Questions tagged [military]
For questions relating to military aviation or possible effects of a country's military on other forms of aviation.
22
votes
2answers
3k views
What features enable the Su-25 Frogfoot to operate with such a wide variety of fuels?
It is widely attested* that the Su-25 Frogfoot's engines (the Turmansky R-95Sh and later the R-195) were designed to function using a wide variety of fuels, including diesel, gasoline, petrol, ...
-2
votes
0answers
74 views
How do stealth aircraft operate from rough or contaminated fields without ruining their paint jobs?
While thinking about the MiG-29’s dedicated rough-field intakes, I started wondering about rough-field operations for other types of combat aircraft, and, naturally, since most new combat aircraft ...
0
votes
1answer
92 views
About Flat Spins [closed]
Everybody seems to remember Maverick's flat spin in Top Gun, but If you watched "The Right Stuff", it was a flat spin that caused Chuck Yeager to Eject from an F-104. He didn't fly through jet wash, ...
2
votes
1answer
255 views
How fast do the F-35 weapons bay doors open/close during combat ops?
(YouTube)
I came across the following Norwegian F-35 video launching a live missile from its right bay door. Of course, opening the door and launching the missile drastically increases RCS, but it ...
3
votes
0answers
115 views
Is there a name for aircraft weapon load photos?
I remember as a kid I had a couple of books full of spec sheets and big glossy photos of military planes with every standard piece of weaponry laid out in front of them, something like this (c/o Tech ...
4
votes
4answers
462 views
Could a C-130 Hercules be built using WW2 technology?
I'm looking at this as a "time traveller carrying only designs in his head" scenario.
Obviously turboprop engines are out of the question, but how close in capability would it be possible to get a C-...
2
votes
2answers
273 views
How is the A-10 effective against tanks?
Perhaps this isn't on-topic, but is the A-10 effective against tanks (tank armour)?
For example, this page claims:
Using the cannon, the A-10 is capable of disabling a main battle tank from a ...
19
votes
4answers
8k views
Why are special aircraft used for the carriers in the United States Navy?
Why are aircraft such as the legacy F-14 and now the F/A-18 used by the US Navy carriers?
It seems to me that developing a new aircraft from the ground up is very expensive. Is it not possible to ...
2
votes
1answer
933 views
Which military aircraft does this seem to be? [F-16 vs MiG-21]
Can someone identify the aircraft based on the components, riveting style, or other technical details visible in these crash pictures?
a) Based on publicly available details, the chief suspects are ...
0
votes
2answers
218 views
AWACS - what do these antennas do?
In a press release for a new Boeing "wingman" (BATS) drone being built in Australia, a closeup of this Australian AWACS flying in formation was provided. What would be some of the specific uses for ...
2
votes
0answers
76 views
What is the difference between a weapons training aircraft and an actual combat aircraft?
From the Wikipedia page on the Northrop T-38 Talon:
Most T-38s built were of the T-38A variant, but the USAF also had a
small number of aircraft converted for weapons training (designated
AT-...
4
votes
1answer
187 views
Can Ospreys land without running engines?
I just have seen a video of a demonstration of an Osprey V-22. While this is an impressive aircraft I wonder whether this might land with failing engines (with the large "propellers" probably hinder ...
3
votes
1answer
288 views
Does a nuclear weapon (B-61) equipped F-35 have the same nuclear confirmation failsafes as other nuclear device delivery aircraft?
Several sources cite that the F-35 will be able to be modified or simply equipped to carry some variant of the B-61 nuclear bomb. However, I know that most strike aircraft such as the F-15 Strike ...
2
votes
0answers
367 views
What is this high-wing, single-propeller, possibly military plane?
I recently acquired a black & white photograph of a group of military people posed in front of an airplane. I am seeking information about the plane, and maybe the people.
The plane is mostly ...
2
votes
3answers
322 views
Are modern fighter jets bulletproof and armored?
Are modern fighter jets bulletproof and armored? One would not be wrong given part of their operations is being on the receiving end of enemy ammunition shooting at them.
1
vote
1answer
309 views
How do the military pilots of Air Force One train for exceptional circumstances in an airliner not designed for high performance?
