military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker) (01/21/91)
From: ihlpm!jfb (Joseph F Baugher +1 708 713 4548)
Number 31 in the series--the Northrop Tiger II in service with the Royal Saudi
Air Force.
Northrop F-5E Tiger II
Powerplant:
Two General Electric J85-GE-21B turbojets, 5000 lb. st with
afterburner
Performance:
Maximum speed: Mach 1.64 (1080 mph) at 36,000 ft.
Maximum speed: Mach 0.93 (710 mph) at sea level.
Initial climb rate: 34,500 ft/min (AAMs only)
Service ceiling: 51,800 feet
Wing Area: 186 sq. ft.
Combat radius: 138 miles (5200 lbs of ordinance, two
Sidewinders, lo-lo-lo mission)
Tactical radius: 656 miles with maximum fuel
Takeoff distance: 2900 feet
Weights:
Empty weight: 9720 lbs.
Maximum takeoff weight: 24,720 lbs.
Armament:
Two M39A2 20-mm cannon in upper nose ahead of cockpit.
(two-seat F-5F has only one cannon)
Wingtip launchers for two AIM-9 Sidewinder AAMs
One centerline station and four underwing stations for up to
7000 lbs of ordinance.
Centerline pylon can carry bombs, a gun pack, or an ECM pod.
Electronics:
Most F-5Es have Emerson APQ-153 pulsed search/ranging radar.
Some later F-5Es have the later APQ-159(V)6 with track- while-
scan and off-boresight target acquisition.
Basic navigationas system is Tacan. The ARN-118 set gives
position information by interrogating special ground stations.
AN/ASG-31 lead-computing gunsight.
Full blind-flight instruments, AOA sensor, air data computer,
flight-director computer, and CRT display.
F-5F can be equipped with the Northrop AVQ-27 laser
designator.
Remarks:
Originated in 1958 Defense Department request for construction
by Northrop of a lightweight, low-cost fighter based on T-38A
Talon tandem, two-seat jet trainer.
Designed to operate with minimum logistic support and to be
able to take off and land using short, semi-prepared runways.
First N-156F flew July 30, 1959.
Adopted in 1962 by Defense Department as the "Freedom Fighter"
which was to be supplied to approved nations through the
Military Assistance Program.
F-5A was initial production version. Two 4090 lb. st. General
Electric J85-GE-13 turbojets. The F-5A is optimized for the
ground attack role and has only limited air-to-air capability.
Initially fitted only with a simple Emerson radar ranging
gunsight.
F-5B was parallel two-seat version which was to act as a
conversion trainer. This looked a lot like the parent T-38A
Talon trainer. It retains the combat capability of the single-
seat version, but is not equipped with the 20-mm cannon.
First deliveries were to USAF 4441st Combat Crew Training
Squadron in 1964. This unit was to serve as the training
squadron for foreign users.
RF-5A is a reconnaissance variant of the F-5A with the
installation of four cameras mounted in the nose. Most of
the capability of the F-5A is retained.
First overseas delivery was to Iran.
12 F-5As were borrowed from MAP and used in the Skoshi Tiger
combat evaluation program in Vietnam. These were modified to
carry inflight refueling probes, and were provided with some
armor protection and carried jettisonable pylons.
These aircraft were designated F-5C. 3500 sorties were flown.
The F-5C proved to be the least vulnarable combat jet in the
war zone and was an accurate bomber. Relatively limited
warload/range performance and relatively poor takeoff
performance with heavy loads.
Two aircraft were lost to ground fire. The surviving F-5Cs
were eventually turned over to the South Vietnamese Air Force.
The F-5D was the designation given to a two-seat version of the
F-5C projected for the USAF. It was not built.
Canadair built the F-5A under license. The Canadian-built
Freedom Fighters were designated CF-5A (single seat) and
CF-5D (two-seat). The Canadian-built aircraft are powered
by the Orenda J85-CAN-15 engines and have two-position
nosewheels. Canadian-built F-5s have a speed and climb rate
superior to the Northrop-built F-5As. NF-5A is the designation
given to the Canadian-built F-5 provided to the Netherlands
Air Force with maneuvering flaps and Doppler navigation.
CASA of Spain built the F-5A under license. The designations
are SF-5A (F-5A), SRF-5A (RF-5A) and SF-5B (F-5B)
F-5A/B production totaled more than 1100, and terminated in
June 1972.
F-5A/B serves with following air forces: Canada, Greece,
Holland, Norway, Canaries, Turkey, Brazil, Ethiopia, Iran,
Jordan, Morocco, North Yemen, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Spain,
South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Venezuela, and
possibly the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.
F-5E was a more powerful version of the original Freedom
Fighter. Two 5000 lb. st. General Electric J85-GE-21B engines.
Unlike the F-5A, the F-5E was optimized for the air-to-air role.
Larger intake inlets, wider fuselage, slightly greater wingspan.
Slightly longer fuselage and greater internal fuel capacity.
Increased wing area. Combat flaps provided for enhanced
maneuverability. Greatly enhanced electronics. In spite of
the large number of important differences, there is a 70
percent commonality with the earlier F-5A. The name "Tiger II"
was applied to the F-5E, in reference to the role of the earlier
aircraft in the Skoshi Tiger program.
F-5F was a two-seat conversion training version of the F-5E.
It has most of the combat capabilities of the single-seat
version, with the exception of the deletion of one of the
20-mm cannon.
Most of the F-5E/F aircraft were produced for supply to
foreign users, although 70 F-5Es were acquired by the USAF and
USN for use in the agressor role in dissimilar aircraft combat
training. Size and performance envelope considered similar to
that of MiG-21. In the hands of an experienced pilot, the
F-5E is a very capable fighter, especially if it is able to
draw its opponent into a dogfight.
RF-5E Tigereye is a specialized reconnaissance version
operated by Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Designed for
flexible operation, incorporating easily-changeable pallets
configured for different reconnaissance roles. Retains the
external stores stations of the F-5E, but is equipped with
only one internal 20-mm cannon.
F-5E/F produced under license in Switzerland and Taiwan.
Production of the F-5E/F came to an end in late 1986. About
1500 were built. In service with the following nations:
United States, Bahrain, Brazil, Chile, Ethiopia, Indonesia,
Iran, Jordan, Keyna, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, North Yemen,
Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sudan, Switzerland
Thailand, Tunisia and possibly the Democratic Republic of
Vietnam.
In the Middle East, the F-5E/F series is currently in service
with the air forces of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, Iran,
South Yemem, and Sudan. Some Saudi F-5Es can be equipped with
AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missiles for ground support and
antiship duties.
Some F-5s of various marks were captured by the North
Vietnamese when they took over the South in 1975. Some of
these may still be in service with the Democratic Republic
of Vietnam's People's Air Force.
F-5G was a more advanced version of the F-5F with a single
18,000 lb. st. General Electric F404-GE-100 turbofan. It was
later redesignated F-20 and was given the name of Tigershark.
Three prototypes were built, but no orders were placed and no
production was undertaken.
Sources:
Various issues of Aviation Week
Various issues of Defense Electronics
The Observer's Book of Aircraft, William Green.
The World's Great Interceptor Aircraft, Gallery Books
Modern Air Combat, Bill Gunston, Mike Spick
The American Fighter, Enzo Angellucci and Peter Bowers.
Joe Baugher **************************************
AT&T Bell Laboratories * "Of all the gin joints in all the *
200 Park Plaza * towns in all the world, she walks *
Naperville, Illinois 60566-7050 * into mine." *
(708) 713 4548 **************************************
ihlpm!jfb
jfb200@cbnewsd.att.com
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