Lockheed AC-130

Lockheed AC-130

The Lockheed AC-130 gunship is a heavily-armed ground-attack
aircraft. The basic airframe is manufactured by Lockheed, and Boeing is
responsible for the conversion into a gunship and for aircraft support.It is
a variant of the C-130 Hercules transport plane. The AC-130A Gunship II
superseded the AC-47 Gunship I in Vietnam.
The gunship's sole user is the United States Air Force, which uses
AC-130H Spectre and AC-130U Spooky variants. The AC-130 is powered
by four turboprops and has an armament ranging from 20 mm Gatling guns
to 105 mm howitzers. It has a standard crew of twelve or thirteen airmen,
including five officers (two pilots, a navigator, an electronic warfare officer
and a fire control officer) and enlisted personnel (flight engineer,
electronics operators and aerial gunners).
The US Air Force uses the AC-130 gunships for close air support, air
interdiction, and force protection. Close air support roles include
supporting ground troops, escorting convoys, and flying urban operations.
Air interdiction missions are conducted against planned targets and targets
of opportunity. Force protection missions include defending air bases and
other facilities. Stationed at Hurlburt Field in Northwest Florida, the
gunship squadrons are part of the Air Force Special Operations Command
(AFSOC), a component of United States Special Operations Command
(SOCOM).
DevelopmentThe C-130 Hercules was selected to replace the AC-47 Gunship I (known
as Spooky or Puff the Magic Dragon) during the Vietnam War, to improve
gunship endurance capabilities and increase capacity to carry munitions.In 1967, JC-130A USAF 54-1626 was selected for conversion into the
prototype AC-130A gunship. The modifications were done that year at
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, by the Aeronautical Systems Division. A
direct view night vision telescope was installed in the forward door, an
early forward looking infrared (FLIR) in the forward part of the left wheel
well, and Gatling guns fixed mounted facing down and aft along the left
side. The analog fire control computer prototype was handcrafted by RAF
Wing Commander Tom Pinkerton at the USAF Avionics Laboratory.
Flight testing of the prototype was subsequently performed primarily at
Eglin Air Force Base, followed by further testing and modifications. By
September 1967, the aircraft was certified ready for combat testing and
was flown to Nha Trang Air Base, South Vietnam for a 90 day test
program. Following these successes, a few more AC-130As were
constructed using similar equipment and manufactured versions of the
analog computer. The original 54-1626 Gunship is displayed at the USAF
Museum.
The AC-130 was supplemented by the AC-119 Shadow Gunship III,
which later proved underpowered with a wartime payload, during the
Vietnam War. In 1970, an additional dozen AC-130As were acquired under
the "Pave Pronto" project. Regardless of their project names, the aircraft
were more commonly referred to by the Squadron's call sign: Spectre.
DesignThese heavily-armed aircraft incorporate side-firing weapons integrated
with sophisticated sensors, navigation and fire control systems to provide
precision firepower or area-saturation fire with its varied armament. The
AC-130 can spend long periods flying over their target area at night and in
adverse weather. The sensor suite consists of a television sensor, infrared
sensor, and radar. These sensors allow the gunship to visually or
electronically identify friendly ground forces and targets in most weather
conditions.
The AC-130U is equipped with the AN/APQ-180, a synthetic aperture
radar for long-range target detection and identification. The gunship's
navigational devices include inertial navigation systems and a Global
Positioning System. The AC-130U employs technologies developed in the
1990s and can attack two targets simultaneously. It also has twice the
munitions capacity of the AC-130H.
During the Vietnam era the various AC-130 versions following the Pave
Pronto modifications were equipped with a magnetic anomaly detector
(MAD) system called the Black Crow (AN/ASD-5), a highly sensitive
passive device with a phased-array antenna located in the left-front nose
radome that could pick up localized deviations in earth's magnetic field and
is normally used to detect submerged submarines. The Black Crow system
on the AC-130A/E/H could accurately detect the unshielded ignition coils
of Soviet trucks driven by the North Vietnamese that were hidden under
the dense foliage of the jungle canopy along the Ho Chi Minh trail. It could
also detect the signal from a hand-held transmitter that was used by air
controllers on the ground to identify and locate specific target types. The
system was slaved into the targeting computer.

