Military Aircraft

All branches of the United States Armed Forces use aircraft to carry out a broad range of missions and operations. This can include aerial warfare, transport, logistical support, reconnaissance, and more. Military aircraft includes bombers, fighters, transport aircraft, training aircraft, and reconnaissance aircraft. The Air Force, Navy, Army, Marines, and Coast Guard all use a variety of aircraft to carry out missions.

Unsurprisingly, the largest inventory of aircraft in the armed forces belongs to the Air Force. The Air Force fleet comprises all types of aircraft from air superiority fighters like the F-22 Raptor, F-15 Eagle, and F-35A Lightning II, to the President’s Air Force One, and everything in between. Military aircraft can be divided into 8 categories: airborne early warning aircraft, bombers, fighters, multi-role combat, ground-attack, reconnaissance, training, and transport.

Airborne early warning aircraft are used to provide advanced warning of enemy activities, so as to reduce the chance of surprise. Many early warning aircraft also have command functions that allow them to direct friendly fighters onto incoming combatants. A bomber is an aircraft capable of delivering large payloads of explosive bombs to targets. Many bombers sacrifice speed and maneuverability to maximize their payload. The purpose of fighter aircraft is to establish and maintain air superiority. To achieve this, fighter aircraft use a combination of speed, maneuverability, and a variety of weapons such as machine guns and guided missiles. A multirole combat aircraft can be considered the combination of a fighter and bomber. The specific mission will dictate what attack capabilities are required.

Ground-attack aircraft support ground troops by weakening or destroying enemy defenses. The most common example of ground-attack aircraft is helicopter gunships, though specialized ground attack aircraft can also carry out close air support for ground troops. Reconnaissance aircraft and scout helicopters are used to gather data and intelligence and are commonly equipped with photographic, infrared, radar, and television sensors. The need for reconnaissance aircraft is currently diminishing as the role can be undertaken by spy satellites and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Training aircraft are critical in the instruction of new pilots to learn specialized roles like air combat. Older aircraft are typically used for this purpose. Transport aircraft play a crucial role in the logistical operations of the armed forces. They can carry cargo on pallets for quick unloading, and also haul personnel.  Aerial tankers are also considered transport aircraft, which serve to refuel other aircraft in mid-flight to extend their flight range during important missions.