Military aircraft

(aerospace engineering) Aircraft that are designed or modified for highly specialized use by the armed services of a nation.

Aircraft that are designed for highly specialized military applications. Fixed-wing aircraft, rotary-wing aircraft, free-flight balloons, and blimps have all been used in both crewed and crewless flight modes for military purposes. See also Drone.

Bombers are usually characterized by relatively long range, low maneuverability, and large weapon-carrying capability. The use of aerial refueling by tanker aircraft gives most bombers a global range. Bombers may be equipped to deliver conventional or nuclear weapons in day, night, or adverse weather.

Aircraft that provide airborne early warning and control include a variant of the Russian Ilyushin IL-76 and the United States E-3A. Increasing numbers of the airborne early warning and control variant of the Russian Ilyushin IL-76 aircraft (NATO codename Mainstay) have been produced for early warning against low-altitude penetration and for air battle management. The U.S. Air Force Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), designated E-3A, is a versatile surveillance, command, and control center, designated to provide battle management in the conduct of air warfare.

Unlike bombers and AWACS aircraft, fighters are relatively short-range, highly maneuverable, fast aircraft, designed to destroy enemy aircraft and to attack ground targets. They can carry machine guns, cannons, rockets, guided missiles, and bombs, depending upon the mission. They may be interceptor fighters, designed to shoot down enemy airplanes or missiles during day, night, or adverse weather conditions. Other fighters may be designated for close-in attack of mobile enemy ground forces to provide close support for friendly ground troops. Some fighters, called fighter-bombers, can carry conventional or nuclear weapons several hundreds of kilometers behind enemy lines to strike priority ground targets.

The United States reconnaissance program provides capabilities to meet many peacetime and wartime information collection requirements. Reconnaissance resources include strategic, tactical standoff, and penetration aircraft systems that are flexible and responsive. Reconnaissance aircraft carry photographic, infrared, radar, and television sensors. These aircraft may be specially designed or may be modified from a basic fighter or bomber type. Some are equipped with special electronic gear for such purposes as submarine detection; others serve as picket planes for early warning of an enemy approach.

Transport aircraft provide dedicated logistic support to all types of military operations. Transport aircraft carry troops and war supplies. Many are adaptations of airplanes used by commercial airlines. The aerial tanker is a special-purpose transport aircraft. Fighters, bombers, and helicopters can refuel from tankers while in flight by means of special probe and drogue fittings. Another special-purpose transport is a gunship. This aircraft is equipped with rapid-fire weapons for saturation attack on ground targets.

Helicopters deserve special mention as military aircraft. They are unexcelled for rescue work and for delivery of people and material to otherwise inaccessible areas. Some helicopters are armed and serve as attack aircraft, providing gun and rocket fire against ground targets. Other helicopters deliver assault troops to advanced combat areas and supply them with ammunition and other needs. See also Helicopter.

Special-purpose research aircraft are occasionally designed, assembled, and tested in order to experiment with advanced aerodynamic, structural, avionic, or propulsion concepts that must be validated before they can be applied to other aircraft designs. Research aircraft 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. See also Aircraft testing.

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A military aircraft is any fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft that is in the current employ of a military power. Fixed-wing military aircraft are also known as Warplanes.

Combat aircraft divide broadly into fighters and bombers, with several in-between types such as fighter-bombers and ground-attack aircraft (including attack helicopters).

Other supporting roles are carried out by specialist patrol, search and rescue, reconnaissance, observation, transport, training and Tanker aircraft among others.

Many civil aircraft, both fixed wing and rotary, have been produced in separate models for military use, such as the civil Douglas DC-3 airliner, which became the military C-47/C-53/R4D transport in the U.S. military and the "Dakota" in the UK and the Commonwealth. Even the small fabric-covered two-seater Piper J3 Cub had a military version, the L-4 liaison, observation and trainer aircraft. Gliders and balloons have also been used as military aircraft; for example, balloons were used for observation during the American Civil War and World War I, and military gliders were used during World War II to land troops.

Contents 1 Categories 1.1 Non-combat military aircraft 2 Lists of military aircraft 3 Military aircraft designation systems 4 See also 5 External links

Categories

Non-combat military aircraft

Non-combat aircraft are not designed for combat as their primary function, but may carry weapons for self-defense. Categories include:

• Tanker
• Trainer
• Transport
• Surveillance aircraft or reconnaissance
• Observation balloon
• Military glider

Lists of military aircraft

• Canada - List of active Canadian military aircraft
• China - List of aircraft of the People's Liberation Army Air Force
• France - List of aircraft of the Armée de l'Air, World War II
• Germany - List of World War II military aircraft of Germany
• India - List of aircraft of the Indian Air Force
• Italy - List of aircraft of the Regia Aeronautica
• Japan - List of aircraft of Japan, World War II
• South Africa - List of aircraft of the South African Air Force
• Pakistan - List of aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force
• UK
  • Air Force - List of aircraft of the RAF
  • Navy - List of aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm
• US - List of military aircraft of the United States
• USSR and CIS - List of military aircraft of the Soviet Union and the CIS

Military aircraft designation systems

• Germany
  • Idflieg aircraft designation system
  • RLM aircraft designation system
• Japan - Japanese military aircraft designation systems
• UK - British military aircraft designation systems
• US - United States of America military aircraft designation systems
• USSR - USSR military aircraft designation systems

See also

• Military aviation
• Military aircraft insignia

External links

• The rec.aviation.military FAQ
• Federation of American Scientists
• Download Military Aircraft for Flight Simulator
• Strategic Air Command Aircraft 1946-current
• Designation-Systems.Net

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