CornerShot

CornerShot

CornerShot is a special-purpose weapon that can fire around corners. It was designed in the early 2000s for SWAT teams and special forces in hostile situations usually involving terrorists and hostages. Its purpose is similar to that of the wartime periscope rifle; it allows its operator to both see and attack an armed target, without exposing the operator to counterattack. OverviewIt was designed by former Israeli Army senior officers, including Amos Golan, with sponsorship by American investors. The variations developed so far are the Standard, the 40 mm grenade launcher, the APR, and a derived anti-tank version. It works because its many parts are either on the muzzle or the butt end, which are connected by a steel hinge. It is manufactured by Corner Shot Holdings, LLC, a company headed in Miami with offices in Israel. Units have been sold in 15 countries.[4] The CornerShot was recently evaluated by the UK Ministry of Defence.
Forms and variationsThe Corner shot's shooting range is accurate and effective to 100 meters in 9mm, 40, and 45-caliber pistols, and is effective to 200 meters with a 5.7mm-caliber pistol. The device is available in several variations, including the Beretta 92F, a model widely used by US security forces, the Glock, SIG, SAUER and CZ, the mechanism can also mount various accessories such as detachable cameras, audio/video transmission kits, visible and IR lasers and tactical flashlights, silencers and rubber bullets. A standard pistol version is available, along with a 40 mm grenade launcher. Because they are fitted with high-resolution digital cameras, any variant can also be used as a surveillance tool. All the models come with the same stock camera and 2.5 in. color LCD monitor, providing a video observation and sighting system with transmission capability. The flashlight and camera let it operate in either day or night. A variety of optional interchangeable cameras, as well as a folding stock, are available, and a universal accessory rail is standard.
Future versions will be mountable on the US M-16 and a European joint assault weapon. The system can also be remotely emplaced and operated from behind camouflage, with a wire video - out connection sending images to a commander at a distance or saved to a 2-hour 'flash memory' chip attached to the gunstock.
StandardThe standard CornerShot mounts a normal semi-automatic pistol in the front part of the weapon, with a remote linkage to the trigger mechanism in the rear part, it has a trigger pull of 21 newtons (4.7 lbf). It is 820 millimetres (32.67 in) long, with a weight of 3.86 kilograms (8.5 lb).[citation needed]
40 mm grenade launcherThe 40 mm Grenade Launcher is a breech-loading, single shot grenade launcher. Manually operated, it fires all 40 mm grenades, less-lethal and non-lethal ammunition, and tear/irritant gas projectiles; spent cartridges are ejected for easier reloading. The same system is available in 37 mm size for law enforcement agencies.The 40 mm model has a rifling of 1:1.224, is 900 mm long, and weighs 4.4 kg (9.5 lb). The muzzle velocity is 74.7 m/s (M-406 grenade). Its range for precision fire, single target is 150 meters; and for area coverage, with fragmentation munitions, is 350 meters.
Assault Pistol Rifle (or APR)The Assault Pistol Rifle mounts a custom pistol in the front part of the weapon to allow the use of rifle cartridges. It fires 5.56 mm ammunition. The APR pistol can be removed from the CornerShot frame.
CornerShot Panzerfaust (or CSP)Debuted at the Eurosatory 2004 military trade show in Paris, a derivative of the system for use against armored vehicles is designed to fire Panzerfaust anti-tank rockets. It can turn 90 degrees instead of the standard 60 degrees. How it works An animated clip of CornerShot (standard version).In the standard version a pistol is mounted in the front end of the weapon, which bends horizontally at a mid-gun sixty-degree hinge.] There is a digital camera and a flashlight attached to the barrel in the bayonet position. On the butt side of the hinge are the trigger, camera screen (which is on a horizontal hinge just like the mid-gun hinge but it is off of the left side of the gun), and controls for the camera and light.
Similar weapons POF Eye at IDEAS 2008 at Karachi, Pakistan.Pakistan revealed the POF Eye developed by Pakistan Ordinance Factory in the 5th International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS-2008), held at the Karachi Expo Centre. Live demonstration of this gun was also shown to the delegates. It has semi-automatic pistol, grenade launcher, and submachine gun variants.
The Krummlauf was a bent barrel designed for the Sturmgewehr 44, which was used by the Germans in World War II. It allowed for looking and firing around corners with its 30 degree barrel and a periscope-style sight.
During one of Iran's latest gun shows, a replica CornerShot gun was observed as one of Iran's modern weaponry that is said to be mass produced in the following years. It is claimed to be domestically made and invented.

BAE Sea Harrier

BAE Sea Harrier

The BAE Systems Sea Harrier is a naval VTOL/STOVL jet
fighter, reconnaissance and attack aircraft, a development of the Hawker
Siddeley Harrier. It first entered service with the Royal Navy in April 1980
as the Sea Harrier FRS1. The last version was the Sea Harrier FA2.
Informally known as the "Shar", the Sea Harrier was withdrawn from
Royal Navy service in March 2006 and replaced by the Harrier GR9.
In 1966 the planned CVA-01 class aircraft carriers for the Royal Navy
were cancelled, apparently ending the Royal Navy's involvement in
fixed-wing carrier aviation. However, beginning in the early 1970s, the first
of a new class of "through deck cruisers" was planned, carefully named to
avoid the term "aircraft carrier" to increase the chances of funding. These
ships would eventually become the Invincible class aircraft carriers. With
little modification, a 'ski-jump' was added to the end of the 170 m deck,
enabling the carriers to operate a small number of V/STOL jets.

A Sea Harrier FRS 1 on HMS InvincibleThe Royal Air Force's Hawker
Siddeley Harrier GR1s had entered service in April 1969. In 1975 the
Royal Navy ordered 34 Sea Harrier FRS.1s (later FRS1), the first of which
entered service in 1978. In total 57 FRS1s were delivered between 1978
and 1988.

The Harrier T4N is not strictly a variant of the Sea Harrier, but is a
two-seat naval training version of the Harrier T2. Four Harrier T4N were
purchased by the Royal Navy for land-based training. It did not have radar
and had a few Sea Harrier instruments, but was used for pilot conversion
training for the Sea Harrier FRS1.

