Aircraft, Fighter

The fighter aircraft is an aircraft principally designed to be employed in combat against other aircraft to secure control of the air. It is the primary means by which air superiority is gained and by which ground forces, naval fleets, or other air assets may prosecute tactical or strategic operations with a measure of protection from enemy air attack. The modern [Page 76]fighter is a relatively small, single- or twin-engine design, crewed by one pilot. Fighter-interceptors generally possess greater range and are more likely to be twin engined and twin crewed. The fighter’s design characteristics include high speed, high rate of climb, maneuverability, and effective avionics and weapons suites. The fighter aircraft, in all its permutations, has remained an integral part of air forces since ...