{
  "id": "f-5e-tiger-ii",
  "name": "F-5E Tiger II",
  "aliases": [],
  "domain": "air",
  "country": "USA",
  "category": "Supersonic light fighter aircraft",
  "status": null,
  "fielded": 1972,
  "operators": [
    "USA",
    "BHR",
    "BRA",
    "CHE",
    "CHL",
    "ESP",
    "HND",
    "IDN",
    "IRN",
    "KEN",
    "KOR",
    "MAR",
    "MEX",
    "MYS",
    "THA",
    "TUN",
    "TUR",
    "YEM"
  ],
  "prolif_count": 17,
  "summary": "F-5E Tiger II Single-seat fighter version with AN/APQ-159 replacing earlier AN/APQ-153 in F-5A. The Northrop F-5 is a family of supersonic light fighter aircraft initially designed as a privately funded project in the late 1950s by Northrop Corporation.",
  "specs": [
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Manufacturer",
      "section": "system",
      "v": "Northrop Corporation",
      "src": [
        "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "crew",
      "v": 1,
      "src": [
        "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Hardpoints",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "7 total (only pylon stations 3, 4 and 5 are wet-plumbed): 2× wing-tip AAM launch rails, 4× under-wing & 1× under-fuselage pylon stations with a capacity of…",
      "src": [
        "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "length_m",
      "v": 14.45,
      "src": [
        "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "width_m",
      "v": 8.13,
      "src": [
        "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "label": "Wingspan"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Wing area",
      "section": "dims",
      "v": "17.30 m sq",
      "src": [
        "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "height_m",
      "v": 4.06,
      "src": [
        "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "mass_kg",
      "v": 4410,
      "src": [
        "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "label": "Empty weight"
    },
    {
      "k": "mass_kg",
      "v": 11214,
      "src": [
        "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "label": "Max takeoff weight"
    },
    {
      "k": "engine_name",
      "v": "2 x General Electric J85-GE-21B",
      "src": [
        "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "speed_kmh",
      "v": 1733,
      "src": [
        "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Cruise speed",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "904 km/h",
      "src": [
        "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Rate of climb",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "10,516 m/min",
      "src": [
        "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "ceiling_m",
      "v": 15789,
      "src": [
        "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Ferry range",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "2,861 km",
      "src": [
        "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Fire Control Radar",
      "section": "firecontrol",
      "v": "AN/APQ-159 Radar",
      "src": [
        "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Bomb Weapon Systems",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "9 x 227-kg bombs.",
      "src": [
        "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "armament",
      "v": "1 x M39 Autocannon; 2× AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missile on wingtips (initial F-5E Tiger; 2× LAU-61/LAU-68 rocket pods (each with 19× /7× Hydra 70 mm rockets, r",
      "src": [
        "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    }
  ],
  "payloads": [
    {
      "name": "1 x M39 Autocannon",
      "role": "Single-Barrel Autocannon",
      "src": [
        "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "caps": {
        "Type": "Single-Barrel Autocannon",
        "Caliber": "20 mm",
        "Rate of fire": "1,500 rpm"
      },
      "qty": "280 Rounds"
    },
    {
      "name": "2× AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missile on wingtips (initial F-5E Tiger",
      "role": "Weapon",
      "src": [
        "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "caps": {}
    },
    {
      "name": "2× LAU-61/LAU-68 rocket pods (each with 19× /7× Hydra 70 mm rockets, r",
      "role": "Weapon",
      "src": [
        "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "caps": {}
    }
  ],
  "variants": [
    {
      "name": "AE.9",
      "text": "Spanish designation of the Northrop F-5B.",
      "src": [
        "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "F-5-21",
      "text": "Temporary designation for the YF-5B.",
      "src": [
        "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "YF-5B",
      "text": "One F-5B was fitted with a 5,000 lbf (2,268 kgf) General Electric J85-GE-21 engine, and used as a prototype for the F-5E Tiger II.",
      "src": [
        "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "F-5B",
      "text": "Two-seat trainer version.",
      "src": [
        "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "F-5B(G)",
      "text": "Two-seat trainer version of the F-5B for the Royal Norwegian Air Force.",
      "src": [
        "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "F-5BM",
      "text": "Two-seat trainer version in use by the Spanish Air Force for air combat training.",
      "src": [
        "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "F-5D",
      "text": "Unbuilt trainer version.",
      "src": [
        "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "F-5F Tiger II",
      "text": "Two-seat trainer version of F-5E Tiger II, AN/APQ-167 radar tested, intended to replace AN/APQ-157, but not carried out.",
      "src": [
        "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "art": "fighter",
  "image": null,
  "verified": null,
  "changelog": [
    {
      "date": "2026-10-10",
      "change": "Entry created from the Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN), bulk import"
    }
  ],
  "url": "https://www.defensepedia.com/systems/f-5e-tiger-ii.html",
  "sources": {
    "weg-f-5e-tiger-ii": {
      "title": "F-5E Tiger II American Supersonic Light Fighter Aircraft",
      "publisher": "U.S. Army TRADOC G-2 Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)",
      "url": "https://odin.t2com.army.mil/WEG/Asset/F-5E_Tiger_II_American_Supersonic_Light_Fighter_Aircraft",
      "published": "2026-03-20",
      "tier": 1,
      "checked": "2026-10-10"
    }
  }
}