This article discusses how on one occasion, the pilot of Air Force One, the personal air transport of the President of the United States, was required to perform evasive manoeuvres to avoid presumed ...
1
vote
1answer
189 views
What exactly was the American WW2 smokebomb used in naval warfare?
In WW2 the Americans used a kind of smoke/gas-bomb that they mounted under the SBD planes in naval warfare.
What was the purpose of that device and what is it called?
-2
votes
1answer
268 views
Is it legal to shoot down hijacked passenger aircraft in some countries? [closed]
Are there countries which post-9/11 have adopted legislation allowing the shoot-down of passenger aircraft under any circumstances ?
-4
votes
2answers
139 views
Why shoot down a passenger plane without knowing it will crash? [closed]
Flights threatened by a passenger and flights with lost coms and even flights in technical difficulty without criminal intent and not posing a security threat are sometimes intercepted and escorted by ...
6
votes
3answers
381 views
Can a bird strike destroy the stealth capability of F-35?
There is a video according to which a F-35 aircraft has been struck by a bird in Israel. This, allegedly, disabled its stealth capability.
More than a year earlier, two storks allegedly damaged ...
4
votes
1answer
224 views
Identify an USAF transport aircraft in Greenland around 1960
Could anybody help me identify this aircraft?
It was photographed in Greenland around 1960.
Thanks in advance.
3
votes
1answer
166 views
Who was the US military pilot who crashed his plane and was accused of selling it to the Russians?
There was recently news regarding a story of a former US military pilot who crash landed his plane somewhere in the southwest. He was accused of flying the airplane to Mexico to deliver it to the ...
2
votes
3answers
133 views
What are the areas of an aircraft that suffers most from G forces?
i want to ask this time as to "what are the areas of an aircraft that feels or suffers the most from G forces?". i am asking this in terms of structural design and physical limits of the pilot(the ...
3
votes
1answer
95 views
How many variations are there of the Avro Lancaster?
How many different variations of the Avro Lancaster are there?
3
votes
2answers
224 views
What problems would the early F-16 have if they were to fight during night?
From Wikipedia:
Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft.
There is no citation for this, so I suppose first asking if this is even ...
2
votes
2answers
249 views
How did the two F35 planes get from Fort Worth to Williamtown?
I am curious how the the F35 that recently arrived in Williamtown Australia arrived there.
Were they transported at any point, or were they flown the entire way?
How many stops did they make?
Did ...
22
votes
3answers
7k views
Why do modern fighter jets use 20mm guns?
Why do modern fighter jets use 20mm guns? Is the armor of a modern jet that thick? Does, for example, .50 ammunition lack velocity to be effective?
I'm just curious on why is that 20mm is so widely ...
0
votes
4answers
222 views
Aviation theory for fighter pilots
Background:
I'm an 18-year-old Finn and so I'll be starting my military service next summer. I'm currently applying to the Air Force to become a fighter pilot, but I don't have any previous training ...
10
votes
1answer
547 views
What are these accelerating flare countermeasures called?
There seems to be a type of flare countermeasure, that not only gets ejected from the flare dispenser, but also gets accelerated in the direction of the plane. So fare I´ve only noticed it on super ...
-2
votes
1answer
600 views
Black aircraft at night no lights with helicopter following - is this a stealth aircraft? [closed]
I have just seen a dark long aircraft fly over my car followed by a long helicopter. I am not an expert at this but it is 8pm, i am on a hill with a few houses, there is a little street light on the ...
1
vote
2answers
286 views
Is is possible to have an aircraft launched from a submarine or directly from under the water?
Aircraft carriers can be seen all over the world. They are quite visible and need to be well protected among a battle group to operate. At the other end of the spectrum, a modern submarine is nearly ...
-1
votes
2answers
113 views
Why does the military not use Engine Condition Trend Monitoring? [closed]
What are the advantages of ECTM and why is it not used in military aviation even though it will help in many ways?
6
votes
2answers
2k views
What are these windows/portholes on the English Electric Canberra bomber?
This may be an obvious question, but I don't know, which is why I'm asking here. I've searched "Canberra canopy porthole" and "window", but didn't get any information. There is a porthole of sorts on ...
