A Supermarine Rapier in flight over the ocean.
The Supermarine Rapier is a fourth generation swing wing interceptor/air superiority fighter utilized by various members of the British Commonwealth that entered service in the mid 1970s. It is being replaced by the Supermarine Typhoon. The Rapier is comparable in capability to the F-14/78b Tomcat. The Rapier carries Red Flash missiles, is equipped with a Raytheon UK F-1991 RDF, and is powered by a pair of Rolls Royce Spey Mk.912 afterburning turbofans each of which generate 17,500 lbf dry and 27,000 lbf on the afterburners. Later variants of the Rapier also gained AtG capabilities, supercruise, and 2D thrust vectoring.
- Its capabilities are described as being comparable to the Grumman F-14B Tomcat.
Users[]
Australia
British Empire
- Royal Air Force
- Royal Indian Air Force
- Royal Navy
- Royal Indian Navy
- Royal Air Force
Canada
- Chile
- Cuba
- Germany
- New Zealand
- Portugal
- Puerto Rico
