F-4J/S. The Skyflash will hang at around the same speed as the AIM-7F at BVR ranges. Due to how long the AIM-7F/M burns it will eventually outpace the Skyflash at longer ranges It goes without saying but The Skyflash is not an effective weapon against the [[R-27ER]] or the [[Matra Super 530D]]. Your prime targets are unsuspecting targets 4-9 km away heading generally towards you.

Try and avoid "fair" missile jousts considering the atrocious manoeuvrability of the Tornado F.3 makes it near impossible to kinetically dodge SARH missiles. Most of the high-end radar missiles can still guide into you due to CW missiles tracking residual radar returns or just gliding into you since the Tornado F.3 is not manoeuvrable enough to change course quickly to dodge the missile, even if the lock was broken. While most planes can outmanoeuvre a head on SARH missile by manoeuvring (rolling) out of the way, the Tornado cannot. It's even difficult to notch a radar-guided missile within 10 km given the closure speed and nearly orbital turning circle of the tornado. Of course, both are possible in certain circumstances but it isn't a reliable way to survive an competent opponent who has taken their time setting up a good SARH missile. Within 5 km, there isn't much you can do other than spam chaff and hope for the best.

Don't dogfight. You have no workable advantages against your opponent unless they are already badly crippled with large sections of their wings/tail missing. If you are chased, get a teammate to cover your back or run back to the airfield. Try and fly in a straight line given your speed bleed in any sort of turn manoeuvre.

The tornado F.3 likes to fly predictable, straight paths and makes very predictable manoeuvres. Any enemy with an ounce of situational awareness will easily be able to keep tabs on you with no effort whatsoever. You can't really make unpredictable manoeuvres and sneak up on people given your overall lack of mobility in any direction other than forward. This makes it hard to employ your AIM-9Ls or your guns, given it is very difficult to stick to an opponent's tail for a good rear aspect shot. Although you will still find the AIM-9L to be a very consistent weapon and a good close range missile.

At this BR, you can outrange pretty much anyone at your own BR with BVR missiles. Your biggest challenge will be F-4J/S with their AIM-7Fs and PDV radars. You have a fair chance of spotting and locking them first given your superior radar. When BVR fighting with an equal BR opponent, it might be a good idea to deliberately waste a Skyflash with a launch from maximum range just to give the enemy something to think about if they continue to commit to a head on. Once the missile is headed your way there isn't much you can do so the best defense is a good offence in this situation.

Never pull negative Gs in the Tornado F.3. As with many top tier planes the negative G performance of the tornado is poor. Unlike the British [[Phantom FGR.2|Phantoms]] your wings are not sturdy enough to sustain negative Gs even for a few seconds, often snapping as soon as you put your nose down. The Tornado is generally an unstable aircraft and prone to flat spinning as soon as the wing falls off, so don't expect to get back to base once you've lost a wing. Rolling can easily make the Tornado snap its wings. When in a turn, refrain from rolling in a 2G+ turn or else there is a good chance you may loose one or both wings. You may not have the controllability to recover and you may go into an uncontrollable spin depending on how violently you were rolling.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Has a lot of countermeasures, including large-calibre ones
* Can carry 8 air-to-air missiles at once
** Skyflash SuperTEMPs are effective SARH missiles in a BVR role
** Potent all-aspect heat-seeking AIM-9L missiles
* Has radar gunsight
* Advanced radar for its BR
** Includes TWS that indicates direction of enemy
** PD has IFF
* Can carry drop tanks to extend range
* Has reverse thrust to reduce landing distance

'''Cons:'''

* Poor turning performance
* Lacklustre acceleration
* Other BVR missiles have a longer range in an uptier
* Very difficult to kinetically dodge SARH missiles due to aforementioned poor turn rate
* Short ACM range
* The 27 mm cannon has a low rate of fire, low ammunition count, and mediocre damage
* Absence of drogue chute requires a long distance to land

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=tornado_f3 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|8q2mDrbxOT8|'''The Shooting Range #350''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:25 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|Kk-ag2B2ZqU|'''Tornado F.3: A Basic Review''' - ''Tims Variety''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[Tornado (Family)]]

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer Panavia}}
{{Britain jet aircraft}}

La-5FN

2023-05-02T21:20:08Z

U138796218: /* Manual Engine Control */

{{About
| about = Soviet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = the German captured version
| link-1 = La-5FN (Germany)
| usage-2 = other versions
| link-2 = La-5 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=la-5fn
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. This aircraft has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27.

Being the last La-5 modification available, one can expect a similar playstyle to the previous variants, however, turn it up several notches to 11. Sporting accurate twin 20 mm cannons and amazing low altitude performance, the La-5FN is a plane with heart that can provide some blood pumping engagements.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 6,100 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 595 || 576 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 20.0 || 20.8 || 17.6 || 17.6 || rowspan="2" | 341
|-
! Upgraded
| 646 || 620 || 18.1 || 19.2 || 27.2 || 21.7
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 447 || 418 || 270 || ~13 || ~13
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 380 || < 380 || < 380 || > 341
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 1,550 m || 1,630 hp || 1,920 hp
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 2
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 4,550 m || 1,430 hp || N/A
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


* 75 mm bulletproof glass in the rear windshield
* 55 mm bulletproof glass in the front windshield
* 10 mm steel plate behind the pilot seat

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|ShVAK (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 2 x 20 mm ShVAK cannons, nose-mounted (170 rpg = 340 total)

The ShVAK cannons are quite effective at this battle rating consisting of adequate damage output, a high rate of fire, and decent ammunition belts. However, they are crippled by mediocre damage per shot and by having close to the worst HEI round in the game, so one should focus on the critical components of a plane such as an engine and pilot. The cannons themselves are accurate, even in stock configuration and have the fastest rate of fire of any of its contemporaries (Hispano Mk.II's/404's, MG 151's, Ho-5's, Type 98/99's).

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|FAB-50 (50 kg)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* Without load
* 2 x 50 kg FAB-50 bombs (100 kg total)

== Usage in battles ==


The La-5FN is the last of the La-5 modifications available before moving on to the improved La-7 and is one of the best planes at its BR. Designed to be contemporary to the German [[Bf 109 (Family)|Bf 109]], it maintains excellent energy retention, adequate speed, brutal acceleration, and an amazing turn rate makes this a monster at its rank. If you made it this far in the Soviet tech tree, you should understand that all but 4 Soviet prop fighters are horrible above 4,000 m (13,123 ft), where their engines that are tuned for low-altitude will asphyxiate above that altitude, so avoid high altitude fights at all costs.

Head-on engagements should be avoided, as the radial engine presents a large target that's prone to damage.

A purebred energy fighter through and through, one should employ energy fighting tactics such as stall fighting, vertical scissors and others. However, due to its fantastic turn rate, you can outturn most German, American, Italian and French fighters. Never engage in a turn fight with the British [[Spitfire (Family)|Spitfires]] or most Japanese fighters, as they can turn on a dime and have a relatively powerful armament.

Some enemies to be considered:

* [[Spitfire (Family)|Spitfires]]: The legendary British fighter is the king of low altitude fighting. It can turn on a dime, has a decent top-end speed, but has a mediocre roll rate that only gets worse at higher speeds. Avoid them at all costs unless they are unaware of your presence. In which case, dive on it and aim for the pilot and wings, as your cannons will rip through them.
* [[C.205 serie 3]] and [[G.55 sottoserie 0]]: These Italian menaces are heavily armed dogfighters that are effectively Bf 109's with more weapons. Their speed is almost unparalleled at this rank and excels at most fighting scenarios. If one forces a fight on you, attempt to turn fight, as when combined with combat flaps and the effective rudder, you outturn them by a decent margin.

=== Manual Engine Control ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
|-
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
! colspan="3" | Radiator
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
|-
! Oil !! Water !! Type
|-
| Not controllable || Controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Not auto controlled || Separate || Controllable 2 gears || Not controllable
|-
|}

Usage of manual engine controls will allow you get more out of the engine at lower altitudes. Setting the propeller pitch to 100%, the radiator to 35% and the oil radiator to 40% will allow you to use WEP indefinitely without overheating. The values for both of the radiators can be reduced slightly when flying at higher altitudes or on colder maps.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent low altitude performance, faster on the deck than most of its peers
* Great energy retention and excellent acceleration
* Good manoeuvrability, combat flaps can be deployed up to 400 km/h IAS
* Accurate and fast-firing cannons with a larger ammo supply than most Soviet fighters
* Sturdy for a Soviet fighter

'''Cons:'''

* Poor engine performance at higher altitudes, can't use WEP above 3,700 metres or gear 2 supercharger with MEC
* Engine has a tendency to overheat at lower altitudes if manual engine controls aren't used
* Armament is inadequate when facing multi-engined aircraft, such as bombers
* Lower dive speed compared to contemporaries
* Lacklustre suspended armament
* Severe elevator lock-up above 550 km/h IAS

== History ==

[[File:Ivan-Kozhedub.jpg|thumbnail|right|Soviet ace pilot Ivan Kozhedub standing in front of his [[La-5FN]] fighter. As the Soviet Unions highest ace, Ivan is three times recipient of the ''Hero of the Soviet Union'' award for shooting down 64 aircraft during the Great Patriotic War.]]
In early 1942, Semyon Lavochkin's LaGG-3 fighter was under threat of having its production cancelled, having proved itself to be a flawed fighter, underpowered and overweight. At the same time, Arkady Shvetsov faced a lack of demand for his M-82 radial engine, only successfully used by the Sukhoi Su-2 ground attack aircraft that was also in danger of being cancelled. The two designers met at a conference in Moscow, and Shvetsov agreed to help Lavochkin fit the M-82 engine to the LaGG-3 airframe. Mikhail Gudkov, one of the original designers of the LaGG-3, had already attempted to do the same thing, resulting in the Gu-82 fighter. However, he had delayed too long in getting the fighter into production, and by April 1942, Aleksander Yakovlev had succeeded in getting production of the LaGG-3 cancelled in favour of his Yak-7 fighter, effectively monopolising Soviet fighter production.

Lavochkin's OKB was, in the meantime, transfer to the backwaters of Tbilisi, Georgia and he and his team had to work almost illegally and in harsh conditions to modify the LaGG-3 for the M-82 engine. The radial engine was physically wider than the LaGG-3 fuselage cross-section, requiring skirting to attach the larger engine and to the fuselage, and the M-82 also had no space for an engine-mounted cannon, unlike the Klimov M-105. Thus, the updated armament changed to two 20 mm ShVAK cannon mounted on top of the engine. The new LaGG-3 M-82 (also known as the Samolyot 37 (Aircraft 37) or the Type 37) was completed in February 1942 and underwent test flights, with promising results despite problems with engine cooling. Its performance was better than any Soviet fighter then in service. Other issues revealed in testing consisted of excessive control forces, oil leaks, and excessive weight, but these could not overshadow the LaGG-3 M-82's excellent performance, and its full-scale development began as the LaG-5. The first fully operational LaG-5s was delivered on 20 June 1942.

Series LaG-5s suffered from poor quality, which reduced performance considerably. As was revealed in the test flights, pilots found it to be a more difficult aircraft to fly than the Yak-1 or LaGG-3, but the radial engine enhanced protection during head-on attacks. Redesignated La-5 in September 1942, the new fighter faced its first important test during the battle of Stalingrad. It proved not to be enough to equal the Bf 109 F-4 and G-2 models but was considered capable of further improvement. Continuous improvements to the La-5 would eventually lead to the La-5F, La-5FN, and finally the La-7, among some of the most excellent Soviet fighters of the Great Patriotic War.

{{break}}
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
The Lavochkin La-5 was a single-engine monoplane fighter, a single-seater with an enclosed cockpit, wooden frame and a canvas skin. FN in the designation stands for Boosted, Fuel Injection. The new variant entered production and began to reach front-line units in March 1943. The La-5FN, rather than being a successor to the earlier La-5F, was produced concurrently. Its ASh-82FN engine could reach 1,850 HP and remain at takeoff power settings for up to 10 minutes.

In April 1943 a serial La-5FN was flight tested in mock combat against a captured Bf-109G-2. The Soviet aircraft proved superior at low and medium altitudes, the most common on the Eastern Front. The La-5FN was superior both in top speed as well as maneuvering in the vertical. An analysis of these engagements led to significant changes in Soviet tactics. The La-5FN's armament was identical to that of the La-5 and consisted of twin 20mm ShVAK cannon with 200 rounds per gun. The guns were pneumatically or mechanically operated.
{{Navigation-End}}

=== Notable pilots ===

<div><ul>
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:Ivan_Kozhedub_2.jpg|thumb|none|200px|link=User:U64962917#Kozhedub,_Ivan_N.|Soviet ace pilot [[User:U64962917#Kozhedub,_Ivan_N.|Ivan Kozhedub]], highest scoring Allied ace of WW II.]] </li>
</ul></div>

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=la-5fn Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|-87YJTY13Bc|'''Fast Like A Brick - La-5FN''' - ''DEFYN''|nijjX6f8lMo|'''Realistic: La-5FN [Energy Monster!]''' - ''Jengar''|eAsPeRyEFYQ|'''La-5FN - Back to Basics, Overshoots, reversals, BNZ''' - ''Green Fury''
}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[La-5 (Family)]]
* [[La-7 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/43539-lavochkin-la-5fn/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Lavochkin}}
{{USSR fighters}}

Kfir C.7

2023-05-02T02:30:57Z

U138796218: /* Usage in battles */

{{About
| about = Israeli jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Mirage 5 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=kfir_c7
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Israeli jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Winged Lions"]].

The IAI Kfir is a Israeli development of the [[Nesher]], itself a variant of the French [[Mirage 5 (Family)|Mirage 5]]. The delta-winged Mirages are known for their low wing loading and sleek aerodynamics, but their engines tend to be underwhelming. The Kfir rectifies this with an American J79 engine as seen on the [[F-4 Phantom II (Family)|F-4 Phantom]] and [[F-104 (Family)|F-104 Starfighter]], which offers vastly more thrust, and fixed canard foreplanes mounted on the air intakes to compensate for the weight changes. The end result is an aircraft with incredible acceleration and high agility, a dangerous opponent in dogfights.

