Scores are relative 0–100 marks within this atlas. Use them to browse, not as an engineering spec.
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Quick answers
Which local authority or corridor rules matter for this type?
Start with the local lens: type approval, operator licences and the hubs named on this page — not a single global checklist.
Is this a buying guide?
No. Tool-Lifes /vehicles is an educational atlas. It explains history, systems and culture without affiliate rankings.
Are the scores official?
No. The six scores are relative editorial 0–100 marks across the twenty-four types on this site.
Where do the photos come from?
Lead images resolve from Wikimedia Commons via Wikipedia titles on the English masters, with licences recorded on the credits page.
Why metric units?
Metric is the default. Regional notes (US customary, local brand culture) appear in culture and market chapters.
How is this different from a wiki article?
Each type gets seven fixed-depth chapters, comparable scores and cross-type labs — structured for browsing, not a single freeform page.
Every Fighter jet is a negotiated stack of structure, energy conversion, control and human interfaces under weather and regulation.
The systems, meters and hotspots below are type-level engineering — manufacturers vary; load paths and failure modes do not.
Teaching silhouette with numbered systems — type-level, not a specific model tear-down.
Systems
Afterburning turbofan
Low-bypass engine with reheat adds thrust for supersonic dash and combat maneuvers.
Relaxed static stability
Aero-neutral or unstable pitch requires digital fly-by-wire to remain controllable.
Radar & IRST
AESA radar tracks air targets; infrared search and track complements EMCON tactics.
Weapons & stores
Internal bays and wing pylons carry missiles, bombs, and targeting pods with jettison logic.
G-suit & life support
On-board oxygen generation and anti-G bladders extend pilot tolerance during high-G turns.
Helmet-mounted cueing
HMD slews seeker head to pilot line-of-sight for off-boresight missile shots.
Relative meters
Hotspots
Engine hot section
Afterburner cycles erode turbine life; FOD on rough strips chips compressors.
FBW sensor voting
Triple redundant air data faults trigger reconfiguration or eject prompts.
Hydraulic A leak
Single-circuit loss may limit G and control surface rate.
Canopy seal
Depressurization or bird strike cracks compromise cockpit environment.
Stores hung up
Failed ejection changes handling and exceeds cleared envelope until jettisoned.
Materials
Ti aluminide hot sections
Advanced alloys survive higher turbine inlet temps for thrust.
Carbon composite skins
Stealth shaping uses RAM and edge alignment on selective panels.
Boron carbide armor (select)
Pilot seat and critical lines may carry lightweight ballistic protection.
Pyrotechnic cartridge starters
Cart starts enable quick scrambles without ground cart dependency.
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