Sea Harrier FRS51. of the Indian Navy taking off from INS
ViraatSingle-seat fighter, reconnaissance and attack aircraft. The Sea
Harrier FRS51 is similar to the FRS1. Unlike the British Sea Harrier, it is
fitted with Matra R550 Magic air-to-air missiles. The first of twenty-three
FRS51s were delivered to the Indian Navy in 1983.

Export version of the T4N two-seat training version for the Indian Navy.
At least four Harrier T60s were purchased by the Indian Navy for
land-based training.
Sea Harrier FA2 ZE694 at the Midland Air Museum Sea Harrier FA2 ZA195 (upgrade) vector thrust nozzle - distinguishing
feature of the jump jetLessons learned from the aircraft's performance in
the Falklands led to the requirement for an upgrade of the fleet,
incorporating increased air-to-air weapons load, look-down radar,
increased range, and improved cockpit displays. Approval for an upgrade
to FRS.2 standard was given in 1984. First flight of the prototype took
place on September 1988 and a contract was signed for 29 upgraded
aircraft in December that year, with the upgraded aircraft to be known as
the F/A.2 (later FA2). In 1990 the Navy ordered 18 new-build FA2s, at a
unit cost of around £12 million, and a further 5 upgrades were ordered in
1994. The Sea Harrier FA2 featured the Blue Vixen radar, which was
described as one of the most advanced pulse doppler radar systems in the
world. The Blue Vixen formed the basis for development of the
Eurofighter Typhoon's CAPTOR radar. The Sea Harrier FA2 carries the
AIM-120 AMRAAM missile and was the first UK aircraft to be provided
with this capability. The first aircraft was delivered on 2 April 1993 and the
first operational deployment was in April 1994 as part of the UN force in
Bosnia.
The final new-build Sea Harrier FA2 was delivered on 18 January 1999.

Seven Harrier T4s two-seat trainers updated with Sea Harrier FA2
instrumentation but no radar. Retired from service in March 2006.
DesignThe Sea Harrier was largely based on the Harrier GR3, but was modified
to have a raised cockpit with a "bubble" canopy (to give better visibility for
the air defence role) and an extended forward fuselage to accommodate the
Ferranti (now BAE Systems) Blue Fox radar. Parts were changed to use
corrosion resistant alloys or coatings were added to protect against the
marine environment.
The cockpit in the Sea Harrier includes a conventional centre stick
arrangement and left-hand throttle. In addition to normal flight controls, the
Harrier has a lever for controlling the direction of the four vectorable
nozzles. The nozzles point rearward with the lever in the forward position
for horizontal flight. With the lever back, the nozzles point downward for
vertical takeoff or landing.
Please help improve this section by expanding it with:Add details. Further information might be found on the talk page. (August
2008)

AH-64 Apache

The AH-64 Apache is an all-weather day-night military attack helicopter with a four-bladed main and tail rotor and a crew of two pilots who sit in tandem. The main fixed armament is a 30 mm M230 Chain Gun under the aircraft's nose. It can also carry a mixture of AGM-114 Hellfire and Hydra 70 rocket pods on four hardpoints mounted on its stub-wing pylons. The AH-64 is the principal attack helicopter of the United States Army, and a successor to the AH-1 Cobra.
The Apache was designed by Hughes Helicopters in response to the Army's Advanced Attack Helicopter program. McDonnell Douglas purchased Hughes Helicopters and continued the development of the AH-64 resulting in the AH-64D Apache Longbow which is currently produced by Boeing Integrated Defense Systems. United States Army AH-64s have been in action in Panama, Persian Gulf War, Afghanistan, and Iraq.

Following the cancellation of the AH-56 Cheyenne in favor of United
States Air Force and Marine Corps projects like the A-10 Thunderbolt II
and Harrier Jump Jet, the United States Army sought an aircraft to fill an
anti-armor attack role that would still fall under Army command; the 1948
Key West Agreement forbade the Army from commanding fixed-wing
aircraft. The Army wanted an aircraft better than the AH-1 Cobra in
firepower, performance and range. It would have the maneuverability to fly
nap-of-the-earth (NoE) missions.To this end, the US Army issued a
Request For Proposals (RFP) for an Advanced Attack Helicopter (AAH)
on 15 November 1972.

