Thursday, February 2, 2012

Top 10 Pesawat Tercepat

Kalau dalam hal Teknologi, apalagi teknologi tersebut bisa dijadikan senjata perang, suatu negara cenderung untuk menyimpan teknologi tersebut untuk kepentingannya. Mereka baru akan mengumumkannya pada masarakat dunia atau menjualnya jika mereka telah memiliki teknologi yg lebih baru. Teknologi Pesawat tempur pun demikian. Ada isu bahwa sebuah negara maju telah membuat pesawat tempur yg tak seorang manusiapun dapat mengendalikannya secara optimal ...


10. F-4 Phantom 2 – 2,585 km/h

Country USA
First flight 1958
Type/Role Interceptor fighter, Fighter-bomber

This tandem two-seat, twin-engined supersonic aircraft developed by Mcdonnell Aircraft set the absolute world speed record of 2,585 km/h during Operation Skyburner. The record was set on the 5th of December 1961. Currently, around 630 F-4 Phantom 2s are in service around the world.




No 9. F-111 – 2,655 km/h

Country USA
First flight 1964
Type/Role Fighter-bomber

Developed in the 1960s, the F-111 served the purposes of a strategic bomber, reconnaissance and electronic warfare before it was retired in 1998. Currently, Australia is the only country operating F-111.




No 8. Ye-152A “Flipper” – 2,681 km/h

Country USSR
First flight 1959
Type/Role Interceptor

The Ye-152A was twin-engined interceptor built on the MiG-21. Supposedly, its prototype set the speed record of 2,681 km/h as only one Ye-152A was ever built.




No 7. MiG-31 – 3,000 km/h

Country USSR
First flight 1975
Type/Role Interceptor

Built to replace the MiG-25, MiG-31 is a supersonic aircraft serving the purposes of an interceptor. Its design is based on MiG-25. Technically, it could reach speeds in excess of Mach 3 but that would result in the destruction of its engines




No 6. XB-70 – 3,309 km/h

Country USA
First flight 1964
Type/Role Strategic bomber, Supersonic research

The XB-70 Valkyrie was a prototype on which B-70 bomber was to be built. Only two of the type were built; one was destroyed and the other one is on display in Ohio. XB-70 was able to fly at 21,000 meters with a speed 3 times greater than the speed of sound.




No 5. Lockheed YF-12a – 3,332 km/h

Country USA
First flight 1963
Type/Role Interceptor

The YF-12a was a prototype for the Lockheed A-12. 3 variants of the aircraft were built conforming to the only 3 units ever built.




No 4. X-2 – 3,370 km/h

Country USA
First flight 1955
Type/Role Research aircraft

The Bell X-2 Starbuster was built to research the effects of speeds above Mach 2 on the speeding vessel. 2 units were built and both were destroyed during tests. The X-2 faced the problem of “inertia coupling”, the very problem faced by the earlier X-1A, another research aircraft.




No 3. Lockheed SR-71 – 3,530 km/h

Country USA
First flight 1964
Type/Role Strategic Reconnaissance

The SR-71 Blackbird was developed from the Lockheed A-12 and only 32 of the type were built. In event of a missile launch against the aircraft from ground, the blackbird would simply accelerate to evade. It set an absolute speed record of 3,520 km/h on 28 July, 1976.




No 2. X-15 – 7,274 km/h

Country USA
First flight 1959
Type/Role Experimental rocket-powered research aircraft

Only 3 X-15s were built which reached the outer edge of space and brought back invaluable scientific data. The second unit, X-15A-2 set a speed record of 7,274 km/h on 28 June, 1964.




No 1. X-43 – 12,144 km/h

Country USA
First flight 2001
Type/Role Unmanned experimental aircraft

With one X-43 already destroyed, the remaining two set records for the fastest free flying air-breathing aircraft in the world. The X-43 scramjet set a speed record of 12,144 km/h on November 16, 2004 during its third flight. The speed achieved by this jet aircraft, approximately Mach 10, is only second to the space shuttle’s.