Before the A-10 Thunderbolt II became the legendary Warthog, Northrop had its own contender for the US Air Force’s close air support requirement: the YA-9. Designed to deliver devastating firepower, withstand ground fire, and support troops on the battlefield, this...
The Grumman X-29 was a groundbreaking 1980s experimental aircraft developed by DARPA, NASA, and the US Air Force to demonstrate forward-swept wings on a modified F-5 airframe. Featuring advanced composite materials to counter aeroelastic divergence and fly-by-wire...
VENOM-AFT, the autonomous flight technology demonstrated on the X-62A VISTA (a modified F-16 testbed), marks a historic shift toward pilotless combat aircraft. In 2023, AI algorithms enabled the X-62A to engage in aggressive dogfights against human-piloted F-16s,...
The forgotten F-22 Raptor stealth bomber, known as the proposed Lockheed Martin FB-22, was a delta-wing strike variant of the F-22 designed in the early 2000s for enhanced bombing capabilities. Featuring greater payload (up to 30,000 pounds), extended range over 2,600...
Developing the VZ-9 Avrocar, a Canadian VTOL flying saucer from the 1950s, began as a supersonic fighter-bomber but scaled back to tactical roles using Coanda effect lift via three turbojets powering a central fan in an 18-foot disk. US-funded prototypes tested...
The Focke-Wulf Ta-152 high-altitude interceptor, designed by Kurt Tank in late WWII as an evolution of the Fw 190D, featured a Jumo 213E engine, extended wings, pressurized cockpit, and GM-1 boost for 49,500-foot ceilings. Achieving 472 mph top speed and armed with MG...
The A-16 proposal aimed to transform the F-16 Viper into a close air support Warthog rival with 30mm GAU-13 cannon pods, miniguns, reinforced structure, and enhanced Mavericks/FLIR for ground attacks. Tests revealed severe vibrations, leading to cannon removal and...
The F-4X Super Phantom, a proposed 1970s Mach 3 reconnaissance variant of the McDonnell Douglas F-4 developed by General Dynamics and Israel, featured water-injected J79 engines, enlarged inlets, and Mach 2.4 cruise for MiG-25 interception. Canceled amid USAF security...
The TSR2, Britain's ambitious supersonic medium bomber dubbed the "British F-111," emerged in the 1950s to replace aging aircraft like the Canberra amid rapid jet advancements and Soviet threats. Designed by BAC for Mach 2 speeds, all-weather strikes, reconnaissance,...