The Kfir's weapons leave something to be desired, reflecting its real-life usage as a basic fighter-bomber. It can carry an impressive payload of bombs and rockets but lacks radar-guided missiles for BVR combat. Its best dogfight missile is the [[AIM-9G Sidewinder]], which is less manoeuvrable than the contemporary [[R-60]] and [[R.550|Matra Magic]] for example. It also does not have guided air-to-ground weapons used by the [[F-4E Phantom II (Israel)|Israeli F-4E]]. Thus, the Kfir requires a skilled pilot to take advantage of its excellent performance to win engagements.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The Kfir C.7 has an impressive acceleration, even higher than the [[MiG-23MLD]]'s. The plane can also turn quite well, but it is not recommended to turn while in combat as the delta wing configuration will bleed a lot of speed and a slow jet is an easy target. However, you can take the risk to bleed speed in some situations since you regain that speed rather quickly.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 10,668 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,322 || 2,272 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 28.3 || 29.0 || 183.9 || 172.1 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,457 || 2,388 || 26.0 || 27.0 || 268.9 || 224.6
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || X || X || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,460  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || N/A || N/A || ~11 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 920 || < 750 || < 1,460 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | General Electric J79-GE-J1E || 1
| colspan="2" | 7,385 kg || colspan="2" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 27m fuel
|-
| 1,750 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 8,140 kg || 9,187 kg || 9,903 kg || 16,500 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 27m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 5,260 kgf || 8,837 kgf
| 1.09 || 0.96 || 0.89 || 0.54
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,428 kgf (1,460 km/h) || 11,898 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.46 || 1.30 || 1.20 || 0.72
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The Kfir lacks any armour surrounding the pilots, making HE hits (missiles and cannons) able to penetrate and hit the pilot with ease.

Survivability of the Kfir is far greater than any of its contemporaries even though it lacks armour. The Kfir can sustain black fuselage damage, and ripped wings can have more than enough control authority to return back home and repair.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|DEFA 552A (30 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 2 x 30 mm DEFA 552A cannons, belly-mounted (140 rpg = 280 total)
** 2 x 30 mm DEFA 552A cannons + 36 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)}}
{{main|AIM-9D Sidewinder|AIM-9G Sidewinder|Shafrir 2}}
{{main|FFAR Mighty Mouse|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP|GAU-4 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 2 x Shafrir 2 missiles
* 4 x Shafrir 2 missiles
* 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
* 13 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (6,500 lb total)
* 8 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 11 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (9,500 lb total)
* 8 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 2 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 2 x 20 mm GAU-4 cannons (1,200 rpg = 2,400 total)
* 16 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="6%" | 1 !! width="6%" | 2 !! width="6%" | 3 !! width="6%" | 4 !! width="6%" | 5 !! width="6%" | 6 !! width="6%" | 7
| rowspan="12" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_Kfir_C.2.png]]</div>
|-
! 20 mm GAU-4 cannons (1,200 rpg)
| || 1 || || || || 1 ||
|-
! 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs
| || 2, 3 || 2 || 5 || 2 || 2, 3 ||
|-
! 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs
| || 2 || 2 || || 2 || 2 ||
|-
! 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs
| || 2 || 2 || || 2 || 2 ||
|-
! 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs
| || 1 || || || || 1 ||
|-
! FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
| || 38 || || || || 38 ||
|-
! Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
| || 8 || || || || 8 ||
|-
! AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || || 1 || 1
|-
! Shafrir 2 missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || || 1 || 1
|-
| colspan="8" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,500 kg
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


;RB:

The Kfir C.7 is one of the fastest accelerating and best climbing planes in the game, its performance at >1,234 km/h and high altitude is particularly exceptional, on top of being highly manoeuvrable, though the plane will compress when going above Mach 1. This does help the Kfir maintain energy, but once it falls out of that compressed state it will pull, and pull hard. With the speed and acceleration advantage the Kfir offers, it suffers from its own success as the wings will rip at 1,460 km/h which can easily be exceeded with the Kfir if speed isn't being kept in check.

The Kfir suffers from the same issue as other delta wing designs such as the [[J35 (Family)]] and [[MiG-21 (Family)]], and [[Mirage 5 (Family)|Mirage (Family)]] (which it's derived from), in that it bleeds quite a bit of speed while performing manoeuvres, and therefore sustained dogfights are not recommended in the Kfir. It will perform exceptionally well for the first few turns, so attempt to shoot down the target within that window. If unable to dispatch the enemy and the fight is being prolonged, then it's recommended to use the Kfir's exceptional acceleration and top speed to egress from the situation, and perhaps re-enter when the situation is more favourable to the Kfir.

One way of playing the Kfir C.7 is to fly around the center of the map and launch missiles at distracted enemies from behind. This will require you to stay low after takeoff and fly near the edge of the map to avoid being seen or being detected by enemy radar. Once the furball has formed, climb above the enemy, then look for enemies that are slow, distracted, un-aware of their surroundings then launch an AIM-9G missile at 3 km or closer. The main challenge to this play style is to find distracted enemy and be unnoticed when launching your missile.

Another way of playing the Kfir C.7 is to accelerate past Mach after takeoff, and then proceed to zoom up to high altitude at roughly 6-8 km where missiles are capable of flying much further, where the Kfir can truly stretch its exceptional speed and performance. Its primary weapon, the [[AIM-9G Sidewinder]], will have an exceptional range at these altitudes and it is not uncommon to achieve kills at ranges over 5-6 km. Be mindful that the radar will slave the seeker head of the [[AIM-9G Sidewinder]], and can be used to help achieve locks even if the plane is not directly off the nose of the aircraft. However, this play style is not recommended unless down tiered due to SARH and ARH missiles being very common at battle rating 11.3 and higher

;SB:

The Kfir is a phenomenal support fighter.

Due to its lack of radar and low countermeasure count at EC7 you do not want to spear head any fight. Your best way to play the plane is to stay 1-2 grid squares away from the main battle and wait for people call out enemies or for you to spot dog fights.

The Kfir's top speed will grant you the ability to close distances on targets and rescue team mates with ease. While its high alpha capabilities and strong airframe will allow you to slot into enemies tail's if needed.

The Kfir will begin to wing rip at 750 knots IAS. This is displayed on the left of your HUD allowing you to easily manage your speed without excessive head movement or taking your eyes off your target.

The AIM-9G locking is at the bottom of your HUD, this can be difficult to learn, but once you do, it is not a big issue.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great flight characteristics
* Amazing control authority at any speed
* Above average acceleration below Mach 1, and one of the fastest acceleration in the game above Mach 1
* Extremely fast, especially at high altitudes
* Has long range AIM-9Gs
* Able to take out 1 base if loaded with bombs
* Ballistic computer for guns, bombs, and rockets

'''Cons:'''

* Limited gun ranging radar which does not track or lock enemies
* Delta wing configuration bleeds airspeed quickly while in a high G turn
* 36 x countermeasures can be quickly used up, especially if split 50/50 between chaff and flares
* Missiles are pointed down requiring you to pull alpha or be above the target to get a lock
* No radar or radar-guided armament
* No all-aspect missiles

== History ==


In the 1960s, French and Israeli engineers worked together to develop the [[Mirage 5F|Dassault Mirage 5]], successor to the [[Mirage IIICJ|Mirage III]], tailored specifically to the requirements of the Israeli Air Force (IAF). Israel funded a large part of the project by purchasing a total of 50 aircraft in advance of their production. The deal eventually fell through when France enacted an arms embargo on Israel following its preemptive strike at the start of the 1967 Six-Day War - an action that the French had explicitly warned Israel not to take. Though Israel was eventually reimbursed for its payments, the Mirage 5 was never supplied.

To circumvent the embargo, Israel collaborated with the Dassault Aviation company to smuggle blueprints and materials out of France to construct their own copy of the Mirage 5 - the [[Nesher|IAI Nesher]]. One of the most successful air superiority fighters of all time, the Nesher scored a staggering 111:3 kill ratio during the Yom Kippur War of 1973. This not only proved the merits of the Mirage 5's design, but also proved that Israel was now capable of manufacturing warplanes locally. This fact was of utmost importance to the Israelis: up until that point they had been completely dependent on the French to supply their aircraft, and were now left orphaned due to the embargo.

Thanks to a gradual warming of relations with the United States, the IAF could begin arming itself with [[A-4H (Israel)|A-4H]] and [[F-4E Phantom II (Israel)|F-4E Phantom II]] jets, which served mostly as ground attackers; but neither could replace the Nesher as an air superiority fighter. With the looming threat of more advanced Soviet fighters entering service in the Arab air forces, Israel was keenly aware that the Nesher could not remain the top dog for long. Israel's response to this threat was to begin development of an advanced fighter jet based on the Mirage 5 design - one that could be manufactured ''from scratch'' in Israel.

A major factor in the design of the new plane was its engine. Israel had already acquired a license to produce the powerful General Electric J79 turbojet - the engine used in the F-4E. Thus, it was decided that the new Mirage 5 variant would be built entirely around this engine. This required several major changes to the airframe, primarily a redesign of the fuselage and enlargement of the air intakes (even adding a small cooling intake in the tail). As per their usual doctrine, the Israelis also installed a completely new advanced avionics package into the cockpit, altering it significantly. Another, more noticeable feature was the addition of two small canards on either side of the intakes.

The resulting aircraft, the ''IAI Kfir'' ("Lion Cub"), entered service in 1975. However, its primacy in the IAF was supplanted almost immediately by the arrival of the first F-15s in late 1976, and later by the [[F-16A Netz (Israel)|F-16s]]. The Kfir was therefore relegated to a fighter-bomber role during the 1982 Lebanon War.

The Kfir C.7, being the third and most advanced variant of the Kfir in IAF service, was designed to fit the aircraft's new role "underneath" the F-15 and F-16. It was built more robustly, and carried a stronger version of the J79 engine that could help it take off with a heavier payload. It had additional hardpoints for carrying extra munitions, and much larger canards than the original design. All Kfir C.7s were in fact upgraded Kfir C.2s, rather than brand new planes.

Despite being originally designed as an air superiority jet, the Kfir only scored a single aerial kill throughout its service in the IAF. Its last action in the IAF occurred during the 1993 Operation Accountability, after which it was gradually removed from service. An export version of the plane, however, was sold to Colombia, Ecuador and Sri Lanka, and still serves in their air forces in 2021, with constant upgrades. The plane took part in combat once again during the (1983-2009) Sri Lankan Civil War from 1996 after introducing the Kfir to it's Air Force.

=== [[wt:en/news/7466-development-kfir-c-7-the-sharp-clawed-lion-cub-en|Devblog]] ===
Immediately after the Six-Day-War, France imposed an arms export embargo on Israel, acutely highlighting the nation's dependence on foreign suppliers of military equipment. Despite the embargo, Israel managed to obtain documentation for the Mirage 5J version, which was developed specifically for the Israeli Air Force before the ban. These aircraft were produced commercially under the name IAI Nesher. But due to the end of supplies from France, Israel turned to the U.S. for assistance, procuring a number of new F-4 Phantom II and A-4 Skyhawk aircraft for its air force. However, when the air force compared the Nesher with the new F-4 Phantom, it realized that the Mirage was falling behind in several aspects. Therefore, plans to outfit Neshers with licence-built Phantom II engines - the General Electric J79 - were drawn up and soon afterward realized with the Kfir (Hebrew for "Lion Cub").

Entering serial production in 1975 and subsequently being commissioned into service with the 101st, 113th and 109th squadrons of the Israeli Air Force, the Kfir first saw combat action in November 1977. While the aircraft performed well and was also well-liked by its pilots, the modification did increase the weight of the aircraft, negatively impacting some of its flight characteristics. Israeli engineers solved the issue by outfitting the Kfir with fixed canards on the forward section of the fuselage.

The Kfir C.7 is a later modification of the aircraft, resulting from continuous efforts of Israeli engineers to further develop the Kfir. The new version featured numerous improvements, including a more powerful afterburner, increased payload and weapon selection as well as new avionics and cockpit arrangement. The Kfir C.7 entered service in 1983 and would remain in active service until the early 1990s before being officially decommissioned by the Israeli Air Force. Subsequently, some units were sold on the export market to Columbia and Sri Lanka where they saw active combat during the Sri Lankan Civil War.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=kfir_c7 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|ERLptF1Nsps|'''The Shooting Range #286''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:36 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[Mirage 5 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7466-development-kfir-c-7-the-sharp-clawed-lion-cub-en|[Devblog] Kfir C.7: The Sharp-Clawed Lion Cub]]

{{Manufacturer IAI}}
{{Israel jet aircraft}}

MiG-21bis (Sweden)

2023-05-01T02:42:53Z

U138796218: Updated information

{{About
| about = jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = MiG-21 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=mig_21_bis_finland
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (NATO Code: Fishbed-L/N) is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Swedish jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Fire and Ice"]].

The MiG-21bis is the ultimate development of the MiG-21. It looks roughly the same as the [[MiG-21SMT]] and [[MiG-21MF (Germany)|MiG-21MF]], both third-generation MiG-21 models with search radars, internal GSh-23 cannons, and pronounced fuselage spines. The main improvement in the MiG-21bis is a new R-25 engine with an emergency afterburner stage outputting more than 9,000 kgf of thrust in optimal conditions, granting excellent acceleration and climb rate for a single-engine fighter. The armament remains similar to the MiG-21SMT, but has the option of new R-13M1 infrared missiles similar to the [[AIM-9G]] and up to six R-60MKs - all-aspect versions of the familiar R-60s. Although the MiG-21bis has weak BVR capabilities and lacks the dogfight-tuned airframe of the [[J-7E]], it can still be a powerhouse in close combat for pilots who use its strong engine power, good missile capacity, and ability to pull high AoA turns.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The MiG-21bis has absolutely phenomenal acceleration and high-speed performance making it one of the highest-performing aircraft in the game. Firstly, the aircraft is quite fast, being able to reach 1,365 km/h IAS on the deck (at low altitudes) before its wings rip - this means that it is usually capable of outrunning most enemies at its rank, such as Phantoms and the Mirage, with the exception of the F-104 Starfighters which can outrun the MiG-21bis by a small margin. Secondly, the aircraft has the fastest overall acceleration of any aircraft in the game, meaning that it can reach its top speed quickly. However, like all other MiG-21s, the MiG-21bis cannot turn well and tends to bleed speed at an alarming rate during turns. Extended dogfights should therefore be avoided, as the MiG-21bis will often end up on the losing side.

