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projectiles. Modern fighter gun systems also feature ranging radar and lead computing electronic gun sights to ease the problem of aim point to compensate for projectile drop and time of flight (target lead) in the complex three dimensional maneuvering of air-to-air combat. However, getting in position to use the guns is still a challenge. The range of guns is longer than in the past but still quite limited compared to missiles, with modern gun systems having a maximum effective range of approximately 1,000 meters. High probability of kill also requires firing to usually occur from the rear hemisphere of the target. Despite these limits, when pilots are well trained in air-to-air gunnery and these conditions are satisfied, gun systems are tactically effective and highly cost efficient. The cost of a gun firing pass is far less than firing a missile, and the projectiles are not subject to the thermal and electronic countermeasures than can sometimes defeat missiles. When the enemy can be approached to within gun range, the lethality of guns is approximately a 25% to 50% chance of "kill per firing pass".
1643:, began arriving in numbers. These fighters outperformed Japanese fighters in all respects except maneuverability. Other problems with Japan's fighter aircraft also became apparent as the war progressed, such as their lack of armor and light armament, which had been typical of all pre-war fighters worldwide, but the problem was particularly difficult to rectify on the Japanese designs. This made them inadequate as either bomber-interceptors or ground-attack aircraft, roles Allied fighters were still able to fill. Most importantly, Japan's training program failed to provide enough well-trained pilots to replace losses. In contrast, the Allies improved both the quantity and quality of pilots graduating from their training programs. By mid-1944, Allied fighters had gained air superiority throughout the theater, which would not be contested again during the war. The extent of Allied quantitative and qualitative superiority by this point in the war was demonstrated during the
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of kills achieved by radar guided missiles also surpassed 50% of total kills for the first time by 1991. Since 1991, 20 of 61 kills worldwide have been beyond-visual-range using radar missiles. Discounting an accidental friendly fire kill, in operational use the AIM-120D (the current main
American radar guided missile) has achieved 9 kills out of 16 shots for a 56% Pk. Six of these kills were BVR, out of 13 shots, for a 46% BVR Pk. Though all these kills were against less capable opponents who were not equipped with operating radar, electronic countermeasures, or a comparable weapon themselves, the BVR Pk was a significant improvement from earlier eras. However, a current concern is electronic countermeasures to radar missiles, which are thought to be reducing the effectiveness of the AIM-120D. Some experts believe that as of 2016 the European
36:
778:
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fire of about 0.4 kg (0.88 lb) per second. In WWII rifle caliber machine guns also remained common, though usually in larger numbers or supplemented with much heavier 0.50 caliber machine guns or cannons. The standard WWII American fighter armament of six 0.50-cal (12.7mm) machine guns fired a bullet weight of approximately 3.7 kg/sec (8.1 lbs/sec), at a muzzle velocity of 856 m/s (2,810 ft/s). British and German aircraft tended to use a mix of machine guns and autocannon, the latter firing explosive projectiles. Later
British fighters were exclusively cannon-armed, the US were not able to produce a reliable cannon in high numbers and most fighters remained equipped only with heavy machine guns despite the US Navy pressing for a change to 20 mm.
762:, and an assortment of improvised weapons. Many of these proved ineffective as the pilot had to fly his airplane while attempting to aim a handheld weapon and make a difficult deflection shot. The first step in finding a real solution was to mount the weapon on the aircraft, but the propeller remained a problem since the best direction to shoot is straight ahead. Numerous solutions were tried. A second crew member behind the pilot could aim and fire a swivel-mounted machine gun at enemy airplanes; however, this limited the area of coverage chiefly to the rear hemisphere, and effective coordination of the pilot's maneuvering with the gunner's aiming was difficult. This option was chiefly employed as a defensive measure on two-seater reconnaissance aircraft from 1915 on. Both the
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3109:. Great care has been taken in designing its layout and internal structure to minimize RCS over a broad bandwidth of detection and tracking radar frequencies; furthermore, to maintain its VLO signature during combat operations, primary weapons are carried in internal weapon bays that are only briefly opened to permit weapon launch. Furthermore, stealth technology has advanced to the point where it can be employed without a tradeoff with aerodynamics performance, in contrast to previous stealth efforts. Some attention has also been paid to reducing IR signatures, especially on the F-22. Detailed information on these signature-reduction techniques is classified, but in general includes special shaping approaches,
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However, only 4 of the 76 radar missile kills were in the beyond-visual-range mode intended to be the strength of radar guided missiles. The United States invested over $ 10 billion in air-to-air radar missile technology from the 1950s to the early 1970s. Amortized over actual kills achieved by the U.S. and its allies, each radar guided missile kill thus cost over $ 130 million. The defeated enemy aircraft were for the most part older MiG-17s, −19s, and −21s, with new cost of $ 0.3 million to $ 3 million each. Thus, the radar missile investment over that period far exceeded the value of enemy aircraft destroyed, and furthermore had very little of the intended BVR effectiveness.
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1069:
1433:
2896:". Air force inventories were cut. Research and development programs working on "fifth-generation" fighters took serious hits. Many programs were canceled during the first half of the 1990s, and those that survived were "stretched out". While the practice of slowing the pace of development reduces annual investment expenses, it comes at the penalty of increased overall program and unit costs over the long-term. In this instance, however, it also permitted designers to make use of the tremendous achievements being made in the fields of computers, avionics and other flight electronics, which had become possible largely due to the advances made in
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2114:, the world's first jet-fighter wing. It was considerably faster than contemporary piston-driven aircraft, and in the hands of a competent pilot, proved quite difficult for Allied pilots to defeat. The Luftwaffe never deployed the design in numbers sufficient to stop the Allied air campaign, and a combination of fuel shortages, pilot losses, and technical difficulties with the engines kept the number of sorties low. Nevertheless, the Me 262 indicated the obsolescence of piston-driven aircraft. Spurred by reports of the German jets, Britain's
1065:, that is, preset to shoot at an angle by ground crews so that their bullets would converge on a target area a set distance ahead of the fighter. Rifle-caliber .30 and .303 in (7.62 and 7.70 mm) calibre guns remained the norm, with larger weapons either being too heavy and cumbersome or deemed unnecessary against such lightly built aircraft. It was not considered unreasonable to use World War I-style armament to counter enemy fighters as there was insufficient air-to-air combat during most of the period to disprove this notion.
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307:
engines, eliminating sharp corners and diverting any reflections away from the radar sets of opposing forces. Various materials were found to absorb the energy from radar waves, and were incorporated into special finishes that have since found widespread application. Composite structures have become widespread, including major structural components, and have helped to counterbalance the steady increases in aircraft weight—most modern fighters are larger and heavier than World War II medium bombers.
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3531:
maximum advantage of complicated missile parameters in both attack and defense against competent opponents does take considerable experience and skill, but against surprised opponents lacking comparable capability and countermeasures, air-to-air missile warfare is relatively simple. By partially automating air-to-air combat and reducing reliance on gun kills mostly achieved by only a small expert fraction of fighter pilots, air-to-air missiles now serve as highly effective force multipliers.
3233:(AMCA), a medium weight stealth fighter jet designated to enter into serial production by late 2030s. India also had initiated a joint fifth generation heavy fighter with Russia called the FGFA. As of 2018 May, the project is suspected to have not yielded desired progress or results for India and has been put on hold or dropped altogether. Other countries considering fielding an indigenous or semi-indigenous advanced fifth generation aircraft include South Korea, Sweden, Turkey and Pakistan.
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677:
2411:. With a primary air-defense role, emphasis was placed on the ability to intercept strategic bombers flying at high altitudes. Specialized point-defense interceptors often had limited range and few, if any, ground-attack capabilities. Fighter-bombers could swing between air-superiority and ground-attack roles, and were often designed for a high-speed, low-altitude dash to deliver their ordnance. Television- and IR-guided air-to-surface missiles were introduced to augment traditional
2951:"Half-generation" designs are either based on existing airframes or are based on new airframes following similar design theory to previous iterations; however, these modifications have introduced the structural use of composite materials to reduce weight, greater fuel fractions to increase range, and signature reduction treatments to achieve lower RCS compared to their predecessors. Prime examples of such aircraft, which are based on new airframe designs making extensive use of
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track a target anywhere within the pilot's vision. The AIM-9X development cost was U.S. $ 3 billion in mid to late 1990s dollars, and 2015 per unit procurement cost is $ 0.6 million each. The missile weighs 85.3 kg (188 lbs), and has a maximum range of 35 km (22 miles) at higher altitudes. Like most air-to-air missiles, lower altitude range can be as limited as only about one third of maximum due to higher drag and less ability to coast downward.
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1173:. The later German design was earlier in its design cycle, and had more room for development and the lessons learned led to greatly improved models in World War II. The Russians failed to keep up and despite newer models coming into service, I-16s remaining the most common Soviet front-line fighter into 1942 despite being outclassed by the improved Bf 109s in World War II. For their part, the Italians developed several monoplanes such as the
2434:
147:
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200:
1189:(more famous for his 'peace in our time' speech), the entire British aviation industry was retooled, allowing it to change quickly from fabric covered metal framed biplanes to cantilever stressed skin monoplanes in time for the war with Germany, a process that France attempted to emulate, but too late to counter the German invasion. The period of improving the same biplane design over and over was now coming to an end, and the
274:. Wings were made thinner and swept back to reduce transonic drag, which required new manufacturing methods to obtain sufficient strength. Skins were no longer sheet metal riveted to a structure, but milled from large slabs of alloy. The sound barrier was broken, and after a few false starts due to required changes in controls, speeds quickly reached Mach 2, past which aircraft cannot maneuver sufficiently to avoid attack.
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2099:. Guns and cannon remained the principal armament. The need to obtain a decisive advantage in maximum speed pushed the development of turbojet-powered aircraft forward. Top speeds for fighters rose steadily throughout World War II as more powerful piston engines developed, and they approached transonic flight-speeds where the efficiency of propellers drops off, making further speed increases nearly impossible.
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fighters which by surprise or maneuver attain a good firing position have achieved the kill about one third to one half the time, no matter what weapons were carried. The only major historic exception to this has been the low effectiveness shown by guided missiles in the first one to two decades of their existence. From WWI to the present, fighter aircraft have featured machine guns and
3465:, which was first fielded in 1991 as the AIM-7 replacement, and which has no firm retirement date as of 2016. The current AIM-120D version has a maximum high altitude range of greater than 160 km (100 mi), and cost approximately $ 2.4 million each (2016). As is typical with most other missiles, range at lower altitude may be as little as one third that of high altitude.
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2407:, became de-emphasized in both cases. The interceptor was an outgrowth of the vision that guided missiles would completely replace guns and combat would take place at beyond-visual ranges. As a result, strategists designed interceptors with a large missile-payload and a powerful radar, sacrificing agility in favor of high speed, altitude ceiling and
1868:, a purpose-built night fighter, was the only fighter of the war that incorporated radar into its original design. Britain and America cooperated closely in the development of airborne radar, and Germany's radar technology generally lagged slightly behind Anglo-American efforts, while other combatants developed few radar-equipped fighters.
874:. Garros' modified monoplane first flew in March 1915 and he began combat operations soon after. Garros scored three victories in three weeks before he himself was downed on 18 April and his airplane, along with its synchronization gear and propeller was captured by the Germans. Meanwhile, the synchronization gear (called the
1691:, which powered the vast majority of World War II fighters, grew more powerful: at the beginning of the war fighters typically had engines producing between 1,000 hp (750 kW) and 1,400 hp (1,000 kW), while by the end of the war many could produce over 2,000 hp (1,500 kW). For example, the
2725:(IRST) sensors became widespread for air-to-ground weapons delivery, and appeared for air-to-air combat as well. "All-aspect" IR AAM became standard air superiority weapons, which permitted engagement of enemy aircraft from any angle (although the field of view remained relatively limited). The first long-range
3142:(EW) jamming functions. Other technologies common to this latest generation of fighters includes integrated electronic warfare system (INEWS) technology, integrated communications, navigation, and identification (CNI) avionics technology, centralized "vehicle health monitoring" systems for ease of maintenance,
1425:
Soviets increasingly were able to challenge the
Luftwaffe, and while the Luftwaffe maintained a qualitative edge over the Red Air Force for much of the war, the increasing numbers and efficacy of the Soviet Air Force were critical to the Red Army's efforts at turning back and eventually annihilating the
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as weapons, and they are still considered as essential back-up weapons today. The power of air-to-air guns has increased greatly over time, and has kept them relevant in the guided missile era. In WWI two rifle (approximately 0.30) caliber machine guns was the typical armament, producing a weight of
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Fighters were typically armed with guns only for air to air combat up through the late 1950s, though unguided rockets for mostly air to ground use and limited air to air use were deployed in WWII. From the late 1950s forward guided missiles came into use for air to air combat. Throughout this history
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However, continuing heavy development investment and rapidly advancing electronic technology led to significant improvement in radar missile reliabilities from the late 1970s onward. Radar guided missiles achieved 75% Pk (9 kills out of 12 shots) in operations in the Gulf War in 1991. The percentage
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used by the USAF had kill rates of approximately 7% and was considered a failure. The AIM-9B Sidewinder introduced later achieved 15% kill rates, and the further improved AIM-9D and J models reached 19%. The AIM-9G used in the last year of the
Vietnam air war achieved 40%. Israel used almost totally
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The AESA radar offers unique capabilities for fighters (and it is also quickly becoming essential for
Generation 4.5 aircraft designs, as well as being retrofitted onto some fourth-generation aircraft). In addition to its high resistance to ECM and LPI features, it enables the fighter to function as
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sensors incorporated for air-to-air combat as well as for air-to-ground weapons delivery in the 4.5th generation fighters are now fused in with other sensors for
Situational Awareness IRST or SAIRST, which constantly tracks all targets of interest around the aircraft so the pilot need not guess when
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Currently the cutting edge of fighter design, fifth-generation fighters are characterized by being designed from the start to operate in a network-centric combat environment, and to feature extremely low, all-aspect, multi-spectral signatures employing advanced materials and shaping techniques. They
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technologies in the 1980s and 1990s. This opportunity enabled designers to develop fourth-generation designs – or redesigns – with significantly enhanced capabilities. These improved designs have become known as "Generation 4.5" fighters, recognizing their intermediate nature between the 4th and 5th
2820:, are true multirole warplanes, designed as such from the start. This was facilitated by multimode avionics that could switch seamlessly between air and ground modes. The earlier approaches of adding on strike capabilities or designing separate models specialized for different roles generally became
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Another revolution came in the form of a stronger reliance on ease of maintenance, which led to standardization of parts, reductions in the numbers of access panels and lubrication points, and overall parts reduction in more complicated equipment like the engines. Some early jet fighters required 50
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From the early 1930s the
Japanese were at war against both the Chinese Nationalists and the Russians in China, and used the experience to improve both training and aircraft, replacing biplanes with modern cantilever monoplanes and creating a cadre of exceptional pilots. In the United Kingdom, at the
310:
Because of the importance of air superiority, since the early days of aerial combat armed forces have constantly competed to develop technologically superior fighters and to deploy these fighters in greater numbers, and fielding a viable fighter fleet consumes a substantial proportion of the defense
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are notable exceptions). The continually rising cost of fighters, however, continued to emphasize the value of multirole fighters. The need for both types of fighters led to the "high/low mix" concept, which envisioned a high-capability and high-cost core of dedicated air-superiority fighters (like
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Fighter designs also took advantage of new electronics technologies that made effective radars small enough to carry aboard smaller aircraft. Onboard radars permitted detection of enemy aircraft beyond visual range, thereby improving the handoff of targets by longer-ranged ground-based warning- and
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The timeframes associated with each generation remain inexact and are only indicative of the period during which their design philosophies and technology employment enjoyed a prevailing influence on fighter design and development. These timeframes also encompass the peak period of service entry for
306:
With the steady improvements in computers, defensive systems have become increasingly efficient. To counter this, stealth technologies have been pursued by the United States, Russia, India and China. The first step was to find ways to reduce the aircraft's reflectivity to radar waves by burying the
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In the 1970s, turbofans replaced turbojets, improving fuel economy enough that the last piston engine support aircraft could be replaced with jets, making multi-role combat aircraft possible. Honeycomb structures began to replace milled structures, and the first composite components began to appear
249:
and some were capable of speeds approaching 400 mph (640 km/h). Most fighters up to this point had one engine, but a number of twin-engine fighters were built; however they were found to be outmatched against single-engine fighters and were relegated to other tasks, such as night fighters
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In the
Vietnam air war radar missile kill reliability was approximately 10% at shorter ranges, and even worse at longer ranges due to reduced radar return and greater time for the target aircraft to detect the incoming missile and take evasive action. At one point in the Vietnam war, the U.S. Navy
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case the missile homes in on radar signals transmitted from launching aircraft and reflected from the target. This has the disadvantage that the firing aircraft must maintain radar lock on the target and is thus less free to maneuver and more vulnerable to attack. A widely deployed missile of this
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capability, the ability to use the lower heat of air to skin friction on the target aircraft to track from the front and sides. The latest (2003 service entry) AIM-9X also features "off-boresight" and "lock on after launch" capabilities, which allow the pilot to make a quick launch of a missile to
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Generation 4.5 fighters first entered service in the early 1990s, and most of them are still being produced and evolved. It is quite possible that they may continue in production alongside fifth-generation fighters due to the expense of developing the advanced level of stealth technology needed to
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Growth in air-combat capability focused on the introduction of improved air-to-air missiles, radar systems, and other avionics. While guns remained standard equipment (early models of F-4 being a notable exception), air-to-air missiles became the primary weapons for air-superiority fighters, which
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The third generation witnessed continued maturation of second-generation innovations, but it is most marked by renewed emphases on maneuverability and on traditional ground-attack capabilities. Over the course of the 1960s, increasing combat experience with guided missiles demonstrated that combat
2149:
Despite their advantages, the early jet-fighters were far from perfect. The operational lifespan of turbines were very short and engines were temperamental, while power could be adjusted only slowly and acceleration was poor (even if top speed was higher) compared to the final generation of piston
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also advanced during the war. The rifle-caliber machine guns that were common on prewar fighters could not easily down the more rugged warplanes of the era. Air forces began to replace or supplement them with cannons, which fired explosive shells that could blast a hole in an enemy aircraft –
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Fighter armament eventually began to be mounted inside the wings, outside the arc of the propeller, though most designs retained two synchronized machine guns directly ahead of the pilot, where they were more accurate (that being the strongest part of the structure, reducing the vibration to which
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engines were replacing piston engines as the means of propulsion, further increasing aircraft speed. Since the weight of the turbojet engine was far less than a piston engine, having two engines was no longer a handicap and one or two were used, depending on requirements. This in turn required the
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the missile is guided to the vicinity of the target by internal data on its projected position, and then "goes active" with an internally carried small radar system to conduct terminal guidance to the target. This eliminates the requirement for the firing aircraft to maintain radar lock, and thus
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proving particularly effective in the lower-altitude combat typical of the
Eastern Front. The Soviets were also helped indirectly by the American and British bombing campaigns, which forced the Luftwaffe to shift many of its fighters away from the Eastern Front in defense against these raids. The
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The primary driver of fighter innovation, right up to the period of rapid re-armament in the late 1930s, were not military budgets, but civilian aircraft racing. Aircraft designed for these races introduced innovations like streamlining and more powerful engines that would find their way into the
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Now that higher reliabilities have been achieved, both types of missiles allow the fighter pilot to often avoid the risk of the short-range dogfight, where only the more experienced and skilled fighter pilots tend to prevail, and where even the finest fighter pilot can simply get unlucky. Taking
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radar guided missiles in a row without a hit. Between 1958 and 1982 in five wars there were 2,014 combined heat-seeking and radar guided missile firings by fighter pilots engaged in air-to-air combat, achieving 528 kills, of which 76 were radar missile kills, for a combined effectiveness of 26%.