Proposals were submitted by five manufacturers: Bell, Boeing Vertol
(teamed with Grumman), Hughes, Lockheed, and Sikorsky. In 1973, the
U.S. Department of Defense selected finalists Bell and Hughes Aircraft's
Toolco Aircraft Division (later Hughes Helicopters). This began the phase
1 of the competition.Each company built prototype helicopters and went through a flight test
program. Hughes' Model 77/YAH-64A prototype first flew on 30
September 1975, while Bell's Model 409/YAH-63A prototype first flew on
1 October. After evaluating test results, the Army selected Hughes'
YAH-64A over Bell's YAH-63A in 1976. Reasons for selecting the
YAH-64A included its more damage tolerant four-blade main rotor and the
instability of the YAH-63's tricycle landing gear arrangement.The AH-64A then entered phase 2 of the AAH program. This called for
building three preproduction AH-64s, and upgrading the two YAH-64A
flight prototypes and the ground test unit up to the same standard.time,
including the new Hellfire missile.
Moving into productionIn 1981, three pre-production AH-64As were handed over to the US Army
for Operational Test II. The Army testing was successful, but afterwards it
was decided to upgrade to the T700-GE-701 version of engine, producing
1,690 shp (1,259 kW).[4] In late 1981, the AH-64 was named the
"Apache" keeping with the Army's traditional use of Native American tribal
names for its helicopters. Hughes was approved for full scale production
in 1982.[4] In 1983, the first production helicopter was rolled out at
Hughes Helicopter's facility at Mesa, Arizona. In 1984, Hughes Helicopters
was purchased by McDonnell Douglas for $470 million.[7] The helicopter
unit later became part of The Boeing Company with the merger of Boeing
and McDonnell Douglas in August 1997. In 1986, the incremental or
flyaway cost for the AH-64A was US$7.03 million and the average unit
cost was approximately US$13.9 million based on total costs.
In the mid-1980s, McDonnell Douglas studied an improved "AH-64B"
design with an updated cockpit, new fire control system and other
upgrades. In 1988 funding was approved for a multi-stage upgrade
program to improve sensor and weapon avionic systems and incorporate
some digital systems. However, improved technology was becoming
available. It was decided to cancel the upgrade program for more
ambitious changes. This would lead to the more advanced AH-64D
Apache Longbow in the mid-1990s.

The AH-64 is powered by two General Electric T700 turboshaft engines
with high-mounted exhausts on either side of the rotor shaft. The Apache
has a four-blade main rotor and four-blade tail rotor. The crew sits in
tandem, with the pilot sitting behind and above the copilot-gunner in an
armored crew compartment. The crew compartment and fuel tanks are
armored such that the aircraft will remain flyable even after sustaining hits
from 23 mm gunfire.
The helicopter is armed with a 30 mm M230 Chain Gun that can be slaved
to the gunner's Helmet mounted display, fixed to a locked forward firing
position, or controlled via the Target Acquisition and Designation System
(TADS). The AH-64 carries a range of external stores on its stub-wing
pylons, typically a mixture of AGM-114 Hellfire anti-tank missiles, Hydra
70 general-purpose unguided 70 mm (2.75 in) rockets, and AIM-92 Stinger
air-to-air missiles for defense. In case of emergency the pylons also have
mounting points for personnel transfer (mounting points are handles
normally used by maintenance personnel).
The AH-64 is designed to endure front-line environments and to operate
during the day or night and in adverse weather using avionics and
electronics, such as the Target Acquisition and Designation System, Pilot
Night Vision System (TADS/PNVS), passive infrared countermeasures,
Global Positioning System (GPS), and the Integrated Helmet And Display
Sight System (IHADSS).

M4 carbine

The M4 Carbine is a family of firearms tracing its lineage back to
earlier carbine versions of the M16, all based on the original AR-15 made
by ArmaLite. It is a shorter and lighter version of the M16A2 assault rifle,
achieving 80% parts commonality with the M16A2.The M4 has selective
fire options including semi-automatic and three-round burst (like the
M16A2), while the M4A1 has a "full auto" option in place of the
three-round burst. The M4 Carbine is a family of firearms tracing its lineage back to
earlier carbine versions of the M16, all based on the original AR-15 made
by ArmaLite. It is a shorter and lighter version of the M16A2 assault rifle,
achieving 80% parts commonality with the M16A2.The M4 has selective
fire options including semi-automatic and three-round burst (like the
M16A2), while the M4A1 has a "full auto" option in place of the
three-round burst. The M4 and variants fire 5.56x45mm NATO ammunition and are
gas-operated, air-cooled, magazine-fed, selective fire firearms with a
4-position telescoping stock. Original M4 models had a flat-ended
telescoping stock, but newer models are now equipped with a redesigned
telescoping stock that is slightly larger with curvature at the end. The M4 is
similar to much earlier compact M16 versions, such as the 1960s-era
XM177 family. Some of those visual designs are obvious in both weapons,
however most of the similarities are not very noticeable.As with many carbines, the M4 is handy and more convenient to
carry than a full-length rifle. While this makes it a candidate for non-infantry
troops (vehicle crews, clerks and staff officers), it also makes it ideal for
close quarters combat (CQC), and airborne and special operations, which
is the most popular usage for the weapon. It has been adopted by United
States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and is the preferred
weapon of the U.S. Army Special Forces and Navy SEALs. M4's have
also been fielded by the Australian Special Air Service Regiment. Malaysia
purchased M4 Carbine service rifles to replace the Steyr AUG service
rifles in its armed forces in 2006 and will be manufactured in Malaysia
under license by SME Ordnance Sdn Bhd. It is expected that the M4 will
be adopted by law enforcement agencies in Malaysia, such as the Royal
Malaysian Police and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency.The M4/M4A1 5.56 mm Carbine is a gas-operated, air-cooled,
magazine-fed, selective fire, shoulder-fired weapon with a telescoping
stock. A shortened variant of the M16A2 rifle with a 14.5 in (368 mm)
barrel, the M4 provides the individual soldier operating in close quarters
the capability to engage targets at extended range with accurate, lethal fire.
The original M4 Carbine has semi-automatic and three-round burst fire
modes, while the M4A1 has "semi" and "full auto", with no three-round
burst. The M4 Carbine achieves over 80% commonality with the M16A2
rifle and was intended to replace the .45 ACP M3 submachine guns and
selected M9 pistols and M16 rifle series with most Army units (this plan
was thought to be changed with the development of the XM29 OICW and
the XM8 carbine. However, both projects were cancelled). The M4
Carbine is also capable of mounting the M203 grenade launcher, the
M203A1 with a 9-inch barrel as opposed to the standard 12-inch barrel of
the M203 used on the M16 series of rifle.

