- The Skystriker XP-21F is a G.I. Joe vehicle.
| |
| Skystriker XP-21F | |
|---|---|
| Machine information | |
| Machine type |
Jet fighter |
| Purpose |
Aerial combat |
| Military information | |
| Service branch |
G. I. Joe |
| Designated pilot / driver(s) |
Ace; Any Qualified Pilot |
| Organizational information | |
| Factions | |
History[]
1970's[]
The First Kfir, based on the Mirage 5, flies in 1970. It is upgraded only once throughout the decade, as the U.S. had provided McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle's and General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon's to Isreal to take over the role of Air Superiority Fighters, and the Kfir was used as a Ground Attack Fighter.
1985[]
Twenty-Five of the C.1M versions of the Kfir jet were sent to the United States, designated the F-21A Kfir, and used by the Navy and Marines
2006[]
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is retired from United States Service on September 22, 2006
2009[]
In a deal, sanctioned by the United States Government, Grumman sells the design of the F-14 to Isreal. Isreal begins design production on the Kfir C.60, based on the F-14 Design.
2010[]
As losses to the F-35's mounted, the G.I. Joe team was in need of a new Fighter Jet. A Pentagon study produced an Israeli built jet, the F-21A Kfir. It had been in service since 1975, in one form or another, but the latest model, the F-21A Kfir C.60 was testing as one of better jets, and would be able to enter a full production run much faster than the F-35. The U.S. had used the F-21A Kfir C.1M (Modified) as an agressor aircraft at Top Gun training of Naval pilot and for Dogfighting training of Marine Corp Pilot from 1985 - 1989.
2011[]
Skystriker XP-21F's in Flight
With this is mind, the Pentagon ordered a test run of 20 F-21A Kfir C.60, to be designated XP-21F Skystriker Mk II's, for the G.I. Joe Team to test. If they withstood the rigors of battle with Cobra better than the F-35s, they would become the G.I. Joe Team's primary jet fighter, replacing the not-yet-in-production F-35 and any other remaining older aircraft. The first 5 jets are scheduled were delivered in December, with the remaining 15 coming into service in January of 2012.
Since 2011 the Skystriker has resumed its place as G.I. Joe's primary air fighter.
Specs[]
The one modification the United States insisted upon for the XP-21F, that was not in the original design of the C.60 was the addition of a Tailhook design, for use on United States Aircraft Carriers, such as the U.S.S. Flagg
General characteristics[]
- Crew: One
- Length: 15.65 m (51 ft 4¼ in)
- Wingspan: 8.22 m (26 ft 11½ in)
- Height: 4.55 m (14 ft 11¼ in)
- Wing area: 34.8 m² (374.6 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 7,285 kg (16,060 lb)
- Loaded weight: 11,603 kg (25,580 lb) two 500 L drop tanks, two AAMs
- Max takeoff weight: 16,200 kg (35,715 lb)
- Powerplant: 2 × IAl Bedek-built General Electric J-79-J1E turbojet Dry thrust: 52.9 kN (11,890 lb st)
Performance[]
- Maximum speed: 2,440 km/h (1,317 knots, 1,516 mph) ('Mach: 2.3')
- Combat radius: 768 km (477 mi) (ground attack, hi-lo-hi profile, seven 500 lb bombs, two AAMs, two 1,300 L drop tanks)
- Service ceiling: 17,680 m (58,000 ft)
- Rate of climb: 233 m/s (45,950 ft/min)
Armament[]
- Guns: 2× Rafael-built 30 mm (1.18 in) DEFA 553 cannons, 140 rounds/gun
- Hardpoints: 9
- Rockets: assortment of unguided air-to-ground rockets including the Matra JL-100 drop tank/rocket pack, each with 19× SNEB 68 mm rockets and 66 US gallons (250 liters) of fuel
- Missiles: 2× AIM-9 Sidewinders or Shafrir or Python-series AAMs; 2× Shrike ARMs; 2× AGM-65 Maverick ASMs
- Bombs: 5,775 kg (12,730 lb) of payload on nine external hardpoints, including bombs such as the Mark 80 series, Paveway series of LGBs, Griffin LGBs, TAL-1 OR TAL-2 CBUs, BLU-107 Matra Durandal, reconnaissance pods or Drop tanks
Variations[]
- Skystriker XP-14F - Original Skystriker based on the F-14 Tomcat
- Night Boomer - All Black Version of the XP-14F, used by Night Force
- Sky Patrol Sky Striker
Joe World[]
On the G.I. Joe-dominated Earth, Skywarp, Starscream, and Thundercracker were rebuilt into Skystrikers before escaping Joe custody.