However, they can be separated into one of five different categories, known as generations based on their age, tactical configuration and the technology found onboard. Instead, it relied entirely on newly-introduced air-to-air missilesthe radar-guided AIM-7 Sparrow, the heat-seeking AIM-9 Sidewinder and the older AIM-4 Falcon. In the Korean War, the U.S. Air Force had shot down between six and 10 enemy fighters for every one of its aircraft lost in air-to-air combat. Germany flew upgraded F-4Fs until 2013, and maintains them in stock in case of future need. From the quiz author. All data presented is for entertainment purposes and should not be used operationally. Some late derivatives of the early types, such as the F-15SA Strike Eagle for Saudi Arabia, have included upgrading to FBW. Guns proved unsuitable at such high speeds, while the need for multirole capability in battlefield support was rediscovered. How could the F-4 possibly keep up in this new environment? In some respects, yes, if you discount the fact the J-8 stemmed from a modernization of the MiG-21F. Worse, American pilots werent trained for close range dogfights, as the Air Force assumed air-to-air engagements would occur at long range with missiles. On the other hand, the rules-of-engagement over Vietnam prohibited U.S. pilots from shooting at unidentified targets beyond visual range, further crippling the advantages of the missiles. Its a heavy, twin-engine, two-seat fighterand an agile dogfighter. Low-observable radar technology emerged as an important development. Due to the widely varying missions third gen fighters would be used in, third gen fighters were given a wide range of new avionics systems, including beyond visual range radars, terrain-warning systems and electronic countermeasures (ECMs) for fooling enemy radars. Iran received 225 F-4s from the United States prior to the Iranian Revolution. The 2020s have had 20 kilometers of wiring replaced for a net loss of 1,600 pounds in weight. In 2004, Aerospaceweb listed one such division into five generations. This will make the 3rd generation fighters vulnerable and unarmed, which reignites the flexibility of the 4th generation fighters. Baker 2018, Chapter 1: Genesis of the Generations. An unstable aircraft can therefore be made more maneuverable. Experience the power of a third-generation, semi-American aircraft. Two sub-variants of the Phantom also distinguished themselvesthe RF-4 photo reconnaissance plane, optimized for speed, and the Wild Weasel, specialized in attacking enemy surface-to-air missiles defenses. Military Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. These formed the backbone of the Iranian fighter force during the nine-year-long war with Iraq. F-8 Crusader (USA)1957 3rd generation fighter jet. France introduced its first indigenous AESA radar, the RBE2-AESA built by Thales in February 2012[19] for use on the Rafale. Similarly, new aerodynamic inventions such as swing wings and/or variable thrust were used on many third gen fighters, helping increase both speed and range as well. The aircraft serves in an aggressor-training role with simulation capability of current threat aircraft in fighter combat mode. The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is an American twin-engine, all-weather, single-seat, stealth, and fifth-generation fighter jet. Recognizing the increased obsolescence of fourth generation fighters, but also the lack of funding for new fighters nearing and following the end of the Cold War, aircraft manufacturers began developing what are sometimes called 4.5 generation fighters. Despite a design dating back to the early 1960s, the J-8 is a capable third gen fighter. To offset this, IRST systems can incorporate a laser rangefinder in order to provide full fire-control solutions for cannon fire or for launching missiles. Different authorities have identified different technology jumps as the key ones, dividing fighter development into different numbers of generations. The Phantoms fundamental flaws were corrected by 1970while more recently, Phantoms have had their avionics and ordnance upgraded to modern standards. More than 5,000 of these heavy supersonic fighters were built, and hundreds continue to serve and even see combat in several air forces today. This is why many fifth gen fighters have much straighter lines than fighters from previous generations: its about reflecting those signals in any direction thats not directly back at the radar. The Phantoms flown by the Turkish and Greek air forces both have modern pulse-doppler radars, which give the F-4 look down-shoot down capabilities. But its somewhat of an anomaly. As combat aircraft are essentially weapons platforms, these capabilities mean that the F-4s can handle most of the same offensive tasks a fourth-generation F-15 or Su-27 fighter can do. For the next-generation F-22 and F-35, the U.S. will use low probability of intercept capacity. So they began searching for another way to power their aircraft: jet propulsion. Such a 4th generation aircraft requires a computerised FBW flight control system (FLCS) to maintain its desired flight path.