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General Info
Northrop
F-5A/B Freedom Fighter
RoleLight fighter
National originUnited States
ManufacturerNorthrop Corporation
First flightF-5A: 30 July 1959F-5E: 11 August 1972
Introduction1962
StatusIn service
Primary usersUnited States NavyRepublic of China Air ForceRepublic of Korea Air ForceIslamic Republic of Iran Air Force
Produced1959–1987
Number builtA/B/C/D: 1,204E/F: 1,399
Developed fromNorthrop T-38 TalonVariantsCanadair CF-5Shaped Sonic Boom Demonstration
Developed intoNorthrop F-20 TigersharkHESA AzarakhshHESA SaeqehHESA Kowsar
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History Northrop
NorthropF-5A/B Freedom Fighter
The Northrop F-5 is a family of supersonic light fighter aircraft initially designed as a privately funded project in the late 1950s by Northrop Corporation. There are two main models, the original F-5A and F-5B Freedom Fighter variants and the extensively updated F-5E and F-5F Tiger II variants. The design team wrapped a small, highly aerodynamic fighter around two compact and high-thrust General Electric J85 engines, focusing on performance and a low cost of maintenance.
The Northrop F-5 is a family of supersonic light fighter aircraft initially designed as a privately funded The design effort was led by Northrop vice president of engineering and aircraft designer Edgar Schmued, who previously at North American Aviation had been the chief designer of the successful North American P-51 Mustang and F-86 Sabre fighters. Schmued recruited a strong engineering team to Northrop. In December 1953, NATO issued NBMR-1, calling for a lightweight tactical fighter capable of carrying conventional and nuclear weapons and operating from rough airfields. In late 1954, a Northrop team toured Europe and Asia to examine both the NBMR-1 and the needs of SEATO members. From this tour, Schmued gave his team the goal of reversing the trend in fighter development towards greater size and weight in order to deliver an aircraft with high performance, enhanced maneuverability, and high reliability, while still delivering a cost advantage over contemporary fighters. Recognizing that expensive jet aircraft could not viably be replaced every few years, he also demanded "engineered growth potential" allowing service longevity in excess of 10 years
The F-5 was also developed into a dedicated reconnaissance aircraft, the RF-5 Tigereye. The F-5 also served as a starting point for a series of design studies which resulted in the Northrop YF-17 and the F/A-18 naval fighter aircraft. The Northrop F-20 Tigershark was an advanced variant to succeed the F-5E which was ultimately canceled when export customers did not emerge.
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NorthropF-5A Freedom Fighter
Northrop Corporation
Northrop Corporation
NorthropF-5A Freedom Fighter
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General Info
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- Crew: 1
- Length: 48 ft 2.25 in (14.6876 m)
- Wingspan: 26 ft 8 in (8.13 m)
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- 27 ft 11.875 in (8.53123 m) with wing-tip missiles
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- Height: 13 ft 4.5 in (4.077 m)
- Wing area: 186 sq ft (17.3 m2)
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Powerplant
- Empty weight: 9,583 lb (4,347 kg)
- Gross weight: 15,745 lb (7,142 kg) clean
- Max takeoff weight: (11,192 kg)
- Fuel capacity:
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- Internal fuel: 677 US gal (564 imp gal
- External fuel: up to 3x 275 US gal (229 imp gal; 1,040 L) drop-tanks
- Lift-to-drag ratio: 10.0
- Frontal area: 3.4 sq ft (0.32 m2)
- Powerplant: 2 × General Electric J85-GE-21 afterburning turbojet engines, 3,500 lbf (16 kN) thrust each dry, 5,000 lbf (22 kN) with afterburner
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Performance
- Maximum speed: Mach 1.63 (1,741 km/h; 1,082 mph) at 36,000 ft (11,000 m)
- Maximum cruise speed: Mach 0.98 (1,050 km/h; 650 mph) at 36,000 ft (11,000 m)
- Never exceed speed: 710 kn (820 mph, 1,310 km/h) IAS
- Range: 481 nmi (554 mi, 891 km) clean
- Combat radius (20 min reserve): 120 nmi (140 mi; 220 km) with 2x Sidewinders + 5,200 lb (2,400 kg) ordnance, with 5 minutes combat at max power at sea level
- Ferry range: 2,010 nmi (2,310 mi, 3,720 km) [247]
- Service ceiling: 51,800 ft (15,800 m)
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Armament
- Guns: 2× 20 mm (0.787 in) M39A2 Revolver cannon in the nose, 280 rounds/gun
- Hardpoints: 7 total (only pylon stations 3, 4 and 5 are wet-plumbed): 2× wing-tip AAM launch rails, 4× under-wing & 1× under-fuselage pylon stations with a capacity of 7,000 pounds (3,200 kg), with provisions to carry combinations of:
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Special Links Northrop Corporation NF-5A Freedom Fighter
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In 1970, Northrop won the International Fighter Aircraft (IFA) competition to replace the F-5A, with better air-to-air performance against aircraft like the Soviet MiG-21.
Northrop Corporation
F-5A Freedom Fighter
The F-5E experienced numerous upgrades in its service life.
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