recently de-classified stealth fighter

[Capt. Orygun]

This little beauty (and I don't mean the pilot) is the Navy's newest addition to stealth fighter capability apptly named "The Switchblade". I know almost nothing about this thing but the photos are available now so I thought I'd share. From the dipping of the nose I can only assume it's built for serious speed. This is even more a probability because of it's FWS (forward wing sweaping) technology (see the third pic), yes you guessed it einstien the wings sweep foward! This allows the aircraft to literally shoot across the sky like an arrow rather then a bird. we've known this was a good idea forever but stability kept the concept from being utilized until the SU-37 came out a few years back. And as far as I can tell it looks like the design of the intakes incorages a silent approach to a target, the idea being that your enemy won't beable to hear you unless your pointing away from them. And by then it's too late....

EDIT: Sorry bout the pic size B

 

[cxjon]

all i gotta say is wow awesome plane !!!!!!! switchblade.... haha it reminds me of i-spy

 

[TurboMirage]

im still in love with the F117-A

 

[jamesA]

Originally posted by Silverchild79@Jul 16 2004, 08:08 PM

anyone else think she looks like Jessica Biehl??

 

[Battle Pope]

*raises hand*

 

[Havok]

My 1st thought was "Damn, she looks like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre chick."

My 2nd thought was "Who let a woman fly that thing?"

 

[phunky.buddha]

Women can fly just as well as the men.

That's a sweet looking jet!

 

[Capt. Orygun]

she is, it's a promo shot from some movie there shooting about the plane.

That being said the planes actual name is the F/A-37 "Talon", Switchblade is just a nickname like Warthog is the nickname for the Thuderbolt II (A-10).

from what I've found on the net it's a mach 3.5-4ish jet that can out manuver the SU-37. A truly "next generation" aircraft

 

[Tonyd0821]

is it me, or does the plane resemble a Klingon Bird of Prey from the first front pic?


toH jIDogh Hol DajatlhlaH nga'chug be'Hom tlhaQ tlhaQ tlhaQ tlhaQ

 

[StealthMode]

thats fucking bad ass

 

[Slo86GT]

YUMMY. Awesome jet.

 

[Airjockie]

I'd hit it


Both of them

 

[Sabz5150]

Originally posted by Silverchild79@Jul 16 2004, 08:08 PM
you guessed it einstien the wings sweep foward!

Of course many people are going to ask "Why in the hell do the wings sweep forward?". Well, here's why.

Meet the X-29. It was an experimental aircraft used to test forward swept wing technology. The aircraft used three redundant computers to constantly, yet subtly change the direction of the wings, pushing them down and forward. Without these the wind forces would push the wing up and back and literally tear them off the plane in less than a second.

Anyway, getting back to why they do this... On an aircraft, there is a center of gravity and a center of pressure. On a conventional aircraft, the center of gravity is ahead of the center of pressure, making the plane resistant to turns. On a forward swept wing aircraft, the center of gravity is BEHIND the center of pressure. This makes the plane constantly want to turn... FAST. You could do the equivelant of a donut in that thing.

Forward swept wings make an aircraft exceptionally maneuverable. No doubt this is why they equipped this aircraft with them.

 

[JDMilan]

:bugeyes:

 

[allbottledup]

Thats a bad ass jet...i wouldnt mind trying to fly it.

 

[BigJ]

BAD ASS!

Definitely a next gen plane.

 

[Airjockie]

Judging by this pic...that is not FWD swept wings, thats how they store and tow the plane around in close quarters on the ship....note...the ailerons and flaps do not point towards the front of the wing as shown when it flies.

Just like the F/A-18 wings fold up, and other aircrafts wings on a navy ship all have stowable wings...

 

[Airjockie]

I know I have been out of Airplanes for a while, and the military for longer time...But I think I am safe to say that this plane is fake...a prop for an upcoming movie. If it was real, then it would have been posted all over the Avweb.com, and other Aircraft sites that I visit. Plus, the radical styling just gives it the Hollywood look.

Untill I see an actual, reliable website that says otherwize...I'm sticking to the fake Hollywood plane.

Besides...just the canopy shot calls out fakedome...just the finely designed breakaway for the Ejection seat is a fine give away....All ejection seats shoots thru the canopy, not up thru the canopy bulkhead...

 

[90 accord]

jeebus, that thing is nuts..

they should de-classify(if they haven't already), and make some specs easy to find

 

[Capt. Orygun]

Originally posted by Airjockie@Jul 18 2004, 03:54 AM
I know I have been out of Airplanes for a while, and the military for longer time...But I think I am safe to say that this plane is fake...a prop for an upcoming movie.  If it was real, then it would have been posted all over the Avweb.com, and other Aircraft sites that I visit.  Plus, the radical styling just gives it the Hollywood look.

Untill I see an actual, reliable website that says otherwize...I'm sticking to the fake Hollywood plane.

Besides...just the canopy shot calls out fakedome...just the finely designed breakaway for the Ejection seat is a fine give away....All ejection seats shoots thru the canopy, not up thru the canopy bulkhead...

[post=364769]Quoted post[/post]​

These don't look very practical either. So far as practicality goes the F-117 is an aerodynamics nightmare, and the B-2 doesn't even have a vertical stab! And those were designed in the 70's......