In the ever-evolving landscape of aerial warfare, the role of technological advancements cannot be overstated. Among the pinnacle of these developments lies the heart and powerhouse of a fighter jet – the engine. From the groundbreaking invention of turbojet engines to the awe-inspiring capabilities of scramjets, the advancements in fighter jet engine technology have reshaped the parameters of speed, altitude, and maneuverability, continually pushing the boundaries of what was once considered the realm of science fiction.

In this exploration, we take a deep dive into the various types of engines that have powered these magnificent machines through generations. The journey spans from the raw power and simplicity of turbojet engines, which revolutionized aerial combat during the mid-20th century, to the modern marvels of efficiency and versatility offered by turbofan and afterburning turbofan engines. As we venture further, we touch upon the realms of supersonic and hypersonic flight, facilitated by the pioneering developments in ramjet and scramjet technologies.

As we stand on the cusp of a new era, hybrid engines are hinting at yet another monumental shift, potentially blending the realms of atmospheric flight and space exploration into a seamless journey.

There are several types of fighter jet engines used in modern military aircraft. Here are a few of the main types:

Turbojet Engines

Turbojet Engines: Turbojet engines are one of the earliest types of jet engines. They generate thrust by compressing incoming air, mixing it with fuel, igniting the mixture, and expelling it through a nozzle at high speed. While turbojets are less fuel-efficient than other engine types, they provide high levels of thrust and are commonly found in older fighter jet models.

How Turbojet Engines Work

A turbojet engine operates based on the Brayton cycle, which is a thermodynamic cycle that describes how air flows through a gas turbine engine. Here’s a step-by-step explanation of how it works:

1. Air Intake: Air is drawn into the engine through an intake.
2. Compression: The incoming air is compressed by axial or centrifugal compressors. This increases the pressure and temperature of the air.
3. Combustion: The compressed air then enters a combustion chamber where it is mixed with fuel and ignited. This produces a high-temperature, high-pressure exhaust.
4. Expansion: The hot exhaust gases then expand through a turbine which powers the compressors at the front of the engine.
5. Exhaust: Finally, the remaining exhaust gases are expelled through a nozzle at the back of the engine, creating thrust according to Newton’s third law of motion (action and reaction).

Examples and Performance of Fighter Jets using Turbojet Engines

1. North American F-86 Sabre:

• Engine: General Electric J47 turbojet
• Performance: The F-86 Sabre had a top speed of around 687 mph (1105 km/h) and a service ceiling of approximately 49,600 ft (15,100 m).
• Good or Not: The F-86 was a highly successful jet fighter in its time, dominating the skies during the Korean War in the 1950s. Its success can be attributed to its powerful engine and advanced aerodynamics.

1. Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15:

• Engine: Klimov VK-1 turbojet (a Soviet derivative of the British Rolls-Royce Nene turbojet)
• Performance: The MiG-15 had a top speed of around 670 mph (1078 km/h) and a service ceiling of about 51,000 ft (15,500 m).
• Good or Not: The MiG-15 was one of the most successful early jet fighters, known for its high-altitude performance and powerful armament. It was a formidable adversary in the Korean War.

1. English Electric Lightning:

• Engine: Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet
• Performance: The Lightning could reach speeds up to 1500 mph (2414 km/h) and had a service ceiling of 54,000 ft (16,460 m).
• Good or Not: This British fighter was known for its incredible speed and climb rate. However, its operational range was somewhat limited due to the high fuel consumption of the turbojet engines.

Assessment

Turbojet engines, while providing high thrust and speed, have a few disadvantages such as higher fuel consumption and louder noise compared to more modern turbofan engines. Additionally, their performance decreases at higher altitudes. In the modern era, most new fighter jets use turbofan engines which offer better fuel efficiency and quieter operation. However, in their heyday, turbojet engines were revolutionary, powering the first generation of supersonic fighter jets and making high-speed flight a reality.

