Aviation History - July 2016

july 2016 AH 25

ADVANCED CREW ESCAPE SYSTEM

(ACES) II EJECTION SEAT

AERIAL REFUELING PORT

PILOT’S

HEAD-UP

DISPLAY

FORWARD-

LOOKING

INFRARED

TURRET

GENERAL

ELECTRIC

F404-GE-F1D2

LOW BYPASS

TURBOFAN

ENGINES

PITOT TUBES

GRILLED

ENGINE

INLET

SPRING-LOADED

INTAKE SECTION

RELIEF DOOR

NOSE

LANDING

GEAR

PARTY CRASHER

Debuting as part of the F-117’s

ordnance during Operation

Desert Storm in 1991, the

GBU-27 Paveway III is a

laser-guided weapon with

“bunker-busting” capability.

The 2,000-pound guided bomb,

which is 13 feet 10 inches long,

can be precisely steered to its

target within a range of 10

miles—despite the lack of a

propulsion system.

ILLUSTRATION: STEVE KARP; PHOTOS: U.S. AIR FORCE