VTOL- Vertical Take-Off and Landing

VTOL is an acronym for Vertical Take-Off and Landing. VTOL describes fixed-wing aircraft that can lift off vertically. This classification includes only a very few aircraft; helicopters, autogyros; balloons and airships are not normally considered VTOL. Some aircraft can operate in VTOL mode in addition to others, such as CTOL (Conventional Take-off and Landing) and/or STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing). Others can only operate by VTOL, due to the aircraft lacking landing gear that can handle horizontal motion.

Currently there are two types of practical VTOL aircraft in military service:

Using a tiltrotor — the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey
Using directed jet thrust — the Harrier Jump Jet family.

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V-22 Osprey uses VTOL

The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey

F-35 uses VTOL

X-35B lift fan; the VTOL propulsion system is designed and manufactured by Rolls-Royce

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