Military aircraft
A military aircraft is any fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft that is operated by a legal or insurrectionary military of any type.[1] Military aircraft can be either combat or non-combat:
- Combat aircraft, such as fighters and bombers, are designed to destroy enemy equipment or personnel using their own aircraft ordnance.[1] Combat aircraft are typically developed and procured only by military forces.
- Non-combat aircraft, such as tankersare not designed for combat as their primary function, but may carry weapons for self-defense. These mainly operate in support roles, and may be developed by either military forces or civilian organizations.
History
Lighter-than-air
In 1783, when the first practical aircraft (hot-air and hydrogen balloons) were established, they were quickly adopted for military duties.
Heavier-than-air
Soon after the first flight of the
Air combat was a notable component of World War I, as fighter aircraft were developed during the war, long-range strategic bombing became a possibility,[7] and airplanes were deployed from aircraft carriers. Airplanes also took on a greater variety of support roles, notably medical evacuation, and deployed new weapons like air-to-air rockets for use against reconnaissance balloons.[8] Aviation technology advanced rapidly in the interwar period, and military aircraft became increasingly capable. Autogyros and helicopters were also developed at this time.[citation needed] During World War II, military aviation reached new heights. Decisive air battles influenced the outcome of the war, early jet aircraft flew combat missions,
In the Cold War era, aviation technology continued to advance at an extremely rapid pace. Jet aircraft exceeded Mach 1 and Mach 2, armament focus switched mainly to missiles, aircraft began carrying more sophisticated avionics, air-to-air refueling matured into practicality, and transport aircraft grew in size. Stealth aircraft entered development during the 1970s and saw combat in the 1980s.
Combat
Combat aircraft, or "warplanes", are divided broadly into fighters, bombers, attackers, electronic warfare, maritime, multirole, and unmanned aircraft. Variations exist between them, including
Fighters
The primary role of fighters is destroying enemy aircraft in air-to-air combat, as part of both offensive and defensive counter air operations. Many fighters also possess a degree of ground attack capability, allowing them to perform surface attack and close air support missions. In addition to their counter air duties they are tasked to perform escort mission for bombers or other aircraft. Fighters are capable of carrying a variety of weapons, including machine guns, autocannons,
Bombers
Bombers are normally larger, heavier, and less maneuverable than fighter aircraft. They are capable of carrying large payloads of bombs, torpedoes or cruise missiles. Bombers are used almost exclusively for ground attacks and are not fast or agile enough to take on enemy fighters head-to-head. Some have a single engine and require one pilot to operate, while others have two or more engines and require crews of two or more. A limited number of bombers, such as the
Attack aircraft
Attack aircraft can be used to provide support for friendly ground troops. Some are able to carry conventional or
Electronic warfare
An electronic warfare aircraft is a military aircraft equipped for
Maritime patrol
A maritime patrol aircraft is a fixed-wing military aircraft designed to operate for long durations over water in maritime patrol roles—in particular anti-submarine, anti-ship, and search and rescue. Some patrol aircraft were designed for this purpose, like the Kawasaki P-1.[10] Many others are modified designs of pre-existing aircraft, such as the Boeing P-8 Poseidon, which is based on the Boeing 737-800 airliner.[11] While the term maritime patrol aircraft generally refers to fixed wing aircraft, other aircraft types, such as blimps and helicopters, have also been used in the same roles.
Multirole
Many combat aircraft in the modern day have multirole capabilities. Normally only applied to fixed-wing aircraft, the term signifies the ability to transition between air-to-air and air-to-ground roles, sometimes even during the same mission. An example of a multirole design is the
Unmanned
Unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAV) have no crew, but are controlled by a remote operator. They may have varying degrees of autonomy. UCAVs are often armed with bombs, air-to-surface missiles, or other aircraft ordinance. Their uses typically include targeted killings, precision airstrikes, and air interdictions, as well as other forms of drone warfare.
Non-combat
Non-combat roles of military aircraft include
Many civil aircraft, both fixed wing and rotary wing, have been produced in separate models for military use, such as the civilian
Military transport
Military transport (logistics) aircraft are primarily used to transport troops and war supplies. Cargo can be attached to pallets, which are easily loaded, secured for flight, and quickly unloaded for delivery. Cargo also may be discharged from flying aircraft on
Airborne early warning and control
An airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) system is an airborne radar system designed to detect aircraft, ships and ground vehicles at long ranges and control and command the battle space in an air engagement by directing fighter and attack aircraft strikes. AEW&C units are also used to carry out surveillance, including over ground targets and frequently perform C2BM (command and control, battle management) functions similar to an Airport Traffic Controller given military command over other forces. Used at a high altitude, the radars on the aircraft allow the operators to distinguish between friendly and hostile aircraft hundreds of miles away.
AEW&C aircraft are used for both defensive and offensive air operations, and are to the NATO and American trained or integrated air forces what the combat information center is to a naval vessel, plus a highly mobile and powerful radar platform. The system is used offensively to direct fighters to their target locations, and defensively in order to counterattacks by enemy forces, both air and ground. So useful is the advantage of command and control from a high altitude, the United States Navy operates AEW&C aircraft off its Supercarriers to augment and protect its carrier combat information center (CICs).
AEW&C is also known by the older terms "airborne early warning" (AEW) and "airborne warning and control system" (AWACS, /ˈeɪwæks/ ay-waks) although AWACS is the name of a specific system currently used by NATO and the USAF and is often used in error to describe similar systems.
Reconnaissance and surveillance
Reconnaissance aircraft are primarily used to gather intelligence. They are equipped with cameras and other sensors. These aircraft may be specially designed or may be modified from a basic fighter or bomber type. This role is increasingly being filled by
Surveillance and observation aircraft use radar and other sensors for battlefield surveillance,
Experimental
Experimental aircraft are designed in order to test advanced aerodynamic, structural, avionic, or propulsion concepts. These are usually well instrumented, with performance data telemetered on radio-frequency data links to ground stations located at the test ranges where they are flown. An example of an experimental aircraft is the Bristol 188.
See also
References
- ^ a b Gunston 1986, p. 274
- ^ Guilmartin, John F., Jr. "Military Aircraft." Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica, n.d. Web. 11 May 2015 (March 2015)
- ^ "History of Balloons in Warfare". bbrclub. Retrieved 2019-02-25.
- ^ a b "Aerial warfare during World War One". The British Library. Retrieved 2019-02-25.
- ^ "balloons in World War 2". www.century-of-flight.net. Retrieved 2019-02-25.
- ^ "The World's First Military Airplane". National Air and Space Museum. 2009-07-23. Retrieved 2019-02-25.
- OCLC 56387422.
- ^ "A brief history of rocketry". NASA Spacelink. Archived from the original on 5 August 2006. Retrieved 2006-08-19.
- ^ EA-18G Growler Boeing Retrieved January 20, 2016
- ^ Kawasaki P-1 Kawasaki Aerospace Company Retrieved January 20, 2017
- ^ P-8 Poseidon Boeing Retrieved January 20, 2017
- ^ Dwyer, Larry (17 September 1997). "Lockheed P38 Lightning". The Aviation History Online Museum
- ^ "Utility helicopter".
- Gunston, Bill (1986). Jane's Aerospace Dictionary. London, England: Jane's Publishing Company Limited. ISBN 0-7106-0365-7.
External links
Media related to Military aircraft at Wikimedia Commons