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Nathan (not verified)    July 27, 2014 - 7:13AM

The main thrust of any modern turbine comes from the fan moving the air. It's true that, historically, this hasn't been enough to breach the sonic barrier. For decades, military aircraft used afterburners to provide that extra thrust necessary. Afterburners act just like rockets - burning fuel with exhaust gases providing direct thrust. They are, however, fuel intensive. Many supersonic fighters designed in the last decade are actually able to breach the sonic barrier without afterburners. Most notable examples are the F-22 and the F-35. While it's true that these aircraft still use liquid fuels, the thrust does, ultimately, come from the fans and turbine. This provides more than a proof-of-concept for purely fan-powered thrust.

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