Key Points – The Northrop F-5 Tiger II is an agile and reliable supersonic fighter that has served air forces worldwide for over six decades.
-Designed in the late 1950s for simplicity and low operating costs, the F-5 was a massive export success, with over 2,600 units built and delivered on schedule and at or below cost—a unique manufacturing record.
-The F-5 variant, developed to counter the Soviet MiG-21, featured a more powerful engine, improved maneuverability, and radar.
The F-5 Tiger II: The Simple, Supersonic ‘Hot Rod’ That Won the World Over
While many allies like South Korea have replaced it with fifth-generation jets, approximately two-thirds of the F-5s produced remain operational, including in US Navy adversary squadrons.
One of the coolest airframe designs ever introduced, Northrop Grumman’s F-5 tactical fighter series has served its customers for over six decades. The first models were produced in the late 1950s. The F-5’s initial flight was on July 31, 1963, at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
The F-5 is an agile, highly maneuverable, reliable supersonic fighter, combining advanced aerodynamic design, engine performance, and low operating costs. The aircraft is simple to maintain and keep airborne, resembling a hot-rod car that is fun to drive, and it was a very successful design.
More than 2,600 were built by Northrop Grumman and under co-production and licensing agreements with Canada, the Republic of China (Taiwan), the Republic of Korea (South Korea), Spain, and Switzerland.
The F-5 Tiger II had a record that may never again be equaled: its outstanding manufacturing record.
“From the F-5’s first delivery in 1964 to its final one in 1989, every aircraft was delivered on schedule, at or below the contract price, and with performance as promised.”
Approximately two-thirds of the original production F-5s remain operational in 26 countries, including the United States. The US Navy operates the F-5 in its adversary squadrons to simulate enemy aircraft in aerial combat training exercises. The US Air Force used the F-5 in a similar training role.
The F-5 Tiger Was A Superbly Designed Aircraft:
The American-designed Northrop F-5 was funded in the late 1950s and initially envisioned as a highly aerodynamic fighter with good handling characteristics, including high thrust and the ability to fly supersonically, as well as ease of maintenance.
The F-5E fighter jet was an outgrowth of the F-5. The F-5E was a beautiful and sleek airplane. It looks the part of being a fighter plane. It was 47 feet long. The wingspan was 26 feet long, and the aircraft itself was 13 feet high. Its loaded weight was 15,745 pounds.
The F-5E Tiger could reach speeds of 1,083 miles per hour with two 5,000-pound thrust General Electric J85-GE-21A afterburner turbojets. Its ceiling was 52,000 feet, and the maximum range with drop tanks was 1,543 miles.
The one-seat F-5E had two 20mm M39A2 cannons in the nose and could carry two AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles under the wings. The Tiger II could also drop 7,000 pounds of bombs.
The F-5E was designed to take on the Soviet MiG-21. The fuselage was lengthened over the F-5A to accommodate more fuel. The wings were given extensions for greater maneuverability. It had improved avionics and, finally, an Emerson Electric-designed radar – something the F-5A lacked. Northrop Built Nearly 800 F-5Es
South Korea Flew The F-5E For Decades:
The South Korean Air Force purchased 150 F-5Es. They flew the Tiger II from the 1970s until they acquired the F-35 stealth fighter in 2019, following the finalization of a $7 billion deal with the United States, according to Stripes.com.
South Korea now has 40 F-35 Lightning IIs. South Koreans also had a license to produce F-5Es in 1980, which were subsequently renamed the Skymaster.
Northrop also produced a two-seater trainer aircraft based on the F-5E, which was named the T-38 Talon. Some of the two-seater T-38s were used at the Navy’s Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) along with F-5Es.
Nearly 1,200 were built, and NASA keeps a fleet of these T-38s as trainers for astronauts and as chase planes. When Hollywood filmed the movie Armageddon, the would-be astronauts were taken on test flights on T-38s.
For the trivia buffs, NASA found 168 errors in Armageddon.
About the Author
Steve Balestrieri is a National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing on defense, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
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