Turbofan Engines

Turbofan Engines: Turbofan engines are widely used in modern fighter jets. They work by using a combination of a bypass fan and a core engine. The bypass fan draws in and accelerates a large amount of air, creating additional thrust. This design provides better fuel efficiency and reduced noise compared to turbojets.

How Turbofan Engines Work

Here’s a detailed look at how turbofan engines work:

1. Air Intake: Similar to turbojet engines, the process begins with air being drawn into the engine.
2. Fan and Bypass: The front part of the engine houses a large fan which accelerates air into and around the core engine. A portion of this air bypasses the core entirely, flowing through ducts that surround the core, generating additional thrust.
3. Compression: Inside the core, the air undergoes compression in a series of axial compressors, increasing its pressure and temperature.
4. Combustion: The high-pressure air then mixes with fuel in the combustion chamber and is ignited.
5. Turbine and Exhaust: The hot gases expand through turbines, which drive the compressors and fan at the front of the engine. The gases are then expelled through a nozzle to generate thrust. This process is similar to the one observed in turbojet engines but is more fuel-efficient due to the bypass air providing additional thrust.

Examples and Performance of Fighter Jets using Turbofan Engines

1. F-22 Raptor:

• Engine: Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 turbofan engine.
• Performance: The F-22 Raptor can reach speeds greater than Mach 2 and has a service ceiling above 65,000 feet. It also features supercruise capabilities, allowing sustained supersonic flight without the use of afterburners.
• Good or Not: The F-22 is considered to be one of the most advanced fighter jets in the world, boasting stealth technology, supermaneuverability, and integrated avionics. Its engine contributes to its remarkable performance and capabilities.

1. Eurofighter Typhoon:

• Engine: Eurojet EJ200 turbofan engine.
• Performance: The Typhoon can fly at speeds up to Mach 2.0 and has a service ceiling of 65,000 feet.
• Good or Not: The Typhoon is a highly agile fighter, capable of performing air superiority and ground attack missions. It has sophisticated avionics and weapons systems, making it one of the premier fighter jets in operation today.

1. Dassault Rafale:

• Engine: Snecma M88 turbofan engine.
• Performance: The Rafale is capable of reaching speeds up to Mach 1.8 and has a service ceiling of 50,000 feet.
• Good or Not: The Rafale is known for its agility, multirole capabilities, and advanced avionics. It is a cornerstone of the French Air Force and has been exported to several other countries due to its performance and capabilities.

Assessment

Turbofan engines offer numerous benefits over the older turbojet engines, including improved fuel efficiency and reduced noise levels. The additional thrust generated by the bypass fan allows for higher speeds and greater thrust-to-weight ratios. These engines have become the standard for modern fighter jets, providing a balance of speed, efficiency, and versatility. The jets equipped with turbofan engines are often highly regarded for their performance, incorporating advanced technologies to enhance their capabilities further.

Afterburning Turbofan Engines

Afterburning Turbofan Engines: Afterburners, also known as reheat, are used in some fighter jets to augment thrust. After the gases pass through the turbine, additional fuel is injected into the exhaust stream and ignited, creating a high-velocity exhaust jet. This increases the thrust significantly, making it useful for quick acceleration or supersonic flight.

How Afterburning Turbofan Engines Work

The operation of afterburning turbofan engines can be explained as follows:

1. Air Intake: Initially, air is drawn into the engine, just like in regular turbofan engines.
2. Fan and Bypass: A large fan at the front of the engine pulls air in, with some bypassing the core and contributing to additional thrust, and some going into the core for the combustion process.
3. Compression: The air entering the core undergoes compression, increasing its pressure and temperature.
4. Combustion: In the combustion chamber, the compressed air mixes with fuel and ignites, creating high-temperature, high-pressure exhaust gases.
5. Turbine: These gases flow through turbines, which power the compressors and fan at the front of the engine.
6. Afterburner (Reheat): As the gases exit the turbine, they enter the afterburner section. Here, additional fuel is injected into the exhaust stream and ignited. This process significantly increases the velocity of the exhaust jet and consequently, the thrust.
7. Exhaust: The high-velocity exhaust gases are expelled through a nozzle, creating a massive increase in thrust, useful for supersonic flight and rapid acceleration.