[10]. Infrared-homing AAMs saw their fields of view expand to 45, which strengthened their tactical usability. The F-4 saw extensive use in Israeli service, scoring 116 air-to-air kills against the Egyptian and Syrian air forces, starting in 1969 during the War of Attrition. Also From TNI: Donald Trump: The Worst President Ever? With many air forces using their second gen fighters in roles beyond aerial superiority, third generation fighters were designed for multirole capabilities. McDonnell Douglas F-4G Phantom II Contents 1 Development 2 Electronics 3 Weapons 4 Specialization 5 Aircraft 5.1 Canceled Aircraft 6 References Development The concept of a third generation fighter is perhaps best exemplified by the F-4 Phantom, an aircraft synonymous with the Vietnam War. Fifth gen fighters have inherited the maneuverability of their fourth and 4.5 gen predecessors (and are arguably more so) but have lost some of the speed associated with these generations due to more pressing operational requirements. All developed and/or introduced in between 1960-1975. In the Korean War, the U.S. Air Force had shot down between six and 10 enemy fighters for every one of its aircraft lost in air-to-air combat. [14][15][16] An EF T1 DA (Development Aircraft trainer version) demonstrated supercruise (1.21M) with 2 SRAAM, 4 MRAAM and drop tank (plus 1-tonne flight-test equipment, plus 700kg more weight for the trainer version) during the Singapore evaluation.[17]. It is China's third-generation supersonic fighter and made its debut . How could the F-4 possibly keep up in this new environment? [22] Many of these types remain in frontline service in 2022. 3rd Generation Jet Fighters Quiz Information. The supremacy of the fourth-generation was confirmed again in the Gulf War, in which Iraqi fighters shot down only one fourth-generation fighter (an F/A-18 Hornet) for the loss of 33 of their third-generation aircraft. The term 4.5 generation is often used to refer to new or enhanced fighters, which appeared beginning in the 1990s, and incorporated some features regarded as fifth generation, but lacked others. This aircraft carries AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles on wingtip launchers. "Flying Qualities of Relaxed Static Stability Aircraft - Volume I: Flying Qualities Airworthiness Assessment and Flight Testing of Augmented Aircraft." 3rd Generation of jet fighters. They were similar in most respects to their piston-engined contemporaries, having straight, unswept wings and being of wood and/or light alloy construction. The Russian MiG-31 interceptor also has some datalink capability. The 1930s were much different due to the looming threat of war, which convinced aircraft manufacturers across the world to ramp up research into fighter aircraft technology once more. The Navy, in contrast, perceived the problem as being a lack of Air Combat Maneuvering training, and instituted the Top Gun training program in 1968. The Pentagon later converted some into QF-4 target practice drones. [1][13], The rest of this article broadly follows the analysis of Baker.[1]. The Korean War was the first conflict where jets were used on a mass scale by both sides, with first generation fighters now being a symbol of the conflict. Despite a design dating back to the early 1960s, the J-8 is a capable third gen fighter. Fourth Generation Fighter types incude the American F-16 Fighting Falcon, the F/A-18 Hornet, the Chengdu J-10 and the MiG-29 Fulcrum . It is China's third-generation supersonic fighter and made its debut when the PLA marked its 90th anniversary in July 2017 at Zhurihe military training base in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The Phantom reportedly acquitted itself well versus Iraqi MiGs, and carried out several long-range raids on the Iraqi airfields. Key Point:The Phantom has proven both versatile and adaptable over time. The third- generation jet fighter was the class of fighters developed between the early 1960s to the 1970s. With the official declaration of war in September 1939, development of new fighters increased considerably on both sides, and in non-aligned countries like the US. Japan maintains the same number of F-4EJ Kais upgraded with pulse-Doppler radars and anti-ship missiles. Third-generation fighters were often designed primarily as interceptors, being built around speed and air-to-air missiles. Meanwhile, the growing costs of military aircraft in general and the demonstrated success of aircraft such as the F-4 Phantom II gave rise to the popularity of multirole combat aircraft in parallel with the advances marking the so-called fourth generation. When the F-15 and the lighter F-16 saw their first major air action over Lebanon in 1982, they shot down more than 80 Syrian third-generation MiGs at no loss. But aerial warfare didnt truly become widespread until WWI, leading to the first so-called fighter aircraft, like the Fokker Eindecker and Sopwith Camel, which were specifically designed for aerial combat. Shenyang J-8B Finback (Mach 1.8) China's first home-produced supersonic fighter? These are the manly maturation of 2nd generation and addition of innovation. Easyby integrating the same modern hardware used in the fourth generation. Despite numerous shortcomings that would be not be fully addressed until newer fighters, the Phantom claimed 280 aerial kills, more than any other U.S. fighter