I review some materials and found two more planes with supersonic
cruise speeds:
- MiG-29 - 1250 km/h;
- MiG-31 - 2400 km/h.
CORRECTION: they can go supersonic but, they can not supercruise. NASA defines supercruise as being able to go supersonic using no more than 95% of the engine's power, with no use of the afterburner!
The F-4, F-15 MiG-21, Mig-25, MiG-29, Mirage 2000, etc. can go supersonic but, need afterburners to do so. Afterburners give a plane about 50% increase in power with a 100% increase in fuel consumption! When in a fighter (say the F-14A) is on a long patrol, at 22,000-ft (6,000-m) 250-mph (400-kph)... the TF-30 engines consumes fuel at the rate of 2,200-lbs (≈1,000-kg) per engine/per hour! That is economical flying for the F-14A, increase any of the parameters and you increase the fuel consumption.
The F-22A, Rafale, Typhoon and, now the Sukhoi PAK-FA T-50 all can supercruise, to different levels of speed. This translates into being able to consume less fuel, therefore more range yet, still have the speed entering the dogfight. No afterburner means the engine runs at a lower temperature and have a smaller IR signature.
In testing back in the early 1970s that a fighter traveling a speeds above Mach 1.4 has a small chance of being shot down compared to subsonic fighters. Supercruise and some levels of stealth bring the element of surprise back into aerial combat.
Being able to see the F-22 does not mean your weapons can lock-on to the F-22. You can't attack when your weapons can't lock onto a potential target.
F-22 still have its heat signature, especially if enemy approaches it from the rear. So, there won't be real problems to lock a heat-guided weapons on it.
Yes but, the heat signature will be far smaller because these new fighters will be traveling at supersonic speeds without the heat of afterburners! Because your IR or RF detection equipment can detect one of these new super-fighters in the distance does not mean the seeker of the missile can detect the target until it gets close to it. If the missile was launched and the launch aircraft turned to engage other targets, if accurate updates are not provided to the missile... if the target has maneuvered it could be out of the engagement window by the time the missile approaches the interception point.
This ability to escape 'engagement zones' radically increases the fighter's ability to survive. An F-22A supercruising at Mach 1.7, 20,000-ft or more above the launch plane, has a very small danger zone from being hit by air to missiles. Traveling at Mach 1.4 or higher and having an altitude advantage means you would need early detection to get close enough to launch your missiles and have a chance to hit the F-22.
This is why the F-22A has unusual specs such as having the ability to supercruise at Mach 1.4, flying level with its nose pitched up at 20°! This hides the F-22s IR signature at its maximum. Its greatest vulnerability is the 45° cone at the exhaust nozzles.
Low pulse radars (such as those used by WW2 era sets) and ingenious
planning (along with ancient SA-3 missiles fired at short range) defeated the stealth of the F-117, which mind you, is stealthier than the F-22. Don't have so much faith in it, it has already been beaten by Museum piece technology.
The F-117 was shot down on the fourth day of a seventy-three air campaign. The USAF got arrogant, careless and, sent the F-117s into the same target area three nights in a row. The commanders of the Serbian AD figured the F-117s were penetrating between two fixed radar sights at approximately the same time of each night. So on the fourth day the Serbian AD moved a mobile SAM site in the gap between the two fixed sights. That night at a time shortly before they anticipated the F-117, they turned on the mobile radar. A few minutes later, the F-117 flew almost directly over the mobile radar. Once detected and while being tracked the F-117 was easy to shoot down. After that, the USAF varied the F-117's routes to and from the target and bombing times and no more F-117s were shot down.
Considering the media circus at the F-117 wreckage sight logically.... do you really think the Serbian Air Defense shot down two more F-117s and did not invite any press? HELL NO!
By the way, the F-22A is more stealthy than the F-117 by a factor of more than ten.