Examples and Performance of Fighter Jets using Afterburning Turbofan Engines

1. F-15 Eagle:

• Engine: Pratt & Whitney F100 afterburning turbofan engine.
• Performance: The F-15 can reach speeds up to Mach 2.5 and has a service ceiling of 65,000 feet. The afterburner allows it to achieve rapid acceleration and a high top speed.
• Good or Not: The F-15 has been a mainstay of the US Air Force for decades, renowned for its air superiority capabilities. Its powerful engine, combined with an excellent radar system and weaponry, makes it a highly successful fighter jet.

1. F-16 Fighting Falcon:

• Engine: General Electric F110 or Pratt & Whitney F100 afterburning turbofan engine.
• Performance: The F-16 can achieve speeds up to Mach 2 and has a service ceiling of around 50,000 feet. It has excellent acceleration and maneuverability, thanks in part to its afterburning turbofan engine.
• Good or Not: The F-16 is known for its versatility, capable of performing air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. Its engine provides it with impressive speed and agility, making it a favorite among many air forces worldwide.

1. Sukhoi Su-27:

• Engine: Saturn AL-31F afterburning turbofan engine.
• Performance: The Su-27 can reach speeds up to Mach 2.35 and has a service ceiling of 62,523 feet. Its engine enables it to have high speed and excellent maneuverability.
• Good or Not: The Su-27 and its variants are the backbone of the Russian Air Force, appreciated for their agility, speed, and powerful armaments. The afterburning turbofan engines contribute to its high-performance characteristics.

Assessment

Afterburning turbofan engines bring a substantial performance boost to modern fighter jets, allowing for higher speeds and quicker accelerations, essential attributes in combat scenarios. However, the use of afterburners significantly increases fuel consumption, which can limit the range and endurance of the aircraft. Despite this, the ability to provide additional thrust when needed makes these engines a powerful tool in the arsenal of modern air forces, enabling fighter jets to have a decisive edge in air superiority roles. The fighter jets equipped with these engines are generally considered to be highly effective, combining speed, agility, and firepower into a potent package.

Ramjet Engines

Ramjet Engines: Ramjet engines operate by compressing incoming air using the forward motion of the aircraft. They do not have any moving parts and rely on the high-speed airflow to achieve combustion. Ramjets are most efficient at very high speeds, typically above Mach 2.

How Ramjet Engines Work

The operation of ramjet engines can be broken down into the following stages:

1. Air Intake: Ramjets have an open front intake that captures the oncoming air as the aircraft moves forward.
2. Compression: Unlike other types of jet engines, ramjets lack a compressor. Instead, they rely on the high-speed motion of the aircraft to compress the incoming air naturally. As the aircraft moves forward, the air gets compressed due to the narrowing shape of the intake duct.
3. Combustion: The compressed air then moves into the combustion chamber, where it mixes with fuel and ignites. This process releases a high-speed jet of exhaust gases.
4. Expansion and Exhaust: The hot exhaust gases then expand and are expelled through a nozzle at the back, creating thrust based on Newton’s third law of motion.

Examples and Performance of Fighter Jets using Ramjet Engines

Most fighters do not use pure ramjet engines as their primary power source, but rather incorporate ramjet technology in missile propulsion. However, here are a couple of examples that incorporate ramjet technology:

1. MBDA Meteor (Not a fighter jet, but a noteworthy application):

• Engine: Solid-fueled ramjet motor.
• Performance: The Meteor air-to-air missile has a range of over 100 kilometers, with a no-escape zone considerably larger than that of older missiles.
• Good or Not: The MBDA Meteor is considered one of the most advanced air-to-air missiles in the world, capable of intercepting fast-moving targets at great distances.

