PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - F-35 Cancelled, then what ?
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Old 30th May 2014, 11:11
  #4531 (permalink)  
LowObservable
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
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CM - Was about to say that. Back when the F-22 spec (ATF) was going to include a 1500-foot field length, there were two factors involved: the perceived g-limits of practical wheelbrakes (consider what a 3500 pound Lambo uses to stop and compare it with any 10x-heavier fighter) and consistent, accurate landings given the momentum and low-speed control response of fighters/engines.

The result was the F-15 SMTD with huge canards and inflight, 2D thrust reversers.

Better flight controls, autothrottles and HUD landing guidance help with the scatter problem today. Typhoon has fan-cooled brakes, too (it's not just stopping - do you then have to wait for the brakes to cool?).

The Gripen E/F advertised landing distance is 600 m vs 500 m for the C/D. The real-world road bases were 800 m long and I don't think that there were any load restrictions - the A-model in the video linked above is, as noted, carrying 5000 lbs of weapons and a tank. After all, road bases were not a PR thing or a contingency operation - it was what the entire AF was going to do when the balloon went up. The only caveat is that it was probably a Swedish summer day rather than 95 F.
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