#jet_fighters
The Rafale, developed by Dassault Aviation, is the centerpiece of the French Armée de l’Air et de l’Espace (Air and Space Force), and is arguably one of the best multirole aircraft in service today. However, developing such an advanced machine was no easy task. France chose to create a combat aircraft that could replace a wide array of legacy platforms, from reconnaissance and nuclear deterrence to air superiority and naval operations. The Rafale embodies the concept of, as Dassault calls it, an “omnirôle” aircraft, designed to excel in every mission, performing multiple roles in a single flight, and doing so without requiring major modifications to the aircraft itself. In this article, I will explore the history of its development, from the prototypes to the pre-production models.
The J 35A Draken is a second-generation Swedish jet fighter that was manufactured by SAAB from 1955 until 1974. This legendary aircraft had its maiden flight in 1955 and was designed to replace the aging J 29 Tunnan and J 32 Lansen as an all-weather fighter-interceptor. Further, the Draken was the first West European jet fighter to breach the sound barrier and is well known for its very unique looks and shape. In War Thunder, this unique aircraft is a premium jet fighter that used to be in the Swedish air tree but has since been removed to only appear on special occasions. It was introduced with the update “Direct Hit”.
The reporting name Baz (“Falcon”) was assigned to all F-15 A/B/C/Ds purchased by Israel from 1976 all the way through to the 1990s, regardless of their specific models or configuration.They very quickly became a key component in Israel’s regional superiority — providing an umbrella that could not be challenged by any of Israel’s belligerent neighbors. Nevertheless, by the 1990s, the aircraft was being threatened by the capabilities of newer Soviet/Russian models of the Su-27 and MiG-29. An upgrade program resulted in the F-15 Baz Meshupar (lit. “Improved Baz”), more commonly known by the acronym BazMash. The first such aircraft was rolled out in late 1998, the same year that the first F-15I (Israeli-modified F-15E) entered service.
The Mirage 2000-5Ei is an air superiority fighter for the Chinese tech tree. Due to the Chinese purchase of the Su-27 in 1992, Taiwan decided to order new-gen fighters capable of defending their country’s airspace. The choice fell on the French Mirage 2000 thanks to its BVR capability needed for its role as a frontline interceptor. This Taiwanese version of the Mirage 2000-5F primarily differs in its suspended armament: this Mirage can only be fitted with MICA-EM and Magic 2 missiles, making it a pure air-to-air fighter.
The default skin for the J-8B includes the number “81192” painted on the sides below the cockpit. This number has become the spiritual number of military enthusiasts and players in mainland China due to the Hainan Island Incident between the PLANAF and the USN.
The Harrier GR.3's most noteworthy deployment was to the Falkland Islands during, and after, the 1982 Falklands War. When the war began on 2nd April 1982 with the Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands, Britain was forced to rapidly assemble a task force to retake the islands, located some 8,000 miles away from the British mainland. The decommissioning of the aircraft carrier HMS Hermes was cancelled and, along with HMS Invincible (itself in the process of being sold to Australia), it was rapidly prepared for deployment. The two aircraft carriers left Portsmouth Naval Base three days later (on 5th April), setting sail to Ascension Island (a small British island in the South Atlantic); which was the designated rendezvous point from where the task force would then sail to the Falklands. The two carriers were carrying Sea King helicopters and Sea Harrier FRS.1 fighters (12 Sea Harriers on Hermes and 8 on Invincible).
The Ariete is an Italian premium fighter. It is the successor of the Sagittario 2 tech tree variant. The main difference between the Ariete and the Sagittario 2 is the addition of a second engine, which greatly increases its acceleration. Despite the lack of missiles and countermeasures, its light weight and incredible maneuverability make it a very dangerous enemy in dogfights.
The Mirage 5BA aircraft were procured by Belgium in the late 1960s to replace the outdated (R)F-84Fs, which were serving primarily as fighter-bombers in the Belgian Air Force. The Mirage was selected from a range of options, including the F-5A, A-4E, and Draken. Belgium became the largest user of the Mirage 5 in history, with over 100 of the type in its inventory.
As a supersonic fighter born in the late 1950s, the Northrop F-5 series
jet fighters were a popular choice for many countries, as well as being a
famous star in USAF’s Exercise Red Flag, where it performed well even
against 3rd generation fighters such as the F-14 Tomcat. Although the US Air
Force only used a limited number of F-5C “Skoshi Tigers” in the Vietnam
War, both the F-5A “Freedom Fighter” and F-5E “Tiger II” have been involved in many
wars and conflicts around the world, including service in the ROCAF.