1. Hypersonic Aircraft Technology Demonstrators (experimental technology platforms):

• Engine: Various types of ramjet/scramjet engines.
• Performance: These are experimental aircraft designed to test hypersonic flight technologies, with some designs capable of reaching speeds in excess of Mach 5.
• Good or Not: These aircraft are at the forefront of aerospace technology, showcasing the potential for extremely high-speed flight. However, they are not operational fighter jets, but rather experimental platforms to test new technologies.

Assessment

Ramjet engines offer the benefit of high efficiency at very high speeds (typically above Mach 2), making them suitable for certain missiles and potentially future high-speed aircraft. However, their lack of moving parts means they cannot generate thrust at a standstill, requiring another method of acceleration to a speed where the ramjet can operate efficiently. This makes them less versatile for applications like fighter jets, which require the ability to operate efficiently across a wide range of speeds and flight profiles.

The application of ramjets in fighter jets is limited. However, they remain an area of interest in aerospace research, particularly in the development of hypersonic aircraft and missiles, where their high-speed efficiency can be leveraged to great effect.

Scramjet Engines

Scramjet Engines: Scramjet engines are a type of air-breathing engine that operates efficiently at hypersonic speeds (above Mach 5). They work on the principle of supersonic combustion. Scramjets compress incoming air at supersonic speeds and mix it with fuel to create combustion. Like ramjets, scramjets have no moving parts.

How Scramjet Engines Work

Scramjet, short for “supersonic combustion ramjet”, functions through the following sequence of processes:

1. Air Intake: Similar to ramjets, scramjets have a simple open intake that captures the incoming air as the aircraft speeds forward.
2. Compression: The air entering the intake undergoes compression due to the forward motion of the aircraft, with the key difference being that this process occurs at supersonic speeds. The air stays at supersonic speeds throughout its journey in the engine, a departure from other engine types where the air is slowed to subsonic speeds for combustion.
3. Fuel Injection and Combustion: In the combustion chamber, fuel is injected into the supersonically flowing air and ignited. The combustion process occurs at supersonic speeds, hence the name “supersonic combustion ramjet”.
4. Expansion and Exhaust: The heated and expanded gases then flow through a nozzle to exit the engine at high speeds, creating thrust and propelling the aircraft forward.

Examples and Performance of Fighter Jets using Scramjet Engines

Scramjet technology is still largely in the experimental phase and is not yet featured in operational fighter jets. However, here are examples of experimental aircraft and missiles utilizing scramjet technology:

1. X-51 Waverider:

• Engine: X-51 Scramjet Engine.
• Performance: The X-51 has demonstrated flight at speeds up to Mach 5.1, setting records for scramjet-powered flight.
• Good or Not: The X-51 serves as an excellent example of scramjet technology’s potential. Its successful tests indicate that scramjet technology might be a significant component in future aerospace developments.

1. Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2 (HTV-2):

• Engine: HTV-2 Scramjet Engine.
• Performance: The HTV-2, developed by DARPA, has achieved speeds of up to Mach 20 in test flights, showcasing the incredible speed potential of scramjet technology.
• Good or Not: Like the X-51, the HTV-2 serves as a platform to demonstrate the capabilities and potential of scramjet technology, which could revolutionize high-speed flight, including potential applications in future fighter jets.

Assessment

Scramjet engines represent the cutting edge of aerospace technology, capable of achieving hypersonic speeds that far exceed those possible with turbojet or turbofan engines. Their lack of moving parts and ability to operate efficiently at extremely high speeds make them a promising technology for future high-speed aircraft and missiles.

Scramjet technology remains in the development and testing stages. Practical applications in fighter jets are still largely theoretical, as the technology needs to overcome significant hurdles, including the development of materials capable of withstanding the extreme temperatures encountered at hypersonic speeds, and methods to initiate and sustain stable combustion in a supersonic airflow.

Despite these challenges, the successful tests of scramjet platforms like the X-51 and HTV-2 indicate that scramjets may play a significant role in the future of aerospace technology, potentially revolutionizing high-speed flight and paving the way for a new generation of hypersonic aircraft.

