Light combat aircraft
A Light combat aircraft is a light multirole jet military aircraft most coming from advanced trainers that have been modified or designed for engaging in light combat missions, either in light strike or attack missions, reconnaissance or interdiction roles while some keeping its trainer role.[1][2] They are also slower than their bigger counterparts and most are only capable of subsonic speeds though some are capable of reaching mach 1+.[3] Although equipped with either guns or short range air-to-air missiles[4] it is usually for self-defense purpose or anti-hostile aircraft/helicopter missions not for air defense as lightweight fighters do, though some are capable of air to air combat or point air defense missions due to integrated or have variants capable of carrying powerful multi-mode radar systems,[5][6][7] most LCAs don't have such due to their small limited design or are less powerful. However they can still be used to patrol the skies and implement border patrol or air policing.[8][9][10] These aircraft are usually smaller and more lightly armed than the bigger multirole or strike aircraft such as the American F-18, F-15E Strike Eagle or Russian Mig-29. Most LCAs are armed with either bombs, rockets or gun pods used for COIN or CAS missions. Some aircraft have been developed to integrate more advanced armaments such as smart bombs and air to ground missiles, ECM pods (Electronic Countermeasure) and electronic targeting systems for better mission capability.[11][12][13][14][15][16]
Gallery
Active
| Country | Manufacturer | Aircraft | Introduced | Variants | Development | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 United States |
Northrop Corporation | F-5 | 1962 | Canadair CF-5 Shaped Sonic Boom Demonstration Northrop F-20 Tigershark |
Designed as a multirole light combat aircraft | 
|
 Iran |
HESA | Azarakhsh | 1997 | HESA Saeqeh HESA Kowsar |
Designed as a multirole light combat aircraft, derived from the F-5 | 
|
 Czech Republic |
Aero Vodochody | L-159 ALCA | 2000 | L-159T1,T2,A/B | Designed as a multirole light combat aircraft derived from the L-59 |
|
 Germany France |
Dornier of Germany and Dassault-Breguet of France |
Alpha jet MS2, ATS | 1973 | Jet A/B,2 | MS and ATS variant modified and upgraded | 
|
 Italy |
Alenia Aermacchi | M-346FA/FT | 2004 | M-346 trainer | Improved and modified M346FA/FT for multirole fighter and attack missions | 
|
| MB-339C | 1979 | A/B | C variant modified and upgraded | 
| ||
 Republic of Korea |
Korea Aerospace Industries | TA-50 | 2005 | T-50/FA-50 | 2nd variant, evolution from the T-50 AJT, modified and upgraded | 
|
 United Kingdom |
BAE Systems MAS Division | BAE Hawk 200 | 1976 | Hawk 100 | Developed and re-designed from Hawk trainer, upgraded weapons and sensors for air-to-air, air-to-ground and maritime roles | 
|
 Yugoslavia |
Aeronautical Technical Institute | G-4MD Super Galeb | 1983 | G-4/S | 4M variant modified and upgraded | 
|
 China Pakistan |
Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) of China,Pakistan Aeronautical Complex(PAC) | JF-17 | 2007 | JF-17B | Designed as a light multi-role combat aircraft | .jpg)
|
| China |
Hongdu | L-15 | 2010 | A, AW, B, Z, JL-10 | Designed as an advanced trainer, and light combat aircraft. | 
|
 India |
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited | HAL Tejas | 2015 | Navy variant | Mark-1 to be developed into Mark-1A and Mark-2 | .jpg)
|
 Russia |
Yakovlev | YAK-130 | 1996 | YAK-131 | Designed as a light attack/fighter/trainer | .jpg)
|
See also
References
- ^ Reed Business Information Limited. "PICTURES: KAI rolls out first production T/A-50". flightglobal.com.
{{cite web}}:|author=has generic name (help) - ^ Wright 1992, p. 251
- ^ "The Aermacchi M-346 advanced trainer breaks the sound barrier. After 50 years an all-Italian aircraft flies at Mach 1" (PDF) (Press release). Alenia Aermacchi. 2008. Retrieved 19 February 2012.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "[사진] 국산 초음속 경공격기 "발사"". joinsmsn.com. Archived from the original on 2012-04-26.
- ^ "Aero L-159 Alca" (PDF). Archived from the original (pdf) on November 2, 2004.
- ^ Reed Business Information Limited. "T/A-50 makers plan Israeli pitch". flightglobal.com.
{{cite web}}:|author=has generic name (help) - ^ "British Aerospace Hawk 100 & Hawk 200". militaryaviation.eu. Archived from the original on 2015-02-14. Retrieved 2015-03-07.
- ^ http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/czech-l-159s-cheap-to-good-home-03494/
- ^ http://www.military-today.com/aircraft/dornier_alpha_jet.htm
- ^ http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/p005614.pdf
- ^ T-50 Golden Eagle Jet Trainer and Light Attack Aircraft, South Korea. Air Force Technology.
- ^ "국방일보". dema.mil.kr.
- ^ http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/08/11/310538/serbian-air-force-targets-fleet-modernisation.html
- ^ http://bemil.chosun.com/nbrd/data/10040/upfile/201009/20100925140812_2.jpg
- ^ https://www.leonardocompany.com/en/-/focus-aermacchi-m346fa-multirole
- ^ https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/m-346fa-fighter-attack-aircraft/
