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F-5 Freedom Fighter / Tiger (Northrop)

The F-5 Freedom Fighter / Tiger fighter jet has been developed by the American company Northrop in 1954. The first F-5 for the USAF was delivered in 1964.

Specifications

General  
Design organisation Northrop
Main secundary design organisations General Electric
Production organisaton Northrop & other companies in Canada, Taiwan, South-Korea, Spain and Switzerland
Primary task Light-weight figther
Type aircraft Fighter Jet
Specials  
Length F-5F: 51 ft. 7 in (15.7 meters)
F-5N: 47ft. 4.7 in. (14.4 meters)
Height F-5F: 13ft. 1.75in. (4.0 meters)
F-5N: 13ft. 4.25in. (4.1 meters)
Wingspan 26ft. 8 in. (8.1 meters)
Wing surface  
Aspect ratio  
Sweep back  
Dihedral  
Performance  
Engines 2x J85-GE-21C turbojet engines
Thrust 5,000 pounds each engine (2273kgs)
Weight (empty)  
Weight (start, maximum, MTOW) 24,722 pounds (11,214 kgs)
Weight (landing, maximum, MLW)  
Required runway length (start)  
Required runway length (landing)  
Cruise speed  
Maximum speed F-5F: Mach 1.56 at 36,000 ft
F-5N: Mach 1.64 at 36,000 ft
Ceiling  
Maximum range >50,000 ft
Fuel capacity 2314 nm (4286 km)
F-5F: 745 nm, 1075 nw (centerline fuel tank), 1270 nm (3x fuel tanks)
F-5N: 825 nm, 1155 nm (centerline fuel tank, 1340 nm (3x fuel tanks)
Air-to-air-refueling capability no
Passengers none
Payload none
Equipment  
Armament Possible combination of:

- AIM-9 Sidewinder
- 2x 20mm boardcanon
Maximum weapon load  
Maximum G resistance  
Radar AN/APQ-159
Sensors Possible combination of:

- ALR-87 Radar Warning Receivers
Avionics Possible combination of:

- Inertial Navigation System (INS)
- Chaff/Flare capability
- VOR
- ILS
- TACAN
- VHF radio
- UHF radio
- Radar Altimeter
- HUD
- HOTAS
Type flight controls  
Landing gear  
Usage  
Versions F-5A, F-5B, F-5E, F-5F, F-5N, F-5S, NF-5A, NF-5B,
Manufactured  
Crew F-5A/N: 1
F-5B/F: 2
Costs  
Overall flight hours  
First flight F-5A: 30 July 1959
F-5F: September 1974
F-5N: March 2003
First delivery 1964
Operational since  
Successor of  
Replaced by F-16 (Netherlands)
Comparable aircraft MiG-21
Operators (current and future) Austria, Bahrain, Botswana, Brazil, Chili, Greece, Honduras, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South-Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Tunesia, United States, Venezuela.
Main operators United States
Amphibious usage no
Status out of production, in operational service


Operators


The F-5 is/was used by 33 countries of which:

1. Austria 14. Norway
2. Bahrain 15. Philippines
3. Botswana 16. Saudi-Arabia
4. Brazil 17. Singapore
5. Chile 18. South-Korea
6. Greece 19. Spain
7. Honduras 20. Switzerland / Austria
8. Indonesia 21. Thailand
9. Jordan 22. Turkey
10. Kenya 23. Tunesia
11. Malaysia 24. United States
12. Morocco 25. Venezuela
13. Netherlands  

6. Greece
Greece Hellenic Air Force is still using F-5 A/B Freedom Fighters.


13. the Netherlands
The Netherlands had 75x NF-5A and 30x NF-5B Freedom Fighters between 1969 and 1991 till they were replaced by the F-16's.
Some of the NF-5 tigers were sold to Turkey.


15. Philippines
The Air Force of the Philippe nd which had the ability of 37 F-5A/B fighter jets in the beginning and later still 5 operational have been retired in 2005. The role of the tiger will now be done by converted SIAI S.211 trainers which have machine guns, rockets and bombs.

 

19. Spain
In 1964, the Spanish Air Force got 70 F-5A and B Freedom Fighters which were build under license of CASA in Spain. After being updated they are designated with F-5M. The +/- 13 remaining F-5M's are used for training puposes by Ala 23, stationed at Talavera la Real Air Force Base in Badajoz, Spain.


20. Switzerland
The F-5 is in service with the Swiss Air Force. Swiss has leased a few F-5's to Austria which use the aircraft till they get the Eurofighter Typhoon tranche 2.


Photo's

Switzerland      
Turkey      
 
 
Brazil Brazil South-Korea  
 
 
Spain Spain Spain Spain

References

1. US Navy
2. Northrop Grumman
3. Spain Air Force
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Last updated: 26 July 2014