American Fighter Aircraft

  The SR-71 Blackbird was a Reconnaissance aircraft designed for the CIA to operate at high speeds and high altitudes to avoid enemy air defenses. The blackbird had also seen operations with the Airforce and NASA. It achieved speech of Mach 3.2 and altitudes above 85,000 feet so, with a combination of jamming made it an extremely difficult plane to target with surface-to-air missiles. In total 32 SR-71s were built but not a single one was lost due to enemy air defenses. The SR-71’s role as a surveillance aircraft today has been replaced by satellites and UAVs.             The SR-71 program was needed to replace the slow U-2 surveillance aircraft and aimed to fly higher and faster, while also having a lower radar cross-section. Most of the airframe was built of titanium due to the high heat it would face at extreme speeds. Due to such drastic differences in materials from usual aircraft manufacturing, there was special tool...

          The F/A 18 Super Hornet is the navy’s improvement on the previous generation hornet which was its premier jet for carrier operations. The F/A stands for fighter and attack of which the super hornet prospers in both rolls. The Super Hornet also has a host of improvements over previous F/A 18 jets. It features a new Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, which uses radar waves to steer the radar beam. The Super Hornet also has the capacity to midair refuel other jets in the fleet. It also carries 33% more fuel than the legacy hornet in order to extend range and endurance during operations. It also is compatible with 90% of parts for C/D models of Hornet in order to reduce cost and strain on carrier logistics.                The Hornet first entered service in 1999 with the Navy to replace the F-14. The Hornet has a long history in the middle east of attacking enemy air defenses and Islamic State pos...

  The P-51 mustang was an air dominance fighter that flew over the skies in both Korea and World War II. It was developed in 1940 by the North American Aviation group. It gained prominence due to its strong performance to compete with Luftwaffe fighters thanks to such a strong engine and the Meredith effect which reduced drag and provided extra thrust. The P-51 saw use with the United States Army Airforce escorting bomber formations over Germany during the war. The P-51’s unique combination of high-altitude performance and ability to carry more fuel than other fighters made it a perfect fit for bomber escort and deterring intercepting enemy aircraft that would try to shoot down the larger bombers.   Soon the strategy shifted, and the P-51 mustangs were no longer required to fly in tight formation with bombers and were allowed to attack the Luftwaffe wherever they could be found to maintain air supremacy. Such air supremacy was necessary for the landing at D-Day. Soon enemy air...