The MiG-21bis has a strong set of control surfaces including an all-moving tail, which keeps the aircraft responsive up to high speeds (>1,300 km/h). However, be aware that the aircraft has two limiting structural factors: the wings' rip speed and structural G limit. Wings will rip at 1,365 km/h IAS, a speed the plane can reach relatively quickly given its phenomenal acceleration. The structural limit of 13G means stronger turns should thus be avoided as there is a risk that they will rip the aircraft's wings.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 13,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,177 || 2,142 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 37.8 || 38.8 || 191.0 || 179.8 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,305 || 2,240 || 36.4 || 37.0 || 262.7 || 225.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 500 || 450 || ~12 || ~6
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 650 || < 600 || < 950 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | _____ || _
| colspan="2" | _,___ kg || colspan="2" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel
|-
| ___ kg || colspan="2" | ___
| _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (___%/WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || ___%/WEP
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || ___ kgf || ___ kgf
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
| ''Optimal'' || ___ kgf (_ km/h) || ___ kgf (_ km/h)
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


* 60 mm bulletproof glass - armoured windscreen
* 10 mm steel - bulkhead behind pilot
* Engine and fuel tanks take up most of the fuselage area behind the cockpit

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|GSh-23L (23 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon, belly-mounted (250 rpg)
** 1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon + 64 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|R-3R|R-3S|R-13M1|R-60MK|S-5K}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x R-13M1 missiles
* 4 x R-3S missiles
* 4 x R-3R missiles
* 4 x R-13M1 missiles
* 4 x R-60MK missiles
* 6 x R-60MK missiles
* 64 x S-5K rockets (4 x 16-rocket pods)
* 64 x S-5K rockets (2 x 32-rocket pods)

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="11%" | 1 !! width="11%" | 2 !! width="11%" | 3 !! width="11%" | 4
| rowspan="6" width="25%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_MiG-21bis.png]]</div>
|-
! S-5K rockets
| 16 || 16, 32 || 16, 32 || 16
|-
! R-3R missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! R-3S missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! R-13M1 missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! R-60MK missiles
| 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The MiG-21bis is fairly manoeuvrable at high speeds and since it accelerates quickly and climbs extremely well, it works well as an interceptor (take off, reach around 1,000 km/h, burst climb at a 20-25 degree angle up to 6,000 or 7,000 m and fire on anything that can be sighted) but this method has some risks.

First, the MiG-21bis is prone being hit by a SARHM such as the AIM-7F or R24R (Semi Active Radar Homing Missiles) that can easily shoot the MiG-21bis down since the plane becomes a brick at higher altitudes. And sometimes, even if the MiG-21bis succeeds in its interception objective, some enemies will fly in a different path, so they'll easily sneak up behind the MiG-21bis and take it down with missiles if it is high and slow enough.

The second way to play this plane is to fly at lower altitudes (below 2,000 m) and engage any targets that are encountered, the risk here is that the MiG-21bis is left vulnerable to high-flying enemies that, again, can easily sneak up and take the MiG-21bis down, so pay attention to the surroundings and avoid getting an IR missile shot up into the engine.

The third, and probably safest, way to play the MiG-21bis is to flank around the main fighting area. Side-climb up to around 4-5 kilometres in the air, making sure to avoid the frequented flight paths so the MiG-21bis does not appear on their radar (additionally, turn off the MiG-21bis' radar during this climb so that the enemies' radar-warning receiver does not pick up the MiG-21's radar as well). Idle around the sides until the main body of the enemy team is spotted and then begin turning towards the battlefield to begin engaging targets. As the MiG-21bis returns, keep an eye for any enemy planes that have a similar idea of flanking around. This scenario usually compose of only one enemy fighter climbing up, which a skilled MiG-21bis pilot can begin engaging in their favour if they have a height advantage. However, if two fighters appears, it is best to break off and move towards the vicinity of allies to help engage.

A more risky but rewarding playstyle is to use 2 x R-13M-1 and 4 x R-60MK, or 4 x R-13M-1, and take advantage of MiG-21's 225 m/s climb rate, which in theory, is superior to even the Phantom FG.1 and FGR.2. Radars on most jets can scan ~15 degrees above the horizontal, and by climbing at Mach 0.90-0.95, it is possible to "fly above the radar" and remain undetected at BVR ranges. At high altitudes, the R-13 can be launched at 3 km in a chase and even farther in a dive against lower targets. Although the MiG-21 has a substantial advantage in transonic manoeuvrability, the MiG-21's delta wings cause significant energy bleed in turns as mentioned above. Making high-speed diving attacks is certainly a valid tactic, and fighting from high altitude downwards makes situational awareness easier as most enemies will be at lower altitudes rather than in all directions. This playstyle is most suitable for principled Phantom pilots who are accustomed to maintaining a high energy state.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

* F-14A Early, the F14 can be a very dangerous opponent as it has access to the AIM-54 Phoenix and the AIM-7F Sparrow missiles. Multiple F-14s will be able to effectively shut down higher altitudes at the start of the game by launching AIM-54 missiles. Thankfully the MiG-21 Bis is fitted with a RWR to alert you of any potential incoming treats. Whenever you notice a possible incoming SARH missile at high altitude, the best thing to do is to immediately start to notch the enemy radar (Going 90 degrees in relation to the enemy radar) and release chaff. In a dogfight the F-14 will gain the upper hand in just a few turns due to the poor energy retention of the MIG-21. However the MiG-21 will have the better turn radius in the first 1-2 turns if the fight starts at high speed.
* The F-16A and MiG-29. Both of these planes feature advanced radar and highly dangerous SARH missiles. (AIM-7F, R27ER) However these can still be countered by notching the enemy radar. Both of these planes will have the advantage in a dogfight, the MiG-29 will be able to out turn you at most speeds while the F-16 is much more agile at lower speed and can easily put you into an energy trap.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Impressive climb rate of 225 m/s
* Increased flight performance compared to earlier MiG-21s
* Excels against both aerial and ground targets
* Has access to flares that are fired downwards, which means that missiles can be more easily evaded
* Stunning acceleration
* Can wield six R-60MKs
* Huge thrust to weight ratio

'''Cons:'''

* As all MiG-21s, it tends to bleed speed in turns, though not as much, thanks to the improved engine
* Pretty bad low speed manoeuvrability
* Doesn't respond well to wing damage - if a wingtip is lost, landing this plane will be very difficult, and if a wing is lost, the plane should be considered as lost
* Poor energy retention

== History ==

By the late 1960s, the Soviet high command sought to increase the effectiveness of the MiG-21 jet fighter, especially at lower altitudes, while at the same time knowing that this could only be achieved by developing a more powerful engine for it. As a result, in 1971, the order to develop what would essentially become the MiG-21bis was issued by the Soviet high command.

As both the power plant manufacturer - Tumansky - as well as the MiG aircraft design bureau were already working on improvements, this order only officially recognized their work, and as a result, by 1972 the MiG-21bis was ready.

Unlike preceding variants, the MiG-21bis managed to strike a balance between performance and endurance. Additionally, the aircraft was fitted with an improved radar and a systems monitor, which made maintenance substantially easier. Furthermore, the maximum number of missiles the aircraft could carry was increased to six while it also received the option to carry the new R-13M air-to-air missile with increased range, higher G-loading and better seeker tracking over the preceding R-3S. Very manoeuvrable R-60 missiles can be carried as well.

The first MiG-21bis was constructed in 1972 and was adopted into service in the same year. Well over 2,200 units of the MiG-21bis would be manufactured, including licence-built versions. The MiG-21bis was one of the most widely produced variants of the aircraft and saw widespread use with numerous operators around the globe. In fact, some modernized modifications are still in combat use today.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=mig_21_bis_finland Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Sweden jet aircraft}}

Spitfire LF Mk IX

2023-04-30T20:59:30Z

U138796218: /* Manual Engine Control */

{{About
| about = British fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Spitfire (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=spitfire_ix
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.35]].

The Spitfire LF Mk IX is very much a short range, point interceptor fighter and the stand out fighter in the mid Spitfire line-up. It features an exceptional rate of climb, whilst still retaining the manoeuvrability of its early lineage. The LF Mk IX is considered by most to be the perfect Spitfire due to its balanced all round performance and impressive statistics. The last of the Merlin-engined Spitfires before progressing on to the Griffon powered variants, it has the perfect balance of turning performance (second only to its Japanese counterparts) as well as its "Boom and Zoom" capability that becomes more possible with later model Spitfires.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 4,878 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 632 || 612 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 16.4 || 17.0 || 22.2 || 22.2 || rowspan="2" | 320
|-
! Upgraded
| 731 || 690 || 14.8 || 14.8 || 43.3 || 31.8
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| X || X || ✓ || X || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || N/A || 230 || ~10 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 321 || < 400 || < 350 || > 470
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Compressor
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
! Setting 1
| 3,600 m || 1,440 hp || 1,843 hp
|-
! Setting 2
| 6,800 m || 1,340 hp || 1,664 hp
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


* 38 mm Bulletproof glass in the cockpit front.
* 4 mm Steel plate in the pilot's seat.
* 6-7 mm Steel plates behind the pilot.
* 3 mm Steel plate on top of the fuel tanks.
* 3 mm Steel boxes around the wing ammunition.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|Hispano Mk.II (20 mm)|M2 Browning (12.7 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 2 x 20 mm Hispano Mk.II cannons, wing-mounted (135 rpg = 270 total)
* 2 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, wing-mounted (260 rpg = 520 total)

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|AN-M57 (250 lb)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* Without load
* 1 x 250 lb AN-M57 bomb (250 lb total)

== Usage in battles ==

The Spitfire LF Mk IX is a fighter aircraft that excels in dogfighting thanks to its high manoeuvrability. It is able to outturn nearly every other plane that it might face, except for a few Japanese fighters. However, engaging in extended turnfights usually should not be the pilot's first course of action when facing an opponent. Instead, the pilot should use the Spitfire's incredible rate of climb to gain an altitude advantage over the enemy. Then, it's easy to boom and zoom over lower-energy targets. This strategy works well thanks to the plane's good energy retention, although its lacklustre guns sometimes makes high-speed shooting unreliable.

If an altitude advantage is not possible, then the aircraft's manoeuvrability can shine. If the enemy can be lured into a turnfight, then there is almost no chance that they can come out on top. In rolling scissors manoeuvres, the Spitfire is also quite capable, but its roll rate may be lacking against some opponents.

At high speeds, the Spitfire tends to compress, losing control authority in both the roll and pitch axes. This can make it surprisingly difficult to recover from steep dives, and given the Spitfire's relatively low red-line speed, it is often necessary to spiral downwards instead of diving straight down if the pilot wishes to lose altitude quickly.

Due to this plane's vulnerabilities, namely a low ammunition load and somewhat flimsy airframe, it is not recommended to attack bombers with heavy defensive armament. In fact, the Hispano cannons' sometimes unreliable damage output means that it can be wise to choose attacking smaller, lighter targets (single-engine fighters) over larger ones (heavy fighters and attackers). All else being equal, and as long as teammates or win conditions are not being immediately threatened, attacking a single-engine fighter instead of a larger plane will usually yield greater results and a quicker victory.

In Ground Realistic battles, the Spitfire is ill-equipped to attack ground targets. Its 20 mm cannons don't have the ammo count or penetration to do reliable damage to armoured targets, and its single 250 lb bomb does little against tanks unless aimed near-perfectly. However, it is still an excellent air superiority fighter. In the dogfight-centric playstyle of aircraft in Ground Realistic battles, the Spitfire's amazing turn rate makes it shine.

=== Manual Engine Control ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
|-
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
! colspan="3" | Radiator
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
|-
! Oil !! Water !! Type
|-
| Controllable || Controllable Auto control available || Not controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Auto control available || Combined || Controllable 2 gears || Not controllable
|-
|}

As with all the other British planes, this plane is also very forgiving when using Manual Engine Settings.

Prop pitch: This should be set to 100% when climbing to utilize the aircraft's superior climb rate. This will come in handy both at the start of a match and during combat. However when in level flight or chasing another plane this can be set back as far to 70-80% to get a few more km/h.

Radiator: The radiator can be set to around 30% when using 100% power, however setting the radiator to around 80% will allow you to use WEP for the entire game.