BALLASTIC MISSILE

Ballistic missile
A ballistic missile is a missile that follows a sub-orbital ballistic flightpath with the objective of delivering a warhead (usually nuclear) to a predetermined target. The missile is only guided during the relatively brief initial powered phase of flight and its course is subsequently governed by the laws of orbital mechanics and ballistics. To date, ballistic missiles have been propelled during powered flight by chemical rocket engines of various types.
The first ballistic missile was the A-4, commonly known as the V-2 rocket, developed by Nazi Germany in the 1930s and 1940s under direction of Walter Dornberger. The first successful launch of a V-2 was on October 3, 1942 and began operation on September 6, 1944 against Paris, followed by an attack on London two days later. By the end of World War II May 1945 over 3,000 V-2s had been launched.
A total of 30 nations have deployed operational ballistic missiles. Development continues, with around 100 ballistic missile flight tests (not including those of the US) in 2007, mostly by China, Iran and the Russian Federation. A ballistic missile trajectory consists of three parts: The powered flight portion, the free-flight portion which constitutes most of the flight time, and the re-entry phase where the missile re-enters the Earth's atmosphere.
Ballistic missiles can be launched from fixed sites or mobile launchers, including vehicles (Transporter Erector Launchers, TELs), aircraft, ships and submarines. The powered flight portion can last from a few tens of seconds to several minutes and can consist of multiple rocket stages.
When in space and no more thrust is provided, the missile enters free-flight. In order to cover large distances, ballistic missiles are usually launched into a high sub-orbital spaceflight; for intercontinental missiles the highest altitude (apogee) reached during free-flight is about 1200 km.
The re-entry stage begins at an altitude where atmospheric drag plays a significant part in missile trajectory, and lasts until missile impact.

B-1 LANCER

B-1 Lancer

The B-1 Lancer is a strategic bomber used by the United States Air Force. Its origins began in the 1960s as a supersonic bomber with sufficient range and payload to replace the B-52 Stratofortress, but developed primarily into a low-level, subsonic penetrator with long range. The design was canceled and re-instated multiple times over its lengthy development history, as the theory of strategic balance changed from flexible response to mutually assured destruction and back again. It finally entered service over twenty years after first being studied.

The B-1B production version has been in service with the United States Air Force (USAF) since 1986. The Lancer serves as the supersonic-capable component of the USAF's long-range bomber force, along with the subsonic B-52 and B-2 Spirit. As with official popular names of other aircraft, the Lancer is commonly called the "Bone" (originally from "B-One") within the USAF. With the retirement of the EF-111 Raven in 1998 and the F-14 Tomcat in 2006, the B-1B is the last variable-sweep wing aircraft remaining in U.S. military inventory.

The B-1 was conceived as the Advanced Manned Strategic Aircraft (AMSA) program circa 1965. AMSA was the last in a series of programs through the 1960s that looked at replacing the B-52 with a multi-role supersonic aircraft capable of long-range bombing and missile launching with nuclear weapons. A series of cancellations led to its service introduction being greatly delayed until the later half of the 1980s, over twenty years after the program first started.