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20 mm rotary cannon that is standard on current
American fighters fires a projectile weight of about 10 kg/s (22 lb/s), nearly three times that of six 0.50-cal machine guns, with higher velocity of 1,052 m/s (3450 ft/s) supporting a flatter trajectory, and with exploding
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unbearable to pilots who attempted maneuvering dogfights typical of the First World War, and their fighters were instead optimized for speed and firepower. In practice, while light, highly maneuverable aircraft did possess some advantages in fighter-versus-fighter combat, those could usually be
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Fighter development stagnated between the wars, especially in the United States and the United Kingdom, where budgets were small. In France, Italy and Russia, where large budgets continued to allow major development, both monoplanes and all metal structures were common. By the end of the 1920s,
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of work by a ground crew for every hour the aircraft was in the air; later models substantially reduced this to allow faster turn-around times and more sorties in a day. Some modern military aircraft only require 10-man-hours of work per hour of flight time, and others are even more efficient.
1997:
In the 1950s, the British developed mixed-power jet designs employing both rocket and jet engines to cover the performance gap that existed in turbojet designs. The rocket was the main engine for delivering the speed and height required for high-speed interception of high-level bombers and the
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Attempts were made with handheld weapons such as pistols and rifles and even light machine guns, but these were ineffective and cumbersome. The next advance came with the fixed forward-firing machine gun, so that the pilot pointed the entire aircraft at the target and fired the gun, instead of
519:
As a part of military nomenclature, a letter is often assigned to various types of aircraft to indicate their use, along with a number to indicate the specific aircraft. The letters used to designate a fighter differ in various countries. In the English-speaking world, "F" is often now used to
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that were no longer competitive as aerial combat fighters were relegated to ground attack. Several aircraft, such as the F-111 and F-117, have received fighter designations though they had no fighter capability due to political or other reasons. The F-111B variant was originally intended for a
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built with a wooden frame covered with fabric, and a maximum airspeed of about 100 mph (160 km/h). As control of the airspace over armies became increasingly important, all of the major powers developed fighters to support their military operations. Between the wars, wood was largely
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performance. The two aircraft had different strengths and weaknesses, but were similar enough that victory could go either way. While the Sabres focused primarily on downing MiGs and scored favorably against those flown by the poorly-trained North Koreans, the MiGs in turn decimated US bomber
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and even hovering capabilities. Maneuver performance remains important and is enhanced by thrust-vectoring, which also helps reduce takeoff and landing distances. Supercruise may or may not be featured; it permits flight at supersonic speeds without the use of the afterburner – a device that
2189:(soon re-designated F-80) was more prone to wave drag than the swept-wing Me 262, but had a cruise speed (660 km/h (410 mph)) as high as the maximum speed attainable by many piston-engined fighters. The British designed several new jets, including the distinctive single-engined
2075:
It has become common in the aviation community to classify jet fighters by "generations" for historical purposes. No official definitions of these generations exist; rather, they represent the notion of stages in the development of fighter-design approaches, performance capabilities, and
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The U.S. government has defined 4.5 generation fighter aircraft as those that "(1) have advanced capabilities, including— (A) AESA radar; (B) high capacity data-link; and (C) enhanced avionics; and (2) have the ability to deploy current and reasonably foreseeable advanced armaments."
2657:(FLCS), which in turn was enabled by advances in computers and in system-integration techniques. Analog avionics, required to enable FBW operations, became a fundamental requirement, but began to be replaced by digital flight-control systems in the latter half of the 1980s. Likewise,
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encountered an enemy airplane while on a reconnaissance flight over Austria-Hungary which fired at his aircraft with a revolver, so Tomić fired back. It was believed to be the first exchange of fire between aircraft. Within weeks, all Serbian and Austro-Hungarian aircraft were armed.
109:
relative to the target aircraft. The success or failure of a combatant's efforts to gain air superiority hinges on several factors including the skill of its pilots, the tactical soundness of its doctrine for deploying its fighters, and the numbers and performance of those fighters.
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was a successful design, and was planned for production when economics forced the British to curtail most aircraft programs in the late 1950s. Furthermore, rapid advancements in jet engine technology rendered mixed-power aircraft designs like Saunders-Roe's SR.53 (and the following
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with just a few hits, but their slower rate of fire made it difficult to hit fast-moving fighters in a dogfight. Eventually, most fighters mounted cannons, sometimes in combination with machine guns. The British epitomized this shift. Their standard early war fighters mounted eight
600:
The equipment necessary for daytime flight is inadequate when flying at night or in poor visibility. The night fighter was developed during World War I with additional equipment to aid the pilot in flying straight, navigating and finding the target. From modified variants of the
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to replace the Zero, but only in small numbers, and by then Japan lacked the trained pilots or sufficient fuel to mount an effective challenge to Allied attacks. During the closing stages of the war, Japan's fighter arm could not seriously challenge raids over Japan by American
1986:
projects aimed at developing high speed, point-defense aircraft. Later variants of the Me 262 (C-1a and C-2b) were also fitted with "mixed-power" jet/rocket powerplants, while earlier models were fitted with rocket boosters, but were not mass-produced with these modifications.
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As fighter types have proliferated, the air superiority fighter emerged as a specific role at the pinnacle of speed, maneuverability, and air-to-air weapon systems – able to hold its own against all other fighters and establish its dominance in the skies above the battlefield.
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showed that guns still had a role to play, and most fighters built since then are fitted with cannon (typically between 20 and 30 mm (0.79 and 1.18 in) in caliber) in addition to missiles. Most modern combat aircraft can carry at least a pair of air-to-air missiles.
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versus the more reliable radial models continued, with naval air forces preferring the radial engines, and land-based forces often choosing inlines. Radial designs did not require a separate (and vulnerable) radiator, but had increased drag. Inline engines often had a better
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The primary characteristics of this sub-generation are the application of advanced digital avionics and aerospace materials, modest signature reduction (primarily RF "stealth"), and highly integrated systems and weapons. These fighters have been designed to operate in a
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The use of metal aircraft structures was pioneered before World War I by Breguet but would find its biggest proponent in Anthony Fokker, who used chrome-molybdenum steel tubing for the fuselage structure of all his fighter designs, while the innovative German engineer
2216:, along with their armament of two 23 mm (0.91 in) cannons and a single 37 mm (1.5 in) cannon. Nevertheless, in the first jet-versus-jet dogfight, which occurred during the Korean War on 8 November 1950, an F-80 shot down two North Korean MiG-15s.
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directing fighters onto German attacks and the advantages of fighting above Britain's home territory allowed the RAF to deny Germany air superiority, saving the UK from possible German invasion and dealing the Axis a major defeat early in the Second World War. On the
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are also seeking a stake in the project. Spain officially joined the Franco-German project to develop a Next-Generation Fighter (NGF) that will form part of a broader Future Combat Air Systems (FCAS) with the signing of a letter of intent (LOI) on February 14, 2019.
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bomber (first flew in 1989). Although no stealthy fighters per se appeared among the fourth generation, some radar-absorbent coatings and other L-O treatments developed for these programs are reported to have been subsequently applied to fourth-generation fighters.
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aircraft. A better solution for a single seat scout was to mount the machine gun (rifles and pistols having been dispensed with) to fire forwards but outside the propeller arc. Wing guns were tried but the unreliable weapons available required frequent clearing of
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of 1916 used this system with considerable success, however, this placement made aiming and reloading difficult but would continue to be used throughout the war as the weapons used were lighter and had a higher rate of fire than synchronized weapons. The British
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bombers, and generally had a shorter range, they were cheaper to produce and maintain and their maneuverability made it easier for them to hit moving targets such as motorized vehicles. Moreover, if they encountered enemy fighters, their ordnance (which reduced
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the guns were subjected). Shooting with this traditional arrangement was also easier because the guns shot directly ahead in the direction of the aircraft's flight, up to the limit of the guns range; unlike wing-mounted guns which to be effective required to be
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also used the same tactics with some success, although they were unable to stem the tide of Japanese advances there. By 1943, the Allies began to gain the upper hand in the Pacific Campaign's air campaigns. Several factors contributed to this shift. First, the
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Accurate data on modern gun pass cost is difficult to acquire, but during the Korean War was approximately $ 120. In 1970 a heat seeking missile shot was approximately $ 7000, and a radar guided missile shot about $ 40,000. (Stevenson, "The Pentagon Paradox",
2568:. Despite numerous shortcomings that would not be fully addressed until newer fighters, the Phantom claimed 280 aerial kills (more than any other U.S. fighter) over Vietnam. With range and payload capabilities that rivaled that of World War II bombers such as
2094:
The first generation of jet fighters comprised the initial, subsonic jet-fighter designs introduced late in World War II (1939–1945) and in the early post-war period. They differed little from their piston-engined counterparts in appearance, and many employed
3387:. There are two main variations, heat-seeking (infrared homing), and radar guided. Radar missiles are typically several times heavier and more expensive than heat-seekers, but with longer range, greater destructive power, and ability to track through clouds.
3432:. In this extensive conflict Israel scored 171 of 261 total kills with heat-seeking missiles (65.5%), 5 kills with radar guided missiles (1.9%), and 85 kills with guns (32.6%). The AIM-9L Sidewinder scored 19 kills out of 26 fired missiles (73%) in the 1982
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are vulnerable due to their low speed, large size and poor maneuvrability. The escort fighter was developed during World War II to come between the bombers and enemy attackers as a protective shield. The primary requirement was for long range, with several
739:, but would later modify pre-war racing aircraft into armed single seaters. It was quickly found that these were of little use since the pilot couldn't record what he saw while also flying, while military leaders usually ignored what the pilots reported.
1083:, popular during World War I, quickly disappeared, its development having reached the point where rotational forces prevented more fuel and air from being delivered to the cylinders, which limited horsepower. They were replaced chiefly by the stationary
959:
machine guns, which were easier to synchronize than other types, firing through the propeller arc. Gun breeches were in front of the pilot, with obvious implications in case of accidents, but jams could be cleared in flight, while aiming was simplified.
2343:
fuselages. Widespread use of afterburning turbojet engines made these the first production aircraft to break the sound barrier, and the ability to sustain supersonic speeds in level flight became a common capability amongst fighters of this generation.
999:
all-metal airframe technology demonstration aircraft of late 1915. While Fokker would pursue steel tube fuselages with wooden wings until the late 1930s, and Junkers would focus on corrugated sheet metal, Dornier was the first to build a fighter (the
3035:
achieve aircraft designs featuring very low observables (VLO), which is one of the defining features of fifth-generation fighters. Of the 4.5th generation designs, the Strike Eagle, Super Hornet, Typhoon, Gripen, and Rafale have been used in combat.
1030:
In April 1917, during a brief period of German aerial supremacy a British pilot's average life expectancy was calculated to average 93 flying hours, or about three weeks of active service. More than 50,000 airmen from both sides died during the war.
1023:, so in-flight fires or structural failures were often fatal. Parachutes were well-developed by 1918 having previously been used by balloonists, and were adopted by the German flying services during the course of that year. The well known and feared
2556:, the first turbofan equipped with afterburner. The ambitious project sought to create a versatile common fighter for many roles and services. It would serve well as an all-weather bomber, but lacked the performance to defeat other fighters. The
1403:
air forces destroyed large numbers of Red Air Force aircraft on the ground and in one-sided dogfights. In the later stages on the Eastern Front, Soviet training and leadership improved, as did their equipment. By 1942 Soviet designs such as the
1275:
noted the effect of airpower: "Anyone who has to fight, even with the most modern weapons, against an enemy in complete command of the air, fights like a savage…" Throughout the war, fighters performed their conventional role in establishing
951:. The strong box structure of the biplane provided a rigid wing that allowed the accurate control essential for dogfighting. They had a single operator, who flew the aircraft and also controlled its armament. They were armed with one or two
269:
was fitted to day fighters, since due to ever increasing air-to-air weapon ranges, pilots could no longer see far enough ahead to prepare for the opposition. Subsequently, radar capabilities grew enormously and are now the primary method of
3406:
in the 1950s. These small missiles are easily carried by lighter fighters, and provide effective ranges of approximately 10 to 35 kilometres (6 to 20 mi). Beginning with the AIM-9L in 1977, subsequent versions of Sidewinder have added
1828:, F4U Corsair, P-47 Thunderbolt and P-38 Lightning all excelled as fighter-bombers, and since the Second World War ground attack has become an important secondary capability of many fighters. World War II also saw the first use of airborne
2150:
fighters. Many squadrons of piston-engined fighters remained in service until the early to mid-1950s, even in the air forces of the major powers (though the types retained were the best of the World War II designs). Innovations including
2611:" (for "Observation-Orientation-Decision-Action"). This approach emphasized aircraft designs capable of performing "fast transients" – quick changes in speed, altitude, and direction – as opposed to relying chiefly on high speed alone.
1555:, initially enjoying great success, as these fighters generally had better range, maneuverability, speed and climb rates than their Allied counterparts. Additionally, Japanese pilots were well trained and many were combat veterans from
2990:
Apart from these fighter jets, most of the 4.5 generation aircraft are actually modified variants of existing airframes from the earlier fourth generation fighter jets. Such fighter jets are generally heavier and examples include the
2494:(DACT) tactics and techniques. This era also saw an expansion in ground-attack capabilities, principally in guided missiles, and witnessed the introduction of the first truly effective avionics for enhanced ground attack, including
2348:
tracking-radars. Similarly, advances in guided-missile development allowed air-to-air missiles to begin supplementing the gun as the primary offensive weapon for the first time in fighter history. During this period, passive-homing
2076:
technological evolution. Different authors have packed jet fighters into different generations. For example, Richard P. Hallion of the Secretary of the Air Force's Action Group classified the F-16 as a sixth-generation jet fighter.
1925:'Fang', of which nearly 1200 were produced 1947–51. Over the course of the Korean War, however, it became obvious that the day of the piston-engined fighter was coming to a close and that the future would lie with the jet fighter.
581:
aircraft in the point-defence role, built for fast reaction, high performance and with a short range, and heavier aircraft with more comprehensive avionics and designed to fly at night or in all weathers and to operate over longer
2211:
that allowed flying closer to the speed of sound than straight-winged designs such as the F-80. The MiG-15s' top speed of 1,075 km/h (668 mph) proved quite a shock to the American F-80 pilots who encountered them in the
3117:
materials, extensive structural use of advanced composites, conformal sensors, heat-resistant coatings, low-observable wire meshes to cover intake and cooling vents, heat ablating tiles on the exhaust troughs (seen on the
1040:
however, those countries overspent themselves and were overtaken in the 1930s by those powers that hadn't been spending heavily, namely the British, the Americans, the Spanish (in the Spanish civil war) and the Germans.
1043:
Given limited budgets, air forces were conservative in aircraft design, and biplanes remained popular with pilots for their agility, and remained in service long after they ceased to be competitive. Designs such as the
1127:
types. Such designs typically had greater internal fuel capacity (thus longer range) and heavier armament than their single-engine counterparts. In combat, they proved vulnerable to more agile single-engine fighters.
2634:; while the reduced wing loading tends to lower top speed and can cut range, it increases payload capacity and the range reduction can be compensated for by increased fuel in the larger wing. The efforts of Boyd's "
1920:
wing to improve maneuver performance, and increased armament. The La-9 entered service in August 1946 and was produced until 1948; it also served as the basis for the development of a long-range escort fighter, the
1559:. They quickly gained air superiority over the Allies, who at this stage of the war were often disorganized, under-trained and poorly equipped, and Japanese air power contributed significantly to their successes in
2594:
Fourth-generation fighters continued the trend towards multirole configurations, and were equipped with increasingly sophisticated avionics- and weapon-systems. Fighter designs were significantly influenced by the
515:
aircraft, while commonly developing air-to-ground roles late in their careers. An interceptor is generally an aircraft intended to target (or intercept) bombers and so often trades maneuverability for climb rate.
