History Of Fighter Aircraft

A. Definition and History of Combat Aircraft

1. Understanding Fighter

Fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed to attack other aircraft in the air. Unlike the bomber, designed to strike targets on the surface. Relatively smaller fighter, fast, and agile. Fighter aircraft originally developed in World War I to deal with bombers and air balloon from commonly used for ground attack and reconnaissance.

Also a fighter plane used for the war in the air. Generally fighter slim shape, can move swiftly, bringing canon (machine gun) as well as missiles and bombs, high-speed, fitted with avionics equipment which is more than civil aircraft / passenger as opposed to radar that can detect and lock in long-range target opponent. Moreover, equipped with radar-jamming equipment and detractors, to enabled "stealth"

2. History Of Fighter Aircraft

At first people used kites to frighten the enemy, and provides information on the position of both friend and foe alike or even scare the enemy. This custom made by the ancient Chinese. Then the kite is equipped with humans to determine in detail the position of the opponent.

The discovery Zeppelin airship and also marked the development of military aircraft. Used from simply reconnaissance and used as bombers to bomb the enemy positions. Noted that utilize them are German zeppelins to bomb Britain in World War I. On the way planes are made and developed for the benefit of war and the battle in particular dogfight.

The first fighter aircraft originally a wooden double wing fed light machine gun. In World War II, more aircraft were made of metal, single-winged, and use machine guns embedded in the wings. After World War II, began to replace the turbojet engine piston engines, and missiles began to be used to replace the machine gun as the primary weapon.

Classification is based on the generation fighter aircraft. Use of this generation was originally used in the Russian defense officials, who called the F-22 Raptor fighter the United States as the "fifth generation".

B. Fighter Aircraft Structures

1. Based era

• World War I (1911-1935)
• World War II (1939-1945)
• Jet Era (1950-1970)
• Technology Improvement Era (1970-present)

2. By function

• Aircraft Burusergap
• Ground Attack Aircraft (Attack)
• Reconnaissance Aircraft
• Plane Bomber (Bomber)
• Fighter Practice
• Anti-Guerrilla Fighter (COIN)
• Multifunction Fighter

3. Based on the visible or invisible radar

• Conventional Fighter
• Stealth fighter