A-10 Thunderbolt II

The A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic for the United States Air Force to provide close air support (CAS) of ground forces by attacking tanks, armored vehicles and other ground targets with a limited air interdiction capability. It is the first U.S. Air Force aircraft designed exclusively for close air support. The A-10's official name comes from the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt of World War II, a fighter that was particularly effective at close air support. The A-10 is more commonly known by its nickname "Warthog" or simply "Hog". As a secondary mission, it provides airborne forward air control, guiding other aircraft against ground targets. A-10s used primarily in this role are designated OA-10 Criticism that the U.S. Air Force did not take close air support seriously prompted a few service members to seek a specialized attack aircraft. In the Vietnam War, large numbers of ground-attack aircraft were shot down by small arms, surface-to-air missiles, and low-level anti-aircraft gunfire, prompting the development of an aircraft better able to survive such weapons. In addition, the UH-1 Iroquois and AH-1 Cobra helicopters of the day, which USAF commanders had said should handle close air support, were ill-suited for use against armor, carrying only anti-personnel machine guns and unguided rockets meant for soft targets. The F-4 Phantom II was pressed into close air support, but usually in emergencies, as its high cruising speed and fuel consumption hindered its ability to loiter. The lack of a gun on most F-4 variants, coupled with the relative ineffectiveness of the standard 20 mm round on M61 Vulcan-equipped F-4Es against hard targets, made strafing runs either impossible or ineffective.
The A-10 has superior maneuverability at low speeds and altitude, thanks to straight, wide wings with downturned "droop" wing tips. These also allow short takeoffs and landings, permitting operations from rugged, forward airfields near front lines. The aircraft can loiter for extended periods of time and operate under 1,000 feet (300 m) ceilings with 1.5-mile (2.4 km) visibility. It typically flies at a relatively slow speed of 300 knots (345 mph or 555 km/h), which makes it a much better candidate for the ground-attack role than fast fighter-bombers, which often have difficulty targeting small and slow-moving targets. Engine exhaust passes over the aircraft's horizontal stabilizer and between the twin tails, decreasing the A-10's infrared signature and lowering the likelihood that the aircraft can be targeted by heat-seeking missiles. The placement of the engines behind the wings partially shields them from anti-aircraft fire. The leading edge of the mainplane is honeycomb to provide strength with minimal weight compromise. Honeycomb panels of this type on the A-10 include the flap shrouds, elevators, rudders, and other sections of the fins. There are several reasons for the unusual location of the A-10's General Electric TF34-GE-100 turbofan engines. First, the A-10 was expected to fly from forward air bases, often with semi-prepared substandard runways that presented a high risk of foreign object damage to the engines. The height of the engines lowers the chance that sand or stones will enter the inlet. This also allows engines to remain running, allowing for shorter servicing and rearming turn-around times by ground crew. Servicing and rearming are further helped by having wings closer to the ground than would be possible if the engines were wing-mounted. The position also reduces the IR signature, which starts low anyway due to the engines' 6:1 bypass ratio. Because of their high position, the engines are angled upward nine degrees to bring the combined thrust line closer to the aerodynamic center of the aircraft. This avoids trimming measures to counteract a nose-down pitching moment if the engines were parallel to the fuselage. The heavy engines require strong supports, so their pylons are connected to the airframe by four boltsAlthough the A-10 can carry considerable disposable stores, its primary built-in weapon is the 30 mm GAU-8/A Avenger Gatling gun. One of the most powerful aircraft cannons ever flown, it fires large depleted uranium armor-piercing shells. In the original design, the pilot could switch between two rates of fire: 2,100 or 4,200 rounds per minute; this was changed to a fixed rate of 3,900 rounds per minute. The cannon takes about half a second to come up to speed, so 50 rounds are fired during the first second, 65 or 70 rounds per second thereafter. The gun is consistently accurate; it can place 80% of its shots within a 40-foot (12.4 m) circle from 4,000 feet (1,220 m) while in flight.[20] The GAU-8 is optimized for a slant range of 4,000 feet (1,220 m) with the A-10 in a 30 degree diver.

MIG-29 FALCRUM A 4.5 GENERATION FIGHTERJET

MiG-29 FULCRUM

The MiG-29 is a widely exported aircraft, flown by Iraq, Iran, North Korea and Cuba. The MiG-29 has a few advantages over its more electronically advanced American counterparts. At about 40 miles apart, the American planes have the advantage because of avionics. At 10 miles the advantage is turning to the MiG. At five miles out, because of the MiG weapons sight and better maneuverability, the advantage is to the MiG. The weapons sight is a helmet-mounted system that allows the missile to follow the line of sight of the pilot's helmet. Where the pilot looks is where it goes.
The US Department of Defence of the United States of America and the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Moldova reached an agreement to implement the Cooperative Threat Reduction accord signed on June 23, 1997, in Moldova. The Pentagon pounced on the planes after learning Iran had inspected the jets and expressed an interest in adding them to their inventory. Although Iran already flies the less-capable Fulcrum A, it doesn't own any of the more advanced C-models. Of the 21 Fulcrums the United States bought, 14 are the frontline Fulcrum C's, which contain an active radar jammed in its spine, six older A's and one B-model two-seat trainer. This agreement authorized the United States Government to purchase nuclear-capable MiG-29 fighter planes from the Government of Moldova. This is a joint effort by both Governments to ensure that these dual-use military weapons do not fall into the hands of rogue states. From Oct. 20 to Nov. 2, 1997, loadmasters and aerial port experts squeezed two MiGs apiece, sans wings and tails, into the cargo holds of C-17 Globe master III transports from Charleston Air Force Base, S.C. The Charleston air lifters delivered the MiGs to the National Air Intelligence Centre at Wright-Patterson AFB near Dayton, Ohio. If the NAIC can discover how the Fulcrum works, Air Force pilots might gain an edge if they face the Fulcrum in future combat.

The MiG-29K was initiated in 1984 as a Russian Air Force development program for a multi-role fighter, and in 1989 - 1991 the MiG-29K underwent tests aboard the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft-carrying cruiser. The MiG-29K differed from the MiG-29 production model, featuring a new multi-function radar, dubbed Zhukov; a cabin with monochrome display and use of the HOTAS (hands-on-throttle-and-stick) principle; the RVV-AE air-to-air active homing missiles; anti ship and antiradar missiles; as well as air-to-ground precision-guided weapons. The MiG-29K program was revived in response to the decision of the Indian Navy to acquire the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier. This called for the provision of the ship with a multi-role ship-based arrested- landing fighter of the MiG-29K size. The ship's combat group will include 12 MiG-29K planes. The aircraft has a remote control system, large-area (42 m2 vs 38 m2) folding wing, adjustable center-line air intakes with retractable screens protecting the engines during operation from ground airfields, reinforced landing gear, hook, corrosion- protected reinforced fuselage made specifically for deck-based aircraft.

BRAHMOS SUPERSONIC CRUISE MISSILE

BrahMos

BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft or land. It is a joint venture between India's Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Russia's NPO Mashinostroeyenia who have together formed the BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited.