726:
airplane was not expected to carry serious armament, but rather to rely on speed to "scout" a location, and return quickly to report, making it a flying horse. British scout aircraft, in this sense, included the
869:
machine gun he was provided had an erratic rate of fire and it was impossible to synchronize it with the propeller. As an interim measure, the propeller blades were fitted with metal wedges to protect them from
2861:, which involves the use of special "low-observable" (L-O) materials and design techniques to reduce the susceptibility of an aircraft to detection by the enemy's sensor systems, particularly radars. The first
4689:
1903:
Several prototype fighter programs begun early in 1945 continued on after the war and led to advanced piston-engine fighters that entered production and operational service in 1946. A typical example is the
2936:. Thrust vectoring to further improve transient maneuvering capabilities has also been adopted by many 4.5th generation fighters, and uprated powerplants have enabled some designs to achieve a degree of "
2478:
employed more sophisticated radars and medium-range RF AAMs to achieve greater "stand-off" ranges, however, kill probabilities proved unexpectedly low for RF missiles due to poor reliability and improved
1056:
were common even in the late 1930s, and many were still in service as late as 1942. Up until the mid-1930s, the majority of fighters in the US, the UK, Italy and Russia remained fabric-covered biplanes.
1244:
could split up at any time and attack on their own. The finger-four would be widely adopted as the fundamental tactical formation during World War Two, including by the British and later the Americans.
3599:
2364:(SARH) missiles could track and intercept an enemy aircraft "painted" by the launching aircraft's onboard radar. Medium- and long-range RF air-to-air missiles promised to open up a new dimension of
4760:
1836:
locate enemy bombers and fighters. Because of the bulkiness of these radar sets, they could not be carried on conventional single-engined fighters and instead were typically retrofitted to larger
1495:
in June 1944, the Allies had gained near complete air superiority over the Western Front. This cleared the way both for intensified strategic bombing of German cities and industries, and for the
1004:) made with pre-stressed sheet aluminum and having cantilevered wings, a form that would replace all others in the 1930s. As collective combat experience grew, the more successful pilots such as
4568:
440:
classes are dual-role, possessing qualities of the fighter alongside some other battlefield role. Some fighter designs may be developed in variants performing other roles entirely, such as
1944:, with only 66 having been delivered, and the type was withdrawn from service in 1947. The USAAF had ordered its first 13 mixed turboprop-turbojet-powered pre-production prototypes of the
2737:, one of the few variable-sweep-wing fighter designs to enter production. Even with the tremendous advancement of air-to-air missiles in this era, internal guns were standard equipment.
1205:
biplanes but many biplanes remained in front-line service well past the start of World War II. While not a combatant in Spain, they too absorbed many of the lessons in time to use them.
2607:
maintenance as an advantage in fighter combat. Boyd perceived maneuverability as the primary means of getting "inside" an adversary's decision-making cycle, a process Boyd called the "
362:). The UK changed to calling them fighters in the 1920s, while the US Army did so in the 1940s. A short-range fighter designed to defend against incoming enemy aircraft is known as an
3883:, 6 December 1929, Page 1273: "the type of single-seater fighter known as an "Interceptor" is a class of aircraft designed, as the title suggests, for intercepting hostile aircraft."
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3383:
The range limitations of guns, and the desire to overcome large variations in fighter pilot skill and thus achieve higher force effectiveness, led to the development of the guided
4851:
2603:
and mathematician Thomas Christie, based upon Boyd's combat experience in the Korean War and as a fighter-tactics instructor during the 1960s. E-M theory emphasized the value of
4624:
4498:
2529:), and provided greater accuracy and rates of fire. Powerplant reliability increased, and jet engines became "smokeless" to make it harder to sight aircraft at long distances.
714:
Another type of military aircraft formed the basis for an effective "fighter" in the modern sense of the word. It was based on small fast aircraft developed before the war for
4317:
4467:
3247:
As of November 2018, France, Germany, China, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States have announced the development of a sixth-generation aircraft program.
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in 2025–30 period. The USAF seeks a new fighter for the 2030–50 period named the "Next Generation Tactical Aircraft" ("Next Gen TACAIR"). The US Navy looks to replace its
2482:(ECM) for spoofing radar seekers. Infrared-homing AAMs saw their fields of view expand to 45°, which strengthened their tactical usability. Nevertheless, the low dogfight
1998:
turbojet gave increased fuel economy in other parts of flight, most notably to ensure the aircraft was able to make a powered landing rather than risking an unpredictable
4738:
3436:. But, in a conflict against opponents using thermal countermeasures, the United States only scored 11 kills out of 48 fired (Pk = 23%) with the follow-on AIM-9M in the
5212:
5183:
4823:
3709:
3201:
Other countries have initiated fifth-generation fighter development projects. In December 2010, it was discovered that China is developing the 5th generation fighter
838:
with a forward-firing gun whose bullets passed through the propeller arc was evident even before the outbreak of war and inventors in both France and Germany devised
5751:
121:, are designed from the outset for dual roles. Other fighter designs are highly specialized while still filling the main air superiority role, and these include the
4681:
3086:, helmet-mounted sights (not currently on F-22), and improved secure, jamming-resistant LPI datalinks are highly integrated to provide multi-platform, multi-sensor
1809:
and therefore decreased performance) could be jettisoned and they could engage enemy fighters, which eliminated the need for fighter escorts that bombers required.
1311:. In contrast, designers in the United Kingdom, Germany, the Soviet Union, and the United States believed that the increased speed of fighter aircraft would create
1602:) to take advantage of these strengths. These changes soon paid dividends, as the Allied ability to deny Japan air superiority was critical to their victories at
2665:
turbofan. The F-16's sole reliance on electronics and wires to relay flight commands, instead of the usual cables and mechanical linkage controls, earned it the
1480:
bombers, however, proved unable to fend off German interceptors (primarily Bf 109s and Fw 190s). With the later arrival of long range fighters, particularly the
480:, but it was canceled. This blurring follows the use of fighters from their earliest days for "attack" or "strike" operations against ground targets by means of
4655:
2855:(F-15C), one strike fighter squadron (F-15E), and two multirole fighter squadrons (F-16C). Perhaps the most novel technology introduced for combat aircraft was
1291:
Fighter design varied widely among combatants. The Japanese and Italians favored lightly armed and armored but highly maneuverable designs such as the Japanese
577:
The interceptor is a fighter designed specifically to intercept and engage approaching enemy aircraft. There are two general classes of interceptor: relatively
4794:
2122:, as they were faster than available piston-engined fighters at the low altitudes used by the flying bombs. Nearer the end of World War II, the first military
817:
and remained impractical until after the war. Mounting the machine gun over the top wing worked well and was used long after the ideal solution was found. The
334:. A given type may be designed for specific combat conditions, and in some cases for additional roles such as air-to-ground fighting. Historically the British
1872:
1319:
overcome by sound tactical doctrine, and the design approach of the Italians and Japanese made their fighters ill-suited as interceptors or attack aircraft.
1928:
This period also witnessed experimentation with jet-assisted piston engine aircraft. La-9 derivatives included examples fitted with two underwing auxiliary
2142:. By the end of the war almost all work on piston-powered fighters had ended. A few designs combining piston- and jet-engines for propulsion – such as the
5234:
4766:
3194:(CATOBAR) fighter, each of which has a different unit price and slightly varying specifications in terms of fuel capacity (and therefore range), size and
2446:
began to appear, replacing older "steam-gauge" cockpit instrumentation. Enhancements to the aerodynamic performance of third-generation fighters included
4881:
3102:. Overall, the integration of all these elements is claimed to provide fifth-generation fighters with a "first-look, first-shot, first-kill capability".
1879:
system involved mounting upward-facing cannon turrets, typically twin 20mm or 30mm guns, in the belly of German night fighters such as the Messerschmitt
1700:
4546:
1087:
though major advances led to inline engines gaining ground with several exceptional engines—including the 1,145 cu in (18,760 cm) V-12
4440:
3178:(JSF) program enrolls eight other countries as cost- and risk-sharing partners. Altogether, the nine partner nations anticipate procuring over 3,000
1760:
from a solid bullet striking a critical component of the aircraft, such as a fuel line or control cable, or the pilot. Cannons could bring down even
827:
4576:
4297:
3670:
4711:
1075:, which in various forms would be used through the 20s and into the 1930s by various European air arms, including that of the French and Spanish.
687:
The word "fighter" was first used to describe a two-seat aircraft carrying a machine gun (mounted on a pedestal) and its operator as well as the
5230:"Can U.S. air-to-air missiles hit their targets through today's enemy electronic warfare?", Military and Aerospace Electronics, 12 April 2016,
2022:
in level flight– met a similar fate for the same reason, and no hybrid rocket-and-jet-engine fighter design has ever been placed into service.
2772:
Unlike interceptors of the previous eras, most fourth-generation air-superiority fighters were designed to be agile dogfighters (although the
2490:
fighter-weapons school, which provided a graduate-level curriculum to train fleet fighter-pilots in advanced Air Combat Maneuvering (ACM) and
5744:
5041:
3825:
935:
kicked off a competitive cycle of improvement among the combatants, both sides striving to build ever more capable single-seat fighters. The
4217:
1723:-powered fighters entered combat in 1944, too late to impact the war's outcome. The same year the Allies' only operational jet fighter, the
1502:
Allied fighters, by gaining air superiority over the European battlefield, played a crucial role in the eventual defeat of the Axis, which
1499:
of battlefield targets. With the Luftwaffe largely cleared from the skies, Allied fighters increasingly served as ground attack aircraft.
1240:
was composed of a leader and a wingman. This flexible formation allowed the pilots to maintain greater situational awareness, and the two
4520:
3732:
1773:, and late in the war often only cannons. The Americans, in contrast, had problems producing a cannon design, so instead placed multiple
1368:. This was a result of the tactical surprise at the outset of the campaign, the leadership vacuum within the Soviet military left by the
4845:
2525:
that use an electric motor to drive the mechanism of a cannon. This allowed a plane to carry a single multi-barrel weapon (such as the
1464:
while Allied fighters' main role was as bomber escorts. The RAF raided German cities at night, and both sides developed radar-equipped
846:, a Swiss engineer, had patented such a device in Germany in 1913, but his original work was not followed up. French aircraft designer
4277:
35:
4632:
4490:
3855:
2487:
4598:
4325:
1208:
The Spanish Civil War also provided an opportunity for updating fighter tactics. One of the innovations was the development of the "
5737:
3182:
fighters at an anticipated average FAC of $ 80–85 million. The F-35, however, is designed to be a family of three aircraft, a
1095:
increased in power several-fold over the period, going from a typical 180 hp (130 kW) in the 900 kg (2,000 lb)
847:
777:
770:
added a second crewman ahead of the engine in a pod but this was both hazardous to the second crewman and limited performance. The
2118:
entered production soon after, and the two entered service around the same time in 1944. Meteors commonly served to intercept the
4457:
1936:(the La-138); however, neither of these entered service. One that did enter service – with the U.S. Navy in March 1945 – was the
850:
patented a practical device in April 1914, but trials were unsuccessful because of the propensity of the machine gun employed to
691:. Although the term was coined in the United Kingdom, the first examples were the French Voisin pushers beginning in 1910, and a
280:
largely replaced guns and rockets in the early 1960s since both were believed unusable at the speeds being attained, however the
3225:
became the first fifth-generation fighter jets in service with the Russian Aerospace Forces on 2020, and launch missiles in the
3170:
in late 2005. The U.S. Air Force originally planned to acquire 650 F-22s, but now only 187 will be built. As a result, its unit
3031:
engine nozzles to enhance maneuvering. The upgraded version of F-16 is also considered a member of the 4.5 generation aircraft.
1027:, the "Red Baron", was wearing one when he was killed, but the allied command continued to oppose their use on various grounds.
3770:
3545:
3428:, achieving 60 kills and 10 losses. However, Israel made much more use of steadily improving heat-seeking missiles in the 1973
2837:
1598:
possessed attributes such as superior firepower, ruggedness and dive speed, and the Allies soon developed tactics (such as the
1416:. Also, significant numbers of British, and later U.S., fighter aircraft were supplied to aid the Soviet war effort as part of
4732:
5419:
5293:
5149:
4408:
4358:
4103:
4076:
2639:
1528:
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needed to test their latest aircraft. Each party sent numerous aircraft types to support their sides in the conflict. In the
40:
5209:
5192:
4817:
4125:
2618:, but Boyd and his supporters believed these performance parameters called for a small, lightweight aircraft with a larger,
2375:
featuring large mechanized armies and nuclear-weapon strikes led to a degree of specialization along two design approaches:
1695:, one of the few fighters in continuous production throughout the war, was in 1939 powered by a 1,030 hp (770 kW)
5322:
3933:
3701:
2564:, but emerged as a versatile strike-bomber nimble enough to prevail in air combat, adopted by the U.S. Navy, Air Force and
2283:
whose descendants remain in use as of 2021, were first introduced on swept-wing subsonic Demon and Cutlass naval fighters.
1560:
230:
replaced in part or whole by metal tubing, and finally aluminum stressed skin structures (monocoque) began to predominate.
5639:
5491:
4380:
IBP, Inc (March 2009), US Aviation and Aerospace Industry Handbook Volume 2 Military Equipment and Developments, p. 54–55
3135:
3066:
4911:
4236:
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of "the electric jet". Electronic FLCS and FADEC quickly became essential components of all subsequent fighter designs.
5832:
3131:
1544:
1536:
4170:
2139:
5679:
5628:
5610:
5592:
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4261:
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missiles was only 7% early in the Vietnam War, but improved to approximately 15%–40% over the course of the war. The
3209:
took its maiden flight on 31 October 2012, and developed a carrier-based version based on Chinese aircraft carriers.
3179:
2134:(sparrow) to serve as a simple jet fighter for German home defense, with a few examples seeing squadron service with
2063:
1647:, a lopsided Allied victory in which Japanese fliers were shot down in such numbers and with such ease that American
521:
186:
164:
4788:
3229:
in 2022. Japan is exploring its technical feasibility to produce fifth-generation fighters. India is developing the
5531:
2557:
1388:
1119:" (called "destroyers" by the Germans). These were larger, usually twin-engined aircraft, sometimes adaptations of
4392:
3230:
2805:
2715:
2654:
2600:
2135:
1735:
wings, which improved high speed performance, also came into use on fighters such as the P-51 Mustang, while the
485:
4976:
The Machine Gun. History, Evolution, and Development of Manual, Automatic, and Airborne Repeating Weapons, vol I
3174:(FAC) is around US$ 150 million. To spread the development costs – and production base – more broadly, the
1339:—held air superiority, and the Luftwaffe played a major role in German victories in these campaigns. During the
747:
bolted metal deflector plates to the propeller so that it would not shoot itself out of the sky and a number of
735:. The French and the Germans didn't have an equivalent as they used two seaters for reconnaissance, such as the
5781:
5231:
2649:
The F-16's maneuverability was further enhanced by its slight aerodynamic instability. This technique, called "
2491:
2165:
168:
4873:
3053:
2913:" battlefield environment and are principally multirole aircraft. Key weapons technologies introduced include
1715:, and it was apparent that propeller-driven aircraft were approaching the limits of their performance. German
455:
and other "fighting scouts" of World War I performed a great deal of ground-attack work. In World War II, the
5724:
5711:
5584:
3793:
3307:
3195:
3070:
2992:
2848:
2596:
2581:
2544:) offered longer range, more sophisticated night-attack systems or lower cost than supersonic fighters. With
2292:
2243:
as their primary jet fighter in the Korean War period, and it was one of the first jet fighters to employ an
1990:
The USSR experimented with a rocket-powered interceptor in the years immediately following World War II, the
1457:
1271:
World War II featured fighter combat on a larger scale than any other conflict to date. German Field Marshal
826:
and several French mountings were specifically designed for this kind of application, fitted with either the
642:
given the role. However they too proved unwieldy and vulnerable, so as the war progressed techniques such as
602:
4680:
Felix, Bate; Shalal, Andrea; Irish, John; Osmond, Ed; Pomeroy, Robin; Maclean, William (20 November 2018).
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3048:
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generations, and their contribution in furthering development of individual fifth-generation technologies.
2615:
2428:
2089:
2015:
1644:
1572:
1445:
1357:
1280:
through combat with other fighters and through bomber interception, and also often performed roles such as
767:
496:
20:
4437:
2502:(ASM) equipped with electro-optical (E-O) contrast seekers – such as the initial model of the widely used
2071:
was one of the fastest aircraft of WWII and the first mass produced aircraft to use jet engine technology.
751:
were modified. The technique proved effective, however the deflected bullets were still highly dangerous.
210:
Since World War I, achieving and maintaining air superiority has been considered essential for victory in
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5902:
5843:
4294:
3489:
3352:
3210:
2914:
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in 1943 as a response to the increasing threat posed by Allied heavy bombers, particularly at night. The
1640:
1516:
1481:
1477:
1473:
1068:
1016:
developed innovative tactical formations and maneuvers to enhance their air units' combat effectiveness.
894:
866:
500:
225:
over the battlefield. Early fighters were very small and lightly armed by later standards, and most were
52:
318:
at $ 47.2 billion in 2026: 35% modernization programs and 65% aircraft purchases, dominated by the
5360:
3678:
3074:
2883:
2722:
2565:
2479:
2380:
2301:
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likened it to a great 'turkey shoot'. Late in the war, Japan began to produce new fighters such as the
1568:
1468:
for these battles. The Americans, in contrast, flew daylight bombing raids into Germany delivering the
843:
3626:. The English term fell out of favour during the late interwar years, though the designation P, as in
2123:
792:, after clearing the front line of German observation balloons with the first rocket attack in history
586:. Originating during World War I, by 1929 this class of fighters had become known as the interceptor.
448:. This may be for political or national security reasons, for advertising purposes, or other reasons.
6059:
5952:
5336:
3631:
3143:
2922:
2918:
2511:
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experienced by American fighters in the skies over Vietnam led the U.S. Navy to establish its famous
2220:
1945:
1865:
1661:
1636:
1469:
468:
355:
48:
26:
This article is about aircraft designed to combat other aircraft. For other usages of "fighter", see
3456:, which entered service in 1954 and was produced in improving versions until 1997. In more advanced
2251:
became the Royal Navy's first jet fighter. Radar was used on specialized night-fighters such as the
2037:, tested out by both the United States and the Soviet Union, and made obsolete with advancements in
1432:
5947:
4547:"Is China ready for aircraft carrier No 4? Talk swirls over stealth fighter jets at PLA naval base"
3540:
3448:
3394:
AIM-9 Sidewinder (underwing pylon) and AIM-120 AMRAAM (wingtip) carried by lightweight F-16 fighter
3271:
3123:
2945:
2866:
2650:
2604:
2361:
1948:
fighter, but this program was also canceled by VJ Day, with 80% of the engineering work completed.
