TYPES OF MILITARY AIRCRAFT

Mil acft are classified as bombers, fighter-bombers and attack acft, fighters, interceptors, observation acft, reconnaissance acft, special electronic installation acft, cargo acft, tankers, trainers and helicopters.

Bmrsare acft designed for bombing en tgts. Side by side with the ICBM and SLBM the piloted bmr is one of three wpns of vast destructive power. All three are capable of delivering thermo-nuclear warheads on to distant tgts. The crew members of a bmr are plt, copilot, navigator, aerial engineer, radio operator, bmdr, and a gunner. The main chars and performance of a bmr include a great max takeoff weight, heavy bomb load, large max range or fuel endurance, long safe takeoff and landing distances and a rather high cruising speed.

Ftr-bmrs and atk acft are designed to search out, atk and destroy en land and sea tgts, using conventional or special wpns. They are also used for interdiction and close air support msns. Unlike strat bmrs, tac atk acft normally operate over battle areas near their own airfields. Their plts must be able to find the tgts, whatever the conditions - even when those are highly mobile vehs such as tks and small naval cft - and destroy them. They must be sufficiently maneuverable to dodge gnd fire and msls, and to outfly en ftrs.

Ftrs are designed to intercept and destroy other acft and protect frd bmrs. They possess high absolute and service ceilings, great max and cruising speeds (of the order of Mach number 3), and a very high rate of climb. Their safe takeoff distance is usually relatively small due to both powerful turbojets giving tremendous thrust and boosters jettisoned after takeoff. The takeoff and landing speed of a jet ftr are also very high.

Obsn acft are designed to observe and report tac info concerning composition and dspo of en forces and supplies in an active combat area. Special electronic installation acft possess ECM capability or have electronic devices to permit employment as an early warning radar station. Cargo acft are designed for carrying cargo. Tankers are used for in-flight refueling of other acft. Trainers are acft employed for training pers in the operation of acft and/or related equip and having provisions for instructor personnel.

Some of the most essential chars and performance of an acft include: its type, power plant, crew, armt, payload, span, wing area, takeoff weight, takeoff and landing distances, fuel endurance, cruising and max speed, takeoff and landing speed, rate of climb, ceiling (absolute and service), cbt radius, and ferry range.