F-5A Freedom Fighter / F-5E Tiger II, Northrop
The F-5 was developed as a cheap 'export fighter' for military assistance programs. It was a small
jet fighter with short-span wings, twin-engined and optimized for easy maintenance. The F-5 was never
used on a large scale by the USAF, but because of characteristics similar to the
MiG-21, the F-5 was used as 'agressor' aircraft. The USAF did also use the closely related T-38
supersonic trainer. While the F-5A (799 built) was a very basic aircraft with minimal equipment, the
F-5E Tiger II (1166 built) was much more capable. Finally, the much-modified, single-engined F-5G was
renamed F-20. At least 28 countries used the F-5.
Type: F-5A
Country: USA
Function: fighter
Year: 1963
Crew: 1
Engines: 2 * 1800 kg G.E. J85-GE-13
Wing Area: 15.79 m2
Wing Span: 7.70 m
Length: 14.38 m
Height: 4.01 m
Empty Weight: 3667 kg
Max.Weight:
Max. Speed: 1490 km/h
Range: 2600 km
Ceiling: 15200 m
Armament: 2*g20mm
Unit cost: 5 million USD
Northrop F-5E Tiger II
Type: F-5E
Function: fighter
Year: 1973
Crew: 1
Engines: 2 * 22.24 kN G.E. J85-GE-21A
Wing Span: 8.13 m
Length: 14.68 m
Height: 4.08 m
Wing Area: 17.28 m2
Empty Weight: 4410 kg
Max. Weight:
Max. Speed: Mach 1.64
Ceiling: 15790 m
Max. Range: 2860 km
Armament: 2*g20mm
F-5A Freedom Fighter
The F-5 is a supersonic fighter combining low cost, ease of maintenance, and great
versatility. More than 2,000 F-5 aircraft have been procured by the USAF for use by allied
nations. The F-5, which resembles the USAF Northrop T-38 trainer, is suitable for
various types of ground-support and aerial intercept missions, including those which would
have to be conducted from sod fields in combat areas.
The F-5 first flew on July 30, 1959 and deliveries to the Tactical Air Command for
instructing foreign pilots began in April 1964. Pilots from Iran and South Korea were the
first to be trained in the F-5, followed by pilots from Norway, Greece, Taiwan, Spain, and
other Free World nations which have adopted the F-5. A two place combat trainer version,
the F-5B, first flew in February 1964. In 1966-67, a USAF squadron of F-5s flew combat
missions in Southeast Asia for operational evaluation purposes.
F-5E Tiger II
The F-5E "Tiger II" was a greatly improved version of the earlier F-5A
"Freedom Fighter". Redesigned as a highly maneuverable, lightweight and
inexpensive air superiority fighter, the -E featured an air-to-air fire control radar
system and a lead computing gunsight. More powerful J85 engines required the fuselage to
be both widened and lengthened. The forward wing root was redesigned to give the
"Tiger II" wing its characteristic triple delta shape.
The first flight of the F-5E was on 11 August 1972. The first USAF unit to receive the
aircraft was the 425th TFS at Williams AFB, Arizona responsible for training foreign
pilots in the F-5 aircraft. The most well known use of the "Tiger II" was as an
aggressor aircraft at the USAF Fighter Weapons School, Nellis AFB Nevada. The aggressor
pilots of the 64th Fighter Weapons Squadron were trained in Soviet tactics and used the -Es
to simulate MiG-21s for training USAF pilots
in aerial combat skills. Eventually, aggressor squadrons were formed at RAF Alconbury,
U.K. and Clark AB, PI for training USAF pilots stationed overseas along with pilots of
friendly foreign nations.
| General characteristics F-5E |
| Primary function |
Lightweight fighter |
| Power plant |
Two General Electric J85-GE-21B turbojets |
| Thrust |
2x 5,013 lb |
2x 22.3 kN |
| Max. speed |
1,082 mph |
1,741 km |
| Initial climb rate |
574 ft/s |
175 m/s |
| Ceiling |
51,800 ft |
15,790 m |
| Range |
2,314 miles |
3,724 km |
| Combat radius |
190 miles |
306 km |
| Weight |
empty |
9,725 lb |
4,410 kg |
| max. takeoff |
24,725 lb |
11,214 kg |
| Wingspan |
26.7 ft |
8.13 m |
| Length |
47.4 ft |
14.45 m |
| Height |
13.35 ft |
4.07 m |
| Wingarea |
186 sq. ft |
17.28 sq. m |
| Armament |
Two 20mm cannons M39; under wings up to 3,175 kg weapons
(guided missiles, bombs, rockets, cannons and ECM, on each wingtip one guided missile). |
Iranian 'Saegheh' (Thunder)
In September 2006, Iran announced the development of a domestically manufactured war plane named
"Saegheh" (Thunder), which it described as similar but superior to the American F-18 fighter jet.
Iran unveiled its first locally manufactured fighter plane during large-scale military exercises,
state-run television reported. The report said the bomber Saegheh is similar to the American F-18
fighter plane, but "more powerful." It also said the plane was "designed, optimized and improved by
Iranian experts." State TV said the Iranian air force had commissioned the Saegheh plane after
many test flights in the past year.
After closer inspection it's clear the airframe is 'just' a F-5E with twin-tails added and probably
new engines (maybe RD-33's). The plane on top of this picture is a F-5, the plane below it the new 'F-18
like plane'.
