Afterburner

An afterburner is a jet-engine device that injects and burns extra fuel in the exhaust stream to increase thrust temporarily, at the cost of much higher fuel consumption.

Jet engine: A reaction engine that produces thrust by accelerating a high-speed exhaust stream. An afterburner is an added thrust-boosting section of a jet engine.
Supersonic flight: Flight at a speed greater than the local speed of sound. Afterburners provide the extra thrust often needed to accelerate through transonic drag.
Turbofan: A jet engine that uses a fan to accelerate both core flow and bypass air. High-bypass turbofans gain thrust efficiently from bypass flow rather than routine afterburning.
Specific fuel consumption: A measure of fuel consumed per unit of thrust or power produced over time. Afterburning sharply increases fuel consumed for each unit of thrust.
Combustor: An engine chamber where fuel mixes with compressed air and burns to release heat. An afterburner is a second combustion zone downstream of the main combustor.
Fighter aircraft: Military aircraft designed primarily to gain and maintain control of the air. Many supersonic fighters use afterburners for rapid acceleration and climb.
Turbojet: A gas-turbine engine that produces thrust mainly by accelerating its core exhaust. Afterburners are especially compatible with turbojets, whose exhaust is already fast and oxygen-rich.
Thermal barrier coating: A heat-resistant ceramic coating that insulates components exposed to high temperatures. Afterburner components face intense heat, making thermal protection essential.
Flameholder: A device that creates a low-speed recirculation zone to keep a flame stable in fast-moving gas. Flameholders anchor the afterburner flame in the rapidly flowing exhaust.
Takeoff: The phase in which an aircraft accelerates and leaves the ground. Some aircraft use afterburning thrust to shorten takeoff distance or support heavy launches.

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