1707:. Nevertheless, these fighters could only achieve modest increases in top speed due to problems of
1556:
1254:
27:
5038:
3821:
2510:(LGBs) became widespread in an effort to improve precision-attack capabilities. Guidance for such
2360:. Radar-guided (RF) missiles were introduced as well, but early examples proved unreliable. These
5993:
5920:
5801:
4762:
USAF: Next Generation Tactical Aircraft (Next Gen TACAIR) Materiel and Technology Concepts Search
4214:
3313:
The United Kingdom's proposed stealth fighter is being developed by a European consortium called
2910:
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2553:
2495:
2471:
2447:
2384:
2204:
2050:
1963:
1957:
1624:
1603:
1285:
1259:
855:
744:
671:
557:
512:
445:
373:
157:
1484:, American fighters were able to escort far into Germany on daylight raids and by ranging ahead
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2929:
2829:
2762:
2703:
2627:
2549:
2499:
2174:
2038:
1991:
1941:
1781:
1532:
1384:
1281:
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1024:
901:
racing airplane, with poor flight characteristics and a by now mediocre performance. The first
859:
654:
441:
433:
408:
114:
5312:
4348:
4093:
4066:
2102:
The first jets developed during World War II and saw combat in the last two years of the war.
1916:
design bureau sought to replace the La-7's wooden airframe with a metal one, as well as fit a
1460:
against German industry intended to wear down the Luftwaffe. Axis fighter aircraft focused on
882:'s firm was the first system to enter service. It would usher in what the British called the "
6005:
5983:
5910:
5880:
3110:
3091:
2750:
2672:
2357:
2256:
2252:
1853:
1109:
914:
809:
314:
The global combat aircraft market was worth $ 45.75 billion in 2017 and is projected by
300:
5306:. Vol. 9, no. 3. Whittier, California: The Society of World War I Aero Historians.
5208:
The Rand Corporation, "Air Combat, Past, Present, and Future", 2008, slide 20, available at
3919:
2315:
environment shaped the development of second-generation fighters. Technological advances in
1731:
construction, which improved their aerodynamic efficiency while adding structural strength.
5925:
5729:
4274:
3627:
3322:
3175:
2901:
2817:
2691:
2451:
2376:
2248:
2193:
2155:
2107:
2068:
1975:
1880:
1845:
1825:
1770:
1740:
1736:
1692:
1688:
1611:
1591:
1461:
1437:
1396:
1365:
1348:
1336:
1264:
1194:
1166:
1001:
842:
that could time the firing of the individual rounds to avoid hitting the propeller blades.
839:
797:
572:
529:
525:
508:
484:
or dropping small bombs and incendiaries. Versatile multi role fighter-bombers such as the
388:
363:
351:
319:
211:
122:
3847:
3677:. College of Aerospace Doctrine, Research and Education. 22 September 2011. Archived from
3166:
Such aircraft are sophisticated and expensive. The fifth generation was ushered in by the
2521:
The third generation also led to the development of new automatic-fire weapons, primarily
2228:
formations and forced the withdrawal of numerous American types from operational service.
2146:– saw brief use, but by the end of the 1940s virtually all new fighters were jet-powered.
1970:, which made a successful maiden flight in March 1928. The only pure rocket aircraft ever
1136:
races, where competition grew so fierce, only national governments could afford to enter.
8:
5796:
5210:
https://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/files/2008_RAND_Pacific_View_Air_Combat_Briefing.pdf
3496:
3486:
3457:
3259:
3226:
3106:
2956:
2941:
2852:
2726:
2711:
2684:
2586:
2483:
2264:
2240:
2011:
1857:
1704:
1680:
1628:
1615:
1595:
1587:
1583:
1540:
1421:
1300:
1217:
1186:
1019:
Allied and – before 1918 – German pilots of World War I were not equipped with
814:
650:
628:
583:
492:
398:
359:
315:
4224:, The Internet Encyclopedia of Science – Experimental Aircraft. Accessed 5 October 2008.
2352:
became commonplace, but early IR missile sensors had poor sensitivity and a very narrow
5520:
3500:
3492:
3403:
3384:
3299:
3147:
3139:
3000:
2964:
2897:
2857:
2786:
2707:
2687:
2455:
2272:
2260:
2030:
2006:
1937:
1861:
1696:
1632:
1492:
1328:
943:
of 1916 set the classic pattern followed by fighters for about twenty years. Most were
335:
277:
271:
4816:
Trimble, Stephen (May 2010), "Boeing plots return to next-generation fighter market",
2828:
being an exception in this regard). Attack roles were generally assigned to dedicated
2368:(BVR) combat, and much effort concentrated on further development of this technology.
2231:
The world's navies also transitioned to jets during this period, despite the need for
1887:. These guns were angled upwards to target the vulnerable underside of enemy bombers.
1676:
619:
The strategic fighter is a fast, heavily armed and long-range type, able to act as an
217:
Fighters continued to be developed throughout World War I, to deny enemy aircraft and
5930:
5897:
5786:
5761:
5675:
5669:
5624:
5606:
5588:
5565:
5559:
5527:
5477:
5459:
5440:
5430:
5415:
5391:
5364:
5340:
5318:
5289:
5271:
5145:
4354:
4257:
4133:
4099:
4072:
4045:
3929:
3925:
3267:
2766:
2677:
2545:
2507:
2356:(typically no more than 30°), which limited their effective use to only close-range,
2232:
2181:
The Americans began using jet fighters operationally after World War II, the wartime
1813:
1785:
1777:
1485:
1449:
1413:
1372:, and the general inferiority of Soviet designs at the time, such as the obsolescent
1340:
1304:
1198:
1174:
1157:
1151:
1140:
1062:
1045:
862:
771:
748:
736:
614:
413:
331:
95:
71:
67:
5302:
Blume, August G. (1968). Miller, Jr., Thomas G. (ed.). "Cross and Cockade Journal".
3762:
1578:
By mid-1942, the Allies began to regroup and while some Allied aircraft such as the
1506:
1440:, typical World War II fighter optimized for high level speeds and good climb rates.
1213:
781:
605:
in 1915, the night fighter has evolved into the highly capable all-weather fighter.
350:
called them "pursuit" aircraft until the late 1940s (using the designation P, as in
6027:
6022:
6017:
5998:
5988:
5885:
5875:
5809:
4409:"H.R.2647: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 – U.S. Congress"
3619:
3590:
3574:
3516:
3482:
3444:
3399:
3279:
3028:
2862:
2706:(MFD), all essential equipment as of 2019. Aircraft designers began to incorporate
2467:
2276:
2200:
2143:
1929:
1769:
machine guns, but by mid-war they often featured a combination of machine guns and
1607:
1579:
1564:
1496:
1361:
1344:
1332:
1190:
1178:
1133:
1049:
887:
804:, with the propeller mounted behind the pilot. The main drawback was that the high
723:
719:
472:
343:
91:
4458:"Chinese jet fighter 'sighting' raises fears over region's military power balance"
4416:
2974:
1912:'Fin'. Working through a series of prototypes, the La-120, La-126 and La-130, the
1876:
707:
5838:
5791:
5409:
5354:
5238:
5216:
5045:
4444:
4396:
4301:
4281:
4240:
4221:
4174:
4129:
4120:
3603:
3582:
3508:
3416:
3368:
3326:
3263:
3255:
3099:
2979:
2960:
2825:
2777:
2758:
2695:
2643:
2503:
2372:
2349:
2324:
2320:
2312:
2224:
2119:
2034:
1971:
1922:
1708:
1453:
1380:
1373:
1170:
1104:
1092:
1053:
928:
898:
834:, which due to their design were unsuitable for synchronizing. The need to arm a
823:
728:
634:
624:
545:
533:
460:
339:
106:
87:
4974:
2683:
Other innovative technologies introduced in fourth-generation fighters included
2661:(FADEC) to electronically manage powerplant performance was introduced with the
2297:
262:
to counter the much greater forces being applied to the pilot during maneuvers.
5967:
5962:
5935:
5436:
5037:"AIM-9X Sidewinder Air-to-air Missile", Raytheon Systems Company, available at
4625:"India withdraws from FGFA project, leaving Russia to go it alone – Jane's 360"
3611:
3520:
3462:
3429:
3206:
3119:
3114:
3024:
3020:
2893:
2892:
in 1992 led many governments to significantly decrease military spending as a "
2773:
2730:
2623:
2569:
2541:
2537:
2515:
2416:
2388:
2170:
2151:
2127:
2115:
1909:
1905:
1821:
1817:
1806:
1789:
1757:
1724:
1652:
1552:
1548:
1409:
1405:
1392:
1352:
1351:
proved roughly equal to Luftwaffe fighters. Additionally Britain's radar-based
1296:
1292:
1013:
1005:
883:
879:
805:
703:
620:
488:
are a less expensive option than having a range of specialized aircraft types.
437:
429:
421:
417:
378:
222:
118:
5650:
5500:
5122:
The Rand Corporation, "Air Combat, Past, Present, and Future", 2008, slide 28.
5113:
The Rand Corporation, "Air Combat, Past, Present, and Future", 2008, slide 27.
4350:
Shaping U.S. military forces: revolution or relevance in a post–Cold War world
1780:
on their fighters. Fighters were also increasingly fitted with bomb racks and
963:
754:
Soon after the commencement of the war, pilots armed themselves with pistols,
55:(right) fly in a formation representing four generations of American fighters.
6053:
5940:
5870:
4903:
4390:
CRS RL33543, Tactical Aircraft Modernization: Issues for Congress 9 July 2009
4233:
3470:
3453:
3433:
3372:
3083:
2996:
2635:
2561:
2408:
2353:
2280:
2103:
1967:
1884:
1849:
1837:
1833:
1797:
1712:
1656:
1648:
1619:
1465:
1308:
1277:
1124:
1116:
1084:
1080:
1009:
909:
835:
732:
676:
639:
595:
578:
452:
402:
393:
383:
130:
126:
75:
44:
5232:
http://www.militaryaerospace.com/articles/2016/04/ew-missiles-challenge.html
3527:
are more resistant to countermeasures and more effective than the AIM-120D.
3094:
while easing the pilot's workload. Avionics suites rely on extensive use of
2307:
Technological breakthroughs, lessons learned from the aerial battles of the
1395:, had not yet arrived in numbers and in any case were still inferior to the
5865:
5860:
5405:
4462:
4167:
4149:
3420:
3283:
3222:
3214:
3202:
3171:
3159:
3016:
3012:
3008:
2952:
2940:" ability. Stealth characteristics are focused primarily on frontal-aspect
2925:
2844:
2833:
2631:
2619:
2533:
2412:
2396:
2316:
2054:
1983:
1917:
1841:
1802:
1793:
1766:
1761:
1732:
1272:
1120:
1100:
1096:
1088:
976:
936:
919:
on the Western Front, downed a Morane-Saulnier Type L. His was one of five
504:
464:
234:
2796:
1099:
of 1918 to 900 hp (670 kW) in the 2,500 kg (5,500 lb)
987:
private-venture aircraft, made with steel, and some forty examples of the
702:, front-line aircraft were mostly unarmed and used almost exclusively for
631:
and maintain standing patrols at significant distance from its home base.
6010:
5957:
3425:
3360:
3318:
3167:
3087:
3073:, low-probability of intercept (LPI) data transmission capabilities. The
3057:
2937:
2754:
2734:
2328:
2244:
2019:
1774:
1727:, also entered service. World War II fighters also increasingly featured
1599:
1400:
1369:
1209:
1202:
996:
988:
984:
968:
940:
818:
785:
699:
646:
were developed to extend the range of more nimble conventional fighters.
292:
281:
242:
79:
4599:"Sukhoi Su-57 stealth fighter jet has been used in Ukraine: TASS report"
3402:
heat-seeking (infrared homing) short-range missile was developed by the
4569:"Sukhoi Su-57 – A significant boost to Russian air combat capabilities"
3763:"Fighter —Definition and More from the Free Merriam Webster Dictionary"
3702:"Xclusive: US Air Force combat fleet's true operational costs revealed"
3408:
3376:
3345:
3154:
3151:
significantly increases IR signature when used in full military power.
3004:
2526:
2459:
2336:
2332:
2308:
2213:
2208:
2159:
2096:
2058:
1744:
1417:
1177:, but being short on funds, were forced to continue operating obsolete
980:
920:
801:
715:
692:
680:
657:
role, and so is able to defend itself while conducting attack sorties.
246:
203:
171: in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
4389:
3341:
2653:" (RSS), was made possible by introduction of the "fly-by-wire" (FBW)
2219:
The Americans responded by rushing their own swept-wing fighter – the
1703:
produced in 1945 were equipped with the 2,035 hp (1,517 kW)
695:
would be the first to shoot down another aircraft, on 5 October 1914.
113:
Many modern fighter aircraft also have secondary capabilities such as
3894:
Night Fighters: A Development and Combat History', Patrick Stephens.]
3634:, was not formally replaced in the US Air Force until the late 1940s.
2968:
2933:
2809:
2666:
2608:
2522:
2340:
2268:
2236:
2190:
2182:
1913:
1748:
1728:
1511:
1488:
the Luftwaffe to establish control of the skies over Western Europe.
1426:
1145:
1020:
992:
952:
878:
in German, for "pushrod control system") devised by the engineers of
851:
831:
789:
643:
477:
347:
238:
102:
74:. In military conflict, the role of fighter aircraft is to establish
2433:
2203:
jet-engine to the Soviets, who soon put it to use in their advanced
979:
developed two all-metal, single-seat fighter monoplane designs with
886:" and a period of air superiority for the German forces, making the
146:
3795:
Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems: Volume 1
3437:
3266:
by 2035. The overall development will be led by a collaboration of
3079:
2889:
2742:
2718:
2572:, the Phantom would become a highly successful multirole aircraft.
2443:
2400:
1752:
1665:
1448:
had a much different character. Much of this combat focused on the
1162:
948:
871:
763:
755:
481:
254:
199:
98:
of enemy targets, and helps prevent the enemy from doing the same.
5640:"Comparing the Effectiveness of Air-to-Air Fighters: F-86 to F-18"
3969:
3477:
19:"Jetfighter" and "Jet fighter" redirect here. For other uses, see
5848:
5776:
5581:
Designed for the Kill: The Jet Fighter—Development and Experience
3550:
3390:
3191:
2560:
was designed to capitalize on radar and missile technology as an
1999:
1687:
Fighter technology advanced rapidly during the Second World War.
1376:
1312:
956:
944:
759:
688:
226:
218:
83:
5493:
Promise and Reality: Beyond Visual Range (BVR) Air-To-Air Combat
1132:
fighters of World War II. The most significant of these was the
897:, despite its being an adaptation of an obsolete pre-war French
808:
of a pusher type's tail structure made it slower than a similar
5855:
5144:, Chapter 1, Kindle Location 471, Naval Institute Press, 1993,
5039:
http://www.dote.osd.mil/pub/reports/FY2000/pdf/navy/00aim9x.pdf
3275:
2790:
2463:
1933:
1784:
such as bombs or rockets beneath their wings, and pressed into
854:
due to unreliable ammunition. In December 1914, French aviator
259:
101:
The key performance features of a fighter include not only its
4712:"Spain Formally Joins Franco-German Future Fighter Initiative"
858:
asked Saulnier to install his synchronization gear on Garros'
4491:"China's New J-31 Stealth Fighter Takes Off on Maiden Flight"
4295:"A Troubling Past: Air Force Fighter Acquisition since 1945."
3524:
3348:
3187:
3095:
2813:
2782:
2699:
2658:
2422:
2255:, which also downed MiGs over Korea, and later fitted to the
1832:
on fighters. The primary purpose of these radars was to help
1829:
1531:
began with the entry of the Western Allies following Japan's
456:
266:
258:
development of ejection seats so the pilot could escape, and
5759:
4979:, Washington, USA: Bureau of Ordnance Department of the Navy
4682:"France, Germany agree on next step for fighter jet program"
3274:, while the engines will reportedly be jointly developed by
2025:
The only operational implementation of mixed propulsion was
927:, and was armed with a synchronized aviation version of the
4195:
3330:
3287:
3183:
2983:
2111:
2029:(RATO), a system rarely used in fighters, such as with the
2026:
1895:
1399:. As a result, during the early months of these campaigns,
1139:
At the very end of the inter-war period in Europe came the
774:
similarly added a pod on the top wing with no better luck.
297:
5725:
Fighter generations comparison chart on theaviationist.com
5314:
Collision of Empires: The War on the Eastern Front in 1914
4521:"China's J-31 Stealth Fighter Just Became Carrier-Capable"
3801:. Washington, D.C.: Office of Air Force History. p. 1
1908:'Fritz', which was an evolution of the successful wartime
528:), though "P" used to be used in the US for pursuit (e.g.
5499:, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, archived from
2851:
of the period might contain a mix of one air superiority
1890:
995:, all based on his experience in creating the pioneering
82:. Domination of the airspace above a battlefield permits
5671:
The Pentagon Paradox: The Development of the F-18 Hornet
5074:
5019:
4942:
4930:
3947:
3945:
3733:"Combat aircraft market strong over next decade: report"
3105:
A key attribute of fifth-generation fighters is a small
1711:
created as aircraft and their propellers approached the
3205:. The J-20 took its maiden flight in January 2011. The
1932:(the La-9RD) and a similarly mounted pair of auxiliary
463:
often favored fighters over dedicated light bombers or
5191:, The Rand Corporation, 2008, slide 23, archived from
4679:
3573:
in English and many other European languages, such as
3122:), and coating internal and external metal areas with
2196:
which Britain sold to the air forces of many nations.
