RAF Jaguar

Key Points:

Single-seat attack and reconnaissance aircraft
Two-seat trainer
Upgraded to use GPS navigation and helmet-mounted missile sight

Details

Produced to meet a joint Anglo-French requirement in 1965 for a dual-role advanced/operational trainer and tactical support aircraft, the Jaguar has been transformed into a potent fighter-bomber. Deliveries began in 1973, and at its peak the Jaguar equipped 8 front-line RAF squadrons in the UK and Germany.

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The four-nation Eurofighter Typhoon is a foreplane delta-wing, beyond-visual-range, close air fighter aircraft with surface attack capability. Eurofighter has 'supercruise' capability: it can fly at sustained speeds of over Mach 1 without the use of afterburner.

Development of the aircraft has been carried out by Eurofighter GmbH, based in Munich and wholly owned by BAE Systems of the UK, Alenia Aeronautica of Italy and the EADS Deutschland (formerly DaimlerChrysler) and EADS Spain (formerly... [Read More]

U.S. Air Force Fact Sheet
F-117A NIGHTHAWK


Mission
The F-117A Nighthawk is the world's first operational aircraft designed to exploit low-observable stealth technology. This precision-strike aircraft penetrates high-threat airspace and uses laser-guided weapons against critical targets.

Features
The unique design of the single-seat F-117A provides exceptional combat capabilities. About the size of an F-15 Eagle, the twin-engine aircraft is powered by two General Electric F404 turbofan engin... [Read More]

The Air Launched Anti-Radiation Missile (ALARM) is designed to destroy or suppress the use of enemy ground-based air defence radar systems. It first saw service during the Gulf War and has been in the weapon inventory of the Tornado ground attack aircraft ever since. Various combinations of between two and seven missiles can be carried on each aircraft. Since its original entry into service, radars have become increasingly more sophisticated in their ability to avoid detection and attack by... [Read More]

Details

The Tornado GR4 is the latest version of the RAF's primary attack aircraft. Capable of supersonic speeds and flight at low-level, the aircraft is one of the most potent in the world today.

First deliveries to the RAF of the original GR1 version were made in 1980 where it replaced a number of older RAF aircraft including the Buccaneer and Vulcan as low-level attack aircraft. A major feature is the Tornado's 'swing wings' (or 'variable geometry' to give it its correct title)... [Read More]

RAF Typhoon

- Single-seat 'swing role' aircraft
- Will replace Tornado F3 and Jaguar in RAF service
- Low weight and high thrust means it can reach 36,000ft (10,970m) in under 2 minutes from a standing start

Details

The Typhoon is an agile, single seat, multi-role aircraft optimised for high altitude supersonic air combat but also capable of operating at much lower levels in the air-to-ground roles. It is built by a four-nation consortium comprised of companies from... [Read More]

Mission

The British Aerospace Harrier is used by the RAF in the close air support role. In this, aircraft are usually employed in direct support of ground troops tackling such targets as enemy troop positions, tanks and artillery. The Harrier uses a variety of weapons such as laser and GPS-guided bombs against buildings (Paveway), infra-red missiles against tanks (Maverick), cluster munitions and general-purpose bombs. When required, the Harrier can also be fitted with a pod fitted w... [Read More]