Top 5 Fighter Jets with Augmented Turbofan Engines & Afterburners
These elite fighter jets represent the pinnacle of modern aerospace engineering, powered by augmented turbofan engines with afterburners that deliver unmatched speed and raw thrust. Combining cutting-edge avionics, stealth shaping, and advanced composite materials, they are designed to maximize survivability and combat performance in any scenario.
Equipped with thrust vectoring nozzles, these aircraft achieve exceptional agility—capable of executing high-G maneuvers, rapid acceleration, and sharp turns that can dominate close-range dogfights. Their radar-absorbing coatings and minimized heat signatures reduce detection risk, while integrated electronic warfare systems jam, deceive, and neutralize enemy sensors.
Armed with state-of-the-art precision-guided air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions, they can engage multiple targets with pinpoint accuracy at extended ranges. With supersonic cruise capabilities and long operational endurance, these fighters excel in both offensive strike missions and defensive patrols. Built for the future battlespace, they embody the perfect balance of speed, stealth, and lethality—ensuring air dominance for years to come.
1. Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor
Engines: Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100
F-22 Raptor Specifications
- Crew: 1
- Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 augmented turbofans, each producing 26,000 lbf (120 kN) dry thrust and 35,000 lbf (160 kN) with afterburner
- Maximum Takeoff Weight: 83,500 lbs (38,000 kg)
- Maximum Speed: Mach 2.25 (1,500 mph / 1,303 knots / 2,414 km/h)
- Combat Range: 1,600 NM (3,000 km)
- Service Ceiling: 65,000 ft (20,000 m)
- Thrust-to-Weight Ratio: 1.08
- Fuel Capacity: 18,000 lbs (8,200 kg) internal
- G-Limits: +9.0 / -3.0
The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is powered by two Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 turbofan engines, purpose-built to meet the demands of a fifth-generation stealth fighter. These engines feature thrust vectoring nozzles capable of deflecting exhaust flow up to 20 degrees in pitch, granting the Raptor extraordinary agility for rapid climbs, tight turns, and superior dogfighting performance.
Each F119 engine delivers up to 35,000 lbf (160 kN) of thrust, enabling the Raptor to sustain supersonic flight without afterburners—a hallmark capability known as supercruise. Beyond raw power, the F119 incorporates cutting-edge advancements such as a low-bypass ratio for optimized high-speed performance, high-pressure compressors for improved efficiency, and advanced cooling systems to reduce infrared signatures, preserving the aircraft’s stealth profile.
With exceptional fuel efficiency, high reliability, and unmatched thrust-to-weight performance, the F119 ensures the F-22 maintains air superiority across both air-to-air engagements and precision air-to-ground missions, making it one of the most formidable multirole fighters in modern aerial warfare.
2. Eurofighter Typhoon
Engines: Eurojet EJ200
Eurofighter Typhoon Specifications
- Crew: 1 or 2
- Powerplant: 2 × Eurojet EJ200 afterburning turbofans, each producing 13,500 lbf (60 kN) dry thrust and 20,200 lbf (90 kN) with afterburner
- Maximum Takeoff Weight: 51,800 lbs (23,500 kg)
- Maximum Speed: Mach 2.0 (1,600 mph / 1,300 knots / 2,500 km/h)
- Combat Range: 1,600 NM (2,900 km)
- Service Ceiling: 55,000 ft (16,764 m)
- Thrust-to-Weight Ratio: 1.15
- Fuel Capacity: 11,010 lbs (4,996 kg)
- G-Limits: +9.0 / -3.0
The Eurofighter Typhoon is powered by two Eurojet EJ200 afterburning turbofan engines—developed through a multinational collaboration between Rolls-Royce, MTU Aero Engines, Avio Aero, and ITP Aero. This propulsion system delivers outstanding performance, agility, and reliability, forming the backbone of the Typhoon’s reputation as one of the most advanced multirole combat aircraft in service today.
Each EJ200 generates 13,500 lbf (60 kN) of dry thrust and up to 20,200 lbf (90 kN) with afterburner, allowing the Typhoon to reach Mach 2.0 and sustain supercruise at supersonic speeds without afterburner. The engine’s high thrust-to-weight ratio and lightweight construction contribute to the Typhoon’s exceptional maneuverability and endurance in demanding air combat operations.
Built with advanced heat-resistant materials such as nickel alloys and titanium, the EJ200 can withstand extreme operating conditions while maintaining long service life and low maintenance costs. Its efficiency and reliability make it a vital asset for both air superiority missions and precision ground-attack operations, ensuring the Eurofighter Typhoon remains a formidable force in modern aerial warfare.
3. Sukhoi Su-35
Engines: Saturn AL-41F1S
Sukhoi Su-35 Specifications
- Crew: 1
- Powerplant: 2 × Saturn AL-41F1S afterburning turbofans, each producing 19,400 lbf (86.3 kN) dry thrust and 30,900 lbf (142.2 kN) with afterburner
- Maximum Takeoff Weight: 76,000 lbs (34,500 kg)
- Maximum Speed: Mach 2.25 (1,490 mph / 1,290 knots / 2,400 km/h)
- Combat Range: 1,900 NM (3,600 km)
- Service Ceiling: 60,000 ft (18,000 m)
- Thrust-to-Weight Ratio: 0.92
- Fuel Capacity: 25,400 lbs (11,500 kg)
- G-Limits: +9.0
The Sukhoi Su-35 is powered by two Saturn AL-41F1S afterburning turbofan engines, each delivering an impressive 30,900 lbf (142.2 kN) of thrust with afterburner. These engines feature 3-dimensional thrust vectoring nozzles, providing the aircraft with exceptional agility and advanced maneuvering capabilities—ideal for close-range dogfighting and complex aerial maneuvers.