Supercharger: Switching this at 2,000 m (6,561 ft) will give you quite a boost in performance and it will retain its climbrate up until 4,500 m, after it will suffer miserably but still climb better than almost every plane. Therefore the supercharger gears should be switched at 2 km (6,561 ft) altitude

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Supreme rate of climb that will rival that of the later Griffon Spitfires and most late war props (46.7 m/s in AB, 31.8m/s in RB/SB when maxed out, beating the F8F-1B at altitudes below 7 km)
* Excellent acceleration from a standing start due to the boost configuration
* Exceptional manoeuvrability at all altitudes
* Decent energy retention.
* M2 Browning .50 cal machine guns are more powerful than the old .303 Brownings
* Has access to 150 Octane Fuel will increase your engine power by a large margin

'''Cons:'''

* Sub average roll rate can make the plane suffer in tight scissors
* Limited dive rate, moderate parasitic drag
* Limited ammo capacity
* Due to high wing loading, even slight damage to the wings can impact performance negatively
* Poor top speed due to high parasitic drag compared to engine power
* Since it is an 'LF (low-altitude fighter)' Spitfire, this Spitfire's performance suffers at high altitude
* Poor ground attack capatibility

== History ==


{{break}}
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}|expand=true}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
The Supermarine Spitfire was a British single-engine, all-metal, low-wing monoplane fighter. While the Mk VII and Mk VIII variants was being designed, a Spitfire Mk III was tested in September 1941 with the new Rolls Royce 60 in the hopes of developing an interim fighter to use as a stop gap measure. The new Spitfire performed exceptionally well, and was rushed into production as the Mk IX. The Air Fighting Development Unit described the Mk IX as 'outstandingly better than the Mk V especially at heights above 20,000 feet' and even though it was not fitted with the modified control surfaces under development for the Mk VII and Mk VIII, the Mk IX was more than capable of meeting the Focke-Wulf FW190 on favourable terms. The Mk IX was fitted with the Type C 'universal' wing and originally carried the tried and tested combination of two 20mm cannon and four 0.303 inch machine guns, but in later versions the four 0.303 machine guns were replaced with two .50 calibre guns.

A total of 5,665 Mk IX were produced and 262 more Mk Vs were converted to Mk IX. Intended as a transitional stop-gap measure for the Mk VII and Mk VIII, the variant remained in production until the end of the war, ultimately becoming the most mass-produced Spitfire version. This mark was also used as a fighter-bomber and as a reconnaissance aircraft. Further modifications were incorporated into the Mk IX throughout its service life, such as a gyroscopic gunsight, bubble canopy and modified engine intercooler. Widely considered to be the most capable fighter in the world at the time of its introduction, it would take the introduction of the Rolls Royce Griffon engine to push the Spitfire into its next stage of evolution.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=spitfire_ix Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|MNacjyimuCQ|'''The Shooting Range #95''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 01:57 discusses the Spitfire LF Mk IX.}}

== See also ==


;Other late Merlin-engine LF variant Spitfires

* [[Spitfire LF Mk IXc (USA)]]
* [[Plagis' Spitfire LF Mk IXc]]
* [[Spitfire LF Mk.IX Weizman's (Israel)]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/341985-supermarine-spitfire-lfmkixce/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Supermarine}}
{{Britain fighters}}

Tornado F.3

2023-03-15T20:05:55Z

U138796218: /* Usage in battles */

{{About
| about = British jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Tornado (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=tornado_f3
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Sky Guardians"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at _,___ m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| ___ || ___ || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | ___
|-
! Upgraded
| ___ || ___ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| _ || _ || _ || _ || _ || _ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || ___ || ___ || ___ || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < ___ || < ___ || < ___ || > ___
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | _____ || _
| colspan="2" | _,___ kg || colspan="2" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel
|-
| ___ kg || colspan="2" | ___
| _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (___%/WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || ___%/WEP
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || ___ kgf || ___ kgf
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
| ''Optimal'' || ___ kgf (_ km/h) || ___ kgf (_ km/h)
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|Mauser BK27 (27 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 27 mm Mauser BK27 cannon, chin-mounted (180 rpg)
** 1 x 27 mm Mauser BK27 cannon + 32 x large calibre countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|AIM-9L Sidewinder|Skyflash|Skyflash SuperTEMP}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* 2 x 330 gal drop tanks
* 2 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles + 320 x countermeasures
* 4 x Skyflash missiles
* 4 x Skyflash SuperTEMP missiles

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="9.0%" | 1 !! width="9.0%" | 2 !! width="9.0%" | 3 !! width="9.0%" | 4 !! width="9.0%" | 5
| rowspan="6" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
| 1, 2 *|| || || || 1, 2 *
|-
! Skyflash missiles
| || || 4 || ||
|-
! Skyflash SuperTEMP missiles
| || || 4 || ||
|-
! Countermeasures
| 160 * || || || || 160 *
|-
! 330 gal drop tanks
| || 1 || || 1 ||
|-
| colspan="7" | * Countermeasures can be carried with Sidewinder missiles on the same hardpoint
|}

== Usage in battles ==


Like other planes at this BR, the Tornado F.3 is outclassed by higher tier aircraft. This is especially problematic given the Tornado F.3 is heavily dependent on its weaponry and avionics to be competitive.

The Skyflash Super TEMPs are very potent but not on par with the [[AIM-7F Sparrow]]s. They accelerate faster and will outpace the AIM-7F within 4-6 km but refrain from trying to BVR Duel with the rank VIII Phantoms or the F-4J/S. The Skyflash will hang at around the same speed as the AIM-7F at BVR ranges. Due to how long the AIM-7F/M burns it will eventually outpace the Skyflash at longer ranges It goes without saying but The Skyflash is not an effective weapon against the [[R-27ER]] or the [[Matra Super 530D]]. Your prime targets are unsuspecting targets 4-9 km away heading generally towards you.

Try and avoid "fair" missile jousts considering the atrocious manoeuvrability of the Tornado F.3 makes it near impossible to kinetically dodge SARH missiles. Most of the high-end radar missiles can still guide into you due to CW missiles tracking residual radar returns or just gliding into you since the Tornado F.3 is not manoeuvrable enough to change course quickly to dodge the missile, even if the lock was broken. While most planes can outmanoeuvre a head on SARH missile by manoeuvring (rolling) out of the way, the Tornado cannot. It's even difficult to notch a radar-guided missile within 10 km given the closure speed and nearly orbital turning circle of the tornado. Of course, both are possible in certain circumstances but it isn't a reliable way to survive an competent opponent who has taken their time setting up a good SARH missile. Within 5 km, there isn't much you can do other than spam chaff and hope for the best.

Don't dogfight. You have no workable advantages against your opponent unless they are already badly crippled with large sections of their wings/tail missing. If you are chased, get a teammate to cover your back or run back to the airfield. Try and fly in a straight line given your speed bleed in any sort of turn manoeuvre.

The tornado F.3 likes to fly predictable, straight paths and makes very predictable manoeuvres. Any enemy with an ounce of situational awareness will easily be able to keep tabs on you with no effort whatsoever. You can't really make unpredictable manoeuvres and sneak up on people given your overall lack of mobility in any direction other than forward. This makes it hard to employ your AIM-9Ls or your guns, given it is very difficult to stick to an opponent's tail for a good rear aspect shot. Although you will still find the AIM-9L to be a very consistent weapon and a good close range missile.

At this BR, you can outrange pretty much anyone at your own BR with BVR missiles. Your biggest challenge will be F-4J/S with their AIM-7Fs and PDV radars. You have a fair chance of spotting and locking them first given your superior radar. When BVR fighting with an equal BR opponent, it might be a good idea to deliberately waste a Skyflash with a launch from maximum range just to give the enemy something to think about if they continue to commit to a head on. Once the missile is headed your way there isn't much you can do so the best defense is a good offence in this situation.

Never pull negative Gs in the Tornado F.3. As with many top tier planes the negative G performance of the tornado is poor. Unlike the British [[Phantom FGR.2|Phantoms]] your wings are not sturdy enough to sustain negative Gs even for a few seconds, often snapping as soon as you put your nose down. The Tornado is generally an unstable aircraft and prone to flat spinning as soon as the wing falls off, so don't expect to get back to base once you've lost a wing. Rolling can easily make the Tornado snap its wings. When in a turn, refrain from rolling in a 2G+ turn or else there is a good chance you may loose one or both wings. You may not have the controllability to recover and you may go into an uncontrollable spin depending on how violently you were rolling.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Has a lot of countermeasures, including large-calibre ones
* Can carry 8 air-to-air missiles at once
* Skyflash SuperTEMP are effective SARH missiles in a BVR role
* Has radar gunsight
* Advanced radar for its BR
** Includes TWS that indicates direction of enemy
** PD has IFF
* All-aspect heat-seeking secondary missiles
* Can carry drop tanks to extend range

'''Cons:'''

* Poor turning performance
* Loses energy quickly in a turn
* Lacklustre acceleration
* Other BVR missiles have a longer range in an uptier
* Cannot kinetically dodge SARH missiles
* Short ACM range
* The 27 mm cannon has a low rate of fire, low ammunition count, and mediocre damage

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==

''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Britain jet aircraft}}

Phantom FGR.2

2023-03-05T10:24:35Z

U138796218: Correction of outdated information, change of the outdated description of play style.

{{About
| about = jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-4 Phantom II (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f-4m_fgr2
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''', also known as the '''F-4M''', is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.93 "Shark Attack"]]. It is a British version of the American F-4 Phantom II.

Although at first glance the Phantom FGR.2 appears very similar to its American counterpart the [[F-4C Phantom II]], there are a number of major visual and performance differences between the two aircraft. Phantoms produced for the RAF were redesigned to use British Rolls-Royce Spey turbofan engines, instead of the General Electric J79 turbojet engines found on American Phantoms. The British engines produced more thrust than the American engines, but were larger; as a result, the fuselage of British Phantoms was modified to be slightly wider than on the American models. In addition, the Phantom FGR.2 has larger air intakes than the F-4C, in order to allow for the increased airflow required by the new engines. The rear of the Fuselage is also significantly different on the Phantom FGR.2; the engines are noticeably angled downwards, and due to the different afterburner arrangement on the Spey engines the exhaust ports and the surrounding area were redesigned. Most distinctively, the Phantom FGR.2 has a squared-off tail and lacks the under-nose probe of the F-4C.

In-game these changes mean that the Phantom FGR.2 has much better low altitude acceleration and climb rate, compared to the [[F-4C]], as a result of the more powerful engines. In games you will usually see the Phantom FGR.2s get off the ground and to altitude quicker than the F-4Cs; however due to the increased drag of the redesigned fuselage, and the performance characteristics of the Spey engines, it does not perform quite as well as the F-4C at high altitude, and cannot reach the same maximum speed.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

[[File:FGR.2 fenris 001.jpg|400px|thumb|right|]]
The Phantom FGR.2 is a large and heavy aircraft (more than twice the weight of a MiG-21), but there are times when you would hardly know it. The Phantom's two Rolls-Royce Spey turbofans are one of the most powerful jet engines in the game and give it an incredible thrust to weight ratio, leading to the Phantom FGR.2 being the fastest accelerating, and flat out fastest aircraft in the game at low altitude, while also being a strong contender for the fastest climbing. On take-off even stock FGR.2s will be the first aircraft to get off the ground and make it top the end of the runway (usually be a decent margin); while in terms of flat out speed a fully upgraded FGR.2 will push Mach 1.22 along the deck, a good bit faster than any other aircraft. The Phantom also climbs incredibly well, when loaded with 20m of fuel, missiles and a gun pod it can accelerate past Mach 1 in a 20° climb and even gain speed in a 50° climb (until it reaches about 2,000 m altitude); only few aircraft make it to altitude as fast as / faster than the FGR.2.

While the Phantom FGR.2 is certainly not the most manoeuvrable fighter in the game it can prove to be more agile than you would expect at low altitude. While you shouldn't be getting into full blown turn fights the Phantom handles very nicely when down low and can pull some manoeuvres with surprisingly little speed loss (mainly thanks to the amount of engine power you have).

Where the Phantom FGR.2 suffers is at higher altitudes, the Spey engines perform worse at altitude and the structural changes to accommodate them caused increased drag; this makes it slower than the American [[F-4C]]. At high altitude the FGR.2 loses the agility it had at lower altitude, and generally does not handle as nice. While it is still flyable evasive manoeuvres become harder and the turn radius is much larger.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 10,667 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,189 || 2,146 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 26.5 || 26.7 || 176.0 || 165.3 || rowspan="2" | 850
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,355 || 2,268 || 25.5 || 26.0 || 246.9 || 210.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ 
|-
|}
[[File:FGR2 full ordnance.jpg|thumb|400x400px|Phantom FGR.2 with multi-role ordnance]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 584 || 463 || ~11 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 810 || < 750 || < 700 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Rolls-Royce Spey 203 || 2
| colspan="2" | 13,645 kg || colspan="3" | 396 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 33m fuel
|-
| 1,860 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 15,397 kg || 17,124 kg || 18,863 kg || 19,485 kg || 25,400 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 33m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 5,120 kgf || 9,031 kgf
| 1.17 || 1.05 || 0.96 || 0.93 || 0.71
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,120 kgf (0 km/h) || 10,331 kgf (1,200 km/h)
| 1.34 || 1.21 || 1.10 || 1.06 || 0.81
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

Much like the older [[F-4C]] variant, the British {{PAGENAME}} is without any armour protection whatsoever - the weight savings allow the aircraft to take on more fuel or ordnance while utilising speed as its best defence. This fighter packs numerous fuel tanks, while some are located in the leading edges of the wings, the majority of the fuel tanks are located within the fuselage packed around the engines and behind the cockpit. The control lines for the {{PAGENAME}} run from the cockpit down the length of the upper fuselage to the tailplane, relatively exposed to enemy gunfire.

Fighters attempting to take down a {{PAGENAME}} should try to force it to bleed its energy in a turn with missiles - a slow Phantom is a vulnerable Phantom. Autocannons and missiles will be most effective for disabling or destroying critical components, but smaller rockets such as [[M/55]], [[SNEB Type 23]] or [[FFAR Mighty Mouse]] unguided rockets fired in salvos during a head-on engagement may cause enough of a scattered grouping that a {{PAGENAME}} may not be able to avoid them all and fly into at least one.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

The order in which modifications are unlocked on the Phantom FGR.2 will depend to some extent on how one would like to play the aircraft. The [[AIM-9D]] missiles are among the best available to top tier jets, and so most fans of missile combat will likely want to unlock them as soon as possible. If missiles are not desired then it may be wise to instead focus on unlocking the 20 mm belts and new 20 mm cannon modification, to make the spread of the gun less extreme and more usable; and if one plans to use it as a ground attacker, then the ordnance options are the obvious choice (although the FGR.2 does not excel in this role to the same extent as its American counterpart). When equipped with its 8 x 1,000 lb bombs the FGR.2 becomes highly potent bomber; using its low altitude performance to get to enemy bases incredibly quickly, it is possible to unlock the bombs and use this tactic to speed up unlocking other modifications, although the FGR.2 is a capable fighter when stock so this is not a necessity.