5243:
5007:
4243:. Planes of Fame Air Museum. Accessed 5 October 2008.
4021:
3985:
3942:
3333:. The aircraft is intended to enter service in 2035.
3003:, which is a ground-attack/multi-role variant of the
5286:
The Pentagon Wars: Reformers Challenge the Old Guard
5142:
The Pentagon Wars: Reformers Challenge the Old Guard
4954:
3957:
2948:(RAM), L-O coatings and limited shaping techniques.
2785:) supplemented by a larger contingent of lower-cost
1586:
were hopelessly outclassed by fighters like Japan's
1412:
had performance comparable to the German Bf 109 and
5266:Ahlgren, Jan; Linner, Anders; Wigert, Lars (2002),
5265:
5164:
5062:
4918:
4346:
4183:
4012:
3098:(VHSIC) technology, common modules, and high-speed
2267:as all-weather / night fighters. Early versions of
491:Some of the most expensive fighters such as the US
5519:
5356:Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War
5095:
4995:
4656:"France, Germany to develop joint combat aircraft"
4456:Watts, Jonathan; Borger, Julian (5 January 2011).
4068:The First Air Campaign: August 1914– November 1918
3236:
2223:– into battle against the MiGs, which had similar
1627:and second-generation Allied fighters such as the
4983:
3461:greatly reduces risk. A prominent example is the
2575:
2286:
2106:developed the first operational jet fighter, the
627:, to carry out offensive sorties of its own as a
589:
6051:
5474:The Mind of War: John Boyd and American Security
4874:"Inside Tempest – the fighter jet of the future"
4318:"History, Travel, Arts, Science, People, Places"
4168:"Aces of the Eighth Air Force in World War Two."
3192:Catapult Assisted Take Off But Arrested Recovery
3042:
2083:
5551:Fighters Attack and Training Aircraft 1914-1919
3078:he glances. These sensors, along with advanced
2944:(RCS) signature-reduction techniques including
2437:U.S. Air Force McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II
4790:Air Force Kicks Off Search for 6th-Gen Fighter
4256:. New York City: Peerage Books, 1983, p. 159.
3819:
3769:. Encyclopædia Britannica. 22 September 2011.
2877:
2614:E-M characteristics were first applied to the
2462:. A number of technologies would be tried for
2442:would devolve into close-in dogfights. Analog
2199:The British transferred the technology of the
1940:; production was halted with the war's end on
1364:were overwhelmed during the opening phases of
1034:
5745:
5603:An Illustrated Guide to Modern Fighter Combat
3060:at the 2008 Joint Services Open House airshow
2869:attack aircraft (introduced in 1983) and the
2804:Most fourth-generation fighters, such as the
330:A fighter aircraft is primarily designed for
5708:Mustang Designer: Edgar Schmued and the P-51
5453:
5428:
4201:
4064:
3730:
2323:and aerospace building-materials (primarily
2311:, and a focus on conducting operations in a
2177:' only jet aircraft used during World War II
1720:
1671:
1383:. More modern Soviet designs, including the
5268:Gripen, the First Fourth Generation Fighter
4455:
4353:. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 125.
2532:Dedicated ground-attack aircraft (like the
2415:, and some were also equipped to deliver a
1864:, which then served as night fighters. The
1792:. Although they carried less ordnance than
1143:. This was just the opportunity the German
5752:
5738:
5699:Northrop F-5 Case Study in Aircraft Design
4904:"UK unveils new Tempest fighter jet model"
4284:. Aerospace web. Retrieved 5 October 2008.
3294:Currently at the concept stage, the first
2518:, which were introduced in the mid-1960s.
2423:1960s–1970s: Third-generation jet fighters
2110:A, primarily serving with the Luftwaffe's
1951:
1871:A concept originated from German engineer
1248:
551:
289:on components subjected to little stress.
5667:
4847:Boeing displays manned F/A-XX concept jet
4488:
3997:
3443:Radar guided missiles fall into two main
2932:; and improved secure, jamming-resistant
2514:(PGM) was provided by externally-mounted
2327:) permitted designers to experiment with
2033:, RATO-based takeoff scheme from special
1812:Heavily armed fighters such as Germany's
1716:
665:
660:
187:Learn how and when to remove this message
5517:
5270:, Swedish Air Force and Saab Aerospace,
4273:For one representation, see: Yoon, Joe.
3822:"Non-Standard DOD Aircraft Designations"
3476:
3389:
3340:
3153:
3052:
3027:. The Su-30SM/Su-35S and MiG-35 feature
2973:
2795:
2671:
2585:
2432:
2296:
2173:was Britain's first jet fighter and the
2164:
2062:
1899:North American P-51D Mustang during WWII
1894:
1675:
1431:
1258:
1067:
962:
776:
675:
291:
198:
34:
5687:
5561:Fighter Combat: Tactics and Maneuvering
5471:
5226:
5224:
4815:
4653:
4091:
3917:
3699:
3447:types. In the historically more common
2630:, while the larger wing would minimize
2044:
683:S.A.2, with gunner in "basket" up front
369:Recognized classes of fighter include:
16:Military aircraft for air-to-air combat
6052:
5705:
5696:
5548:
5429:Grove, Eric; Ireland, Bernard (1997).
5404:
5310:
5283:
5140:Burton, James (Col., U.S. Air Force),
4838:
4340:
4180:, June 1999. Retrieved: 7 August 2011.
4027:
4013:Angelucci, A.; Matricardi, P. (1977).
3991:
3979:
3975:
3951:
3828:from the original on 27 September 2011
3791:
3700:Trimble, Stephen (22 September 2011).
3546:List of United States fighter aircraft
2659:Full Authority Digital Engine Controls
2279:and radar-guided missiles such as the
1891:1946–present: Post–World War II period
1103:of 1936. The debate between the sleek
5733:
5637:
5618:
5600:
5578:
5489:
5414:. New York, New York: Penguin Books.
5376:
5352:
5301:
5185:Air Combat, Past, Present, and Future
5170:
5101:
5080:
5068:
5025:
4972:
4948:
4936:
4924:
4692:from the original on 22 November 2018
4675:
4673:
4470:from the original on 10 November 2016
4148:
4015:World Aircraft: Origins – World War I
3963:
2640:General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon
1519:over Berlin, I knew the jig was up."
1236:, which was a pair of aircraft. Each
1169:fighters did well, as did the Soviet
718:such with the Gordon Bennett Cup and
608:
322:with 3,000 deliveries over 20 years.
221:the ability to gather information by
5557:
5388:The Encyclopedia of Aircraft of WWII
5385:
5333:Nomonhan: Japan Against Russia, 1939
5330:
5249:
5221:
5013:
5001:
4989:
4960:
4914:from the original on 17 August 2018.
4809:
4737:, Air Force Magazine, October 2009,
4549:. South China Morning Post. May 2022
4254:Fighters and Bombers of World War II
4189:
3820:Andreas Parsch (22 September 2011).
3773:from the original on 9 November 2011
3743:from the original on 19 January 2019
3712:from the original on 29 January 2012
3569:Fighter aircraft was early on named
3298:is expected to enter service in the
2622:wing. The small size would minimize
1515:summed up when he said: "When I saw
1224:) was divided into several flights (
532:), a translation of the French "C" (
169:adding citations to reliable sources
140:
5647:U.S. DoD Contract MDA 903-81-C-0312
5539:
5454:Gunston, Bill; Spick, Mike (1983),
4741:from the original on 10 August 2011
4654:Schulte, Sebastian (13 July 2017).
4065:Lawson, Eric; Lawson, Jane (2007).
4039:
3188:short take-off and vertical landing
3124:radar-absorbent materials and paint
2597:Energy-Maneuverability (E-M) theory
2590:U.S. Air Force McDonnell F-15 Eagle
2126:design, the Luftwaffe intended the
1335:, Luftwaffe fighters—primarily the
1322:
1115:Some air forces experimented with "
346:" until the early 1920s, while the
13:
5833:Airborne early warning and control
4854:from the original on 21 March 2010
4670:
4575:. 26 February 2021. Archived from
4438:LockMart's 5TH Generation Fighters
3254:to replace their current fleet of
3250:France and Germany will develop a
3168:Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor
3096:very high-speed integrated circuit
3058:Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor
2464:vertical/short takeoff and landing
2162:became widespread in this period.
2018:–the first U.S. fighter to exceed
1883:and later versions of the Junkers
1767:.303 in (7.7 mm) caliber
1545:Imperial Japanese Army Air Service
1537:Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service
1522:
905:victory came on 1 July 1915, when
14:
6071:
5718:
5476:, Smithsonian Institution Press,
4884:from the original on 21 July 2018
4797:from the original on 27 July 2011
4793:, Defense Tech, 5 November 2010,
4501:from the original on 6 April 2015
4121:Air power in the age of total war
3858:from the original on 27 July 2018
3184:conventional take-off and landing
3180:Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II
2749:Aerodynamic innovations included
1771:20 mm (0.79 in) cannons
983:wings: the strictly experimental
893:monoplane a feared name over the
865:. Unfortunately the gas-operated
653:is typically also fitted for the
540:while in Russia "I" was used for
522:Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II
325:
5379:The Fighter Aircraft Pocket Book
5304:History of the Serbian Air Force
4826:from the original on 10 May 2010
3731:Garrett Reim (18 January 2019).
3351:gun installation on West German
2729:RF AAM entered service with the
2527:20 mm (0.79 in) Vulcan
1462:defending against Allied bombers
1212:" formation by the German pilot
931:machine gun. The success of the
311:budgets of modern armed forces.
145:
5259:
5202:
5176:
5155:
5134:
5125:
5116:
5107:
5086:
5050:
5031:
4966:
4896:
4866:
4781:
4753:
4725:
4704:
4647:
4617:
4591:
4561:
4539:
4513:
4482:
4449:
4431:
4401:
4383:
4374:
4310:
4287:
4267:
4246:
4227:
4207:
4160:
4142:
4112:
4085:
4058:
4033:
4006:
3911:
3898:
3886:
3848:"Military Aircraft Terminology"
3637:
3237:2020s–present: Sixth-generation
3231:Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft
2995:, which is an evolution of the
2806:McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet
2506:– became standard weapons, and
1982:in 1944, one of several German
486:McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet
237:, most fighters were all-metal
156:needs additional citations for
5690:Introduction to Airborne Radar
5623:. Pegasus Publishing Limited.
5553:(Revised ed.). Blandford.
5526:, Airlife Publishing Limited,
4850:, Flight Global, 9 July 2009,
4132:. Taylor & Francis. p.43.
4071:. Da Capo Press. p. 123.
3908:, Macdonald and Jane's. p.573.
3870:
3840:
3813:
3792:Knaack, Marcelle Size (1978).
3785:
3755:
3724:
3706:Stephen Trimble's The Dew Line
3693:
3663:
3563:
3252:joint sixth-generation fighter
3144:fiber optics data transmission
2753:wings and exploitation of the
2576:1970s–2000s: Fourth-generation
2492:Dissimilar air combat training
2287:1950s–1960s: Second-generation
947:and only rarely monoplanes or
796:An alternative was to build a
590:Night and all-weather fighters
566:
1:
5712:Smithsonian Institution Press
5585:United States Naval Institute
5544:. William Morrow and Company.
5522:Modern Combat Aircraft Design
5490:Higby, Patrick (March 2005),
5311:Buttar, Prit (20 June 2014).
4489:News Desk (31 October 2012).
3651:
3308:Next Generation Air Dominance
3043:2000s–2020s: Fifth-generation
2993:Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
2700:"hands on throttle-and-stick"
2582:Fourth-generation jet fighter
2350:infrared-guided (IR) missiles
2293:Second-generation jet fighter
2185:having proven a failure. The
2084:1940s–1950s: First-generation
1664:, and was largely reduced to
1444:Meanwhile, air combat on the
603:Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c
507:were employed as all-weather
5605:, Salamander Books Limited,
5390:. Amber Books, Ltd, London.
4734:The Sixth Generation Fighter
4347:Duane Robert Worley (2006).
4154:Rommel as Military Commander
4095:Memoirs One: The Flying Game
3906:Warplanes of the Third Reich
3675:Air & Space Power Course
3656:
3375:were introduced. The modern
3296:sixth-generation jet fighter
3243:Sixth-generation jet fighter
3049:Fifth-generation jet fighter
2733:, which solely equipped the
2616:McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle
2429:Third-generation jet fighter
2371:The prospect of a potential
2090:First-generation jet fighter
2016:Republic XF-91 Thunderceptor
1645:Battle of the Philippine Sea
1590:, others such as the Army's
1527:Major air combat during the
1474:Consolidated B-24 Liberators
768:Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.9
743:relying on a second gunner.
497:McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle
105:but also its high speed and
21:Jet fighter (disambiguation)
7:
5542:Fighter Facts and Fallacies
4017:. Sampson Low. p. 110.
3534:
3353:Lockheed F-104G Starfighter
3306:beginning in 2025 with the
3211:United Aircraft Corporation
3136:electronic support measures
2878:1990s–2000s: 4.5-generation
2871:Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit
2470:would be successful on the
2393:Republic F-105 Thunderchief
2187:Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star
1662:Boeing B-29 Superfortresses
1641:North American P-51 Mustang
1533:attack against Pearl Harbor
1482:North American P-51 Mustang
1478:Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
1035:1919–1938: Inter-war period
698:However at the outbreak of
501:Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor
10:
6076:
5472:Hammond, Grant T. (2001),
5361:Little, Brown, and Company
4765:, USA: FBO, archived from
4040:Lee, Arthur Gould (1968).
3921:Pusher Aces of World War I
3767:Merriam Webster Dictionary
3336:
3240:
3075:infra-red search and track
3046:
2884:4.5 generation jet fighter
2881:
2579:
2512:precision-guided munitions
2480:electronic countermeasures
2426:
2381:English Electric Lightning
2302:English Electric Lightning
2290:
2207:fighter, which used fully
2087:
2048:
1955:
1775:.50 in (12.7 mm)
1747:that dramatically reduced
1557:Japan's campaigns in China
1509:, commander of the German
1252:
815:jammed rounds and misfires
669:
612:
593:
570:
555:
250:equipped with radar sets.
136:
25:
18:
5976:
5825:
5818:
5769:
5692:, Hughes Aircraft Company
5674:, Naval Institute Press,
5668:Stevenson, James (1993),
5621:Brassey's Modern Fighters
5564:. Naval Institute Press.
5337:Stanford University Press
5327:– via Google Books.
5288:, Naval Institute Press,
4660:IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
4098:. Trafford. p. 183.
3632:Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
3310:air superiority fighter.
3015:modified variants of the
2946:radar-absorbent materials
2919:Global Positioning System
2723:Infrared search-and-track
2712:bonded-aluminum honeycomb
2496:terrain-avoidance systems
2235:of the new aircraft. The
2221:North American F-86 Sabre
2124:jet-powered light-fighter
2014:) obsolete. The American
1946:Consolidated Vultee XP-81
1866:Northrop P-61 Black Widow
1751:at high subsonic speeds.
1672:Technological innovations
1637:Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
1470:Combined Bomber Offensive
1228:) of four aircraft. Each
1155:, and the Soviet Union's
526:Supermarine Spitfire F.22
520:indicate a fighter (e.g.
469:Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
356:Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
5706:Wagner, Raymond (2000),
5697:Stuart, William (1978),
5688:Stimson, George (1983),
5549:Munson, Kenneth (1976).
5518:Huenecke, Klaus (1987),
5381:, Jarrold and Sons, Ltd.
4322:Air & Space Magazine
4300:11 December 2016 at the
4202:Grove & Ireland 1997
4156:. Batsford. p. 162.
3556:
3541:List of fighter aircraft
3449:semi-active radar homing
3162:of the Russian Air Force
3023:upgraded version of the
2867:Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk
2761:through the addition of
2721:skins to reduce weight.
2714:structural elements and
2663:Pratt & Whitney F100
2651:relaxed static stability
2605:aircraft-specific energy
2554:Pratt & Whitney TF30
2362:semi-active radar homing
2249:de Havilland Sea Vampire
2027:Rocket-Assisted Take Off
1255:Aviation in World War II
1197:started to supplant the
923:K/MG prototypes for the
467:, and types such as the
241:armed with batteries of
117:and some types, such as
5237:31 January 2017 at the
5044:1 February 2017 at the
4280:10 October 2008 at the
4092:Furniss, Harry (2000).
3852:www.northcentralwis.net
3367:Post war 20–30 mm
3304:F/A-18E/F Super Hornets
3190:(STOVL) fighter, and a
3134:", providing high-gain
2953:carbon-fiber composites
2704:multi-function displays
2562:all-weather interceptor
2500:Air-to-surface missiles
2448:flight control surfaces
2385:Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
2205:Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15
2051:Jet fighter generations
1994:. Only two were built.
1964:rocket-powered aircraft
1958:Rocket-powered aircraft
1952:Rocket-powered fighters
1782:air-to-surface ordnance
1756:rather than relying on
1625:Lockheed P-38 Lightning
1539:primarily operated the
1249:1939–1945: World War II
1165:over Spain, the latest
991:, made with corrugated
672:Aviation in World War I
558:Air superiority fighter
552:Air superiority fighter
513:air superiority fighter
374:Air superiority fighter
253:By the end of the war,
70:designed primarily for
5638:Sprey, Pierre (1982),
5411:The Balkans: 1804–2012
5353:Coram, Robert (2002),
5284:Burton, James (1993),
4395:30 August 2009 at the
4118:John Buckley (1998). "
3918:Guttman, John (2009).