The acronym BrahMos is perceived as the confluence of the two nations represented by two great rivers, the Brahmaputra of India and the Moskva of Russia. At speeds of Mach 2.5 to 2.8, it is one of the world's fastest cruise missiles and is about three and a half times faster than the U.S.A's subsonic Harpoon cruise missile. A hypersonic version of the missile is also presently under development (Lab Tested with 5.26 Mach Speed).

Though India had wanted the BrahMos to be based on a mid range cruise missile, namely P-700 Granit, instead Russia opted for the shorter range sister of the missile, P-800 Oniks, in order to comply with MTCR restrictions, to which Russia is a signatory. Its propulsion is based on the Russian Yakhont missile, and guidance has been developed by BrahMos Corp.

BrahMos claims to have the capability of attacking surface targets as low as 10 meters in altitude. It can gain a speed of Mach 2.8, and has a maximum range of 290 km. The ship-launched and land-based missiles can carry a 200 kg warhead, whereas the aircraft-launched variant (BrahMos A) can carry a 300 kg warhead. It has a two-stage propulsion system, with a solid-propellant rocket for initial acceleration and a liquid-fueled ramjet responsible for sustained supersonic cruise. Air-breathing ramjet propulsion is much more fuel-efficient than rocket propulsion, giving the BrahMos a longer range than a pure rocket-powered missile would achieve.[citation needed]
The high speed of the BrahMos likely gives it better target-penetration characteristics than lighter subsonic cruise-missiles such as the Tomahawk. Being twice as heavy and almost four times faster than the Tomahawk, the BrahMos has almost 32 times the initial kinetic energy of a Tomahawk missile (although it pays for this by having only 3/5 the payload and a fraction of the range despite weighing twice as much, suggesting a different tactical paradigm to achieve the objective).
Although BrahMos is primarily an anti-ship missile, it can also engage land based targets. It can be launched either in a vertical or inclined position and is capable of covering targets over a 360 degree horizon. The BrahMos missile has an identical configuration for land, sea, and sub-sea platforms. The air-launched version has a smaller booster and additional tail fins for added stability during launch. The BrahMos is currently being configured for aerial deployment with the Su-30MKI as its carrier.

SUPERCRUISE

Supercruise

Supercruise is sustained supersonic flight of an aircraft with a useful cargo, passenger, or weapons load performed efficiently and without the use of afterburners.

Due to its combination of decades long scheduled service and length of time spent at supersonic speeds, the main user of supercruise has been Concorde, with more time spent in supercruise flight than all of the other aircraft put together.

Advantages

Most military aircraft use Afterburners (reheat) to travel at supersonic speeds. Afterburners are inefficient compared to conventional jet engine operation due to the low pressures typically found in the exhaust section. Therefore an aircraft that can supercruise has generally greater endurance at supersonic speeds than one which cannot. Furthermore, without a requirement to carry such a large quantity of fuel, a supercruise-capable aircraft can have a more favorable fuel fraction, the proportion of the plane's overall mass which is devoted to fuel. Supercruise also increases the aircraft's stealth, as an afterburner plume reflects radar signals and creates a significant infra-red signature.

Aircraft with supercruise

JAS 39 Gripen, F-4 'Super' Phantom II,F-14D Super Tomcat[citation needed] F-22 Raptor F-104 Starfighter,YF-23 Black Widow II XB-70 Valkyrie

INS VIRRAT INDIA'S ONLY ONE AIRCRAFT CARRIAR

INS Viraat is a Centaur-class aircraft carrier currently in service with the Indian Navy. INS Viraat is the flagship of the Indian Navy and also the only Aircraft Carrier in the Indian Ocean Region.
INS Viraat was originally commissioned in the Royal Navy as HMS Hermes on 18 November 1959. During her career as Hermes, she served as the flagship of the Royal Navy's task force in the Falkland Islands campaign. She would serve the Royal Navy another three years until she was struck from active duty in 1985.After evaluating vessels from several countries, particularly the Garibaldi class of Italian ships,the Indian Navy purchased the vessel in April 1986 and gave it an extensive refit at Devonport Dockyard to allow for continued operability into the next decade. New fire control equipment, navigation radars, improved NBC protection, and deck landing aids were installed in this refit. Boilers were converted to operate on distillate fuel. In September 1993, the engine room of Viraat flooded, temporarily putting the vessel out of service for several months. By 1995, the vessel was back in service and had a new search radar.Between July 1999 and April 2001, INS Viraat completed another life-extension refit which is expected to extend her serviceability till 2010. This refit upgraded propulsion systems, added a package of sensors to sound emergency alerts, and introduced modern communication systems. In addition, long-range surveillance radar, weapon systems, and new hangar with fire curtains was installed. The lift system was revamped to reduce reaction time in the event of an attack and a new flood alarm system was installed. In early June 2001 Viraat returned to service after nearly two years of refit.The vessel also took part in the International Fleet Review in Mumbai in February 2001. Wing commander Ashoka Padmanabhan flew the Tigermoth-B970 past its deck anchored at 1.5 nautical km from the Gateway of India. The vessel had to be towed back to dry dock for another refit in mid-2003 and returned to service only in November 2004, during which the vessel was fitted with the Barak SAM.In a wartime scenario, the INS Viraat can embark up to 18 combat aircraft. INS Viraat is ideally suited for two missions: supporting amphibious operations and conducting ASW operations. Despite its age and range considerations, INS Viraat can quite effectively project naval and air power anywhere in the South Asia region. In 2004, India bought the aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov from Russia for US$1.5 billion including compliment of aircraft.It is expected to enter service in 2012 as INS Vikramaditya. The Viraat is expected to be replaced by 2011–2012 by a new Vikrant class carrier that the Vikramaditya represents.
Structure Viraat is fitted with a 12° ski jump to operate the Sea Harrier, a reinforced flight deck, 1.2 inches (3 cm) of armour over magazines and machinery spaces. The magazine capacity includes 80+ lightweight torpedoes. The vessel retains commando transport capability, for around 750 troops and carries four LCVP landing craft aft.

