Special Sub-Topic: Various U.S. Aircraft, Aircraft Ordinance, and Air Click Here To Play: Various U.S. Aircraft, Aircraft Ordinance, and Air

What is the official name of the Fairchild A-10?

Thunderbolt II. Although the plane is nicknamed the Warthog, it was actually named after the P-47 Thunderbolt used in WWII.

Sticking with the A-10, what type of gun is mounted in the nose of the aircraft?

30mm GAU-8/A Gatling gun. The A-10's 30mm GAU-8/A Gatling gun can fire depleted uranium rounds which penetrate enemy armor.

The F-22 Raptor has the ability to fly in excess of the sound barrier without having to activate the afterburners, this is also known as what?

supercruising. Along with the ability to supercruise, the F-22 employs stealth technology which gives the advanced fighter a radar signature of a wasp.

What is the AIM-9 heatseeking, short-range missile called?

Sidewinder. The AIM-9 tracks heat from engines and exhaust from enemy planes.

What is the USAF's primary role for the T-38 Talon, the T-37B Tweet, the T-6A Texan II, the T-1A Jayhawk, and the T-43A?

training aircraft. The T-1A Jayhawk is a jet trainer for pilots that are selected to fly airlift or tanker aircraft. The T-6A Texan II is a single, prop-engine aircraft used to train pilots in basic flight skills. The T-37B Tweet is a jet aircraft used to train pilots in formation flying and night flying. The T-38 Talon is a supersonic jet trainer aircraft. The T-43A is a jet aircraft that trains pilots who will fly strategic and tactical aircraft such as the E-3 Sentry (AWACS) or the E-8C Joint Stars.

The B-2 Spirit employs stealth technology.

t. The B-2 has a very sleek structure, along with special radar absorbing paint, which gives the long range bomber a radar signature of a large bird.

McDonnell-Douglas is the maker of the B-1B Lancer.

f. Boeing created the supersonic long range bomber.

The AGM-88 HARM missile is used for suppression of enemy air defense (SEAD). SEAD usually entails destroying enemy surface to air missile sites (SAMS) and anti-aircraft artillery sites (AAA). What does the abbreviation HARM stand for?

high-speed anti-radiation missile. The AGM-88 HARM allows the pilot to destroy AAA & SAM sites without activating the aircraft's active radar, which reduces the chance of a SAM locking onto the aircraft.

Which of the following aircraft is the Lockheed Martin Corporation's Fighting Falcon?

F-16. The F-16 Fighting Falcon was delivered for active duty in January of 1979.

How many Pratt & Whitney TF33-P-3/103 turbofan engines does the B-52 Stratofortress have?

eight. These eight engines each produce up to 17,000 lbs of thrust to make this massive bird fly.

What is the maximum takeoff weight of the B-52 Stratofortress?

488,000 lbs. Even with all that thrust powering this aircraft, it is still a wonder to me that the B-52 can fly at all.

What electronics company manufactures the AGM-88 HARM missile?

Raytheon Corporation. Texas Instruments developed the AGM-88 HARM missile to improve on the design of the AGM-78B manufactured by General Dynamics. Raytheon Corporation then took over manufacturing the missiles.

The AV-8B Harrier II is primarily used by which branch of the US Armed Forces?

US Marine Corps. The AV-8B Harrier II does not require an airstrip or runway to land because the Harrier takes off vertically.

The Boeing AGM-131A SRAM II carries a 200 kiloton nuclear warhead. What does SRAM stand for?

short range attack missile. The SRAM II program was scrapped in 1991 due to engine problems.

The MK82 AIR bomb is a 500 pound bomb that deploys an air bag which allows low flying aircraft to escape the bomb's blast pattern. What does the abbreviation AIR stand for in the MK82 AIR bomb?

Air Inflatable Retarder & Air Inflatable Retarder. The MK82 AIR uses the BSU-49 high drag tail assembly.

Which variant of the F-15 employs a two man crew including a pilot and weapon systems officer (WSO)?

F-15E Strike Eagle. The F-15E Strike Eagle can carry 15,000 pounds of mixed air to ground ordinance in addition to its loadout of air to air missiles.

Which air-to-ground laser guided bomb was designed specifically for the use of the F-117 Nighthawk?

GBU-27. The Texas Instruments GBU-27 2,000 pound bomb was developed in 1985 under the project codenamed HAVE VOID.

What is the abbreviated name for the 'low altitude navigation and targeting infrared for night' system, which consists of two externally mounted pods fixed to the wings of US aircraft?

LANTIRN. The LANTIRN system was developed in 1980, and was widely used during the Persian Gulf War of 1991.

The externally mounted ALQ-184 ECM pod uses various radar frequencies to confuse enemy missiles and radar systems. What does ECM stand for?

electronic counter measures. The ECM pods are mounted to the wings of aircraft and aid in the deterrence of enemy SAMs.

The landing gears on the AV-8 and which other United States aircraft can be seen once they have been raised completely?

A-10. Since the Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II is a close support aircraft, the landing gear wheels stick out even when they are completely raised. This is done in the case of a gear up landing, wherein the aircraft can still land safely.