Editing Military aircraft (section)

== {{Anchor|Combat aircraft}} Combat==
Combat aircraft, or "warplanes", are divided broadly into ''fighters'', ''bombers'', ''attackers'', ''electronic warfare'', ''maritime'', ''multirole'', and ''unmanned'' aircraft. Variations exist between them, including [[fighter-bomber]]s, such as the [[Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23|MiG-23]] [[ground-attack aircraft]] and the Soviet [[Ilyushin Il-2]]. Also included among combat aircraft are long-range [[maritime patrol aircraft]], such as the [[Hawker Siddeley Nimrod]] and the [[S-3 Viking]] that are often equipped to attack with [[anti-ship missile]]s and [[anti-submarine warfare|anti-submarine weapons]].

[[File:Sukhoi_Su-30SM_in_flight_2014.jpg|upright=0.9|thumb|[[Sukhoi Su-30]] [[fighter aircraft]]]]
[[File:AH64D Longbow Apache - Duxford Autumn Airshow 2010 (modified).jpg|upright=0.9 |alt=|thumb|[[AgustaWestland Apache|AW Apache]] [[attack helicopter]]]]
[[File:Battle of Britain Memorial flight Avro Lancaster (cropped).jpg|upright=0.9|thumb|[[Avro Lancaster]] [[bomber]]]]
[[File:IAF-F-35I-2016-12-13-nf.jpg|upright=0.9|alt=|thumb|[[Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II|LM F-35]] [[multirole combat aircraft]]]]
[[File:MQ-9 Reaper UAV.jpg|upright=0.9|thumb|[[General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper]] [[UCAV]]]]
[[File:Beriev Be-12P-200 Chaika AN0198039.jpg|upright=0.9|thumb|[[Beriev Be-12]] [[maritime patrol aircraft]]]]

===Fighters===
{{Main|Fighter aircraft|Night fighter|Day fighter|Escort fighter|Air superiority fighter|Interceptor aircraft|Fighter-bomber|Strike fighter|Light fighter|Heavy fighter|Strategic fighter|Bomber destroyer}}

The primary role of fighters is destroying enemy aircraft in air-to-air combat, as part of both offensive and defensive counter air operations. Many fighters also possess a degree of ground attack capability, allowing them to perform surface attack and close air support missions. In addition to their counter air duties they are tasked to perform escort mission for bombers or other aircraft. Fighters are capable of carrying a variety of weapons, including machine guns, autocannons, [[Rocket (weapon)|rockets]], guided missiles, and [[aerial bomb|bombs]]. Many modern fighters can attack enemy fighters from a great distance, before the enemy even sees or detects them. Examples of such fighters include the [[F-35 Lightning II]], [[F-22 Raptor]], [[F-15 Eagle]], and [[Su-27]].

===Attack aircraft===
{{Main|Attack aircraft|Gunship|Attack Helicopter|Counter-insurgency aircraft}}

Attack aircraft can be used to provide support for friendly ground troops. Some are able to carry conventional or [[Nuclear weapon|nuclear weapons]] far behind enemy lines to strike priority ground targets. [[Attack helicopter]]s [[Anti-tank weapon#Helicopters|attack enemy armor]] and provide [[close air support]] for ground troops. An example of a historical ground-attack aircraft is the Soviet [[Ilyushin Il-2]]. Several types of transport airplanes have been armed with sideways firing weapons as [[gunship]]s for ground attack. These include the [[AC-47]] and [[AC-130]] gunships.

