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Northrop F-5A Freedom Fighter F-5E Tiger II F-20 Tigershark Light Tactical Fighter |
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DESCRIPTION:
Northrop began its light fighter project in 1953 that led to a company-financed supersonic trainer called the N-156F Freedom Fighter. Though not purchased by the US military, the government supported the sale of 879 F-5A's to 21 friendly nations. Another 320 aircraft were built under license in foreign countries. The F-5E Tiger II appeared in the early 1970s with more powerful engines, greater fuel capacity, and aerodynamic improvements. Over 1,400 of the Tigers were sold, including some purchased by the US Navy and Air Force for use in the Top Gun and Aggressor programs to simulate enemy aircraft and tactics. A further development of the F-5 was the F-20 Tigershark, similar in performance to the F-16. However, the Tigershark failed to attract a buyer in the competitive fighter market of the late 1980s. Nonetheless, some 2,700 F-5 aircraft were built for the US and 30 other nations by the time production ceased in 1987. Perhaps the most well-known variant of the F-5 is the related T-38 Talon two-seat advanced trainer used by the US Air Force and NASA.
Data below for F-5E |
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| HISTORY: | |
| First Flight |
(F-5A) 30 July 1959 (RF-5A) May 1968 (F-5E) 11 August 1972 (RF-5E) 29 January 1979 (F-5F) 25 September 1974 |
| Service Entry |
(F-5E) April 1973
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| CREW: |
1 pilot
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| ESTIMATED COST: |
(T-38) $756,000
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| AIRFOIL SECTIONS: | |
| Wing Root | NACA 65A004.8 |
| Wing Tip |
NACA 64A004.8
|
| DIMENSIONS: | |
| Length | 47.38 ft (14.45 m) |
| Wingspan | 28.67 ft (8.13 m) |
| Height | 13.25 ft (4.06 m) |
| Wing Area | 186 ft2 (17.2 m2) |
|
Canard Area
|
not applicable
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| WEIGHTS: | |
| Empty | 9,723 lb (4,410 kg) |
| Normal Takeoff | unknown |
| Max Takeoff | 24,722 lb (11,214 kg) |
| Fuel Capacity |
internal: 2,541 L external: unknown |
|
Max Payload
|
(F-5) 7,000 lb (3,175 kg) (F-20) 8,000 lb (3,630 kg) |
| PROPULSION: | |
| Powerplant | two General Electric J85-21A afterburning turbojets |
| Thrust |
10,000 lb (44.48 kN)
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| PERFORMANCE: | |
| Max Level Speed |
at altitude: 1,085 mph (1,745 km/h) at 36,000 ft
(10,975 m), Mach 1.64 at sea level: unknown |
| Initial Climb Rate | 34,500 ft (10,500 m) / min |
| Service Ceiling | 51,800 ft (15,790 m) |
| Range |
typical: 240 nm (445 km) ferry: 1,545 nm (2,865 km) |
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g-Limits
|
unknown
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| ARMAMENT: | |
| Gun | two 20-mm M39A2 cannons (280 rds ea) |
| Stations | five external hardpoints and two wingtip rails |
| Air-to-Air Missile | AIM-9 Sidewinder |
| Air-to-Surface Missile | AGM-65 Maverick |
| Bomb | Mk 82/83/84 GP, BLU-107 Durandal, CBU-52 cluster |
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Other
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ECM pods, rocket pods
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| KNOWN VARIANTS: | |
| F-5A | Production one-seat Freedom Fighter; 1,200 built |
| CF-5A | Freedom Fighter license built by Canadair in Canada, also equipped for reconnaissance duties; 89 built |
| NF-5A | Freedom Fighter license built by Canadair for the Netherlands and Venezuela, also fitted with reconnaissance equipment; 75 built |
| RF-5A | Reconnaissance model based on the F-5A; 89 built |
| SRF-5A | Reconnaissance model license built by CASA for Spain; 17 built |
| F-5B | Two-seat trainer |
| F-5E | Tiger II, intended to fulfill a need for a lightweight, low-cost fighter to be exported to US allies, included modifications to improve manueverability and STOL performance, increased fuel capacity, and improved fire-control; about 1,400 built |
| RF-5E | TigerEye reconnaissance model with more advanced cameras and infrared scanners in an enlarged nose, purchased by Malaysia and Saudi Arabia; at least 12 built |
| F-5F | Two-seat combat-capable trainer with a lengthened fuselage |
| F-5G or F-20 | Tigershark, advanced F-5 with one F404 turbofan engine, increased payload, and much improved avionics; 3 prototypes built but did not enter production |
| T-38 |
Two-seat trainer; 1,114 built for USAF
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| KNOWN COMBAT RECORD: |
Vietnam War (South Vietnam, 1965-1975) Iran-Iraq War (Iran, 1980-1988) |
| KNOWN OPERATORS: |
US Air Force US Navy Bahrain Brazil Canada Chile Ethiopia Greece Honduras Indonesia Iran Jordan Kenya Libya Malaysia Mexico Morocco Netherlands Norway Philippines Saudi Arabia Singapore South Korea Spain Sudan Switzerland Taiwan Thailand Tunisia Turkey Venezuela Vietnam Yemen |
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