Even when stock the Phantom FGR.2 is just about the best-performing aircraft in the game at low altitude; with this in mind flight performance upgrades are not as much of a priority as on other aircraft, so weapons upgrades can be prioritised. When unlocking flight performance upgrades one may wish to focus on engine upgrades to further improve the FGR.2's incredible acceleration and climbing performance.

;Possible modifications to prioritise (depending on playstyle of the pilot)

* Powerful missiles: AIM-9D, AIM-9G, AIM-7E, and Skyflash modifications
* Ammunition variety: Offensive 20 mm modification
* Ground attack: 1,000 LB GP modification for larger bombs followed up with Matra SNEB modification for unguided rockets

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}


The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** Without offensive armament
** 90 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|Mk.M2 (540 lb)|H.E. M.C. Mk.13 (1,000 lb)|SNEB type 23|GAU-4 (20 mm)}}
{{main|AIM-7E Sparrow|AIM-9D Sidewinder|AIM-9G Sidewinder|Skyflash}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* 1 x 20 mm GAU-4 cannon (1,200 rpg)
* 2 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles
* 4 x Skyflash missiles
* 234 x SNEB type 23 rockets
* 11 x 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs (11,000 lb total)
* 13 x 540 lb Mk.M2 bombs (7,020 lb total)

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" width="100%" style="text-align:center"
|-
! !! width="4%" | 1 !! width="4%" | 2 !! width="4%" | 3 !! width="4%" | 4 !! width="4%" | 5 !! width="4%" | 6 !! width="4%" | 7 !! width="4%" | 8 !! width="4%" | 9 !! width="4%" | 10 !! width="4%" | 11
| rowspan="9" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_Phantom_FG.1.png]]</div>
|-
! 20 mm GAU-4 cannons (1200 rpg)
| || || || || || 1 || || || || ||
|-
! 540 lb Mk.M2 bombs
| 2 || 3 || || || || 3 || || || || 3 || 2
|-
! 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs
| 2 || 2 || || || || 3 || || || || 2 || 2
|-
! SNEB type 23 rockets
| 36 || 54 || || || || 54 || || || || 54 || 36
|-
! AIM-7E Sparrow missiles
| || || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || || ||
|-
! AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
| || || 1, 2 || || || || || || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
| || || 2 || || || || || || 2 || ||
|-
! Skyflash missiles
| || || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || || ||
|-
| colspan="12" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,500 kg
|-
|}

Like the [[F-4C]], the Phantom FGR.2 lacks any internal guns; instead relying on an M61 Vulcan rotary cannon, mounted centrally under the fuselage. The cannon is angled downwards at about 1°, coupled with the position of the gun under aircraft this makes aiming slightly more difficult than on other aircraft; the gun also has a wide bullet spread. A benefit of the rotary cannon is that it can fire all 1,200 rounds before it can overheat and jam. Unlike the F-4C the Phantom FGR.2 can only carry a single gunpod.

In terms of other suspended weaponry, the Phantom FGR.2 falls far behind the F-4C. It has a more limited choice of bombs, carries fewer rockets and cannot carry Bullpup air-to-ground missiles.

In terms of air to air missiles, the Phantom FGR.2 can carry up to four IR missiles (AIM-9D/G), in conjunction with four SARH missiles (AIM-7E/Skyflash). Compared to analogues such as the [[AIM-9J]], AIM-9D and G have much longer engine burn times while only slightly sacrificing flight performance characteristics. Notably, the AIM-9G can be slaved to a radar lock, allowing for a very versatile and powerful medium-range missile.

The AIM-7E Sparrow is radar-guided which means it uses semi-active radar homing to find and track the target. It can pull up to 25 G but it is recommended for longer range engagements, e.g lock a target and fire from up to around 8 km away, because the Sparrow is all-aspect and pilots without RWR (radar warning receiver) will not know it is even coming if they are not situationally aware. This means that you can launch Sparrows at people who will never even see the missile coming. Although good for medium to longer range engagements, the Sparrow is not very good at making sudden changes to its flight path and it takes a while to start tracking opponents. This is mostly mitigated by the improved seeker of the Skyflash missiles, however you are better off switching to your infrared homing missiles (using the [[Weapons selector|weapon cycle function]]) if it becomes a closer-range rear-aspect engagement.

== Usage in battles ==


The thing which sets the Phantom FGR.2 apart from other jets is the sheer power of its engines (the most powerful in the game); this gives it incredible speed, acceleration and climb rate, especially at low altitude. The engines are however very fuel hungry, leading to a decision needing to be made about the fuel load you take. It may be tempting to take the 7 minute load to maximise flight performance, although this is ill advised as this will only give you a little over three minutes of flight time when using the afterburner, even if you only use the afterburner sparingly the 7 minutes fuel load will still limit your endurance quite significantly, and can often lead to you having to return to base sooner than you would want to. It is usually best to pick 20 minutes of fuel; this should give adequate endurance for the majority of games, and although the aircraft feels noticeably heavier than with 7 minutes of fuel it still performs incredibly well.

There are two main schools of thought on how to fly the Phantom FGR.2 to best make use of its advantages. One is to start the game by climbing to high altitude, and the other is to maintain low altitude throughout the game. Most games will use a mixture of both tactics i.e. starting the game by climbing high to get long range missile kills, then dropping down to low altitude to make use of your very good low altitude performance.

Some players prefer to use this to their advantage and get to altitude at the start of the game in order to be above the vast majority of enemy aircraft. When choosing to play this way a good climbing technique is to take off on full afterburner straight into either a 20° or a 30° climb, depending on if you value speed or altitude more. A spaded Phantom FGR.2 with 20m of fuel the cannon pod and 4x [[AIM-9G]] and 4x [[Skyflash]] (the recommended load-out for most players) will accelerate to > Mach 1 in a 20° climb and reach 5,000 m about 1 minute 10 seconds after leaving the ground; by comparison in 30° climb it will reach 5,000 m in about 55 seconds after leaving the ground, albeit travelling at only Mach 0.8. The choice of which climb profile to follow (or make your own) is up to you; 30° will get you to altitude quicker and in less horizontal distance, but at the expense of speed; on larger maps you may wish to take the 20° to get to the battle area quicker, it depend on your playstyle; there are also other situations where having more speed once you get to altitude is desirable.

Everything varies depending on your playstyle and the situation in battle, but as a rough guide: it is not advisable to climb due to many other aircraft at this tier having better flight performance and missile such as the F-14A Early and the Mig-29. It is essential to keep your speed as high as possible, your best chance for a kill is during a head-on with your Skyflash missiles.

The Skyflash is a lethal SARH missile, having 25G of overload, however the range may not be as good when compared to other SARH missiles at this tier. When at high altitude (5 km+) These missiles can be fired at around 10 km in a head-on situation with a high chance of hitting the target. At low altitude try to fire it around 4-5 km in a head on situation.

Along with the Skyflash, the FGR.2's pulse Doppler (PD) radar effectively grants immunity against chaff in a merge. The only way to break the FGR.2's PD lock is to 'notch' (turn perpendicular to the lock), or turn cold and run away. As mentioned above, while waiting to launch the Skyflash at dangerously close ranges is certainly risky, doing so will almost always guarantee a kill at high altitudes.

Comparing the 2 western top tier IR missiles - the AIM-9G and AIM-9J - the AIM-9G slightly falls behind in track rate, manoeuvrability, and seeker sensitivity. However, it makes up for these downsides with a 6-second rocket burn time, and a massive 30 degree acquisition envelope. This Sidewinder is effective up to 4 km at high altitudes. The greater the distance on launch, the less likely the enemy is to notice the incoming missile. In diving attacks on low-flying enemies, the best targets are those directly below and flying away in the same direction to maximise the chance of maintaining the IR lock. The AIM-9G has a tendency to lose lock when perpendicular to the heat source, which makes attacking manoeuvring targets not ideal regardless of altitude. The massive engagement envelope allows the pilot to lead the AIM-9G up to 30 degrees when firing the missile

[[File:R-60 Dodge Phantom PoV.mp4|thumb|right|Dodging an R-60 in the Phantom FGR.2 (Phantom player view)]]
[[File:R-60 Dodge Missile PoV.mp4|thumb|right|Dodging an R-60 in the Phantom FGR.2 (Missile view)]]
At high altitudes the Phantom becomes much less manoeuvrable, and to some extent loses its raw performance advantage compared to other top tier jets. Therefore, you may alternatively learn how to best use the Phantom at lower altitudes where controls are more responsive and its acceleration and speed dominate the competition. All missiles have a reduced effective range (by a factor of ~1/3) due to denser air and the greater probability of the target evading missiles. Skyflashes will only be effective within 6 km in head-ons only, and AIM-9Gs within 3 km in subsonic pursuits. Holding on to any energy is crucial as it keeps open the option to disengage when needed. Phantoms have a few last-ditch tricks to shake off a pursuer closing the distance, however, the manoeuvre must be timed and executed perfectly or it will result in your death. The 20 mm M61 Vulcan is the ideal weapon for these knife fights, sporting a 6,000 rpm rate of fire and a 1,050 m/s muzzle velocity. The stock Vulcan is accurate enough even for high deflection shots at 1 km, and spraying a barrage of 20 mm at the enemy's cockpit in a head-on is more likely to cripple the enemy in several components (pilot, radar, wing roots, tail, even the engines) than a laser beam. While the HEF-I rounds in the Air Targets belt is enticing, the best belt against enemy aircraft is the Ground Targets belt. API rounds tends to ignite enemy aircraft more than HEF-I, and as an added bonus, leftover ammo can be used to attack ground targets after the furball ends. The default belts may be used instead to save on Silver Lions, as both the default and Ground Targets belts perform exceptionally well against aircraft and ground targets. Another valid strategy is to not carry the gun pod at all and enjoy the extra speed and turn rate, however this means you are mostly defenseless in a dogfight.

In theory, the ideal playstyle for the Phantom is to play as a support fighter as many enemies at this tier carry better missiles and is more maneuverable. When partaking in the low altitude brawl you need to maintain good situational awareness. You can outrun most other jet in a straight line, but if you get caught up in a dogfight all it takes is one missile from the enemy to ruin your day. However noticing an incoming missile in time and deploying countermeasures will almost always defeat the missile.

=== Pros and cons ===

[[File:FGR.2 fenris 003.png |400px|thumb|right|]]

'''Pros:'''

* Very powerful Spey engines make the FGR.2 one of the best jets in top speed, acceleration, climb rate, energy retention
* [[AIM-9D]] and [[AIM-9G Sidewinder|AIM-9G]] have significantly longer range than other IR missiles
* Carries the potent Skyflash SARH missile
* Multi-role capabilities with [[Ballistic Computer|CCIP and CCRP]] and various ground attack ordnance
* Can carry a total of 90 countermeasures
* M61 cannon in the belly-suspended gunpod sports excellent ballistics, fire rate, damage, and ammo capacity
* Has a pulse Doppler radar, granting some chaff immunity and enabling SARH missiles to be used at low altitude
* AIM-9Ds are very good for a stock missile
* Lack of Agile Eagle slats improves energy retention (compared to the F-4E)

'''Cons:'''

* Poor turn rate
* Equipping the M61 gunpod adds a significant amount of drag, while a missile-only loadout is inadequate for high aspect and close range attacks
* Spey engines produce less thrust than J79-GE-17 engines at very high altitudes
* Has limited ground attack loadouts compared to other Phantoms

== History ==


===Background===
From the late 1950s onwards the British Government began looking to replace a number of its early second-generation jet aircraft. The RAF was looking to replace the [[Canberra_(Family)|English Electric Canberra]] in the long-range interdictor role, and the [[Hunter_(Family)|Hawker Hunter]] in the close air support role; meanwhile the Royal Navy was looking to replace their de Havilland Sea Vixens in the fleet air defence role<ref name="WikipediaPhantomUK">Wikipedia: McDonnell Douglas Phantom in UK service</ref>. Two aircraft programs were started to produce suitable replacements; the BAC TSR-2 was to be a highly advanced strike and reconnaissance aircraft to replace the Canberra. Meanwhile the Hunter and the Sea Vixen would be replaced by different versions of the P.1154; a Mach 2 capable VTOL aircraft developed from the P.1127 (the predecessor of famous Harrier Jump Jet). The Navy were not entirely happy with the idea of the navalised P.1154, believing that it did not suit their needs; and in 1964 they dropped out of the programme, deciding to purchase the F-4 Phantom from America instead. In the same year a new government was elected and in 1965 cancelled both the TSR-2 and P.1154 programmes on cost grounds, leaving the RAF without its much needed Canberra and Hunter replacements. The Government announced a plan to purchase the F-111K from America to replace the TSR-2 program (the F-111K would also eventually be cancelled on grounds of cost), while the Hunter would be replaced by F-4 Phantoms from America<ref name="BurkePhantom">Burke 2016</ref>.

===Development===
Both the Royal Navy and RAF were now set to purchase the F-4 Phantom. The RAF could have operated standard F-4 Phantoms (and to some extent would have preferred to)<ref name="BurkePhantom" />, however the aircraft was going to need modifications in order to be able to operate off of the UK's aircraft carriers, which were smaller than the ones Phantoms usually operated from. In a bid to help the British aviation industry (which had been hurt by a number of cancelled programmes), and make the aircraft suitable for use by the Royal Navy it was agreed that all UK Phantoms would be significantly modified, by British companies, from their US counterparts. The most notable change would be the replacement of the American J79 turbojet engines with larger and more powerful Rolls-Royce Spey turbofans; a modified rear fuselage to accommodate the new engines would also be built by BAC, and the aircraft's radar system would be built under license by Ferranti<ref name="WikipediaPhantomUK" />.

