Multirole combat aircraft

A multirole (or multi-role) combat aircraft is an aircraft that can be used as both a fighter aircraft and a ground attack aircraft. They are lighter and less powerful than air superiority fighters.

A multirole fighter is differentiated from a strike fighter in that the multirole fighter was designed to equally perform both aerial combat and ground attack, while the strike fighter is typically a fighter aircraft that can also employ air-to-ground munitions.

Contents [hide]
1 History of the term
2 Examples
3 See also
4 References
5 External links


[edit] History of the term

The Su-30MKI a Russian designed multi-role aircraftMulti-Role Combat Aircraft was the title of a multinational European project in 1968 that became the Panavia Tornado aircraft. During its development, the project had also been briefly called Multi-Role Aircraft (MRA).

[edit] Examples
Listed below are examples of multirole combat aircraft and the country where they have been developed:

Region Country Aircraft Notes
Europe United Kingdom,
West Germany
and Italy Panavia Tornado The original aircraft titled "Multi-Role Combat Aircraft" and to have the word "Multi-Role" in its title
United Kingdom,
Germany,
Italy and
Spain. Eurofighter Typhoon Described as a highly agile Air Superiority and Air-to-Surface, multi-role/swing-role fighter" by the manufacturers and users.[1][2]
France Dassault Mirage 2000
Dassault Rafale Alternately described as an "omni-role fighter/fighter-bomber" by the manufacturer
Sweden SAAB JAS 39 Gripen
Russia Sukhoi Su-35
Sukhoi Su-30
Mikoyan MiG-35
Mikoyan MiG-29
North America United States F-4 Phantom II
F-16 Fighting Falcon The F-16 is multirole fighter used by many members of NATO
F/A-18 Hornet and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet The 'A' in "F/A" explicitly denotes the joint Attack role of the F/A-18 ('F' = Fighter)
F-35 Lightning II
Asia People's Republic of China Shenyang J-11
People's Republic of China Chengdu J-10
People's Republic of China and Pakistan JF-17 Thunder
People's Republic of China Shenyang J-8
People's Republic of China Xian JH-7A
People's Republic of China Chengdu J-7
China and Russia Sukhoi Su-30MKK Used by the PLA Air Force ('K' = Kitayski, China)
India and Russia Sukhoi Su-30MKI
India HAL Tejas

[edit] See also
Ground attack aircraft
Interceptor aircraft
Tactical bomber
[edit] References
^ Eurofighter Typhoon is a highly agile Air Superiority and Air-to-Surface, multi-role/swing-role weapon system
^ RAF: F2 standard will be deployed primarily as air-superiority fighters
[edit] External links
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