Fighter Aircraft

A **fighter aircraft**, often referred to simply as a **fighter**, is a military fixed-wing aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat against other aircraft. The key performance features of a fighter include not only its firepower but also its high speed and maneuverability relative to the target aircraft.

## Overview

A fighter aircraft is primarily designed for air-to-air combat. A given type may be designed for specific combat conditions, and in some cases for additional roles such as air-to-ground fighting. There are several recognized types of fighters.

#### **Air Superiority**

An **air superiority fighter** is designed for entering and seizing control of enemy airspace as a means of establishing complete dominance over the enemy's air force. Air superiority fighters are designed primarily to effectively engage enemy fighters, more than other types of aircraft, although some may have a secondary role for air-to-ground strikes.

#### **Fighter-Bomber**

A **fighter-bomber** is a fighter aircraft that has been modified, or used primarily, as a light bomber or attack aircraft. It differs from bomber and attack aircraft primarily in its origins, as a fighter that has been adapted into other roles, whereas bombers and attack aircraft are developed specifically for bombing and attack roles.

#### **Heavy Fighter**

A **heavy fighter** is a fighter aircraft designed to carry heavier weapons or operate at longer ranges than light fighter aircraft. To achieve acceptable performance, most heavy fighters were twin-engine, and many had multi-place crews.

#### **Interceptor**

An **interceptor aircraft**, or simply **interceptor**, is a type of fighter aircraft designed specifically for the defensive interception role against an attacking enemy aircraft, particularly bombers and reconnaissance aircraft.

#### **Light Fighter**

A **Light fighter** or **lightweight fighter** is a fighter aircraft towards the low end of the practical range of weight, cost, and complexity over which fighters are fielded. The light or lightweight fighter retains carefully selected competitive features, in order to provide cost-effective design and performance.

#### **All-Weather Fighter (including Night Fighter)**

A **night fighter** (also known as **all-weather fighter** or **all-weather interceptor** for a period of time after World War II is a fighter aircraft adapted for use at night or in other times of bad visibility.

#### **Reconnaissance Fighter**

A **reconnaissance aircraft** (colloquially, a **spy plane**) is a military aircraft designed or adapted to perform aerial reconnaissance with roles including collection of imagery intelligence (including using photography), signals intelligence, as well as measurement and signature intelligence. Modern technology has also enabled some aircraft and UAVs to carry out real-time surveillance in addition to general intelligence gathering.

#### **Strategic Fighter (including Escort and Strike Fighter)**

A **strategic fighter** is a fast, well-armed and long-range fighter aircraft, capable of fulfilling roles such as Escort fighter protecting bombers, penetration fighter carrying out offensive sorties of its own far into enemy territory and of maintaining standing combat air patrols at significant distance from its home base.

## Fighter Aircraft in the New World

### Third Civilization Area and Outside the Civilization Areas

The primary 'fighter aircraft' in this region is the Wyvern and its mutated variants. They are considered by Japan be worthless in terms of air-superiority, as they cannot effectively engage other aerial opponents with their easy to dodge fire blasts, slower speeds, lower altitudes and the fact that they are living beings. They have a slight advantage in terms of slow-speed maneuverability, but that is not enough to compensate against its propeller-driven and jet counterparts. The wyvern's primary role in combat is either as a fighter-bomber against enemy formations and fortifications, as well as recon and patrol.

### Second Civilization Area

Though some nations still utilize wyverns, other countries such as Mu, have embraced the idea of fighter aircraft with the Marin. In addition to air-superiority, the Marin can also take on the role of fighter-bomber, interceptor and reconnaissance. However, in addition, Mu has the X Shinden Kai, which is used as a point-interceptor against the high-altitude Guti Maun bomber.

### Gra Valkas Empire

The primary fighter aircraft of the Gra Valkas Empire's Army Air Corps is the Antares Fighter. In addition to air-superiority, the plane has also taken on the role of interceptor, escort, reconnaissance, and fighter-bomber. However, the Gra Valkas air force also boasts a variety of bomber aircraft, including the Vega Twin-engined Bomber and the Guti Maun.

### First Civilization Area

The Holy Milishial Empire does have an air-superiority fighter with the Alpha-3 Fighter. Along with the fighter-bomber the Beta-2, the Empire was considered to be the only nation with jet-powered aircraft, before the arrival of Japan. However, both types of fighters proved to be inferior to both Japan's and the Gra Valkas Empire's.

### Japan

Japan's premier air superiority fighter is the Mitsubishi F-15J, while its best fighter-bomber is the Mitsubishi F-2. However, both planes can also be used interchangeably as air-superiority and fighter-bombers. Furthermore, they can also take on the roles of interceptors, reconnaissance and especially strategic fighters. In addition to the F-15J and F-2, Japan also has the Mitsubishi F-4 Phantom II for reconnaissance, and is currently building the Mitsubishi X-2 Shinshin to fulfill even more roles.