List of fighter aircraft
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of Fighter aircraft, sorted by the general design principles of the era that they were produced. It uses the concept of "generations" of jet fighter aircraft, a modern grouping that is largely based on claims of a "fifth generation" of fighter aircraft. The assignment of any given aircraft to a group is often contentious, and different sources may assign the same aircraft to different groupings.
World War I aircraft
Interwar period aircraft
World War II aircraft
Post-World War II piston-engine and hybrid propulsion fighters
First generation jet fighters
The early aircraft of this group entered production during the closing years of World War II with planform similar to their piston counterparts. Later transonic aircraft, such as the MiG-15, are sometimes referred to as a "second generation" and the end of this generation is very loose.
United States
- Bell P-59 Airacomet
- Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star
- Republic F-84 Thunderjet
- Republic F-84F Thunderstreak
- North American F-86 Sabre
- Northrop F-89 Scorpion
- Lockheed F-94 Starfire
- North American FJ-1 Fury
- North American FJ-2/3/4 Fury
- McDonnell F2H Banshee
- McDonnell F3H Demon
- Douglas F3D Skyknight
- Douglas F4D Skyray
- Vought F7U Cutlass
- Grumman F9F Panther
Second generation jet fighters
The beginning of this generation is blurry, but aircraft that were designed for missile armament and supersonic speed are generally considered to be at least second generation.
Third generation jet fighters
Third generation aircraft were based on the wrong assumption that air to air missiles would replace dogfighting, and many were initially built without internal gun armament.
Fourth generation jet fighters
Fourth generation fighters had a renewed focus on maneuverability and many were again designed with an internal gun armament.
4.5th generation jet fighters
This "half generation" is a term defined by the United States Government as fourth generation aircraft that have vastly improved avionics (digital fly-by-wire), sensors (Active Electronically Scanned Array radars), high speed data links and the ability to carry the latest weapons.[4] Some sources refer to some members of this group as fourth or 4++ generation aircraft instead.
France
- Dassault Rafale ("F4 standard" with Thales RBE2 AESA in 2012)[5][6]
Russia
- Mikoyan MiG-29K 'Fulcrum D' (With digital fly-by-wire,Radar signature reduction measures and Zhuk-AE AESA upgrade in development)
- Mikoyan MiG-31BM (With Zaslon-M PESA)
- Sukhoi Su-32/34 'Fullback' (only PESA)
- Sukhoi Su-35 'Flanker E' (only PESA)
- Russia /
India
- Su-30MKI 'Flanker H' (AESA upgrade in 2012)
Sweden
- Saab 39 'Gripen' (With Finmeccanica-Selex radar)
United Kingdom / 
Germany / 
Italy / 
Spain
- Eurofighter Typhoon (with Captor-E)
- United States
- McDonnell Douglas / Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle(CAS provides only partial fly-by-wire and AN/APG-82(V)1 upgrade in development)
- Lockheed Martin F-16E/F Block 60
- Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
Technology demonstrators
- Russia
- Sukhoi Su-47 'Firkin' (maiden flight achieved in 1997)
- Mikoyan Project 1.44 'Flatpack' (maiden flight in 2000)
In Development
People's Republic of China
- Chengdu J-10B(maiden flight achieved in 2008)[1]
- Shenyang J-11B/BS
South Korea
- KF-X(Introduction designated to be around 2020)
- Russia
- Mikoyan MiG-35 'Fulcrum F'(maiden flight achieved in 2007)
- United States
- McDonnell Douglas / Boeing F-15SE Silent Eagle(maiden flight planned for 2010)
- India
- HAL Tejas-Currently in pre production.
Fifth generation jet fighters
These aircraft are, as of 2009, the current state of the art. Many are still in the design stage and only the F-22 Raptor is currently in service.
In Service
Under Development
- People's Republic of China
- Shenyang J-XX (IOC planned for 2017 to 2019)[7][8]
- India
- Russia / India
- Sukhoi PAK FA/T50 and Sukhoi/HAL FGFA (maiden flight expected in 2009, IOC in 2015)[11]
- Mikoyan-Gurevich LMFS project 1.27
- United States
- Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II (maiden flight achieved in 2006)
Technology demonstrators
Japan
- Mitsubishi ATD-X (maiden flight expected in 2014)
- United States
- Lockheed Martin YF-22 (maiden flight in 1990)
- Northrop YF-23 Black Widow II (maiden flight in 1990)
- Boeing Bird of Prey (maiden flight achieved in 1996)
- McDonnell Douglas X-36 (maiden flight in 1997)
- Lockheed Martin X-35 (maiden flight in 2000)
- Boeing X-32 JSF (X-32A maiden flight in 2000, X-32B maiden flight in 2001)
See also
References
- ^ a b Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, famous for developing the fourth-generation J-10 fighter
- ^ P. Parameswaran, "U.S., Russia, China Vying To Sell Fighters in Asia", Defense News (defensenews.com homepage), published 23 Mar 11:47 EDT (15:47 GMT), URL: http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=3441039, retrieved 05 November 2009. Quote from article: "Pakistan, for example, is co-developing a very low cost fourth-generation FC-1 fighter with China..."
- ^ http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/stuck-in-sichuan-pakistani-jf17-program-grounded-02984/
- ^ CRS RL33543, Tactical Aircraft Modernization: Issues for Congress July 09, 2009
- ^ THALES’S RBE2 AESA RADAR SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETES NEW SERIES OF TESTS
- ^ Some sources refer to Rafales fielded with all of these modifications as Rafale F4s, but the type has not been formally defined yet.
- ^ 凤凰军事网, 中国空军副司令首曝：国产第四代战机即将首飞 November 09, 2009 English translation using Google Translate: http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&sl=zh-CN&tl=en&u=http://news.ifeng.com/mil/2/200911/1109_340_1426743.shtml&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.co.uk&usg=ALkJrhinWCBSZ5wNFM8q42zGQVc7QGcnJQ]
- ^ China may complete the realization and enter its fifth generation fighter stealth into service within the next 8-10 years.
- ^ "India starts to work on a new aircraft MCA"
- ^ "Poster in Aero-India 2009 Showing MCA's Features"
- ^ Russia's fifth-generation fighter jets to start trials
|
||||||||||||||