3904:Gunston, Bill (1970),
3892:Gunston, Bill (1976),
3623:
3615:
3607:
3594:
3586:
3578:
3511:
3398:The highly successful
3395:
3355:
3219:Sukhoi Su-75 Checkmate
3163:
3061:
2987:
2921:(GPS)–guided weapons,
2830:ground-attack aircraft
2801:
2789:(such as the F-16 and
2763:leading-edge extension
2702:(HOTAS) controls, and
2680:
2638:" would result in the
2628:thrust-to-weight ratio
2591:
2548:wings, the supersonic
2438:
2358:tail-chase engagements
2304:
2178:
2072:
2039:surface-to-air missile
1992:Mikoyan-Gurevich I-270
1900:
1705:Rolls-Royce Griffon 61
1684:
1565:Malaysia and Singapore
1441:
1385:Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3
1268:
1158:Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily
1076:
1073:Nieuport-Delage NiD.52
1025:Manfred von Richthofen
971:
860:Morane-Saulnier Type L
793:
684:
666:1914–1918: World War I
661:Piston engine fighters
476:fighter role with the
434:reconnaissance fighter
409:Reconnaissance fighter
303:
207:
56:
5558:Shaw, Robert (1985).
5057:Modern Fighter Combat
4973:Chinn, G. M. (1951),
4443:6 August 2009 at the
4275:"Fighter Generations"
4220:14 March 2008 at the
4173:8 August 2011 at the
4128:29 March 2017 at the
3480:
3415:The effectiveness of
3393:
3344:
3157:
3092:situational awareness
3056:
2977:
2930:helmet-mounted sights
2799:
2675:
2655:flight-control system
2599:developed by Colonel
2589:
2558:McDonnell F-4 Phantom
2436:
2366:"beyond-visual-range"
2300:
2257:McDonnell F2H Banshee
2253:Douglas F3D Skyknight
2168:
2160:all-moving tailplanes
2066:
1898:
1854:de Havilland Mosquito
1681:Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat
1679:
1569:the Dutch East Indies
1435:
1362:Soviet fighter forces
1267:warbird demonstrator
1265:Messerschmitt Bf 109E
1262:
1253:Further information:
1232:was divided into two
1110:power-to-weight ratio
1071:
966:
915:Feldflieger Abteilung
780:
706:. On 15 August 1914,
679:
670:Further information:
342:referred to them as "
301:Lockheed Martin F-35A
295:
202:
38:
5619:Spick, Mike (2000).
5601:Spick, Mike (1987),
5579:Spick, Mike (1995),
5331:Coox, Alvin (1985),
4769:on 28 September 2011
4525:nationalinterest.org
4293:Hallion, Richard P.
4239:20 July 2016 at the
4044:. London: Jarrolds.
4003:Woodman, 1989, p. 33
3628:Curtiss P-40 Warhawk
3505:Lockheed Martin F-35
3260:Eurofighter Typhoons
3176:Joint Strike Fighter
3090:for vastly improved
2865:introduced were the
2818:Dassault Mirage 2000
2692:look-down/shoot-down
2534:Grumman A-6 Intruder
2484:loss-exchange ratios
2331:innovations such as
2194:de Havilland Vampire
2069:Messerschmitt Me 262
2045:Jet-powered fighters
1976:Messerschmitt Me 163
1846:Messerschmitt Bf 110
1741:Messerschmitt Me 163
1737:Messerschmitt Me 262
1592:Curtiss P-40 Warhawk
1438:Supermarine Spitfire
1397:Messerschmitt Bf 109
1366:Operation Barbarossa
1337:Messerschmitt Bf 109
1282:tactical air support
1195:Supermarine Spitfire
1167:Messerschmitt Bf 109
1002:Dornier-Zeppelin D.I
573:Interceptor aircraft
530:Curtiss P-40 Warhawk
352:Curtiss P-40 Warhawk
320:Lockheed Martin F-35
316:Frost & Sullivan
212:conventional warfare
165:improve this article
41:F-16 Fighting Falcon
5903:Electronic warfare
5386:Eden, Paul (2004).
5377:Cross, Roy (1962),
5215:19 May 2017 at the
5083:, pp. 116–118.
5059:, Mike Spick, p.14.
5028:, pp. 113–116.
4951:, pp. 3, 7–14.
4939:, pp. 116–132.
4573:Airforce Technology
3671:"Mitchell's Theory"
3497:Eurofighter Typhoon
3458:active radar homing
3227:Russo-Ukrainian War
3107:radar cross-section
3065:have multifunction
2957:Eurofighter Typhoon
2942:radar cross section
2915:beyond-visual-range
2838:A-10 Thunderbolt II
2787:multi-role fighters
2778:Panavia Tornado ADV
2735:Grumman F-14 Tomcat
2727:active-radar-homing
2708:composite materials
2688:fire-control radars
2275:(AAMs) such as the
2273:air-to-air missiles
2265:McDonnell F3H Demon
2241:Grumman F9F Panther
1873:Bernhard J. Schrage
1858:Bristol Beaufighter
1596:Grumman F4F Wildcat
1588:Mitsubishi A6M Zero
1541:Mitsubishi A6M Zero
1422:Bell P-39 Airacobra
1343:, however, British
1301:Mitsubishi A6M Zero
1187:Neville Chamberlain
651:penetration fighter
629:penetration fighter
544:, or exterminator (
534:Dewoitine D.520 C.1
493:Grumman F-14 Tomcat
399:All-weather fighter
360:Bell P-63 Kingcobra
278:Air-to-air missiles
5844:Counter-insurgency
5710:, Washington, DC:
5540:Lee, John (1942).
5506:on 31 January 2017
5458:, Crescent Books,
5317:. Bloomsbury USA.
4495:defense-update.com
4419:on 3 November 2013
3681:on 20 January 2012
3523:, and the Chinese
3512:
3501:Saab JAS 39 Gripen
3404:United States Navy
3396:
3385:air-to-air missile
3356:
3300:United States Navy
3186:(CTOL) fighter, a
3164:
3148:stealth technology
3140:electronic warfare
3062:
3001:F-15E Strike Eagle
2988:
2965:Saab JAS 39 Gripen
2802:
2757:to achieve higher
2755:vortex lift effect
2681:
2592:
2542:LTV A-7 Corsair II
2508:laser-guided bombs
2439:
2305:
2261:Vought F7U Cutlass
2233:catapult-launching
2179:
2073:
2031:zero-length launch
2007:Saunders-Roe SR.53
1938:Ryan FR-1 Fireball
1901:
1844:such as Germany's
1778:heavy machine guns
1685:
1629:Grumman F6 Hellcat
1529:war in the Pacific
1493:Operation Overlord
1442:
1329:invasion of Poland
1269:
1077:
972:
800:scout such as the
794:
749:Morane-Saulnier Ns
685:
609:Strategic fighters
336:Royal Flying Corps
304:
272:target acquisition
208:
57:
6045:
6044:
6041:
6040:
5898:Close air support
5762:military aircraft
5656:on 27 August 2021
5456:Modern Air Combat
5432:Jane's War at Sea
5421:978-1-77089-273-6
5295:978-1-61251-369-0
5252:, pp. 45–61.
5161:Stevenson, p. 36.
5150:978-1-61251-369-0
5016:, pp. 16–24.
4822:, Flight Global,
4527:. 30 October 2021
4360:978-0-275-99031-2
4252:Munson, Kenneth.
4166:Sherman, Steven.
4105:978-1-55212-513-7
4078:978-0-306-81668-0
3926:Osprey Publishing
3877:The Gloster S.S.8
3708:. Flight Global.
3424:guns in the 1967
3361:automatic cannons
2969:HAL Tejas Mark 1A
2800:An F/A-18C Hornet
2678:Russian Air Force
2626:and increase the
2546:variable-geometry
1814:Focke-Wulf Fw 190
1786:close air support
1633:Vought F4 Corsair
1452:campaigns of the
1450:strategic bombing
1414:Focke-Wulf Fw 190
1341:Battle of Britain
1305:Fiat G.50 Freccia
1199:Gloster Gladiator
1175:Fiat G.50 Freccia
1152:Regia Aeronautica
1141:Spanish Civil War
1046:Gloster Gladiator
967:A replica German
863:parasol monoplane
832:Lewis Machine gun
772:Sopwith L.R.T.Tr.
737:Morane-Saulnier L
615:Strategic fighter
414:Strategic fighter
332:air-to-air combat
197:
196:
189:
96:strategic bombing
72:air-to-air combat
68:military aircraft
6067:
6060:Fighter aircraft
5906:
5823:
5822:
5805:
5754:
5747:
5740:
5731:
5730:
5714:
5702:
5701:, Northrop Corp.
5693:
5684:
5664:
5663:
5661:
5655:
5649:, archived from
5644:
5634:
5615:
5597:
5575:
5554:
5545:
5536:
5525:
5514:
5513:
5511:
5505:
5498:
5486:
5468:
5450:
5425:
5401:
5382:
5373:
5349:
5328:
5324:978-1-78200648-0
5307:
5298:
5280:
5253:
5247:
5241:
5228:
5219:
5206:
5200:
5199:
5197:
5190:
5180:
5174:
5168:
5162:
5159:
5153:
5138:
5132:
5131:Stevenson, p. 9.
5129:
5123:
5120:
5114:
5111:
5105:
5099:
5093:
5090:
5084:
5078:
5072:
5066:
5060:
5054:
5048:
5035:
5029:
5023:
5017:
5011:
5005:
4999:
4993:
4987:
4981:
4980:
4970:
4964:
4963:, pp. 1–21.
4958:
4952:
4946:
4940:
4934:
4928:
4922:
4916:
4915:
4910:. 16 July 2018.
4900:
4894:
4893:
4891:
4889:
4870:
4864:
4862:
4861:
4859:
4842:
4836:
4834:
4833:
4831:
4813:
4807:
4805:
4804:
4802:
4785:
4779:
4777:
4776:
4774:
4757:
4751:
4749:
4748:
4746:
4729:
4723:
4722:
4720:
4718:
4708:
4702:
4701:
4699:
4697:
4677:
4668:
4667:
4666:on 14 June 2018.
4662:. Archived from
4651:
4645:
4644:
4642:
4640:
4631:. Archived from
4621:
4615:
4614:
4612:
4610:
4595:
4589:
4588:
4586:
4584:
4579:on 16 April 2022
4565:
4559:
4558:
4556:
4554:
4543:
4537:
4536:
4534:
4532:
4517:
4511:
4510:
4508:
4506:
4486:
4480:
4479:
4477:
4475:
4453:
4447:
4435:
4429:
4428:
4426:
4424:
4415:. Archived from
4405:
4399:
4387:
4381:
4378:
4372:
4371:
4369:
4367:
4344:
4338:
4337:
4335:
4333:
4324:. Archived from
4314:
4308:
4305:Airpower Journal
4291:
4285:
4271:
4265:
4250:
4244:
4231:
4225:
4213:Darling, David.
4211:
4205:
4199:
4193:
4187:
4181:
4164:
4158:
4157:
4146:
4140:
4116:
4110:
4109:
4089:
4083:
4082:
4062:
4056:
4055:
4037:
4031:
4025:
4019:
4018:
4010:
4004:
4001:
3995:
3989:
3983:
3973:
3967:
3961:
3955:
3949:
3940:
3939:
3935:978-1-84603417-6
3915:
3909:
3902:
3896:
3890:
3884:
3874:
3868:
3867:
3865:
3863:
3844:
3838:
3837:
3835:
3833:
3817:
3811:
3810:
3808:
3806:
3800:
3789:
3783:
3782:
3780:
3778:
3759:
3753:
3752:
3750:
3748:
3728:
3722:
3721:
3719:
3717:
3697:
3691:
3690:
3688:
3686:
3667:
3645:
3641:
3635:
3602:
3571:pursuit aircraft
3567:
3445:missile guidance
3400:AIM-9 Sidewinder
3317:, consisting of
3280:MTU Aero Engines
3264:Panavia Tornados
3256:Dassault Rafales
3130:a sort of "mini-
3029:thrust vectoring
2863:stealth aircraft
2765:devices such as
2759:angles of attack
2696:head-up displays
2676:A MiG-31 of the
2468:thrust vectoring
2277:AIM-9 Sidewinder
2201:Rolls-Royce Nene
2144:Ryan FR Fireball
2035:launch platforms
1930:pulsejet engines
1860:, and America's
1824:, and America's
1618:. In China, the
1580:Brewster Buffalo
1497:tactical bombing
1333:Battle of France
1323:European theater
1303:and the Italian
1191:Hawker Hurricane
1179:Fiat CR.42 Falco
1134:Schneider Trophy
1093:Aircraft engines
1050:Fiat CR.42 Falco
876:Stangensteuerung
848:Raymond Saulnier
720:Schneider Trophy
473:Hawker Hurricane
192:
185:
181:
178:
172:
149:
141:
64:pursuit aircraft
60:Fighter aircraft
6075:
6074:
6070:
6069:
6068:
6066:
6065:
6064:
6050:
6049:
6046:
6037:
5972:
5948:Maritime patrol
5921:Air superiority
5904:
5814:
5803:
5765:
5764:types and roles
5758:
5721:
5682:
5659:
5657:
5653:
5642:
5631:
5613:
5595:
5572:
5534:
5509:
5507:
5503:
5496:
5484:
5466:
5447:
5422:
5398:
5371:
5347:
5325:
5296:
5278:
5262:
5257:
5256:
5248:
5244:
5239:Wayback Machine
5229:
5222:
5217:Wayback Machine
5207:
5203:
5195:
5188:
5182:
5181:
5177:
5169:
5165:
5160:
5156:
5139:
5135:
5130:
5126:
5121:
5117:
5112:
5108:
5100:
5096:
5091:
5087:
5079:
5075:
5067:
5063:
5055:
5051:
5046:Wayback Machine
5036:
5032:
5024:
5020:
5012:
5008:
5000:
4996:
4988:
4984:
4971:
4967:
4959:
4955:
4947:
4943:
4935:
4931:
4923:
4919:
4902:
4901:
4897:
4887:
4885:
4872:
4871:
4867:
4857:
4855:
4844:
4843:
4839:
4829:
4827:
4814:
4810:
4800:
4798:
4787:
4786:
4782:
4772:
4770:
4759:
4758:
4754:
4744:
4742:
4731:
4730:
4726:
4716:
4714:
4710:
4709:
4705:
4695:
4693:
4678:
4671:
4652:
4648:
4638:
4636:
4623:
4622:
4618:
4608:
4606:
4597:
4596:
4592:
4582:
4580:
4567:
4566:
4562:
4552:
4550:
4545:
4544:
4540:
4530:
4528:
4519:
4518:
4514:
4504:
4502:
4487:
4483:
4473:
4471:
4454:
4450:
4445:Wayback Machine
4436:
4432:
4422:
4420:
4407:
4406:
4402:
4397:Wayback Machine
4388:
4384:
4379:
4375:
4365:
4363:
4361:
4345:
4341:
4331:
4329:
4316:
4315:
4311:
4302:Wayback Machine
4292:
4288:
4282:Wayback Machine
4272:
4268:
4251:
4247:
4241:Wayback Machine
4232:
4228:
4222:Wayback Machine
4215:"Lippisch Ente"
4212:
4208:
4200:
4196:
4188:
4184:
4175:Wayback Machine
4165:
4161:
4147:
4143:
4130:Wayback Machine
4117:
4113:
4106:
4090:
4086:
4079:
4063:
4059:
4052:
4038:
4034:
4026:
4022:
4011:
4007:
4002:
3998:
3990:
3986:
3978:, p. 316;
3974:
3970:
3962:
3958:
3950:
3943:
3936:
3916:
3912:
3903:
3899:
3891:
3887:
3875:
3871:
3861:
3859:
3846:
3845:
3841:
3831:
3829:
3818:
3814:
3804:
3802:
3798:
3790:
3786:
3776:
3774:
3761:
3760:
3756:
3746:
3744:
3729:
3725:
3715:
3713:
3698:
3694:
3684:
3682:
3669:
3668:
3664:
3659:
3654:
3649:
3648:
3642:
3638:
3598:
3595:aereo da caccia
3587:avion de chasse
3568:
3564:
3559:
3537:
3509:Dassault Rafale
3417:infrared homing
3369:revolver cannon
3339:
3327:Leonardo S.p.A.
3245:
3239:
3051:
3045:
2980:Dassault Rafale
2961:Dassault Rafale
2911:network-centric
2888:The end of the
2886:
2880:
2826:Panavia Tornado
2751:variable-camber
2710:in the form of
2694:" capability),
2644:Lockheed Martin
2584:
2578:
2552:introduced the
2504:AGM-65 Maverick
2431:
2425:
2389:fighter-bombers
2373:third world war
2325:aluminum alloys
2313:nuclear warfare
2295:
2289:
2259:and swept-wing
2120:V-1 flying bomb
2092:
2086:
2080:such aircraft.
2061:
2047:
1960:
1954:
1893:
1790:fighter-bombers
1709:compressibility
1674:
1594:and the Navy's
1561:the Philippines
1525:
1523:Pacific theater
1491:By the time of
1374:Polikarpov I-15
1325:
1278:air superiority
1257:
1251:
1216:. Each fighter
1171:Polikarpov I-16
1105:in-line engines
1054:Polikarpov I-15
1037:
929:Parabellum MG14
899:Morane-Saulnier
844:Franz Schneider
824:Foster mounting
788:, armed with a
729:Sopwith Tabloid
722:. The military
674:
668:
663:
617:
611:
598:
592:
575:
569:
560:
554:
546:Polikarpov I-16
416:(including the
401:(including the
340:Royal Air Force
328:
193:
182:
176:
173:
162:
150:
139:
119:fighter-bombers
107:maneuverability
88:attack aircraft
76:air superiority
62:(early on also
31:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
6073:
6063:
6062:
6043:
6042:
6039:
6038:
6036:
6035:
6030:
6025:
6020:
6015:
6014:
6013:
6003:
6002:
6001:
5994:Reconnaissance
5991:
5986:
5980:
5978:
5974:
5973:
5971:
5970:
5968:Strike fighter
5965:
5963:Fighter-bomber
5960:
5955:
5950:
5945:
5944:
5943:
5938:
5933:
5928:
5923:
5913:
5908:
5900:
5895:
5890:
5889:
5888:
5883:
5878:
5873:
5868:
5863:
5853:
5852:
5851:
5846:
5836:
5829:
5827:
5820:
5816:
5815:
5813:
5812:
5807:
5799:
5794:
5789:
5784:
5779:
5773:
5771:
5767:
5766:
5757:
5756:
5749:
5742:
5734:
5728:
5727:
5720:
5719:External links
5717:
5716:
5715:
5703:
5694:
5685:
5680:
5665:
5635:
5629:
5616:
5611:
5598:
5593:
5576:
5570:
5555:
5546:
5537:
5532:
5515:
5487:
5482:
5469:
5464:
5451:
5445:
5437:Harper Collins
5426:
5420:
5402:
5396:
5383:
5374:
5369:
5350:
5345:
5323:
5308:
5299:
5294:
5281:
5276:
5261:
5258:
5255:
5254:
5242:
5220:
5201:
5198:on 19 May 2017
5175:
5163:
5154:
5133:
5124:
5115:
5106:
5094:
5085:
5073:
5061:
5049:
5030:
5018:
5006:
4994:
4982:
4965:
4953:
4941:
4929:
4917:
4895:
4865:
4837:
4808:
4780:
4752:
4724:
4703:
4669:
4646:
4635:on 23 May 2018
4616:
4590:
4560:
4538:
4512:
4481:
4448:
4430:
4400:
4382:
4373:
4359:
4339:
4328:on 12 May 2013
4309:
4307:, Winter 1990.