It was decided that the UK Phantoms would be based off of the F-4J, which was then the primary version in service with the US Navy at the time<ref name="WikipediaPhantomUK" />. As the RAF and Royal Navy had differing requirements it was decided that two variants of the UK Phantom would be designed: the first variant, for the Royal Navy, would be designated F-4K or Phantom FG.1; while the RAF variant would be developed from the navy variant and be designated F-4M or Phantom FGR.2. Work began on modifying the F-4J to meet the Royal Navy's needs; the nose radome had to be made to hinge 180 degrees, to allow the Phantom fit on the smaller deck elevators of British carriers, and a telescopic nose gear was installed to allow the aircraft to sit pitched nose-up on the flight deck (by up to 11°), reducing take-off distance<ref name="WikipediaPhantomUK" />. The new engines were installed at a slight downwards angle to further increase take-off performance and the rear fuselage to be redesigned to both accommodate the new engines and cope with the increased heat they produced; the air intakes also had to be made larger, and additional intake doors added in the fuselage to provide the Speys with the airflow they required<ref name="BurkePhantom" />. Many other small changes were also made to UK Phantoms. The first F-4K prototype flew on 27 June 1966, with the First F-4M prototype flying on 17 February 1967.

===Service===
The first F-4Ks were delivered in April 1968 and were designated Phantom FG.1, early the following year they began test flights from HMS Eagle and the USS Saratoga. During the testing the intense heat produced by the downward-angled Spey engines, while the afterburner was engaged, caused the flight deck plating of the USS Saratoga to buckle<ref name="BurkePhantom" />. On-board HMS Eagle heavy-duty steel plating had to be welded to the flight deck; and be cooled using water from the ship's fire hoses between flights, in order to stop it from melting<ref name="SearlesPhantom">Searles n.d.</ref>. When the HMS Ark Royal was upgraded to operate Phantoms it had to have water-cooled blast deflectors and decking installed to prevent the Phantom's engines from damaging the flight deck <ref name="BurkePhantom" />. HMS Ark Royal had finished its refit in 1970, by which point the refit of HMS Eagle had been cancelled, along with plans to build two additional aircraft carriers. With the Navy now only having one carrier capable of operating Phantoms it was decided to reduce the Navy's Phantom fleet down to 28 aircraft, with the other 20 FG.1s being transferred to the RAF. The remaining Royal Navy Phantoms would serve on the HMS Ark Royal (R09) until her retirement.

The first F-4Ms entered RAF service in May 1969, filling the role of tactical strike aircraft; they were given the designation Phantom FGR.2 (with FGR standing for Fighter/Ground attack/Reconnaissance). The RAF's Phantom FGR.2 was overall very similar to the Navy's FG.1 variant, but had a number of changes; they used a slightly different version of Spey engines (the FG.1 had faster afterburner engagement to aid with aborted landings on aircraft carriers), and naval features like the telescopic nose gear, slotted tail, and cockpit-controlled wing folding were dropped. The FGR.2 also had different avionics, the radar was slightly different and additional functionality such as an inertial navigation / attack system was added, as well as modification needed to allow the FGR.2 to use a gun pod and reconnaissance pod, among other changes<ref name="GledhillPhantom">Gledhill 2017</ref>. Both the FGR.2 and FG.1 would later be modified with squared off tails, holding a radar warning receiver.

In 1970 Phantom FGR.2s were deployed to West Germany to serve the roles of ground attack, interdiction, and reconnaissance; while English Electric Lightnings covered bomber interception. Over the years it was determined that the increased range and weapons payload of the Phantom made it a better fit for defending the UK's airspace, than the Lightning; so from 1974 onwards Phantoms began to be withdrawn from Germany to serve in air defence roles; they were replaced in the Close Air Support role by the SEPECAT Jaguar. The Phantoms took over more and more of the air defence role from the Lightning; however the Lightning would remain in service until 1988 (retiring only a few years before the Phantoms). The Phantom FG.1s were withdrawn from Royal Navy service in 1978, with the decommissioning of HMS Ark Royal, and were transferred to the RAF to serve in air defence roles. The Phantoms were replaced in Navy service by the Harrier Jump Jet, which was able to operate from the Navy's new Invincible-class aircraft carriers.

Following the Falklands War in 1982 the UK deployed a Squadron of FGR.2s to defend the Falkland Islands from any future attack; however this left a gap in the Air defence of the UK Mainland. It was decided to purchase 15 more F-4Js from America to fill this gap. The F4-Js were upgraded to F-4S standard and entered service with the RAF on 19 October 1984 under the designation Phantom F.3 or F-4J(UK)<ref name="BurkePhantom" />. The Phantom remained the UK's primary Air defence aircraft until it was gradually replaced by the Panavia Tornado; the last FG.1s retired on 30 January 1990, the last F.3s retired on 31 January 1991, and the FGR.2 left RAF service on 1 November 1992. The FGR.2 was due to retire earlier however just before retirement it was called back into service to defend RAF Akrotiri, on Cyprus, during the First Gulf War<ref name="BurkePhantom" />.

A total of 48 Phantom FG.1s, 118 Phantom FGR.2s and 15 Phantom F.3s were built<ref name="WikipediaPhantomUK" />.

===Further development plans===
Prior to the Phantom's retirement from RAF service there had been a plan to retrofit them with an upgraded version of the Spey engine. A program was started to design the new engines; they would have various improvements, the most notable of which being new turbine blades, reportedly manufactured from a single metal crystal<ref name="ThrustSSC">SSC Programme Ltd 1997</ref>. These blades would increase the operating life of the engines under normal conditions, but also give the option of operating the engines at higher temperatures, and thus higher thrust (although this would come at the expense of reduced engine life). These engines were known as Spey 205s and had a maximum thrust of 25,000 lb (11,340 kgf)<ref name="ThrustSSC" />, compared to 20,515 lb (9,305 kgf) for the regular Spey engines; although it is unclear if they would be used at this thrust rating while in service. With the Phantom retired the Spey 205 programme was cancelled, and no engines were produced under the Spey 205 name; however 12 Spey 202 engines had been upgraded to Spey 205 standard for testing (and are now generally referred to as Spey 205s, or Spey 202 hybrids)<ref name="BourneSSC">Bourne 1997</ref>. It is known that after the programme was cancelled two of the Spey 205 prototypes, along with two standard Spey 202s were obtained by the ThrustSSC programme (the world's fastest car)<ref name="ThrustSSC" />, although reports vary on whether the car was fitted with Spey 202s or 205s when it completed its record-breaking run.

===Comparison with American Phantoms===
The Rolls-Royce Spey engines gave British Phantoms notably different performance to their American counterparts. At low altitude British Phantoms accelerated faster than standard F-4Js and had a higher top speed; it was estimated that they had a 30% shorter take-off distance and a 20% faster climb to altitude<ref name="WikipediaPhantomUK" />. The Spey turbofan engines were also more fuel efficient than the J-79 turbojets, giving British Phantoms a 10 - 15 % increase in range compared to American aircraft<ref name="GledhillPhantom" />. The main drawback of the British design was that the reshaped fuselage produced more drag than the original design, meaning that at high altitude British Phantoms were slower and performed worse than their American counterparts (British Phantoms topped out at about Mach 1.9 at altitude, while American Phantoms could reach Mach 2.1)<ref name="BurkePhantom" />.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f-4m_fgr2 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|DXovE9BD1a0|'''Should You Buy the Phantom FGR.2''' - ''Sako Sniper''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[F-4 Phantom II (Family)]]

;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-21 (Family)]]
* SAAB [[J35D]] ''Draken''
* Dassault [[Mirage IIIC]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/468663-f-4m-phantom-fgr2/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
* [[Wikipedia:McDonnell_Douglas_Phantom_in_UK_service|[Wikipedia<nowiki>]</nowiki> McDonnell Douglas Phantom in UK service]]

===References===

;Citations
<references />

;Bibliography

* Bourne, Nigel. (1997). Development of the Rolls-Royce Military Spey Mk202 Engine. Retrieved from [http://www.thrustssc.com/ ThrustSSC]
* Burke, Damien. (2016). McDonnell-Douglas/BAC F-4K/M Phantom II. Retrieved from [https://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/phantom/history.php Thunder and Lightnings]
* Gledhill, David. (2017). Phantom in the Cold War: RAF Wildenrath 1977 - 1992. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Aviation.
* Searles, Dick. (n.d.). HMS Eagle Deck Trials 1969. Retrieved from [https://www.phantomf4k.org/video-library/hms-eagle-deck-trials-1969 Phantom F4K - Fleet Air Arm Royal Navy]
* SSC Programme Ltd. (1997). The Story of the Rolls-Royce Spey. Retrieved from [http://thrustssc.com/ ThrustSSC]
* Wikipedia. (n.d.). McDonnell Douglas Phantom in UK service. Retrieved from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonnell_Douglas_Phantom_in_UK_service Wikipedia]

{{AirManufacturer McDonnell}}
{{Britain jet aircraft}}

F-16A

2023-03-04T11:06:22Z

U138796218: /* Usage in battles */

{{About
| about = American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-16 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f_16a_block_10
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Apex Predators"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The F-16A is famous for its ability to accelerate while going vertically. Its turn rate and thrust are amongst the best in the game.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 10,973 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,103 || 2,073 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 20.0 || 20.2 || 261.1 || 248.3 || rowspan="2" | 850
|-
! Upgraded
|2,198 || 2,146 || 19.3 || 19.8 || 340.8 || 295.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,555  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 470 || 463 || ~10 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < ___ || < ___ || < ___ || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 || 1
| colspan="2" | 7,690 kg || colspan="2" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with internal fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 29m fuel
|-
| 1,470 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 8,662 kg || 9,913 kg || 10,930 kg || 16,849 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 29m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 6,490 kgf || 8,985 kgf
| 1.04 || 0.90 || 0.82 || 0.53
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 7,434 kgf (1,555 km/h) || 15,225 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.76 || 1.53 || 1.39 || 0.90
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The F-16A is very strong in a dogfight due to its excellent TWR and energy retention, its highly manoeuvrable and can easily reach its top speed even when climbing. Its so good that you will often experience the effects of the G-limit, so when making a sharp turn keep that in mind.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, wing root-mounted (512 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon + 60 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|GBU-8 (2,000 lb)|AGM-65B|BLU-27/B incendiary}}
{{main|AIM-9J Sidewinder|AIM-9L Sidewinder|FFAR Mighty Mouse}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* 1 x 300 gal drop tank
* 2 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 19 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (9,500 lb total)
* 4 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 4 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
* 4 x 2,000 lb GBU-8 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 114 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 6 x AGM-65B missiles

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="5%" | 1 !! width="5%" | 2 !! width="5%" | 3 !! width="5%" | 4 !! width="5%" | 5 !! width="5%" | 6 !! width="5%" | 7 !! width="5%" | 8 !! width="5%" | 9
| rowspan="11" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs
| || || 3 || 3, 6 || 1 || 3, 6 || 3 || ||
|-
! 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! 2,000 lb GBU-8 bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
| || || 57 || || || || 57 || ||
|-
! AGM-65B missiles
| || || 1, 3 || || || || 1, 3 || ||
|-
! AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || || || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || || || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! 300 gal drop tanks
| || || || || 1 || || || ||
|-
| colspan="10" | Maximum permissible loadout weight: 5,420 kg Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 2,000 kg
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The F-16A can be a powerful fighter with multiple playstyles, one option being simply rushing straight into battle. Players that plan to stay low and accelerate straight into action will be satisfied with the F-16's low-altitude performance and radar. A mixed countermeasure loadout (1 flare, 1 chaff) is recommended because it allows 30 countermeasure drops against radar or IR missiles. In order to be prepared for matches that may extend longer than usual, select the 30-minute fuel option in conjunction with the 300-gallon drop tank. The F-16 consumes a lot of fuel on afterburner, so it's essential to use it wisely unless the max fuel amount is selected.

With the [[AIM-9L Sidewinder|AIM-9L Sidewinders]], players can carry up to 6 AIM-9Ls. If a player finds themselves above the fight, it will be effortless to fire off missiles at distracted enemies and score kills quickly. AIM-9Ls are very strong from the rear aspect and require hard defending from the opponent to evade successfully.

The F-16 is very strong in a dogfight due to its excellent TWR and energy retention. Before entering a dogfight, however, it's critical to be at the correct speed. The F-16 has a very wide turning circle at high speeds, so make sure to stay around 800-850 km/h (497-528 mph) when entering a dogfight.

'''Countering the [[MiG-29]]'''

The MiG-29 is a very versatile and capable fighter and will be one of the most common enemies you will face. However, like many planes, it's possible to counter it. It's one of the fastest jets on the deck (~1,550 km/h, 963 mph) and has access to a helmet-mounted sight, which allows the player to lock the missile in the direction of the pilot's view rather than just along the nose of the aircraft. This allows for off-bore missile launches which can be a threat. It's important to be on the lookout all the time for any missile launches, whether it be an [[R-60M]] or an [[R-27T]].

Avoid entering a high-speed rate-fight with a Mig-29 at all costs as the Mig-29 is much more maneuverable at high speeds, however at low speed the F-16 is able to out-turn the Mig-29 thanks to better low speed handling.