HAL TEJAS

The HAL Tejas is a lightweight multirole jet fighter developed by India. It is a tailless, compound delta wing design powered by a single engine. Originally known as the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)—a designation which continues in popular usage—the aircraft was officially named "Tejas". by then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on 4 May 2003.
Limited series production of the Tejas commenced in 2007; it is currently projected to achieve limited initial operational clearance (IOC) with the Indian Air Force (IAF) by 2008, followed by full operational clearance (FOC) by the end of 2010. A two-seat trainer variant is also in development (exited the production line as of November 2008), as is a naval variant capable of operating from the Indian Navy's aircraft carriers. The IAF is reported to have a requirement for 200 single-seat and 20 two-seat conversion trainers, while the Indian Navy may order up to 40 single-seaters to replace its Sea Harrier FRS.51 and Harrier T.60.The LCA naval variant is expected to take to the skies by 2009.
The LCA programme was launched in 1983 for two primary purposes. The principal and most obvious goal was the development of a replacement aircraft for India's ageing Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (NATO reporting name 'Fishbed') fighters. The MiG-21 has been the mainstay of the Indian Air Force since the 1970s, but the initial examples were nearly 20 years old by 1983. The "Long Term Re-Equipment Plan 1981" noted that the MiG-21's would be approaching the end of their service lives by the mid-1990s, and that by 1995 the IAF would lack 40% of the aircraft needed to fill its projected force structure requirements.The LCA programme's other main objective was to serve as the vehicle for an across-the-board advancement of India's domestic aerospace industry.Soon after gaining independence in 1947, Indian leaders established an ambitious national objective of attaining self-reliance in aviation and other strategic industries. The value of the aerospace "self-reliance" initiative is not simply the production of an aircraft, but also the building of a local industry capable of creating state-of-the-art products with commercial spin-offs for a global market. The LCA program was intended in part to further expand and advance India's indigenous aerospace capabilities across the broadest range of modern aviation technologies.To better accomplish these goals, the government chose to take a different management approach, and in 1984 established the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) to manage the LCA programme. Although the Tejas is most often described as a product of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), responsibility for the development of the Tejas actually belongs to ADA, a national consortium of over 100 defence laboratories, industrial organisations, and academic institutions with HAL being the principal contractor. The ADA formally falls under the auspices of the Indian Defence Ministry's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).The Indian government's "self-reliance" goals for the LCA include indigenous development of the three most sophisticated — and hence most challenging — systems: the fly-by-wire (FBW) flight control system (FCS), multi-mode pulse-doppler radar, and afterburning turbofan engine. Although India has had a policy of strictly limiting foreign participation in the LCA programme, these are the only major LCA systems on which the ADA has had to invite significant foreign technological assistance and consultancy. Moreover, the engine and radar are also the only major systems for which the ADA has seriously considered substituting foreign equipment, albeit as an interim measure on the initial LCA aircraft where needed to allow more time for the full development of the indigenous versions — as has been the case with the LCA's Kaveri powerplant.The ambitiousness of the LCA programme in terms of pursuing self-reliance in aviation technologies is illustrated by the fact that out of a total of 35 major avionics components and line-replaceable units (LRUs), only three involve foreign systems. These are the multi-function displays (MFDs) by Sextant (France) and Elbit (Israel), the helmet-mounted display and sight (HMDS) cueing system by Elbit, and the laser pod supplied by Rafael (Israel). However, even among these three, when the LCA reaches the production stage, the MFDs are expected to be supplied by Indian companies. A few other important items of equipment (such as the Martin-Baker ejection seat) have been imported. As a consequence of the embargo imposed on India after its nuclear weapons tests in May 1998, many items originally planned to be imported — like the landing gear — were instead developed indigenously .Of the five critical technologies the ADA identified at the beginning of the LCA programme as needing to be mastered for India to be able to design and build a "completely indigenous" fighter, two have been entirely successful: the development and manufacture of advanced carbon-fibre composite (CFC) structures and skins (especially on the order of the size of a wing) and a modern "glass cockpit." In fact, ADA has had a profitable commercial spin-off in its Autolay integrated automated software system for the design and development of 3-D laminated composite elements (which has been licensed to both Airbus and Infosys).These successes have gone mostly unnoticed in the shadow of the problems encountered with the other three key technology initiatives. Nonetheless, as a result of the accomplishments of India's domestic industries, it is anticipated that, overall, about 70% of the LCA is to be manufactured in India.