The Most Powerful Afterburner of the B-1, F-22, and F-35 in Action

An afterburner (or a reheat) is a component present on some jet engines, mostly those used on military supersonic aircraft. Its purpose is to provide an increase in thrust, usually for supersonic flight, takeoff and for combat situations. Afterburning is achieved by injecting additional fuel into the jet pipe downstream of (i.e. after) the turbine. Afterburning significantly increases thrust at the cost of very high fuel consumption and increased fuel inefficiency, limiting its practical use to short bursts.

Pilots can activate and deactivate afterburners in-flight, and jet engines are referred to as operating wet when afterburning is being used and dry when not. An engine producing maximum thrust wet is at maximum power, while an engine producing maximum thrust dry is at military power.

– Footage of 6 different B-1 Bombers taking off with after burners.
– Evening training sortie F-35 takeoffs at Luke AFB, AZ.
– F-22 Raptors from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson taking off with full after burner.