The Lockheed Martin F-24 Crusader II is a family of single-seat, single-engine, fifth generation multirole fighters designed to perform ground attack, reconnaissance, and air defense missions with stealth capability and is slowly replacing the older versions of the F-16 in use with the U.S. Air Force, the F/A-18 in use with the U.S. Navy, the F/A-18 and AV-8B Harrier in use with the U.S. Marine Corps and a variety of fighters for at least ten other countries.
Variants in use with the United States of America
F-24A, conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) variant used by the United States Air Force.
F-24B, short-take off and vertical-landing (STOVL) variant used by the United States Marine Corps.
F-24C, carrier-based CATOBAR (CV) variant used by the United States Navy.
International variants
F-24I “Adir” (F-24A), in use with the Israeli Air Force (1).
Scimitar FGR.1 (F-24B), in use with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force.
F-24J (F-24A), in use with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.
F-24NL (F-24A), in use with the Royal Netherlands Air Force.
(1) Means in modern Hebrew awesomeness, radness and all-around cool.
General characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 51.4 ft (15.67 m)
Wingspan: 35 ft[N 5] (10.7 m)
Height: 14.2 ft[N 6] (4.33 m)
Wing area: 460 ft²[246] (42.7 m²)
Empty weight: 29,300 lb (13,300 kg)
Loaded weight: 49,540 lb[230][N 7][485] (22,470 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 70,000 lb[N 8] (31,800 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney F124 afterburning turbofan
Dry thrust: 28,000 lbf[486][N 9] (125 kN)
Thrust with afterburner: 43,000 lbf[486][487] (191 kN)
Internal fuel capacity: 18,480 lb (8,382 kg)
Performance
Maximum speed: Mach 1.6+ (1,200 mph, 1,930 km/h) (tested to Mach 1.61)
Range: 1,200 nmi (2,220 km) on internal fuel
Combat radius: 584 nmi[488] (1,080 km) on internal fuel
Service ceiling: 60,000 ft[490] (18,288 m) (tested to 43,000 ft)
Rate of climb: classified (not publicly available)
Wing loading: 107.7 lb/ft² (526 kg/m²; 745 kg/m² max loaded)
Thrust/weight: **With full fuel: 0.87
With 50% fuel: 1.07
Max g-limits: 9 g
Armament
Guns: 1 × General Dynamics GAU-22/A Equalizer 25 mm (0.984 in) 4-barreled gatling cannon, internally mounted with 180 rounds.
Hardpoints: 6 × external pylons on wings with a capacity of 15,000 lb (6,800 kg) and two internal bays with two pylons each for a total weapons payload of 18,000 lb (8,100 kg) and provisions to carry combinations of:
Air-to-air missiles
AIM-120 AMRAAM
AIM-9X Sidewinder
IRIS-T
MBDA Meteor
Air-to-surface missiles
AGM-88 AARGM
AGM-158 JASSM
Brimstone missile / MBDA SPEAR
Joint Air-to-Ground Missile
Storm Shadow missile
SOM
Anti-ship missiles:
JSM
LRASM[494]
Bombs
Mark 84, Mark 83 and Mark 82 GP bombs
Mk.20 Rockeye II cluster bomb
Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser capable
Paveway series laser-guided bombs
Small Diameter Bomb (SDB)
JDAM series
B61 nuclear bomb
AGM-154 JSOW