over Vietnam. Depending on who you talk to, you may find that they class different aircraft in different generations (especially if those aircraft were produced near the end or start of a generation and theres some overlap) or that there are only four generations rather than five (mainly by the Chinese). Direct government involvement was spared for those manufacturers located in countries like Germany and Japan, whose leaders had embarked on projects of aggressive military expansionism and needed brand new, state-of-the-art fighter aircraft to do this. The changes in the fighter combat conception, new air-to-air guided missiles and the results . Eventually, the Air Force upgraded all of its F-4Es with wing-slats that significantly improved maneuverability at a slight cost in speed. Fourth-generation designs are heavily influenced by lessons learned from the previous generation of combat aircraft. Furthermore, the F-4 came in both ground- and carrier-based models and served in the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marines. Hoh, Roger H. and David G. Mitchell. Plaintiffs claim the earplugs were defective, causing them hearing loss and tinnitus. The sharing of targeting and sensor data allows pilots to put radiating, highly visible sensors further from enemy forces, while using those data to vector silent fighters toward the enemy. (Recommended: How to Win a War with China). This page was last edited on 15 February 2023, at 14:46. carbon-fiber composite in manufacturing. Replacement of analog avionics, required to enable FBW operations, became a fundamental requirement as legacy analog computer systems began to be replaced by digital flight-control systems in the latter half of the 1980s. Later on, it was introduced to the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and the block 60 (export) F-16 also, and will be used for future American fighters. The actual number of air-to-air kills remains disputed. An RF-4 reconnaissance plane was shot down over Syria in 2012, and three F-4s crashed in 2015earning them the appellation Flying Coffins in the Turkish media. Stealth technologies also seek to decrease the infrared signature, visual signature, and acoustic signature of the aircraft. improved air-to-air missiles improved radar systems other avionics guns remained standard equipment Supercruise is the ability of a jet aircraft to cruise at supersonic speeds without using an afterburner. The 3rd Generation Fighter crop was headlined by such classic types as the American Century series and Soviet MiG-17 and MiG-21 types. To do this, brand new turbofan engines were installed on third gen fighters, which were more fuel efficient than the turbojets used up until then, thus extending range. Dedicated ground-attack aircraft (like the Grumman A-6 Intruder, SEPECAT Jaguar and LTV A-7 Corsair II) offered longer range, more sophisticated night attack systems or lower cost than supersonic fighters. Studies showed that 45 percent of Vietnam-era AIM-7s and 37 percent of AIM-9s failed to either launch or lock on, and after evasive maneuvers, the probability of achieving a kill fell to eight percent and 15 percent for the two types, respectively. While guns remained standard equipment (early models of F-4 being a notable exception), air-to-air missiles became the primary weapons for air superiority fighters, which employed more sophisticated radars and medium-range RF AAMs to achieve greater "stand-off" ranges, however, kill probabilities proved unexpectedly low for RF missiles due to poor reliability and improved electronic countermeasures (ECM) for spoofing radar seekers. Also From TNI: Donald Trump: Best President Ever? In 1972, an F-4 piloted by Maj. Phil Handley shot down a MiG-19 with his planes gunthe only recorded aerial gun kill performed at supersonic speed. and integrated engines. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! Powered by twin Guizhou WP-13B engines with afterburners, the J-8 top out at Mach 1.8. The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a legendary aircraft an icon of the Vietnam War and the archetype of the third-generation jet fighter designs that entered service in the 1960s. RELATED: The F-104 Starfighter: The Missile With A Man In It. The F-4E model finally came with an internal M161 Vulcan cannon. A number of technologies would be tried for Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing, but thrust vectoring would be successful on the Harrier jump jet. Like other modern F-4s, they can deploy advanced ordnance such as Paveway bombs, HARM anti-radar missiles and 3,000-pound Popeye missiles with a range of 48 miles. in the horizontal plane) and can be deflected 15 in the vertical plane. [5][6] This effectively condensed the previous classifications to three generations. The Pakistani/Chinese JF-17 (block-3 variant) and China's Chengdu J-10B/C use a diverterless supersonic inlet, while India's HAL Tejas uses [1] The further advance of microcomputers in the 1980s and 1990s permitted rapid upgrades to the avionics over the lifetimes of these fighters, incorporating system upgrades such as active electronically scanned array (AESA), digital avionics buses, and infra-red search and track. In the quest for increasing speed, aircraft and engine manufacturers soon discovered the limitations of piston engine technology; after all, a propeller can only spin so fast before it becomes ineffective. While the trade-offs involved in combat aircraft design are again shifting towards beyond visual range (BVR) engagement, the management of the advancing environment of numerous information flows in the modern battlespace, and low-observability, arguably at the expense of maneuvering ability in close combat, the application of thrust vectoring provides a way to maintain it, especially at low speed. 