The MiG-29 at high altitude can be dangerous if the opponent utilizes [[R-27ER|R-27ERs]]. The R-27ER has superb range, acceleration, and manoeuvrability. To counter this, stay on the lookout for MiG-29s and R-27ERs and be prepared to go into a notch position and drop chaff. The R-27ER burns for 9 seconds which allows it to be spotted for a long time before the motor burns out.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* High power-to-weight ratio gives it an incredible acceleration
* Highly manoeuvrable at lower speeds
* Able to carry a drop tank to extend flight time
* Access to 6 x AIM-9L sidewinder missiles
* Has access to a wide range to air-to-ground loadouts

'''Cons:'''

* Does not have access to SARH missiles, limiting its BVR performance
* Cannot pull tight turns at high speed
* High fuel consumption with afterburner

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f_16a_block_10 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|FtFRyd0R3Lg|'''The Shooting Range #334''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:47 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[F-16 (Family)]]

* [[F-16A MLU (China)]]
* [[F-16A ADF]]
* [[F-16A]]
* [[F-16A Netz (Israel)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/8003-development-f-16a-american-fighting-falcon-en|[Devblog] F-16A: American Fighting Falcon]]

* https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/544244-f-16a-discussion-thread-specs-performance-weaponry-and-more/

* https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/products/f-16.html
* https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104505/f-16-fighting-falcon/

{{AirManufacturer General Dynamics}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

MiG-21SMT

2023-03-04T09:52:44Z

U138796218: /* Pros and cons */ /*Usage in battle*/

{{About
| about = Soviet jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = MiG-21 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=mig-21_smt
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (NATO Code: Fishbed-K) is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.95 "Northern Wind"]].

The MiG-21SMT is a third-generation model of the famous "Fishbed" family. The external appearance differs from the [[MiG-21F-13]] with a larger nose housing a search radar and a bulging fuselage spine holding more fuel. Under the hood, it is a significantly modified and improved aircraft: a dual-barrel 23 mm GSh-23 cannon replaces the single NR-30, the engine is much more powerful, it has access to a decent number of chaff/flare countermeasures, and the missile armament has been greatly improved with the addition of the radar-guided R-3R and the highly agile IR-guided R-60. Other than that, the classic MiG-21 handling characteristics of high speed, good short-term turning, high manoeuvring energy loss, and poor low-speed handling still apply. The MiG-21SMT can also pull double duty in the ground attack role for mixed battles, because four S-24 heavy rockets and a ballistic computer is enough to dispatch several ground targets.

Fishbed enthusiasts can look forward to the [[MiG-21bis]], the ultimate Soviet MiG-21 model, or move on to the [[MiG-23M]] Flogger, a radically different design.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


As an evolution of the previous [[MiG-21F-13]], the {{PAGENAME}} inherits some flight characteristics of its older sibling.

Both of them can pull high angle-of-attack (AoA) which enables its pilot to easily get guns on target at the cost of extreme speed loss. Both of them are light aircraft which enables them to climb with ease. And both of them have high wing loading, which can hinder manoeuvrability, particularly at high altitudes where the atmosphere is thinner. However, that's where the similarities end, as the {{PAGENAME}} comes with upgrades, most notably removed armour which shaved 500 kg off its scale and an uprated engine, the R-13F-300, which outputs 5722 kgf, 700 more than R-11F-300 on MiG-21 F-13. In practice, this means that the {{PAGENAME}} is best in class when it comes to acceleration and climbing performance.

Manoeuvrability-wise, the SMT is extremely nimble at lower altitudes, where its high AoA can outweigh its high wing load, and high acceleration can mitigate speed loss, allowing it to pull hard turns, provided the pilot monitors the speed. At high altitudes, the story is different, as it proves to be very unresponsive, leaving the user vulnerable to attacks, particularly to missiles. One more characteristic any prospecting user should note is that the aircraft tends to break its wings beyond 11 G, and considering the {{PAGENAME}} will merrily pull over 12 G at high speed turns if the boosters modification is equipped, unequipping it may help if the pilot has trouble with wings ripping.

When it comes to raw straight-line speed, the {{PAGENAME}} can get to its top speed much faster than its contemporary fighters at any altitude. In fact, speed should always be monitored, as it can easily reach its relatively high wing speed limit of ~1,300 km/h indicated airspeed (IAS), even at level flight. High acceleration and high top speed mean that the {{PAGENAME}} is more than able to intercept almost any target, the only exception being [[F-4C Phantom II|F-4C]] which is already sitting at its top speed. One more notable feature is that due to its low weight and high thrust, energy management is a breeze and the aircraft will quickly both lose and gain speed, which may prove useful when trying to stay on the target's back.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 13,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,164 || 2,126 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 36.8 || 37.8 || 136.9 || 128.0 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,318 || 2,240 || 35.4 || 36.0 || 196.3 || 165.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 500 || 450 || ~11 || ~6
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 650 || < 600 || < 950 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Tumansky R-13F-300 || 1
| colspan="2" | 6,052 kg || colspan="3" | 379 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 12m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 43m fuel
|-
| 1,140 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 6,852 kg || 7,288 kg || 7,907 kg || 8,717 kg || 9,900 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 12m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 43m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 3,917 kgf || 7,120 kgf
| 1.04 || 0.98 || 0.90 || 0.82 || 0.72
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 3,917 kgf (0 km/h) || 7,935 kgf (1,200 km/h)
| 1.16 || 1.09 || 1.00 || 0.91 || 0.80
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


The {{PAGENAME}} is a light fighter and its survivability reflects that. It lacks armour and the airframe is fragile. On top of it all, MiG-21, in general, has a very unstable airframe, which means that any changes to its aerodynamic properties may make it difficult to control. Exercise caution when flying it.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|GSh-23L (23 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon, belly-mounted (200 rpg)
** 1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon + 64 x countermeasures

The GSh-23L fires at a rate of 3,396 rounds per minute, which leaves the plane with a 3.53 second firing time.

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|OFAB-250sv (250 kg)|FAB-500M-54 (500 kg)|ZB-500 incendiary}}
{{main|R-3R|R-3S|R-60|S-5K|S-24}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x R-3S missiles
* 2 x R-3R missiles
* 4 x R-3S missiles
* 4 x R-3R missiles
* 4 x R-60 missiles
* 64 x S-5K rockets
* 64 x S-5K rockets
* 4 x S-24 rockets
* 4 x 250 kg OFAB-250sv bombs (1,000 kg total)
* 2 x 500 kg FAB-500M-54 bombs (1,000 kg total)
* 2 x ZB-500 incendiary bombs

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" width="100%" style="text-align:center"
|-
! !! width="11%" | 1 !! width="11%" | 2 !! width="11%" | 3 !! width="11%" | 4
| rowspan="10" width="25%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_MiG-21bis.png]]</div>
|-
! 250 kg OFAB-250sv bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! 500 kg FAB-500M-54 bombs
| || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! ZB-500 incendiary bombs
| || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! S-5K rockets
| 16 || 16, 32 || 16, 32 || 16
|-
! S-24 rockets
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! R-3R missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! R-3S missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! R-60 missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
| colspan="5" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 570 kg
|-
|}

The {{PAGENAME}} can be armed with both anti-air missiles and ground strike ordnance on its four hard-point pylons under the wing. While most of the weapons can be seen on other aircraft, the unique weapon that this aircraft can carry is R-60 IR air-to-air missile. Compared to R-3S which can be found on most Soviet aircraft capable of launching missiles, R-60 has a much more sophisticated IR tracking system, allowing it to track targets up to 5 km away, and keep them on its sights at a much faster pace, which results in a reliable lock that not many targets can shake off. R-60 can also be fired in a wider range of situations, as the missile can track targets while on the pylon. This is critical to how the missile works which means that the missile has a much higher launch load factor and is able to intercept targets immediately after being launched. This is much different than the R-3S which tracks targets only half a second after launch and needs the platform to stay still in order to track the target, leaving the aircraft vulnerable to attacks. R-60 is a much smaller missile than R-3S, weighing at 44 kg instead of 77 kg that an R-3S weighs. Missile's explosive payload is also significantly smaller, weighing at 3.5 kg. Rocket motors on R-60 are much smaller than on R-3S and this means that R-60 is much slower than R-3S, and even though it can lock on targets at 5 km, it has a lower range than R-3S. In practice, R-60 is a reliable and potent anti-aircraft weapon that excels at taking out even nimble targets in dogfights at ranges from 300 m to 2 km but is unable to reach targets beyond 3 km due to its less powerful rocket motors. R-3S, however, can only be used reliably at targets which are not paying attention or are unable to react quickly to a missile launch, but they can also be used to intercept targets at much further ranges than R-60.

When it comes to dumb-fire rockets, {{PAGENAME}} can carry S-5K 55 mm rockets and S-24 240 mm rockets. S-5K have a small warhead that is able to penetrate 150 mm of armour at 0°. However, due to their small warhead, they need a direct hit on the target in order to do any damage and even if they do connect, the damage is minimal to any armoured target. S-24, though, is a 235 kg behemoth, capable of taking out most targets with a single hit.

== Usage in battles ==


Combining its ability to pull high angle-of-attack on demand, excellent acceleration, high top speed and powerful dogfighting weaponry, {{PAGENAME}} is a potent air superiority dogfighter/interceptor. It allows the pilot to intercept any target, quickly get on its back and stay there, while also giving the user a safety net in the shape of its acceleration that enables it to break from any engagement with ease. It is recommended to stay at low altitude and not use full elevator if not in a dogfight. For air-to-air combat, the 4 x R-60 setup is the most versatile, albeit the 2 x R-60 and 2 x R-3R setup will allow you to get the most out of head-on scenario. If going for the latter option, make sure to create a keybind to switch between the different missiles using the [[Weapons selector]] mechanic. Overall, the MiG-21SMT is a versatile plane adaptable to any playstyle.

'''Enemies worth noting'''

* F-8E - A common enemy, while it turns worse, it retains energy significantly better. It is capable of carrying Aim-9C SARH guided AAMs, which can be very dangerous at higher altitude if chaff is not carried.
* F-5C - One of if not your most common enemy. it retains energy better but struggles regaining speed when at low speed due to poor engine power.

* Mig-21MF - The Mig-21MF is very similar to you, it carries R60 missiles which are very hard to evade by maneuvering alone, however it can be fooled by flares very easily.
* Mirage IIIE - Carries the Matra Magic I AAM that are nearly undodgeable without flares. However when in a dogfight the Mirage IIIE is inferior in almost every aspect.

=== Radars ===

The MiG-21SMT is equipped with a Sapphire-21 search and tracking radar. The radar is mounted in the nose of the aircraft.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="4" | Sapphire-21 - Target Detection Radar
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Detection Range|The maximum possible range at which a target can be detected}}
! {{Annotation|Guaranteed Detection Range|The range, below which, detection of a target is practically guaranteed}}
! {{Annotation|Max Azimuth Scan Angle|How far to each side the radar can scan (widest search mode)}}
! {{Annotation|Max Elevation Scan Angle|How far up and down the radar can scan (widest search mode)}}
|-
| 30,000 m (theoretical) || 20,000 m || ±30° || -3°/+17°
|-
! colspan="4" | Sapphire-21 - Target Tracking Radar
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Tracking Range|The maximum range at which a target can be tracked}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum Tracking Range|The range below which targets cannot be tracked by the radar}}
! {{Annotation|Azimuth Tracking Angle|How far to each side the radar can track a target}}
! {{Annotation|Elevation Tracking Angle|How far up and down the radar can track a target}}
|-
| 20,000 m || 300 m || ±30° || ±17°
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* High thrust-to-weight ratio
* High top speed
* Excellent acceleration from 1,000 - 1,200 km/h
* Excellent rate of climb, can maintain mach 1+ at 30 degrees
* One of the many MiG-21 variants capable of using a radar missile, being the [[R-3R]]
* Maintains speed and energy in turns better than the [[MiG-21 F-13|MiG-21F-13]]
* Its RP-22SM radar has high tracking range
* Much higher rate of fire than earlier cannon-armed Soviet jets
* Can perform a cobra with full real controls
* Increased fuel load compared to other MiG-21 variants
* Access to RWR and countermeasures

'''Cons:'''

* GSh-23L cannon is mounted oddly and has poor ballistics
* Less agile than other MiG-21 variants
* Using afterburner on the deck can overspeed the aircraft even in a slight climb; do not linger above redline at all if possible
* Radar has shorter detection range than most competitors

== History ==

The MiG-21 was a supersonic interceptor aircraft designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau (Mikoyan OKB) located in the Soviet Union. The development of the aircraft began in early 1950's, when Mikoyan OKB finished their first design of the aircraft designated as Ye-1. However, the prototype was quickly determined to be too under-powered, and led to the a redesign of the aircraft, designated Ye-2. Both of these aircraft and the prototype to follow had swept back wings, such as those found on the MiG-15. The first prototype to have the signature delta wings of the MiG-21 was the Ye-4. The aircraft made it's maiden flight on June 16th, 1955, and made its first public appearance during the Soviet Aviation Display at Moscow's Tushino Airfield in July 1956. The MiG 21 became the Soviet Unions first successful fighter and interceptor aircraft, it was lightweight, and had a powerful afterburner, allowing it to reach speeds of up to Mach 2, and was comparable to the French Dassault Mirage III, and American Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter and Lockheed F-104 Starfighter at the time. However, the aircraft had a short range, which was worsened by the poor placement of its fuel tanks. Due to this, the development of the MiG-21 SMT began. The SMT variant of the MiG-21 contained more fuel tanks in the spine of the aircraft, which resulted in the aircraft being hard to fly as a result of the enlarged spine. The fuel tank however, did give the aircraft an increased range of up to 250 km (155 mi). The SMT variant also had an electronic countermeasures capability. The MiG-21 SMT is no longer in service.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=mig-21_smt Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|M1QGN0ge4C8|'''The Shooting Range #181''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:29 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|vhTZXYk6eao|'''Tank busters''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 4:19 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== See also ==


;[[MiG-21 (Family)|Related development]]

* {{Specs-Link|mig-21_mf}}
* {{Specs-Link|mig-21_f13}}
* [[MiG-21bis]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/479891-mig-21smt/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer MiG}}
{{USSR jet aircraft}}

