fighter jet
Military attack plane
A fighter jet is a fast, maneuverable military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat against other aircraft.
Modern fighter jets often serve multiple roles, including ground attack and reconnaissance.
The term distinguishes jet-powered fighters from earlier propeller-driven aircraft: Two fighter jets scrambled to intercept the unidentified plane.
Close combat between aircraft
- missileSelf-guided airborne weapon
- sortieArmed raid outward
- engagementCommitment to wed or attend
- air-to-airBetween flying craft
lock-on · targeting · strafing · interception · air superiority · kill ratio · bandit · bogey
Exhaust-stream fuel injector
- turbofanHigh-bypass aircraft engine
- turbojetTurbine-powered aircraft propulsion
- ramjetVelocity-fed aircraft engine
- supersonicExceeding audio velocity
mach · thrust · reheat · compressor · combustion · military power · scramjet · twin-engine
Pilot's control compartment
- pilotOne who steers aircraft
- takeoffDeparture or parody
- landingDescent's final moment
- runwayPaved path for planes
altimeter · throttle · ejection seat · g-force · roll · pitch · yaw · bank
Military aviation unit
- wingmanSupportive second in formation
- airforceAerial military branch
- carrierOne that transports
- deploymentOrganized distribution of resources
scramble · air defense · no-fly zone · tactical strike · reconnaissance · aggressor · ace · flight leader
Aircraft electronic equipment
- radarRadio-wave object detection
- stealthSecret, undetected movement
- HUDVisual information overlay
- fly-by-wireComputer-mediated aircraft steering
supercruise · FLIR · datalink · radar cross-section · glass cockpit
Mechanism for vertical transport
- dragResistance through fluid
- airfoilLift-generating curved surface
- angle of attackWing-to-airflow orientation
- thrustForceful forward motion
stall · streamline · winglet · vortex · airspeed · boundary layer · chord · camber
dogfight
Close combat between aircraft
- missileSelf-guided airborne weapon
- sortieArmed raid outward
- engagementCommitment to wed or attend
air-to-air · lock-on · targeting · strafing · interception · air superiority · kill ratio · bandit · bogey · guns
afterburner
Exhaust-stream fuel injector
- turbofanHigh-bypass aircraft engine
- turbojetTurbine-powered aircraft propulsion
- ramjetVelocity-fed aircraft engine
supersonic · mach · thrust · reheat · compressor · combustion · military power · scramjet · twin-engine · sonic boom
cockpit
Pilot's control compartment
runway · altimeter · throttle · ejection seat · g-force · roll · pitch · yaw · bank · climb
squadron
Military aviation unit
deployment · scramble · air defense · no-fly zone · tactical strike · reconnaissance · aggressor · ace · flight leader · combat readiness
avionics
Aircraft electronic equipment
fly-by-wire · supercruise · FLIR · datalink · radar cross-section · glass cockpit
lift
Mechanism for vertical transport
- dragResistance through fluid
- airfoilLift-generating curved surface
- angle of attackWing-to-airflow orientation
thrust · stall · streamline · winglet · vortex · airspeed · boundary layer · chord · camber · slats
F-16
American fighter jet
F-15 · Typhoon · Mirage · Tomcat · Eagle · Lightning · Phantom
- U.S. MilitaryArmy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, Pentagon
- US MilitaryArmy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Pentagon, West Point
- jet aircraftjetliner, Boeing 747, Boeing 737, Boeing 777, Airbus A380
- Cold War AircraftB-52, MiG-21, SR-71, U-2, MiG-15
- Soviet AviationMiG, Antonov, MiG-21, MiG-29, MiG-15
- vehiclescar, bus, truck, van, bike
fighter jetbomber
Explosive-delivery aircraft or saboteur
strategic bomber · cargo plane · transport aircraft · reconnaissance aircraft · surveillance drone
fighter jetairliner
Large commercial passenger plane
passenger jet · commercial aircraft · private jet · crop duster · Cessna
fighter jetbiplane
Aircraft with two wing levels
propeller plane · glider · ultralight · hot air balloon · blimp