Re: [GZG] [OFFICIAL] Question: was Re: [SG3]: What if?

["Binhan Lin" <binhan.lin@xxxxxxxxx>]

Overall aircraft speeds have not increased as there has been a change in the combat environment where speed is not the defense that it used to be.  Overall stealth capabilities (defense through not being seen) has increased dramatically over the last twenty years.

 

Overall speed is not a good indicator for technology either, a better gauge would be cruise speeds.  For instance:

 

WWI biplane - cruise speed ~70 mph

WW2 - P-51D - cruise speed - 362 mph

Vietnam - F-4 Phantom II - 585 mph

Modern - F-15C Eagle - 570 mph

Future - F-22 Raptor - 1140 mph

 

The main block to increasing cruise speed from the the 60's on was the sound barrier.  Once super-efficient engines and more refined aerodynamics were used, the cruise speed was able to leap beyond the sound barrier.

 

--Binhan

 

On 2/6/08, K.H.Ranitzsch <kh.ranitzsch@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Though it isn't clear that technological change will continue at that
pace. Aircraft speeds, for example, haven't increased significantly for
almost 50 years.

Greetings
Karl Heinz


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