Supercruise
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Picture source of J-31: ChinaDefenseMashup) Popular Science: "
The J-31 differs from the F-35 in that it has two engines, which in turn reduces its area ruling, making for more efficient supersonic flight, including future supercruise once the J-31 obtains more powerful engines."
A couple of years ago, I was going to write a post about "supercruise." It slipped my mind and I just remembered now that I forgot to write the post.
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There are three types of supercruise.
1.
Supercruise at level flight. This is real supercruise. The aircraft is flying along and the engine revs up to supercruise.
2.
Supercruise in a dive. This is a cheesy supercruise. An aircraft may not be able to achieve supercruise in level flight. However, at a high enough altitude and in a steep dive, gravity may provide sufficient help to achieve temporary supercruise in a dive.
3.
Supercruise with afterburner. This is another cheesy supercruise. Fly along in a level flight and dump tremendous amounts of fuel into the afterburner for a temporary supercruise.
Another way to cheat and achieve supercruise is by reducing weight. Remove all armaments on a fighter jet. This is unrealistic in a real war. Also, you could remove 3/4 of a plane's fuel and supercruise with a mostly empty jet fighter (which is again unrealistic in a real war).
I'm not sure, but I think a "clean" Eurofighter Typhoon without armaments achieved supercruise.
In summary, a plane can achieve really cheesy supercruise if you combine all of the cheat methods listed above. Take a Eurofighter Typhoon and remove most of the fuel, armaments, and hit the afterburner in a dive.
The point is to beware the claim of a jet fighter's ability to supercruise. Everyone knows an armed F-22 can supercruise in level flight. All other claims of supercruise should be viewed with skepticism until you know the circumstances.