Mirage F1C-200

2022-12-31T08:59:34Z

U138796218: /* General info */

{{About
| about = premium French jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Mirage F1 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=mirage_f1c_200
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|StoreImage_{{PAGENAME}}_001.jpg}}
|store=11810
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} French jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Apex Predators"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at _,___ m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2156 || 2118 || rowspan="2" | 16000 || 28.3 || 28.8 || 128.6 || 122.6 || rowspan="2" |
|-
! Upgraded
| 2300 || 2228 || 26.2 || 27.0 || 183.9 || 155.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1351 ||444|| 555 || 549 || 416 || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 650 || < 600 || < 900 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|+
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | Basic mass || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | SNECMA Atar 9K-50 || 1
| colspan="2" | 8,036 kg || colspan="3" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Gross
Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 13m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel
!44m fuel
|-
| 1,590 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 9,058 kg || 9,581 kg || 10,354 kg
|11,443 kg|| 15,672 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 13m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel
!44m fuel|| MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 4,878 kgf || 6,745 kgf
| 0.75 || 0.71 || 0.66
|0.59|| 0.43
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,904 kgf
(1,200 - 1,351 km/h)
| 9,142 kgf
(1,200 - 1,351 km/h)
| 1.02 || 0.96 || 0.89
|0.81|| 0.58
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|DEFA 553 (30 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 2 x 30 mm DEFA 553 cannons, belly-mounted (135 rpg = 270 total)
** 2 x 30 mm DEFA 553 cannons + 252 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|SAMP Type 25 (250 kg)|SAMP Type 21 (400 kg)|SAMP Mk 82 (500 lb)|SAMP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|SAMP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)}}
{{main|Matra R530|Matra R530E|Matra R550 Magic 1|Matra R550 Magic 2|Matra Super 530F}}
{{main|SNEB type 23|DEFA 553 (30 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 72 x SNEB type 23 rockets
* 144 x SNEB type 23 rockets
* 2 x 30 mm DEFA 553 cannons (180 rpg = 360 total)
* 5 x 250 kg SAMP Type 25 bombs (1,250 kg total)
* 5 x 400 kg SAMP Type 21 bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 3 x 2,000 lb SAMP Mk 84 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 2 x Matra R550 Magic 1 missiles
* 2 x Matra R550 Magic 2 missiles
* 2 x Matra R530E missiles + 1 x Matra R530 missile
* 2 x Matra Super 530F missiles
* 2 x Matra R550 Magic 1 missiles + 2 x Matra Super 530F missiles + 1 x Matra R530 missile
* 2 x Matra R550 Magic 1 missiles + 1 x Matra R530E missile + 2 x 30 mm DEFA 553 cannons
* 2 x Matra R550 Magic 1 missiles + 2 x Matra Super 530F missiles
* 2 x Matra R550 Magic 1 missiles + 5 x 400 kg SAMP Type 21 bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 2 x Matra R550 Magic 1 missiles + 144 x SNEB type 23 rockets
* 2 x Matra R550 Magic 1 missiles + 72 x SNEB type 23 rockets + 1 x 2,000 lb SAMP Mk 84 bomb (2,000 lb total)
* 2 x Matra R550 Magic 1 missiles + 36 x SNEB type 23 rockets + 1 x 400 kg SAMP Type 21 bomb + 2 x 30 mm DEFA 553 cannons (400 kg total)
* 2 x Matra R550 Magic 2 missiles + 2 x Matra Super 530F missiles + 1 x Matra R530 missile
* 2 x Matra R550 Magic 2 missiles + 1 x Matra R530E missile + 2 x 30 mm DEFA 553 cannons
* 2 x Matra R550 Magic 2 missiles + 2 x Matra Super 530F missiles
* 2 x Matra R550 Magic 2 missiles + 5 x 400 kg SAMP Type 21 bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 2 x Matra R550 Magic 2 missiles + 144 x SNEB type 23 rockets
* 2 x Matra R550 Magic 2 missiles + 72 x SNEB type 23 rockets + 1 x 2,000 lb SAMP Mk 84 bomb (2,000 lb total)
* 2 x Matra R550 Magic 2 missiles + 36 x SNEB type 23 rockets + 1 x 400 kg SAMP Type 21 bomb + 2 x 30 mm DEFA 553 cannons (400 kg total)
* 5 x 1,000 lb SAMP Mk 83 bombs (5,000 lb total)

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="6%" | 1 !! width="6%" | 2 !! width="6%" | 3 !! width="6%" | 4 !! width="6%" | 5 !! width="6%" | 6 !! width="6%" | 7
| rowspan="14" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_Mirage_F1C.png]]</div>
|-
! 30 mm DEFA 553 cannons (180 rpg)
| || || 1 || || 1 || ||
|-
! 500 lb SAMP Mk 82 bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! 250 kg SAMP Type 25 bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! 400 kg SAMP Type 21 bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! 1,000 lb SAMP Mk 83 bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! 2,000 lb SAMP Mk 84 bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! SNEB type 23 rockets
| || 18, 36 || 18, 36 || || 18, 36 || 18, 36 ||
|-
! Matra R530 missiles
| || || 1 || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! Matra R530E missiles
| || || 1 || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! Matra R550 Magic 1 missiles
| 1 || || || || || || 1
|-
! Matra R550 Magic 2 missiles
| 1 || || || || || || 1
|-
! Matra Super 530F missiles
| || || 1 || || 1 || ||
|-
| colspan="8" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 500 kg
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==
The most effective way of using the Mirage F1C-200 in Air Realistic battles is to play a support role, targeting slow or distracted enemies with your powerful air-to-air missiles. Try to avoid entering the furball as the Mirage F1C-200 has poor maneuverability and top speed. It is recommended to avoid 1 on 1 dogfights unless absolutely necessary due to the poor maneuverability and acclearetion of the aircraft.

The Mirage F1C-200 can also be used as a strike aircraft with its bombs and rockets and transitioning to a fighter after dropping its ordnance.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

When playing the Mirage F1C-200 everyone is a considerable treat due to the poor flight characteristics of the aircraft.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Availability of Matra Super 530F and R550 Magic 2 air-to-air missiles
* The Cyrano-IV allows low altitude Pulse-Doppler (MTI) and ACM, an upgrade from the previous Mirages (IIIE & IIIC)
* 252 countermeasures
* Decent acceleration at higher speeds
* Large amount of bombs and rockets

*

'''Cons:'''

* Very slow acceleration with ordnance
* Poor manoeuvrability at low and high speeds with only "workable" agility at mid speeds
* Low wing-rip speed compared to other aircraft at the rank
* The Matra Super 530F missiles are very heavy and strongly impact flight performance
* 30 mm DEFA cannons are difficult to use, particularly against high-speed targets

*

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==

''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{France jet aircraft}}
{{France premium aircraft}}

F-16A

2022-12-30T04:31:29Z

U138796218: /* Flight performance */

{{Specs-Card
|code=f_16a_block_10
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Apex Predators"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The F-16A is famous for its ability to accelerate while going vertically. Its turn rate and thrust are amongst the best in the game.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at _,___ m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2103 || 2073 || rowspan="2" | 15240 || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | ___
|-
! Upgraded
| ___ || ___ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || ___ || ___ || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < ___ || < ___ || < ___ || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 || 1
| colspan="2" | _,___ kg || colspan="2" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel
|-
| 1,470 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (___%/WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || ___%/WEP
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || ___ kgf || ___ kgf
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
| ''Optimal'' || ___ kgf (_ km/h) || ___ kgf (_ km/h)
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, wing root-mounted (512 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon + 60 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|GBU-8 (2,000 lb)|AGM-65B|BLU-27/B incendiary}}
{{main|AIM-9J Sidewinder|AIM-9L Sidewinder|FFAR Mighty Mouse}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* 1 x 300 gal drop tank
* 2 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 19 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (9,500 lb total)
* 4 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 4 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
* 4 x 2,000 lb GBU-8 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 114 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 6 x AGM-65B missiles

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="5%" | 1 !! width="5%" | 2 !! width="5%" | 3 !! width="5%" | 4 !! width="5%" | 5 !! width="5%" | 6 !! width="5%" | 7 !! width="5%" | 8 !! width="5%" | 9
| rowspan="11" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs
| || || 3 || 3, 6 || 1 || 3, 6 || 3 || ||
|-
! 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! 2,000 lb GBU-8 bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
| || || 57 || || || || 57 || ||
|-
! AGM-65B missiles
| || || 1, 3 || || || || 1, 3 || ||
|-
! AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || || || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || || || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! 300 gal drop tanks
| || || || || 1 || || || ||
|-
| colspan="10" | Maximum permissible loadout weight: 5,420 kg Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 2,000 kg
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===
'''Pros:'''

Access to 6 Aim-9L sidewinder missiles.

Incredible acceleration.

High power to weight ratio.

Has access to a wide range to air to ground loadouts.

Able to carry a drop tank to extend flight time.

Highly manurable at lower speeds.

'''Cons:'''

Does not have access to SARH missiles, limiting its BVR performance.

Cannot pull tight turns at high speed.

High fuel consumption with afterburner.

*

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==


;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|FtFRyd0R3Lg|'''The Shooting Range #334''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:47 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/8003-development-f-16a-american-fighting-falcon-en|[Devblog] F-16A: American Fighting Falcon]]

{{AirManufacturer General Dynamics}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

F-16A

2022-12-30T04:29:56Z

U138796218: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=f_16a_block_10
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Apex Predators"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The F-16A is famous for its ability to accelerate while going vertically. Its turn rate and thrust are amongst the best in the game.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at _,___ m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| ___ || ___ || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | ___
|-
! Upgraded
| ___ || ___ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || ___ || ___ || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < ___ || < ___ || < ___ || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 || 1
| colspan="2" | _,___ kg || colspan="2" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel
|-
| 1,470 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (___%/WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || ___%/WEP
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || ___ kgf || ___ kgf
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
| ''Optimal'' || ___ kgf (_ km/h) || ___ kgf (_ km/h)
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, wing root-mounted (512 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon + 60 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|GBU-8 (2,000 lb)|AGM-65B|BLU-27/B incendiary}}
{{main|AIM-9J Sidewinder|AIM-9L Sidewinder|FFAR Mighty Mouse}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* 1 x 300 gal drop tank
* 2 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 19 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (9,500 lb total)
* 4 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 4 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
* 4 x 2,000 lb GBU-8 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 114 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 6 x AGM-65B missiles

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="5%" | 1 !! width="5%" | 2 !! width="5%" | 3 !! width="5%" | 4 !! width="5%" | 5 !! width="5%" | 6 !! width="5%" | 7 !! width="5%" | 8 !! width="5%" | 9
| rowspan="11" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs
| || || 3 || 3, 6 || 1 || 3, 6 || 3 || ||
|-
! 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! 2,000 lb GBU-8 bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
| || || 57 || || || || 57 || ||
|-
! AGM-65B missiles
| || || 1, 3 || || || || 1, 3 || ||
|-
! AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || || || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || || || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! 300 gal drop tanks
| || || || || 1 || || || ||
|-
| colspan="10" | Maximum permissible loadout weight: 5,420 kg Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 2,000 kg
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===
'''Pros:'''

Access to 6 Aim-9L sidewinder missiles.

Incredible acceleration.

High power to weight ratio.

Has access to a wide range to air to ground loadouts.

Able to carry a drop tank to extend flight time.

Highly manurable at lower speeds.

'''Cons:'''

Does not have access to SARH missiles, limiting its BVR performance.

Cannot pull tight turns at high speed.

High fuel consumption with afterburner.

*

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==


;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|FtFRyd0R3Lg|'''The Shooting Range #334''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:47 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/8003-development-f-16a-american-fighting-falcon-en|[Devblog] F-16A: American Fighting Falcon]]

{{AirManufacturer General Dynamics}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

F-16A

2022-12-30T04:29:32Z

U138796218: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=f_16a_block_10
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Apex Predators"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The F-16A is famous for its ability to accelerate while going vertically. Its turn rate and thrust are amongst the best in the game.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at _,___ m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| ___ || ___ || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | ___
|-
! Upgraded
| ___ || ___ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || ___ || ___ || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < ___ || < ___ || < ___ || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 || 1
| colspan="2" | _,___ kg || colspan="2" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel
|-
| 1,470 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (___%/WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || ___%/WEP
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || ___ kgf || ___ kgf
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
| ''Optimal'' || ___ kgf (_ km/h) || ___ kgf (_ km/h)
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, wing root-mounted (512 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon + 60 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|GBU-8 (2,000 lb)|AGM-65B|BLU-27/B incendiary}}
{{main|AIM-9J Sidewinder|AIM-9L Sidewinder|FFAR Mighty Mouse}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* 1 x 300 gal drop tank
* 2 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 19 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (9,500 lb total)
* 4 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 4 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
* 4 x 2,000 lb GBU-8 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 114 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 6 x AGM-65B missiles

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="5%" | 1 !! width="5%" | 2 !! width="5%" | 3 !! width="5%" | 4 !! width="5%" | 5 !! width="5%" | 6 !! width="5%" | 7 !! width="5%" | 8 !! width="5%" | 9
| rowspan="11" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs
| || || 3 || 3, 6 || 1 || 3, 6 || 3 || ||
|-
! 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! 2,000 lb GBU-8 bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
| || || 57 || || || || 57 || ||
|-
! AGM-65B missiles
| || || 1, 3 || || || || 1, 3 || ||
|-
! AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || || || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || || || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! 300 gal drop tanks
| || || || || 1 || || || ||
|-
| colspan="10" | Maximum permissible loadout weight: 5,420 kg Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 2,000 kg
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===

''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''

'''Pros:'''

Access to 6 Aim-9L sidewinder missiles.

Incredible acceleration.

High power to weight ratio.

Has access to a wide range to air to ground loadouts.

Able to carry a drop tank to extend flight time.

Highly manurable at lower speeds.

'''Cons:'''

Does not have access to SARH missiles, limiting its BVR performance.

Cannot pull tight turns at high speed.

High fuel consumption with afterburner.

*

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==


;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|FtFRyd0R3Lg|'''The Shooting Range #334''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:47 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/8003-development-f-16a-american-fighting-falcon-en|[Devblog] F-16A: American Fighting Falcon]]

{{AirManufacturer General Dynamics}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}