11ff. In response to the increasing American emphasis on radar-evading stealth designs, Russia turned to alternate sensors, with emphasis on IRST sensors, first introduced on the American F-101 Voodoo and F-102 Delta Dagger fighters in the 1960s, for detection and tracking of airborne targets. The Phantom is approaching the capabilities of fourth-generation fighters. They may be integrated with sixth-generation fighter avionics, either as satellite aircraft under a sixth-generation command fighter or even replacing the pilot in an autonomous or semi-autonomous command aircraft. 3rd generation fighter jet are mainly developed between 1960s to 1970s.. Parallel advances in materials, engine technology and electronics made such a machine possible. The RBE2-AESA can also be retrofitted on the Mirage 2000. Guidance for such precision-guided munitions (PGM) was provided by externally mounted targeting pods, which were introduced in the mid-1960s. The Hawker Hunter appeared too late for the war but was widely used and took part in several later ones. Their wide-scale use revealed the immense shortfalls of first gen fighters; theyd advanced so much but still had a long way to go. This would leave third-generation fighters vulnerable and ill-equipped, renewing an interest in manoeuvrability for the fourth generation of fighters. The F-4s primary problem was that it had no built-in cannon. As of 2023, these are the most advanced fighters in operation. Generation 1: Jet propulsion Generation 2: Swept wings; range-only radar; infrared missiles Generation 3: Supersonic speed; pulse radar; able to shoot at targets beyond visual range.. . Studies showed that 45 percent of Vietnam-era AIM-7s and 37 percent of AIM-9s failed to either launch or lock on, and after evasive maneuvers, the probability of achieving a kill fell to eight percent and 15 percent for the two types, respectively. When the F-4 came out it in 1958 it was a revolutionary designone that went on to set several aviation records. The Korean War of 1950-1953 forced a major rethink. [25], With the fifth generation slowly coming into service, attention turned to a replacement sixth generation. [21][22] The Super Hornet was also fitted with IRST [23] although not integrated but rather as a pod that needs to attached on one of the hardpoints. The U.S. explored fitting the technology to the F-16 and the F-15, but did not introduce it until the fifth generation arrived. The Air Force didnt realize those early missiles were terrible. The F-4s primary problem was that it had no built-in cannon. The real-life Top Gun pilots soar through the skies in F-35 fighter jets. The only other frontline fighter to serve in all three services before or since is the F-35. An aircraft with negative static stability, though, in the absence of control input, will readily deviate from level and controlled flight. The Air Forces Phantoms claimed 107 air-to-air kills for 33 lost to MiGs, and the Marine Corps claimed three. But surely the electronics and instruments are out of date? The Panavia Tornado remained multi-role and developed a defensive/offensive sensor, avionics and weapons suite especially capable of anti-radar and anti-missile ground attack, while the Lockheed F-117 introduced stealth as a design concept. ", "HAL Tejas, the strongest fighter plane of its generation, developed indigenously by India. The preceding generation including the classic F-86 and MiG-15 types but these were shown, in time, to be interim post-World War 2 developments awaiting replacement. Ralph Wetterhahn Air & Space Magazine, January 01, 2009, Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia. Modern F-4s can also fire the full range of modern ordnance such as the advanced AIM-120C AMRAAM air-to-air missile with a range of 65 miles, precision-guided munitions such as the AGM-65 Maverick, and late model Sparrow and Sidewinder missiles. As a passive sensor, it has limited range, and contains no inherent data about position and direction of targetsthese must be inferred from the images captured. More. However, the F-4s problems began to recede. Just two Phantoms managed to scramble in defense, but they shot down seven of the attackers. Due to the dramatic enhancement of capabilities in these upgraded fighters and in new designs of the 1990s that reflected these new capabilities, they have come to be known as 4.5generation. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Sophisticated automation and human interfaces could greatly reduce crew workload. This arrived in the form of the American 'Century Series' fighters encompassing speed-minded developments such as the F-100 'Super Sabre', F-102 'Delta Dagger', and F-105 'Thunderchief' in the West and the MiG-19 'Farmer' and MiG-21 'Fishbed' in the East. Their supporting avionics included pulse-doppler radar, off-sight targeting and terrain-warning systems. Navy pilots went on to score a superior kill ratio over Vietnam of 40 victories for seven planes lost in air-to-air combat. Salomon has been interested in aviation ever since his parents took him on a Boeing 720 to see his relatives. Military aviation is no different. Jet fighter generations classify the major technology leaps in the historical development of the jet fighter. In one engagement on the first day of the Yom Kippur War in 1973, 28 Egyptian MiGs attacked Ofir Air Base. As advances in stealthy materials and design methods enabled smoother airframes, such technologies began to be retrospectively applied to existing fighter aircraft. This page was last edited on 8 January 2021, at 15:03 (UTC). As these appeared piecemeal, designers returned to the fighter first and foremost, but with support, roles mapped out as anticipated developments. The F-16 is a single-seat, single-seater fighter, a third- or third-generation semi-american fighter, and one of the most successful fighters in the world. Not really. Dogfights forced improvements in manoeuvrability, air-to-air missiles and radar systems. At the same time, the increasing cost of military aircraft in general and the demonstration of the success of aircraft such as the F-4 Phantom II gave rise to the popularity of multi-role fighter aircraft in line . 9/10 Lockheed F-104 Starfighter (Mach 2) Late to the party, the J-8B was a third gen fighter while the competition had moved on. The story of the legendaryF-4 Phantom II. Among the most famous fourth gen fighters are the Saab Viggen, F-16, Panavia Tornado, Su-27 and Harrier II. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. But the Phantoms record in air-to-air combat over Vietnamespecially when compared to its successor, the F-15 Eagle, which has never been shot down in air-to-air combathas left it with a reputation of being a clumsy bruiser reliant on brute engine power and obsolete weapons technology. Armament: AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles on wingtip launchers. The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a legendary aircraft an icon of the Vietnam War and the archetype of the third-generation jet fighter designs that entered service in the 1960s. Just compare it to F-15 Eagle. A computing feature of significant tactical importance is the datalink. Third-generation jet fighter (1965-1975) The archetype of this generation is the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II, the US jet fighter model with the highest production number to date. The 4.5-generation fighters are therefore generally less expensive, less complex, and have a shorter development time than true fifth-generation aircraft, while maintaining capabilities significantly in advance of those of the original fourth generation. To improve accuracy of these, second generation fighters were fitted with rudimentary avionics, including a supersonic radar. Other existing thrust-vectoring aircraft, like the F-22, have nozzles that vector in one direction. The Phantom still sees service. The introduction of the swept wing allowed transonic speeds to be reached, but controllability was often limited at such speeds. Using this method, German MiG-29 using helmet-displayed IRST systems were able to acquire a missile lock with greater efficiency than USAF F-16 in wargame exercises. Five generations are now commonly recognized, with the fifth representing the latest generation in service (as of 2012). The third generation was a continuation in researches of advanced avionics, aerodynamics performance and air guided missiles. Types such as the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom, General Dynamics F-111, Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23, Sukhoi Su-17, Shenyang J-8, and Hawker Siddeley Harrier had varying degrees of success. Furthermore, the Phantoms J79 engines produced thick black smoke, which combined with the aircrafts larger size, made it easier to spot and target from a distance. As combat aircraft are essentially weapons platforms, these capabilities mean that the F-4s can handle most of the same offensive tasks a fourth-generation F-15 or Su-27 fighter can do. To increase situational awareness and coordination, most fifth gen fighters have networked data fusion, allowing fifth gen fighters to talk to other allied fifth gen fighters nearby. Many types were soon compromised by adaptations for battlefield support roles, and some of these would persist in new variants for multiple generations.[17]. ; Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0; additional terms may . This is an online quiz called 3rd Generation Jet Fighters. J-7s, copies of the Soviet MiG-21, were . SAMs accounted for most of the 36 Israeli Phantoms lost in action. For instance, modernized F-4s have improved Heads Up Displays (HUDs) so that pilots dont have to look down from the canopy to check on their instruments. For the purposes of this article, we will be using the most widely used and accepted consensus regarding which aircraft are in which generation and the notion of five generations over four.