Hybrid Engines

Hybrid Engines: Hybrid engines combine jet propulsion with rocket propulsion. They use an air-breathing jet engine in the lower atmosphere and then switch to rocket propulsion for high-altitude flight. These engines offer the advantages of both jet and rocket engines, providing versatility and efficiency.

How Hybrid Engines Work

Hybrid engines work through a combination of two different propulsion mechanisms – air-breathing jet engines and rocket engines. Here’s how they operate:

1. Air-Breathing Phase (Lower Altitude):

• Air Intake and Compression: Initially, the air-breathing jet engine component (like a turbojet or turbofan) takes in the air and compresses it.
• Combustion: The compressed air mixes with fuel in the combustion chamber where it ignites to generate high-speed exhaust gases, which create thrust to propel the aircraft forward.

1. Transition to Rocket Phase (Higher Altitude):

• Engine Switch: As the aircraft reaches higher altitudes where the atmosphere is thinner, the engine switches from the air-breathing mode to rocket mode.
• Rocket Propulsion: In rocket mode, the engine carries both fuel and an oxidizer to facilitate combustion since there’s insufficient oxygen at high altitudes. This combustion propels the aircraft even in the absence of atmospheric oxygen.

1. Rocket Phase (High-Altitude and Space Flight):

• Combustion: Fuel and oxidizer are mixed and ignited in the combustion chamber to create high-speed exhaust gases.
• Exhaust: These gases are expelled at high speeds through a nozzle, generating thrust and propelling the aircraft in space where there’s no ambient air.

Examples and Performance of Aircraft using Hybrid Engines

The development and utilization of hybrid engines are more common in spacecraft and spaceplanes rather than traditional fighter jets. Here are a couple of notable examples:

1. SpaceShipTwo (Virgin Galactic):

• Engine: RocketMotorTwo, a hybrid rocket engine.
• Performance: This spacecraft is capable of suborbital flight, taking passengers to the edge of space and back. It utilizes its hybrid engine to ascend to space, providing a few minutes of weightlessness before gliding back to Earth.
• Good or Not: As a commercial spaceflight vehicle, it has successfully demonstrated the viability of hybrid engines for suborbital space tourism.

1. Skylon (in development):

• Engine: SABRE (Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine).
• Performance: Though still in development, Skylon aims to be a single-stage-to-orbit spaceplane, capable of taking off from a runway and reaching orbit using its revolutionary SABRE engines.
• Good or Not: The concept is promising, potentially revolutionizing space travel by combining the best features of jet and rocket propulsion into one engine.

Assessment

Hybrid engines represent a promising frontier in aerospace technology, potentially combining the efficiency of air-breathing engines at lower altitudes with the high-thrust capabilities of rocket engines for space flight.

They offer a versatile solution for space travel, potentially reducing costs and increasing accessibility to space by allowing for reusable, airplane-like space vehicles. However, their application is mostly limited to space vehicles and experimental aircraft, rather than traditional fighter jets.

The technology and infrastructure for these engines are under development, and they might see wider application and refinements in the coming years, potentially expanding their role and effectiveness in aerospace propulsion.

–

In the ceaseless journey towards mastering the skies, the evolution of fighter jet engines stands as a testament to human ingenuity and perseverance. From the rudimentary yet revolutionary turbojets to the frontier-pushing scramjets and hybrid engines, we have witnessed a relentless pursuit of speed, efficiency, and versatility. As we navigate through an era where the boundaries between air and space are becoming increasingly blurred, the role of these remarkable engines in shaping the future cannot be understated.

As we look to the horizon, it beckons with the promise of even greater advancements, potentially heralding a new age where the skies are no longer the limit. These engines, the beating hearts of fighter jets, continue to evolve, promising a future of unimaginable potential, where the realms of flight and exploration expand into exciting, uncharted territories. Through innovation and technological prowess, the next chapter of aerial dominance awaits, fueled by engines more powerful and efficient than we have ever seen.

Fly a jet fighter is the fighter jet experience specialist.