Special Sub-Topic: Military Aircraft Functions Authored by: CANSpock Sub-topic of: Air Forces

What is the primary function of the McDonnell Douglas F-15C?

Tactical fighter. One of the best aircrafts in the U.S. arsenal, it has dual Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-100 turbofans, is capable of reaching speeds in excess of Mach 2.5, and has a service ceiling of 60,000 ft. They've also been sold to numerous other nations, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

What is the primary function of the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird?

Reconnaissance. It's a truely exceptional aircraft, capable of flying higher than 100,000 ft, at a speed up to Mach 3.5, with a range of 4000 miles w/o refuelling, and is equipped with stealth technology. It was developed to conduct high-altitude reconnaissance over the Soviet Union, flying well above the range of Soviet fighters and ground-based defences; though 32 Blackbirds were constructed and used by the USAF over a 26-year period, and were fired on over thousand times, none have ever been lost to enemy fire. It's no longer used by the USAF, but NASA still uses it. It is not capable of carrying any weapons though.

What is the primary function of the McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle?

Air-to-ground attack aircraft. It used to be one of the most impressive (and expensive) aircrafts in the USAF arsenal; like the F-15C, the F-15E is a fully capable air-to-air fighter, with the added capability of carrying a variety of air-to-ground munitions, including nuclear arms. A vast array of avionics and electronics systems gives the F-15E the capability to fight at low altitude - especially valuable, as it helps to avoid SAM launchers, day or night - and in bad weather, as well as to perform its primary function as an air-to-ground attack aircraft. The F-15E is a two-seat aircraft; the rear cockpit is reserved for the weapons system officer.

What is the primary function of the Lockheed F-16 Fighting Falcon?

Multirole fighter. It is one of the most versatile and relatively inexpensive aircrafts used by the USAF (and some others, including the IAF). Its single-engine design, however, makes it somewhat more vulnerable than dual-engine jets, such as the F-15.

What is the primary function of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25P Foxbat-A?

Interceptor. The initial version of the MiG-25, NATO codename 'Foxbat,' is capable of reaching Mach 3.2 speed and has a ceiling of over 88,000 ft.

What is the primary function of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Fishbed?

Fighter/interceptor. The MiG-21, NATO codename 'Fishbed', is one of the most popular jets ever. It was a basic Soviet fighter from 1959 onwards, and an estimated 10,000 to 13,000 thousand MIG-21's have been produced by the Soviet Union and its allies, as well as the People's Republic of China. Despite its age, it is still in use. This single-engine fighter is roughly equivalent to the F-4 Phantom II, and while not exceptional in any way, is a dependable plane, a real workhorse, and easy to maintain.

What is the primary function of the Boeing F/A-18C Hornet?

Multirole attack/fighter. Used by the US Navy and Marine Corps, the Hornet is a common sight on USN carrier decks. They're also used by Australia, Canada, Kuwait, Finland, Spain and Switzerland.

What is the primary function of the Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker?

Multirole fighter. In the late 60's, the Soviet Union decided that they needed a new fighter design capable of outperforming current, and soon-to-be-released NATO aircrafts, including the F-15 Eagle and the F-16 Fighting Falcon. The Soviet company Sukhoi OKB won the contract, and produced the Su-27, NATO codename 'Flanker.' A carrier-borne version of the Su-27, the Su-33, with canards and folding wings, has been tested on Russia's first large carriers. There is also a two-seat attack version, the Su-27IB or Su-34 - similar to the F-15E. The Su-27IB/Su-34 is somewhat unique in that, unlike most US two-seater jets currently in service (like the S-3 and EA-6B), its seats are set side-by-side.

What is the primary function of the Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II?

Close air support. AKA the Warthog, the A-10 is the first USAF aircraft especially designed for close air support of ground forces. The A-10 is equipped with a single 30mm GAU-8/A Gatling gun which fires depleted uranium slugs at a rate of 3900 per minute, and is capable of defeating all modern tank armour. These planes are very well armoured, and thus capable of surviving direct hits on the front screen from armour-piercing and high explosive projectiles up to 23mm in calibre, and the rest of the titanium-encased cockpit projectiles up to 37mm in calibre. The A-10 is somewhat vulnerable to other aircrafts, however, as its maximum velocity is just 420 miles per hour (Mach 0.56), but it is extremely manoeuvrable at low velocity and altitude, with half the turning radius of the F-16, the USAF's other main close air support aircraft.

What is the primary function of the Boeing B-1B Lancer?

Heavy bomber. The B-1, much like the B-17, B-26 and B-52 before, is a vital part of the USAF's long-range bomber force, providing rapid delivery of both guided and non-guided, nuclear and conventional munitions against any potential ground target anywhere on the planet quickly and effectively. Though its large size (44.5 metres in length) makes it rather difficult to manoeuvre, and it tops out at Mach 1.2, it is capable of intercontinental, non-refuelled flights, has a huge internal armament capacity, and has 1 percent of the radar cross-section of the B-52 Stratofortress - and if they can't see it, they can't kill it.