4286:
4266:
4245:
4234:"Me-163 Komet"
4226:
4206:
4204:, p. 182.
4194:
4192:, p. 370.
4182:
4159:
4141:
4111:
4104:
4084:
4077:
4057:
4050:
4032:
4030:, p. 161.
4020:
4005:
3996:
3994:, p. 298.
3984:
3982:, p. 298.
3968:
3966:, p. 291.
3956:
3954:, p. 316.
3941:
3934:
3910:
3897:
3885:
3869:
3839:
3812:
3784:
3754:
3723:
3692:
3661:
3660:
3658:
3655:
3653:
3650:
3647:
3646:
3636:
3616:jachtvliegtuig
3561:
3560:
3558:
3555:
3554:
3553:
3548:
3543:
3536:
3533:
3519:, the Russian
3517:Meteor missile
3463:AIM-120 AMRAAM
3430:Yom Kippur War
3338:
3335:
3241:Main article:
3238:
3235:
3213:with Russia's
3207:Shenyang FC-31
3120:Northrop YF-23
3084:glass cockpits
3071:high-bandwidth
3047:Main article:
3044:
3041:
3025:Mikoyan MiG-29
2955:, include the
2894:peace dividend
2882:Main article:
2879:
2876:
2774:Mikoyan MiG-31
2731:AIM-54 Phoenix
2716:graphite epoxy
2690:(providing a "
2580:Main article:
2577:
2574:
2570:B-24 Liberator
2538:SEPECAT Jaguar
2516:targeting pods
2427:Main article:
2424:
2421:
2391:, such as the
2379:, such as the
2291:Main article:
2288:
2285:
2171:Gloster Meteor
2152:ejection seats
2128:Heinkel He 162
2116:Gloster Meteor
2088:Main article:
2085:
2082:
2046:
2043:
1956:Main article:
1953:
1950:
1934:ramjet engines
1910:Lavochkin La-7
1906:Lavochkin La-9
1892:
1889:
1838:heavy fighters
1834:night fighters
1822:Hawker Tempest
1818:Hawker Typhoon
1805:and increased
1758:kinetic energy
1725:Gloster Meteor
1689:Piston-engines
1673:
1670:
1653:Nakajima Ki-84
1649:fighter pilots
1631:and later the
1584:P-39 Airacobra
1553:Nakajima Ki-43
1549:Nakajima Ki-27
1524:
1521:
1507:Hermann Göring
1466:night fighters
1410:Lavochkin La-5
1406:Yakovlev Yak-9
1353:Dowding system
1324:
1321:
1297:Nakajima Ki-43
1293:Nakajima Ki-27
1286:reconnaissance
1250:
1247:
1214:Werner Mölders
1117:heavy fighters
1036:
1033:
1014:Edward Mannock
1006:Oswald Boelcke
884:Fokker scourge
880:Anthony Fokker
782:Jules Védrines
704:reconnaissance
667:
664:
662:
659:
640:heavy fighters
621:escort fighter
613:Main article:
610:
607:
594:Main article:
591:
588:
571:Main article:
568:
565:
556:Main article:
553:
550:
446:reconnaissance
438:strike fighter
430:Fighter-bomber
428:Of these, the
426:
425:
422:strike fighter
418:escort fighter
411:
406:
396:
391:
386:
381:
379:Fighter-bomber
376:
327:
326:Classification
324:
265:In the 1950s,
223:reconnaissance
206:"pusher" scout
195:
194:
153:
151:
144:
138:
135:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
6072:
6061:
6058:
6057:
6055:
6048:
6034:
6031:
6029:
6026:
6024:
6021:
6019:
6016:
6012:
6009:
6008:
6007:
6004:
6000:
5997:
5996:
5995:
5992:
5990:
5987:
5985:
5982:
5981:
5979:
5975:
5969:
5966:
5964:
5961:
5959:
5956:
5954:
5951:
5949:
5946:
5942:
5939:
5937:
5934:
5932:
5929:
5927:
5924:
5922:
5919:
5918:
5917:
5914:
5912:
5909:
5907:
5901:
5899:
5896:
5894:
5891:
5887:
5884:
5882:
5879:
5877:
5874:
5872:
5871:Medium bomber
5869:
5867:
5864:
5862:
5859:
5858:
5857:
5854:
5850:
5847:
5845:
5842:
5841:
5840:
5837:
5834:
5831:
5830:
5828:
5824:
5821:
5817:
5811:
5808:
5806:
5800:
5798:
5795:
5793:
5790:
5788:
5785:
5783:
5780:
5778:
5775:
5774:
5772:
5768:
5763:
5755:
5750:
5748:
5743:
5741:
5736:
5735:
5732:
5726:
5723:
5722:
5713:
5709:
5704:
5700:
5695:
5691:
5686:
5683:
5681:1-55750-775-9
5677:
5673:
5672:
5666:
5652:
5648:
5641:
5636:
5632:
5630:1-57488-247-3
5626:
5622:
5617:
5614:
5612:0-86101-319-0
5608:
5604:
5599:
5596:
5594:0-87021-059-9
5590:
5586:
5582:
5577:
5573:
5571:0-87021-059-9
5567:
5563:
5562:
5556:
5552:
5547:
5543:
5538:
5535:
5529:
5524:
5523:
5516:
5502:
5495:
5494:
5488:
5485:
5483:1-56098-941-6
5479:
5475:
5470:
5467:
5465:91-972803-8-0
5461:
5457:
5452:
5448:
5446:0-00-472065-2
5442:
5438:
5434:
5433:
5427:
5423:
5417:
5413:
5412:
5407:
5406:Glenny, Misha
5403:
5399:
5397:1-904687-07-5
5393:
5389:
5384:
5380:
5375:
5372:
5370:0-316-88146-5
5366:
5362:
5358:
5357:
5351:
5348:
5346:0-8047-1160-7
5342:
5338:
5334:
5326:
5320:
5316:
5315:
5309:
5305:
5300:
5297:
5291:
5287:
5282:
5279:
5277:91-972803-8-0
5273:
5269:
5264:
5263:
5251:
5246:
5240:
5236:
5233:
5227:
5225:
5218:
5214:
5211:
5205:
5194:
5187:
5186:
5179:
5173:, p. 13.
5172:
5167:
5158:
5151:
5147:
5143:
5137:
5128:
5119:
5110:
5103:
5098:
5089:
5082:
5077:
5071:, p. 82.
5070:
5065:
5058:
5053:
5047:
5043:
5040:
5034:
5027:
5022:
5015:
5010:
5004:, p. 15.
5003:
4998:
4991:
4986:
4978:
4977:
4969:
4962:
4957:
4950:
4945:
4938:
4933:
4927:, p. 54.
4926:
4921:
4913:
4909:
4905:
4899:
4883:
4879:
4875:
4869:
4853:
4849:
4848:
4841:
4825:
4821:
4820:
4812:
4796:
4792:
4791:
4784:
4768:
4764:
4763:
4756:
4740:
4736:
4735:
4728:
4713:
4707:
4691:
4687:
4683:
4676:
4674:
4665:
4661:
4657:
4650:
4634:
4630:
4629:www.janes.com
4626:
4620:
4605:. 20 May 2022
4604:
4600:
4594:
4578:
4574:
4570:
4564:
4548:
4542:
4526:
4522:
4516:
4500:
4496:
4492:
4485:
4469:
4465:
4464:
4459:
4452:
4446:
4442:
4439:
4434:
4418:
4414:
4410:
4404:
4398:
4394:
4391:
4386:
4377:
4362:
4356:
4352:
4351:
4343:
4327:
4323:
4319:
4313:
4306:
4303:
4299:
4296:
4290:
4283:
4279:
4276:
4270:
4263:
4262:0-907408-37-0
4259:
4255:
4249:
4242:
4238:
4235:
4230:
4223:
4219:
4216:
4210:
4203:
4198:
4191:
4186:
4179:
4178:acepilots.com
4176:
4172:
4169:
4163:
4155:
4151:
4150:Lewin, Ronald
4145:
4139:
4138:1-85728-589-1
4135:
4131:
4127:
4123:
4122:
4115:
4107:
4101:
4097:
4096:
4088:
4080:
4074:
4070:
4069:
4061:
4053:
4051:0-09-086590-1
4047:
4043:
4036:
4029:
4024:
4016:
4009:
4000:
3993:
3988:
3981:
3977:
3972:
3965:
3960:
3953:
3948:
3946:
3937:
3931:
3928:. p. 9.
3927:
3923:
3922:
3914:
3907:
3901:
3895:
3889:
3882:
3878:
3873:
3857:
3853:
3849:
3843:
3827:
3823:
3816:
3797:
3796:
3788:
3772:
3768:
3764:
3758:
3742:
3738:
3734:
3727:
3711:
3707:
3703:
3696:
3680:
3676:
3672:
3666:
3662:
3640:
3633:
3629:
3625:
3621:
3617:
3613:
3609:
3605:
3601:
3596:
3592:
3588:
3584:
3580:
3579:avión de caza
3576:
3572:
3566:
3562:
3552:
3549:
3547:
3544:
3542:
3539:
3538:
3532:
3528:
3526:
3522:
3518:
3510:
3506:
3502:
3498:
3494:
3491:
3488:
3484:
3479:
3475:
3472:
3471:AIM-7 Sparrow
3466:
3464:
3459:
3455:
3454:AIM-7 Sparrow
3452:type was the
3450:
3446:
3441:
3439:
3438:1991 Gulf War
3435:
3434:Falklands War
3431:
3427:
3422:
3418:
3413:
3410:
3405:
3401:
3392:
3388:
3386:
3381:
3378:
3374:
3373:rotary cannon
3370:
3365:
3362:
3354:
3350:
3347:
3343:
3334:
3332:
3328:
3324:
3320:
3316:
3311:
3309:
3305:
3301:
3297:
3292:
3289:
3285:
3281:
3277:
3273:
3269:
3265:
3261:
3257:
3253:
3248:
3244:
3234:
3232:
3228:
3224:
3220:
3216:
3212:
3208:
3204:
3199:
3197:
3193:
3189:
3185:
3181:
3177:
3173:
3169:
3161:
3156:
3152:
3149:
3145:
3141:
3137:
3133:
3127:
3125:
3121:
3116:
3115:thermoplastic
3112:
3108:
3103:
3101:
3097:
3093:
3089:
3085:
3081:
3076:
3072:
3068:
3059:
3055:
3050:
3040:
3036:
3032:
3030:
3026:
3022:
3018:
3014:
3010:
3006:
3002:
2998:
2997:F/A-18 Hornet
2994:
2985:
2981:
2976:
2972:
2970:
2966:
2962:
2958:
2954:
2949:
2947:
2943:
2939:
2935:
2931:
2927:
2924:
2920:
2916:
2912:
2906:
2903:
2902:semiconductor
2899:
2895:
2891:
2885:
2875:
2872:
2868:
2864:
2860:
2859:
2854:
2850:
2846:
2841:
2839:
2835:
2831:
2827:
2823:
2819:
2815:
2811:
2807:
2798:
2794:
2792:
2788:
2784:
2781:the F-15 and
2779:
2775:
2770:
2768:
2764:
2760:
2756:
2752:
2747:
2744:
2738:
2736:
2732:
2728:
2724:
2720:
2717:
2713:
2709:
2705:
2701:
2697:
2693:
2689:
2686:
2685:pulse-Doppler
2679:
2674:
2670:
2668:
2664:
2660:
2656:
2652:
2647:
2645:
2641:
2637:
2636:Fighter mafia
2633:
2629:
2625:
2621:
2617:
2612:
2610:
2606:
2602:
2598:
2588:
2583:
2573:
2571:
2567:
2563:
2559:
2555:
2551:
2547:
2543:
2539:
2535:
2530:
2528:
2524:
2519:
2517:
2513:
2509:
2505:
2501:
2497:
2493:
2489:
2485:
2481:
2475:
2473:
2469:
2465:
2461:
2457:
2453:
2449:
2445:
2435:
2430:
2420:
2418:
2414:
2413:gravity bombs
2410:
2409:rate of climb
2406:
2402:
2398:
2394:
2390:
2386:
2382:
2378:
2374:
2369:
2367:
2363:
2359:
2355:
2354:field of view
2351:
2345:
2342:
2338:
2334:
2330:
2326:
2322:
2318:
2314:
2310:
2303:
2299:
2294:
2284:
2282:
2281:AIM-7 Sparrow
2278:
2274:
2270:
2266:
2262:
2258:
2254:
2250:
2246:
2242:
2238:
2234:
2229:
2226:
2222:
2217:
2215:
2210:
2206:
2202:
2197:
2195:
2192:
2188:
2184:
2176:
2172:
2167:
2163:
2161:
2157:
2153:
2147:
2145:
2141:
2137:
2133:
2129:
2125:
2121:
2117:
2113:
2109:
2105:
2104:Messerschmitt
2100:
2098:
2097:unswept wings
2091:
2081:
2077:
2070:
2065:
2060:
2056:
2052:
2042:
2040:
2036:
2032:
2028:
2023:
2021:
2017:
2013:
2008:
2003:
2001:
1995:
1993:
1988:
1985:
1981:
1977:
1973:
1972:mass-produced
1969:
1968:Lippisch Ente
1965:
1959:
1949:
1947:
1943:
1939:
1935:
1931:
1926:
1924:
1919:
1915:
1911:
1907:
1897:
1888:
1886:
1882:
1878:
1877:Schrage Musik
1874:
1869:
1867:
1863:
1859:
1855:
1851:
1850:Junkers Ju 88
1847:
1843:
1842:light bombers
1839:
1835:
1831:
1827:
1823:
1819:
1815:
1810:
1808:
1804:
1799:
1795:
1791:
1787:
1783:
1779:
1776:
1772:
1768:
1763:
1762:heavy bombers
1759:
1754:
1750:
1746:
1742:
1738:
1734:
1730:
1726:
1722:
1718:
1714:
1713:sound barrier
1710:
1706:
1702:
1698:
1694:
1690:
1682:
1678:
1669:
1667:
1663:
1658:
1657:Kawanishi N1K
1654:
1650:
1646:
1642:
1638:
1634:
1630:
1626:
1621:
1620:Flying Tigers
1617:
1613:
1609:
1605:
1601:
1597:
1593:
1589:
1585:
1581:
1576:
1574:
1570:
1566:
1562:
1558:
1554:
1550:
1546:
1542:
1538:
1534:
1530:
1520:
1518:
1514:
1513:
1508:
1505:
1500:
1498:
1494:
1489:
1487:
1483:
1479:
1475:
1472:. Unescorted
1471:
1467:
1463:
1459:
1455:
1451:
1447:
1446:Western Front
1439:
1434:
1430:
1428:
1423:
1419:
1415:
1411:
1407:
1402:
1398:
1394:
1393:Yakolev Yak-1
1390:
1386:
1382:
1378:
1375:
1371:
1367:
1363:
1359:
1358:Eastern Front
1354:
1350:
1346:
1342:
1338:
1334:
1330:
1320:
1317:
1315:
1310:
1309:Macchi MC.200
1306:
1302:
1298:
1294:
1289:
1287:
1283:
1279:
1274:
1266:
1261:
1256:
1246:
1243:
1239:
1235:
1231:
1227:
1223:
1219:
1215:
1211:
1206:
1204:
1200:
1196:
1192:
1188:
1182:
1180:
1176:
1172:
1168:
1164:
1160:
1159:
1154:
1153:
1148:
1147:
1142:
1137:
1135:
1129:
1126:
1125:medium bomber
1122:
1118:
1113:
1111:
1106:
1102:
1098:
1094:
1090:
1086:
1085:radial engine
1082:
1081:rotary engine
1074:
1070:
1066:
1064:
1058:
1055:
1051:
1047:
1041:
1032:
1028:
1026:
1022:
1017:
1015:
1011:
1010:Max Immelmann
1007:
1003:
998:
994:
990:
986:
982:
978:
970:
965:
961:
958:
954:
950:
946:
942:
938:
934:
930:
926:
922:
918:
916:
911:
910:Kurt Wintgens
908:
904:
900:
896:
895:Western Front
892:
891:
885:
881:
877:
873:
868:
864:
861:
857:
856:Roland Garros
853:
849:
845:
841:
837:
836:tractor scout
833:
829:
825:
820:
816:
811:
807:
803:
799:
791:
787:
783:
779:
775:
773:
769:
765:
761:
757:
752:
750:
746:
745:Roland Garros
740:
738:
734:
733:Bristol Scout
730:
725:
721:
717:
712:
709:
708:Miodrag Tomić
705:
701:
696:
694:
690:
682:
678:
673:
658:
656:
655:ground-attack
652:
647:
645:
641:
636:
632:
630:
626:
622:
616:
606:
604:
597:
596:Night fighter
587:
585:
580:
574:
564:
559:
549:
547:
543:
539:
535:
531:
527:
523:
517:
514:
510:
506:
502:
498:
494:
489:
487:
483:
479:
474:
470:
466:
462:
458:
454:
453:Sopwith Camel
449:
447:
443:
442:ground attack
439:
435:
431:
423:
419:
415:
412:
410:
407:
404:
403:night fighter
400:
397:
395:
394:Light fighter
392:
390:
387:
385:
384:Heavy fighter
382:
380:
377:
375:
372:
371:
370:
367:
365:
361:
357:
353:
349:
345:
341:
337:
333:
323:
321:
317:
312:
308:
302:
299:
294:
290:
286:
283:
279:
275:
273:
268:
263:
261:
256:
251:
248:
244:
240:
236:
231:
228:
224:
220:
215:
213:
205:
201:
191:
188:
180:
170:
166:
160:
159:
154:This section
152:
148:
143:
142:
134:
132:
131:night fighter
128:
127:heavy fighter
124:
120:
116:
115:ground attack
111:
108:
104:
99:
97:
93:
90:to engage in
89:
85:
81:
77:
73:
69:
65:
61:
54:
50:
46:
45:P-51D Mustang
42:
37:
33:
29:
22:
6047:
6006:Surveillance
5984:Experimental
5915:
5866:Light bomber
5861:Heavy bomber
5707:
5698:
5689:
5670:
5658:, retrieved
5651:the original
5646:
5620:
5602:
5580:
5560:
5550:
5541:
5533:0-517-412659
5521:
5508:, retrieved
5501:the original
5492:
5473:
5455:
5431:
5410:
5387:
5378:
5355:
5332:
5313:
5303:
5285:
5267:
5260:Bibliography
5245:
5204:
5193:the original
5184:
5178:
5166:
5157:
5141:
5136:
5127:
5118:
5109:
5104:, p. 8.