Engineered for enhanced fuel efficiency, the AL-41F1S allows the Su-35 to achieve an operational range of 1,900 NM (3,600 km) without external fuel tanks. Built with advanced heat-resistant materials and a modernized digital fuel control system, each engine offers a service life of up to 4,000 hours, ensuring durability and lower maintenance demands.
While the Su-35 can briefly reach supersonic speeds without afterburners, it does not possess the sustained supercruise capability found in some 4.5 and 5th-generation fighters. Nevertheless, its dogfighting prowess, combined with strike versatility and cutting-edge propulsion, makes it one of the most capable 4.5-generation fighters in active service.
4. Dassault Rafale
Engines: Snecma M88-4e (Safran Aircraft Engines)
Dassault Rafale Specifications
- Crew: 1 or 2
- Powerplant: 2 × Snecma M88-4e low-bypass turbofans, each producing 11,250 lbf (50.04 kN) dry thrust and 17,000 lbf (75 kN) with afterburner
- Maximum Takeoff Weight: 54,013 lbs (24,500 kg)
- Maximum Speed: Mach 1.8 (1,188 mph / 1,032 knots / 1,912 km/h)
- Combat Range: 1,000 NM (1,850 km)
- Service Ceiling: 51,952 ft (15,835 m)
- Thrust-to-Weight Ratio: 0.988
- Fuel Capacity: 10,362 lbs (4,700 kg) for single-seat / 9,700 lbs (4,400 kg) for two-seat variant
- G-Limits: +9 / -3.6
The Dassault Rafale is powered by two Snecma M88-4e low-bypass turbofan engines, purpose-built for this multirole combat aircraft. Each engine delivers 11,250 lbf (50.04 kN) of dry thrust and up to 17,000 lbf (75 kN) with afterburner, enabling the Rafale to reach Mach 1.8. Combined with the aircraft’s aerodynamic design, the M88’s high thrust-to-weight ratio contributes to the Rafale’s outstanding agility in both air-to-air engagements and ground-attack missions.
Compact, fuel-efficient, and modular in design, the M88 engines are easy to maintain and highly reliable. They are built using advanced materials such as titanium, single-crystal turbine blades, and specialized high-temperature alloys, allowing them to withstand extreme operating conditions. The engines also play a role in reducing the Rafale’s infrared signature, supporting its partial stealth capabilities alongside its radar-reducing airframe.
Designed for versatility, the Rafale can operate in air superiority, strike, and carrier-based missions. The M88 engines incorporate environmentally conscious engineering with improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions compared to other engines in their class. Their modular architecture ensures long-term upgrade potential, reducing lifecycle costs and ensuring operational relevance for decades.
Together, the M88-4e engines and the Rafale’s advanced airframe deliver a powerful, adaptable, and reliable propulsion system that cements the aircraft’s status as one of the world’s most capable multirole fighters.
5. Chengdu J-20 “Mighty Dragon”
Engines: Shenyang WS-10C
Chengdu J-20 Specifications
- Crew: 1
- Powerplant: 2 × Shenyang WS-10C afterburning turbofans, each producing approximately 32,000–33,000 lbf (142–147 kN) with afterburner
- Maximum Takeoff Weight: ~81,600 lbs (37,013 kg)
- Maximum Speed: Mach 2.0 (estimated) – 1,320 mph (2,130 km/h)
- Combat Range: ~810 NM (1,500 km)
- Service Ceiling: ~66,000 ft (20,100 m)
- Fuel Capacity: 26,000 lbs (12,000 kg)
- G-Limits: ~+9 / -3
The fifth-generation Chengdu J-20 “Mighty Dragon” is powered by two Shenyang WS-10C afterburning turbofan engines, a domestically developed propulsion system designed to enhance China’s strategic air power. Initially, early prototypes of the J-20 were fitted with Russian-made AL-31 engines, but all have since transitioned to the WS-10C, which offers greater thrust, improved reliability, and easier maintenance.
Each WS-10C produces around 32,000–33,000 lbf (142–147 kN) of thrust with afterburner, allowing the J-20 to achieve supersonic speeds. While the current configuration does not enable sustained supercruise, it significantly boosts the aircraft’s maneuverability and acceleration. The engines also incorporate serrated afterburner nozzles, a design feature intended to reduce the radar cross-section from the rear and improve stealth performance.
The WS-10C serves as an interim powerplant until the more advanced WS-15 enters service. Despite this transitional role, the WS-10C meets the J-20’s operational needs, balancing thrust, endurance, agility, and reliability for modern aerial warfare. Its adoption marks a major milestone in China’s efforts to reduce dependence on foreign aerospace technology while advancing domestic engineering capabilities.
Overall, the combination of the J-20’s stealth design and the WS-10C’s performance ensures that the “Mighty Dragon” remains a formidable presence in the skies, capable of maintaining air superiority as China continues to refine its next-generation fighter technology.
The Added Edge of Afterburners in Modern Fighters
Whether featuring fourth- or fifth-generation technology, all the aircraft on this list are exceptional combat machines, engineered to excel in stealth, agility, speed, endurance, and powerplant reliability. Each fighter strikes its own balance between these critical attributes, leveraging stealth, rapid acceleration, and high maneuverability to gain a unique operational edge in the skies.
Posting Komentar