Fighter Jets
Northrop YF-17
ICAO: YF17
Overview
The Northrop F-5 Tiger is a lightweight supersonic fighter developed for both U.S. and export markets. Designed to be simple, reliable, and cost-effective, it achieved widespread global adoption. The aircraft served in numerous air forces over several decades.
Live Fleet Activity (F5)
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Specifications
Units
- Engine
- 2 × General Electric J85-GE-21B turbojet
- Engine type
- Jet
- Thrust
- 2 × 5,000 lbf · 22 kN
- Avionics
- Emerson Electric AN/APQ-153/157/159, AN/APG-69
- Wing tips
- No winglets
- Seats
- 1
- Crew
- —
- Cabin width
- —
- Cabin height
- —
- Cabin length
- —
- Exterior length
- 47 ft 5 in · 14.45 m
- Tail height
- 13 ft 4 in · 4.06 m
- Fuselage diameter
- 3 ft 3 in · 1.00 m
- Wing span
- 26 ft 8 in · 8.13 m
- Baggage volume
- —
- Gross weight
- —
- Empty weight
- —
- Max takeoff weight
- 24,700 lb · 11,200 kg
- Max landing weight
- —
- Max payload
- 7,050 lb · 3,200 kg
- Fuel capacity
- 700 gal · 2,600 L · 2,100 kg (Jet A)
- Max cruise speed
- 938 kt · 1,079 mph · 1,737 km/h
- Maximum speed
- —
- Cruise speed
- —
- Approach speed
- 124 kt · 143 mph · 230 km/h
- Range
- 2,010 nm · 2,310 mi · 3,720 km
- Fuel burn
- 3.30 nm/gal · 1.61 km/L
- Ceiling
- 51,800 ft · 15,800 m
- Rate of climb
- 34,500 ft/min · 175 m/s
- Takeoff distance
- 2,900 ft · 880 m
- Landing distance
- 2,500 ft · 760 m
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Operational Context
Northrop F-5 Tiger — lightweight supersonic fighter
The F-5 program began in the late 1950s as a privately funded initiative by Northrop. The aircraft first flew in 1959 and entered service in the early 1960s. It featured a compact airframe and twin-engine configuration optimized for ease of maintenance and operational simplicity.
Powered by two General Electric J85 turbojet engines producing approximately 5,000 pounds of thrust (22 kN) each with afterburner, the F-5 can exceed Mach 1.6. Maximum takeoff weight is about 24,000 pounds (10,890 kg). Armament includes cannon and various air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions.
The F-5 achieved significant export success and was used in combat by multiple nations. Later variants improved avionics and performance. The aircraft remains in limited service and continues to be used as an aggressor trainer in some air forces.
Sources and references used for research and fact-checking.