1
vote
2answers
269 views
What procedures are used for midair refueling without air supremacy?
One of the major themes of the answers to (and comments on) my earlier question about tankers not having ejection seats is that tankers are used only in environments where the threat from enemy ...
5
votes
1answer
316 views
How close is this Su-27 to the aircraft recording the pass?
There is footage of an intercept of a US Nay recon aircraft being intercepted by a Russian Su-27:
(still from the BBC video article, who look like they got it from the US Navy directly)
which was ...
13
votes
1answer
1k views
What is the non-projected cross-hair for on the F-18 HUD?
Top right, there's a little cross-hair - it looks like it's for lining something up, since on the second pane there's a little dot.
I haven't seen this on any other HUDs. Appears to be present on all ...
5
votes
1answer
305 views
What are the correct procedures for military aircraft interception over international waters?
I recently read this list of errors in the film Top Gun. The list is long and fairly well done, but there is one I realized when thinking about that movie and that is Maverick may have actually ...
0
votes
1answer
166 views
What were DJI drones spying on? What data did they capture? [closed]
In late 2017, it was claimed that DJI (a very popular Chinese drone company) was working with the Chinese government to spy on the United States via their drones, or their drone controllers, which are ...
0
votes
3answers
435 views
Why do stealth aircraft generally lose in maneuverability?
Whilst stealthy built aircraft have (or claim to have) many anti-detection systems, they seem to have to compromise on less maneuverability features, and even have to keep their missiles inside, not ...
0
votes
1answer
281 views
What are these small propellers in the A330 MRTT's wings?
In actual flight there are small propellers rotating at the front of these "pillars". What are they? They are visible in this video.
4
votes
5answers
486 views
What measures prevent a military aircraft's weapons from being fired on the ground?
Recently the 20mm cannon of an F-16 was accidentally fired on the ground by maintenance personnel at Florennes Air Base in Belgium, resulting the the destruction of another F-16 and damage to a third.
...
4
votes
2answers
551 views
With similar weapons why does an AH64 Apache require a pilot and gunner when the A10 Warthog only needs a pilot?
The Apache has a 30mm chain gun. It carries Hellfire (anti armor), Stinger/Sidewinder (air to air) and Hydra (air to ground, APKWS guidance package available) missiles.
source
The Warthog has a ...
2
votes
1answer
242 views
What does M mean in A400M Atlas?
Atlas was the guy in Greek mythology that was literally carrying the world/planet in his shoulders. But was does "M" mean? Military? That's a guess, though...
1
vote
2answers
91 views
Is an A&P certificate ever required to work on military aircraft?
Are military aviation mechanics - including civilian contractors - ever required to obtain an A&P certificate to work on active military aircraft?
0
votes
2answers
339 views
Was any MiG-29 modernized to incorporate digital systems?
Did any air force using the MiG-29 ever modernize their aircraft so that they can fly on fully digital equipment such as the following?
Digital HUD
Digital fly-by-wire
Digital navigation system
...
1
vote
2answers
363 views
Why did the RAF buy the F-35B model and not the A model
If the only issue is the in-flight refueling system (probe/drogue), wouldn't it make more sense to buy the A model and modify the tankers. The refueling issue doesn't compare to the performance ...
5
votes
3answers
403 views
What is the vocabulary used by fighter pilots used to communicate?
As far as I understand, fighter pilots or more general military aircrews will use a dedicated phraseology to communicate with each other, which is different to communicating to ATC.
Is this ...
-5
votes
2answers
158 views
What measures are taken to ensure military pilots aren't going mad? [closed]
I'm asking specifically about single pilot fighter jets. How do air forces ensure pilots won't go mad and start a war with another country? For example, a pair of B2 pilots could start World War 3 by ...
1
vote
2answers
342 views
What is this plane shown on the 'Blended wing body' Wikipedia page?
(wikimedia.org via wikipedia.org)
What is the second plane from left, between the 757 and the B-2?
2
votes
1answer
193 views
F-16 “training rounds”? [duplicate]
From this Wikipedia article
A fighter pilot based at Andrews Air Force Base, Billy Hutchison, claims that while in the air he spotted Flight 93 on his scope and planned to first fire his training ...