===Bombers===
{{Main|Bomber|Night bomber|Strategic bomber|Heavy bomber|Medium bomber|Light bomber|Dive bomber|Torpedo bomber|Interdictor}}

Bombers are normally larger, heavier, and less maneuverable than fighter aircraft. They are capable of carrying large payloads of bombs, torpedoes or cruise missiles. Bombers are used almost exclusively for ground attacks and are not fast or agile enough to take on enemy fighters head-to-head. Some have a single engine and require one pilot to operate, while others have two or more engines and require crews of two or more. A limited number of bombers, such as the [[B-2 Spirit]], have [[Stealth aircraft|stealth]] capabilities that keep them from being detected by enemy radar. An example of a conventional modern bomber would be the [[B-52 Stratofortress]]. An example of a World War II bomber would be a [[B-17 Flying Fortress]]. An example of a World War I bomber would be a [[Handley Page O/400]]. Bombers include [[light bomber]]s, [[medium bomber]]s, [[heavy bomber]]s, [[dive bomber]]s, and [[torpedo bomber]]s.

===Multirole===
{{Main|Multirole combat aircraft|Fighter-bomber|Strike fighter|Light combat aircraft|Armed helicopter|Utility helicopter}}

Many combat aircraft in the modern day have multirole capabilities. Normally only applied to fixed-wing aircraft, the term signifies the ability to transition between air-to-air and air-to-ground roles, sometimes even during the same mission. An example of a multirole design is the [[F-15E Strike Eagle]], [[Eurofighter Typhoon]], [[Dassault Rafale]] and [[Panavia Tornado]]. A World War II example would be the [[P-38 Lightning]].<ref>Dwyer, Larry (17 September 1997). "[http://www.aviation-history.com/lockheed/p38.html Lockheed P38 Lightning]". The Aviation History Online Museum</ref> A [[utility helicopter]] could also count as a multirole aircraft and can fill roles such as [[close-air support]], [[air assault]], [[military logistics]], [[CASEVAC]], [[medical evacuation]], [[command and control]], and [[military transport helicopter|troop transport]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thefreedictionary.com/Utility+helicopter | title=Utility helicopter }}</ref>

===Unmanned ===
{{main|Unmanned combat aerial vehicle}}

[[Unmanned combat aerial vehicle]]s (UCAV) have no crew, but are controlled by a remote operator. They may have varying degrees of [[Unmanned aerial vehicle#Degree of autonomy|autonomy]]. UCAVs are often armed with [[Aerial bomb|bombs]], [[air-to-surface missile]]s, or other [[Aircraft ordnance|aircraft ordinance]]. Their uses typically include [[targeted killing]]s, [[Precision-guided munition|precision airstrikes]], and [[air interdiction]]s, as well as other forms of [[drone warfare]].

===Electronic warfare===
{{Main|Electronic-warfare aircraft}}

An electronic warfare aircraft is a military aircraft equipped for [[electronic warfare]], i.e. degrading the effectiveness of enemy radar and radio systems. They are generally modified versions of other preexisting aircraft. A recent example would be the [[Boeing EA-18G Growler|EA-18G Growler]], which is a modified version of the [[Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet|F/A-18F Super Hornet]].<ref>[http://www.boeing.com/defense/ea-18g-growler/ EA-18G Growler] ''[[Boeing]]'' Retrieved January 20, 2016</ref>

===Patrol===
{{Main|Maritime patrol aircraft}}

A maritime patrol aircraft is a fixed-wing military aircraft designed to operate for long durations over water in maritime patrol roles—in particular [[Anti-submarine warfare|anti-submarine]], [[Anti-surface warfare|anti-ship]], and [[search and rescue]]. Some patrol aircraft were designed for this purpose, like the [[Kawasaki P-1]].<ref>[http://global.kawasaki.com/en/mobility/air/aircrafts/p_1.html Kawasaki P-1] ''[[Kawasaki Aerospace Company]]'' Retrieved January 20, 2017</ref> Many others are modified designs of pre-existing aircraft, such as the [[Boeing P-8 Poseidon]], which is based on the [[Boeing 737 Next Generation|Boeing 737-800]] airliner.<ref>[http://www.boeing.com/defense/maritime-surveillance/p-8-poseidon/index.page P-8 Poseidon] ''[[Boeing]]'' Retrieved January 20, 2017</ref> While the term maritime patrol aircraft generally refers to fixed wing aircraft, other aircraft types, such as blimps and helicopters, have also been used in the same roles.