5097:
5092:Coram, p.219
5088:
5076:
5064:
5056:
5052:
5033:
5021:
5009:
4997:
4992:, p. 6.
4985:
4975:
4968:
4956:
4944:
4932:
4920:
4907:
4898:
4886:. Retrieved
4877:
4868:
4856:, retrieved
4846:
4840:
4828:, retrieved
4818:
4811:
4799:, retrieved
4789:
4783:
4771:, retrieved
4767:the original
4761:
4755:
4743:, retrieved
4733:
4727:
4715:. Retrieved
4706:
4694:. Retrieved
4685:
4664:the original
4659:
4649:
4637:. Retrieved
4633:the original
4628:
4619:
4607:. Retrieved
4603:AeroTime Hub
4602:
4593:
4581:. Retrieved
4577:the original
4572:
4563:
4551:. Retrieved
4541:
4529:. Retrieved
4524:
4515:
4503:. Retrieved
4494:
4484:
4472:. Retrieved
4463:The Guardian
4461:
4451:
4433:
4421:. Retrieved
4417:the original
4413:OpenCongress
4412:
4403:
4385:
4376:
4364:. Retrieved
4349:
4342:
4330:. Retrieved
4326:the original
4321:
4312:
4304:
4289:
4269:
4253:
4248:
4229:
4209:
4197:
4185:
4177:
4162:
4153:
4144:
4119:
4114:
4094:
4087:
4067:
4060:
4042:No Parachute
4041:
4035:
4023:
4014:
4008:
3999:
3987:
3971:
3959:
3920:
3913:
3905:
3900:
3893:
3888:
3880:
3872:
3860:. Retrieved
3851:
3842:
3832:25 September
3830:. Retrieved
3815:
3803:. Retrieved
3794:
3787:
3777:25 September
3775:. Retrieved
3766:
3757:
3745:. Retrieved
3737:Flightglobal
3736:
3726:
3716:25 September
3714:. Retrieved
3705:
3695:
3685:25 September
3683:. Retrieved
3679:the original
3674:
3665:
3639:
3624:jaktflygplan
3608:Jagdflugzeug
3570:
3565:
3529:
3513:
3495:used on the
3467:
3442:
3421:AIM-4 Falcon
3414:
3397:
3382:
3366:
3357:
3315:Team Tempest
3314:
3312:
3293:
3249:
3246:
3223:Sukhoi Su-57
3215:Mikoyan LMFS
3203:Chengdu J-20
3200:
3172:flyaway cost
3165:
3160:Sukhoi Su-57
3128:
3104:
3069:radars with
3063:
3037:
3033:
3017:Sukhoi Su-27
2989:
2950:
2926:phased-array
2917:(BVR) AAMs;
2907:
2887:
2856:
2845:US Air Force
2842:
2834:Sukhoi Su-25
2832:such as the
2821:
2803:
2771:
2748:
2739:
2682:
2648:
2632:wing loading
2613:
2593:
2566:Marine Corps
2531:
2520:
2476:
2440:
2417:nuclear bomb
2404:
2397:Sukhoi Su-7B
2377:interceptors
2370:
2346:
2329:aeronautical
2317:aerodynamics
2306:
2239:adopted the
2230:
2218:
2198:
2180:
2148:
2131:
2101:
2093:
2078:
2074:
2055:Jet aircraft
2041:technology.
2024:
2004:
1996:
1989:
1984:World War II
1979:
1961:
1927:
1918:laminar flow
1902:
1870:
1862:Douglas A-20
1852:, Britain's
1826:Curtiss P-40
1816:, Britain's
1811:
1733:Laminar flow
1686:
1683:, early 1942
1577:
1526:
1510:
1504:Reichmarshal
1503:
1501:
1490:
1443:
1326:
1313:
1290:
1273:Erwin Rommel
1270:
1241:
1237:
1233:
1229:
1225:
1221:
1207:
1183:
1156:
1150:
1144:
1138:
1130:
1114:
1101:Curtiss P-36
1097:Fokker D.VII
1089:Curtiss D-12
1078:
1059:
1042:
1038:
1029:
1018:
977:Hugo Junkers
973:
937:Albatros D.I
932:
924:
913:
906:
902:
889:
875:
795:
753:
741:
713:
697:
686:
648:
633:
618:
599:
576:
561:
541:
537:
518:
509:interceptors
505:Sukhoi Su-27
503:and Russian
490:
465:dive bombers
450:
427:
368:
329:
313:
309:
305:
287:
276:
264:
252:
243:machine guns
235:World War II
232:
216:
209:
183:
177:October 2021
174:
163:Please help
158:verification
155:
112:
100:
63:
59:
58:
32:
5958:Interdictor
5926:Interceptor
5835:(AEW&C)
5510:24 December
4819:The Dewline
4717:22 December
4696:21 November
4583:26 February
4474:17 December
4028:Munson 1976
3992:Buttar 2014
3980:Buttar 2014
3976:Glenny 2012
3952:Glenny 2012
3483:MBDA Meteor
3426:Six-Day War
3323:Rolls-Royce
3319:BAE Systems
3126:(RAM/RAP).
3088:data fusion
2938:supercruise
2923:solid-state
2620:higher-lift
2460:blown flaps
2401:Dogfighting
2337:delta wings
2333:swept wings
2245:afterburner
2209:swept wings
1745:swept wings
1612:Guadalcanal
1600:Thach Weave
1420:, with the
1370:Great Purge
1327:During the
1210:finger-four
1203:Hawker Fury
997:Junkers J 1
989:Junkers D.I
985:Junkers J 2
969:Fokker Dr.I
941:Sopwith Pup
819:Nieuport 11
786:Nieuport 16
700:World War I
623:protecting
579:lightweight
567:Interceptor
511:as well as
444:or unarmed
389:Interceptor
364:interceptor
282:Vietnam War
123:interceptor
80:battlespace
53:F-22 Raptor
51:(top), and
5977:Non-combat
5953:Multi-role
5886:Pathfinder
5881:Penetrator
5797:Helicopter
5787:Fixed-wing
5171:Higby 2005
5102:Higby 2005
5081:Sprey 1982
5069:Sprey 1982
5026:Sprey 1982
4949:Higby 2005
4937:Sprey 1982
4925:Sprey 1982
4531:30 October
4466:. London.
4366:20 January
3964:Blume 1968
3805:24 January
3747:19 January
3652:References
3409:all-aspect
3377:M61 Vulcan
3349:20 mm
3138:(ESM) and
3100:data buses
3019:, and the
3005:F-15 Eagle
2843:A typical
2824:(with the
2523:chain-guns
2454:, powered
2341:area-ruled
2321:propulsion
2309:Korean War
2225:transsonic
2214:Korean War
2156:air brakes
2140:April 1945
2059:Jet engine
2049:See also:
1962:The first
1616:New Guinea
1543:, and the
1418:Lend-Lease
1345:Hurricanes
1185:behest of
1181:biplanes.
1149:, Italian
1063:harmonised
1021:parachutes
981:cantilever
921:Fokker M.5
840:mechanisms
802:Airco DH.2
716:air racing
693:Voisin III
644:drop tanks
542:Istrebitel
239:monoplanes
219:dirigibles
204:Airco DH.2
49:F-86 Sabre
47:(bottom),
6033:Transport
5931:Emergency
5876:Strategic
5802:Unmanned
5250:Shaw 1985
5014:Shaw 1985
5002:Shaw 1985
4990:Shaw 1985
4961:Shaw 1985
4878:Techradar
4190:Eden 2004
3862:18 August
3657:Citations
3600:‹See Tfd›
3469:fired 50
3111:thermoset
2934:datalinks
2898:microchip
2810:HAL Tejas
2743:man-hours
2667:sobriquet
2609:OODA loop
2601:John Boyd
2269:Infra-red
2237:U.S. Navy
2191:twin boom
2183:Bell P-59
1914:Lavochkin
1788:roles as
1743:featured
1729:monocoque
1697:Merlin II
1668:attacks.
1604:Coral Sea
1547:flew the
1512:Luftwaffe
1427:Wehrmacht
1349:Spitfires
1220:(German:
1163:dogfights
1146:Luftwaffe
993:duralumin
949:triplanes
933:Eindecker
925:Eindecker
903:Eindecker
890:Eindecker
872:ricochets
867:Hotchkiss
852:hang fire
828:Hotchkiss
810:"tractor"
478:U.S. Navy
348:U.S. Army
103:firepower
6054:Category
5911:Intruder
5408:(2012).
5235:Archived
5213:Archived
5042:Archived
4912:Archived
4908:BBC News
4882:Archived
4858:6 August
4852:archived
4830:6 August
4824:archived
4801:6 August
4795:archived
4773:6 August
4739:archived
4690:Archived
4499:Archived
4468:Archived
4441:Archived
4393:Archived
4298:Archived
4278:Archived
4237:Archived
4218:Archived
4171:Archived
4152:(1968).
4126:Archived
3856:Archived
3826:Archived
3771:Archived
3741:Archived
3710:Archived
3535:See also
3268:Dassault
3080:avionics
2928:radars;
2890:Cold War
2853:squadron
2847:fighter
2836:and the
2719:laminate
2488:"TOPGUN"
2450:such as
2444:avionics
2395:and the
2002:return.
1974:was the
1966:was the
1753:Armament
1739:and the
1701:variants
1699:, while
1693:Spitfire
1666:Kamikaze
1655:and the
1639:and the
1582:and the
1551:and the
1517:Mustangs
1486:attrited
1456:and the
1379:and the
1331:and the
1226:Schwärme
1218:squadron
945:biplanes
907:Leutnant
798:"pusher"
766:and the
764:SPAD S.A
760:grenades
756:carbines
538:Chasseur
482:strafing
255:turbojet
227:biplanes
92:tactical
43:(left),
6028:Trainer
6023:Testbed
5989:Liaison
5916:Fighter
5893:Carrier
5849:Gunship
5810:Stealth
5782:Balloon
5777:Airship
5760:Modern
4888:22 July
4745:27 July
4686:Reuters
4639:18 June
4505:1 April
4423:1 April
4332:1 April
3644:p.125).
3620:Swedish
3591:Italian
3575:Spanish
3551:Warbird
3337:Weapons
3196:payload
3009:Su-30SM
2986:in 2009
2858:stealth
2767:strakes
2698:(HUD),
2472:Harrier
2452:canards
2387:F; and
2000:gliding
1377:biplane
1316:-forces
1230:Schwarm
1222:Staffel
957:Vickers
888:Fokker
784:in his
635:Bombers
625:bombers
260:G-suits
247:cannons
137:History
84:bombers
78:of the
28:Fighter
6018:Tanker
5936:Escort
5856:Bomber
5839:Attack
5826:Combat
5792:Glider
5678:
5660:2 July
5627:
5609:
5591:
5568:
5530:
5480:
5462:
5443:
5418:
5394:
5367:
5343:
5321:
5292:
5274:
5148:
4609:20 May
4357:
4260:
4136:
4102:
4075:
4048:
3932:
3881:Flight
3604:German
3583:French
3507:, and
3284:Thales
3276:Safran
3272:Airbus
3262:, and
3221:plan,
3021:MiG-35
3013:Su-35S
3007:, the
2999:, the
2967:, and
2791:MiG-29
2466:, but
2458:, and
2405:per se
2339:, and
2247:. The
2175:Allies
2108:Me 262
2057:, and
2020:Mach 1
2012:SR.177
1942:VJ-Day
1881:Bf 110
1798:medium
1721:rocket
1635:, the
1608:Midway
1535:. The
1389:LaGG-3
1242:Rotten
1234:Rotten
1052:, and
1012:, and
584:ranges
536:) for
344:scouts
129:, and
66:) are
6011:Scout
5999:Scout
5941:Night
5819:Roles
5804:(UAV)
5770:Types
5654:(PDF)
5643:(PDF)
5504:(PDF)
5497:(PDF)
5196:(PDF)
5189:(PDF)
4553:1 May
3799:(PDF)
3612:Dutch
3557:Notes
3525:PL-15
3521:R-37M
3485:, an
3132:AWACS
2982:over
2822:passé
2814:JF-17
2783:Su-27
2646:'s).
2642:(now
2550:F-111
2456:slats
2271:(IR)
2132:Spatz
1980:Komet
1923:La-11
1885:Ju 88
1830:radar
1794:light
1573:Burma
1458:USAAF
1238:Rotte
1121:light
953:Maxim
912:, of
790:Lewis
724:scout
689:pilot
457:USAAF
267:radar
5905:(EW)
5676:ISBN
5662:2016
5625:ISBN
5607:ISBN
5589:ISBN
5566:ISBN
5528:ISBN
5512:2016
5478:ISBN
5460:ISBN
5441:ISBN
5416:ISBN
5392:ISBN
5365:ISBN
5341:ISBN
5319:ISBN
5290:ISBN
5272:ISBN
5146:ISBN
4890:2018
4860:2011
4832:2011
4803:2011
4775:2011
4747:2011
4719:2023
4698:2018
4641:2018
4611:2022
4585:2021
4555:2022
4533:2021
4507:2015
4476:2016
4425:2015
4368:2011
4355:ISBN
4334:2015
4258:ISBN
4134:ISBN
4100:ISBN
4073:ISBN
4046:ISBN
3930:ISBN
3864:2018
3834:2011
3807:2022
3779:2011
3749:2019
3718:2011
3687:2011
3371:and
3331:MBDA
3329:and
3288:MBDA
3286:and
3278:and
3270:and
3217:and
3113:and
3067:AESA
3011:and
2984:RIAT
2900:and
2849:wing
2816:and
2776:and
2624:drag
2540:and
2383:and
2263:and
2169:The
2158:and
2136:JG 1
2112:JG 7
2067:The
2005:The
1856:and
1848:and
1820:and
1807:drag
1803:lift
1796:and
1749:drag
1719:and
1614:and
1571:and
1476:and
1408:and
1401:Axis
1391:and
1381:I-16
1347:and
1307:and
1299:and
1284:and
1201:and
1193:and
1079:The
939:and
806:drag
731:and
681:SPAD
649:The
471:and
459:and
451:The
436:and
420:and
358:and
338:and
298:USAF
296:The
94:and
86:and
4124:",
3630:or
3493:AAM
3490:BVR
3487:ARH
3481:An
3346:M61
2793:).
2138:by
1840:or
1717:jet
1454:RAF
1123:or
955:or
830:or
548:).
524:or
461:RAF
245:or
233:By
167:by
39:An
6056::
5645:,
5587:,
5583:,
5439:.
5435:.
5363:,
5359:,
5339:,
5335:,
5223:^
4906:.
4880:.
4876:.
4688:.
4684:.
4672:^
4658:.
4627:.
4601:.
4571:.
4523:.
4497:.
4493:.
4460:.
4411:.
4320:.
3944:^
3924:.
3879:,
3854:.
3850:.
3824:.
3765:.
3739:.
3735:.
3704:.
3673:.
3622::
3618:,
3614::
3610:,
3606::
3597:,
3593::
3589:,
3585::
3581:,
3577::
3503:,
3499:,
3440:.
3325:,
3321:,
3282:.
3258:,
3198:.
3158:A
3146:,
3082:,
2978:A
2971:.
2963:,
2959:,
2840:.
2812:,
2808:,
2769:.
2536:,
2498:.
2474:.
2419:.
2403:,
2399:.
2335:,
2319:,
2154:,
2130:A
2053:,
1978:B
1610:,
1606:,
1575:.
1567:,
1563:,
1436:A
1429:.
1387:,
1360:,
1295:,
1288:.
1263:A
1112:.
1091:.
1048:,
1008:,
758:,
499:,
495:,
432:,
366:.
354:,
214:.
133:.
125:,
5753:e
5746:t
5739:v
5633:.
5574:.
5449:.
5424:.
5400:.
5329:*
5152:.
4892:.
4863:.
4835:.
4806:.
4778:.
4750:.
4721:.
4700:.
4643:.
4613:.
4587:.
4557:.
4535:.
4509:.
4478:.
4427:.
4370:.
4336:.
4264:.
4108:.
4081:.
4054:.
3938:.
3866:.
3836:.
3809:.
3781:.
3751:.
3720:.
3689:.
2909:"
1314:g
917:6
424:)
405:)
190:)
184:(
179:)
175:(
161:.
30:.
23:.
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