What is the job of a fighter pilot?

Answer 1

A fighter pilot's mission is to defend, by destroying enemy bombers; and destroy enemy fighters trying to shoot down bombers under his escort. Ultimately, both actions normally result in aerial combat (dog-fighting) with other fighter planes. As the enemy bombers will often have fighter escort; and when escorting bombers himself, enemy pursuit/intercepters will be sent up after those planes and he'll have to engage them too. Bottom line: a fighter pilot's job is "dog-fighting" (aerial combat). If no aircraft are available to fight; he'll conduct secondary missions such as supporting ground troops or attacking ground targets with machine gun/cannon fire (strafing).