WF-39 Retaliator

• Production cost: $107.6 million (USD)
• Price: $162.4 million (USD)

Specifications

Primary Function

• Advanced carrier-based air dominance stealth fighter

Builder

• Wingarde Aerospace Corporation

Power Plant

• 2 x Norton Power G-SF-99E high-performance turbofan engines with afterburners

Thrust

• 27,940 kgf (each engine)
• 55,880 kgf (net thrust)
• 1.08 (thrust-to-weight ratio)

Length

• 21.2 metres

Wingspan

• 15.4 metres (wings extended)
• 8.3 metres (wings folded)

Height

• 5.3 metres

Speed

• Mach 1.8 (2,258 km/h, cruise) at sea level
• Mach 2.1 (2,590 km/h, max cruise) at high altitude
• Mach 3+ (3,747 km/h, maximum) at high altitude

Ceiling

• 22,080 metres (operational)
• 25,440 metres (maximum)

Range

• 2,130 km (combat)
• 5,750 km (ferry)

Weight

• 22,350 kg (empty)
• 51,910 kg (normal combat)
• 55,875 kg (max take-off)

Crew

• One (Pilot)

Ordnance Mounts

• 10 internal and 8 external (26,000 kg maximum payload)
• 10 hardpoints on internal bays (1,000 kg each)
• 3 pylons on each wing (2,000 kg each)
• 2 pylons on the fuselage (2,000 kg each)

Armament

• Internally-mounted 25mm gun.
• Advanced medium range air-to-air missiles.
• Next-generation short range air-to-air missiles.
• High precision smart bombs.
• Advanced anti-ship missiles.
• Improved active/passive Electronic Warfare (EW) systems.
• Internal and external reconnaissance systems.

The WF-39 Retaliator is Wingarde's most advanced, high-performance, supersonic air dominance stealth fighter to date, and undoubtedly one of the best the world. Capable of reaching speeds above Mach 3 at altitude while maintaining a very small radar signature, the WF-39 is a force to be reckoned with. Even though it was primarily designed for conducting air superiority tasks, it's also equipped to perform ground and sea strike missions.

The fighter can carry a sizeable payload in addition to the 25mm cannon internally-mounted in the nose. To avoid compromising the Retaliator's stealthiness, it's been fitted with internal bays. 1,000 kg of ordnance can be equipped in each of the revolving magazine's 10 hardpoints. There are 10 additional external pylons, but should only be used in exceptional situations since they can considerably compromise stealth, range, speed and maneuverability.

As almost every other Wingardian fighter craft to date, the WF-39 is equipped to operate from aircraft carriers as well as airbases on land. Its wings are designed to fold up 135 degrees while the vertical elevators lower 35 degrees, in order to save as much space as possible in cramped hangars and carrier decks.

Unfortunately, international sales of the Retaliator will be restricted to the nations that invested in the WX-38 project during its design and later experimental phase (Southeast Asia, Czardas, Spizania and Urcea), and allies of Wingarde, of course. This is unlikely to change in the near future.